When looking at what DigUp is alongside other desktop search tools, the main difference is how each tool matches your query to your files. This page compares DigUp with Spotlight, Windows Search and Everything using only documented facts.
Comparison
| Tool | Systems | How it finds files | Described by |
|---|---|---|---|
| DigUp | Mac; Windows and Linux beta | by what files show or say, plus exact words, in folders you pick | DigUp’s README |
| Spotlight | Mac | names, text and metadata | DigUp’s README |
| Windows Search | Windows | names, text and metadata | DigUp’s README |
| Everything | Windows | file names | voidtools support page |
This guide has no speed or accuracy tests of these tools.
When DigUp fits
DigUp uses Google DeepMind’s EmbeddingGemma 2 to put text, images, audio and video into one shared space. You can find a photo by what it shows, jump to the PDF page that matches a description, or open the minute of a podcast where a topic comes up. Searches work across the model’s 100+ languages, and exact words such as invoice numbers, error codes and names are matched in file names and document text. DigUp also includes code search, which is off until you turn it on for chosen folders.
Using them together
DigUp’s README notes that Spotlight and Windows Search work fine side by side with DigUp. DigUp reads only the folders you pick, and never changes, moves or uploads your files.
What DigUp needs
Before you go to the download page, check the system requirements. On a Mac, DigUp needs an Apple Silicon Mac with macOS 14 or later. On Windows, the beta (0.7.0-beta.1) needs 64-bit Windows 10 or 11. On Linux, the beta packages are for 64-bit Intel and AMD processors on Ubuntu 22.04, Debian 12, Mint 21 and newer. On first launch, DigUp downloads the 865 MB model once.