After the one-time model download, indexing and searching run on your computer. DigUp goes online only to download the model once and to check for updates once a day. The update check sends nothing about your files, you can turn it off, and there is no account and no telemetry. See local AI file search and is DigUp safe for more details.
Network connections
| Connection | When | What the source says |
|---|---|---|
| Model download | Once, at first launch while you pick folders | Downloads the 865 MB EmbeddingGemma 2 model from Hugging Face, as confirmed by the maintainer in Issue #7 (closed). |
| Update check | Once a day | Sends nothing about your files and can be turned off in Settings, as noted in the 0.6.0 release notes. |
| Updates | When you install a new version | Installs with one click for the Mac app, the Windows installer, and the AppImage. With the .deb package, DigUp tells you when there is a new version and opens its release page. |
| Your files and searches | Never | Nothing you index leaves your computer. The maintainer states in Issue #7 (closed) that your files and searches never leave the device. |
If a firewall or network blocks the model download
A user reported in Issue #25 (open as of 2026-10-16) that a firewall blocked the automatic model download. On a Mac, release 0.6.1 lets you download the two files somewhere else and pick them with Use Files… in Settings → Storage, and DigUp checks them before it uses them. The release notes describe this feature for the Mac only. Read model download failed for details.
Where your data stays
DigUp stores its index in one SQLite file on your computer, with a second index if you turn on code search. The model and indexes stay in local folders on your drive: ~/Library/Application Support/DigUp on a Mac, the application data folder on Windows, and ~/.local/share/digup on Linux. See the uninstall guide for full paths.
In Issue #8 (open as of 2026-10-16), the maintainer declined adding a separate index passphrase for now, noting that FileVault already encrypts the index along with the rest of your disk (which applies when FileVault is turned on on your Mac). In Issue #10 (closed), the maintainer stated that the Mac app does not use App Sandbox for now because helpers need folder access passed down, code search runs git, and opening results at a page or moment uses Apple Events. DigUp only reads the folders you pick, and never changes, moves, or uploads your files.