User guide
Four steps to start using SeekPhoto and manage a huge library with ease
Four steps to get started
From download to search in a few minutes
Download and install
Download the installer from this site and double-click it — no environment setup, ready to use out of the box.
First-run setup
On launch it detects folders on your computer that contain photos; click to add them, or add more later in Settings. Photos always stay where they are — SeekPhoto never copies or moves them.
Background indexing
The AI analyses photos and generates thumbnails automatically. The activity bar shows "Recognised X/Y photos" in real time, and you can pause and resume at any point; gaps are topped up while the app is idle.
Start searching
Type in the search box at the top and photos matching the filename appear instantly; enter "sunset over the sea" and press Enter for an AI search by picture content. You can also browse the timeline, shooting calendar and filter panel.
Get the most out of SeekPhoto
Master these techniques to find photos faster
Search by image
Right-click any photo and choose "Find similar photos" to spot bursts, duplicates and series quickly.
Search text inside photos
SeekPhoto reads the text in your photos, so screenshots, receipts and shop signs can be found by what they say.
Shooting calendar
A heatmap shows how many photos you took each day; click any date to see everything from that day.
Photo cleanup
Detects blurry photos caused by missed focus or camera shake, sorts them by blur level, and moves them to the recycle bin in batches to reclaim space.
Filter photos by place
Photos with GPS data are grouped down to province, city and district — pick "Location" in the sidebar to see everything shot in one place.
Favourites, tags and smart albums
Right-click a photo to favourite, rate, tag or add it to an album. Smart albums organise themselves automatically; Standard and Pro add AI tagging and classification.
Search syntax examples
As you type, photos matching the filename appear instantly; press Enter and the AI searches by picture content. Try these keywords
Scenes
People
Objects
Colours
Time
Text content
Things you may want to know
Answers to common questions about using SeekPhoto
Does SeekPhoto move or modify my photos?
No. SeekPhoto only reads photos in place for indexing and display — it never copies, relocates or rewrites originals. Deletions go to the system recycle bin, so they can always be restored.
How long does indexing take?
It depends on the number of photos and your hardware: with a discrete GPU (DirectML acceleration) it can reach several hundred photos per minute, and roughly 20–40 per minute on CPU alone. Indexing runs in the background with live progress in the activity bar, and can be paused at any time; missing thumbnails are filled in while idle.
Which image formats are supported?
JPG, PNG, BMP, WebP, GIF, TIFF, plus iPhone HEIC/HEIF, and common camera RAW formats (Canon CR2/CR3, Nikon NEF, Sony ARW, Adobe DNG, Panasonic RW2, Olympus ORF, Fujifilm RAF, Pentax PEF and others).
Will my photos be uploaded?
No. SeekPhoto runs entirely locally — photos, the index and the AI model are all processed on your computer. No data is ever uploaded, so your privacy is fully protected.
How do I update to a new version?
SeekPhoto checks for updates automatically on startup (an internet connection is needed), and you can also check manually under "Settings → About". When a new version is found it offers to download and install it, and all your data is kept. Note: versions 0.11.1 and earlier could not update online because of a signing configuration issue — install once manually from this site.
Where is my data stored?
All data is stored in the application data directory (on Windows, %APPDATA%/seekphoto/), including thumbnails and the photo index. Uninstalling the app does not delete your original photos.
Ready to get started?
Download SeekPhoto free and rediscover your photo library with AI
Download nowWindows 10/11 · Free · Runs locally