A: Locaitor is a “professional file finder” designed to help businesspeople deal more efficiently with the overwhelming quantity of documents and files they have. Locaitor helps you find documents and files faster on PCs and Macs, on other “local” storage media (e.g., network drives, removable disks, etc.), and on cloud-based services (e.g., Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, iCloud, etc.), all with a single, speedy search. #FindFilesFaster

A: In a word, “yes!” And soon it will be available on smartphones and tablets, too.

A: To get started with Locaitor sign up for your free Locaitor account:

• Go to Locaitor.ai/Waitlist and enter your name and email address to join the waitlist.
• Await an email invitation with your Locaitor account credentials and download link.
• Download, install, and launch Locaitor. Sign in using your new account credentials.

A: Yes, it is safe. Locaitor is new-to-the-world software. As with other new software that Windows has not yet seen in volume, Microsoft has paused installation and is warning that “Windows protected your PC.” This is a standard warning and NOT an evaluation about the app. You can confidently proceed as follows:

• From the screen with the warning, click on the “More info” link.
• Choose the button to “Run anyway.”

After that, installation will proceed normally. If you encounter issues or have questions, please contact Locaitor Technical Support at 412-440-8930 or at [email protected].

A: Yes, it is safe. When you encounter this warning, click “OK.” You can confidently proceed as follows:

• Click the Apple icon in Mac’s top-level menu and select “System Settings.”
• From the choices in the lefthand column, select “Privacy & Security.”
• Scroll down the list on the righthand side to find a message indicating: “Locaitor was blocked from use because it is not from an identified developer.”
• Below this message, click the button that says, “Open Anyway” and proceed normally.

If you encounter issues or have questions, please contact Locaitor Technical Support at 412-440-8930 or at [email protected].

A: Locaitor must be connected to your various file sources (AKA file “locaitions”) to enable finding. A one-time configuration will allow Locaitor to search your sources (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.). It may take a few minutes to set up, but then you’ll be able to access your files wherever they are without having to login to those services again, a wonderful, new timesaver.

To configure “Sources,” from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) and look for the “Sources/Locaitions” list in the left column. You’ll find an ever-expanding list of locaitions you can include for finding. Click on the desired source and follow the process (click the Add or Connect button in the upper right and provide the requested information).

Typically, you’ll want to start by connecting your “Local Files.” After selecting that option (left column), click “Add Common Folders (recommended)” and then “Add Other Local Folders,” as desired.

While the one-time process for connecting Sources takes a few minutes, this time will be repaid again and again as you find files faster and Locaitor opens them for you without you having to login to your cloud sources (a tremendous convenience).

After configuring your sources, click “Home” in the upper right to initiate your search. Whenever you want to start a fresh search, click “Clear All.”

A: Yes, you can add more sources any time you want. To reach the Sources configuration area again, from the “Home” screen, click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Sources/Locaitions.” There you’ll find an ever-expanding list of locaitions your app can be configured to search.

Note that Locaitor never copies, modifies, moves, or stores your files. Further, Locaitor does not have the ability to delete your files. Locaitor simply “indexes” your files for search and points you to them when relevant. All file access is controlled directly by you via your operating system and/or browser.

Mac users, please note that iCloud files are automatically included when you “Add Common Folders.” You’ll find iCloud listed among the Folders grouped under “Local Files” (see Sources Filter on left and click the carat expander next to “Local Files”).

A: Yes.

• From the “Home” screen, click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Sources/Locaitions.” Next, select “Local Files,” then “Add Common Folders (recommended)” and/or select “Add Other Local Folders,” repeating as needed.
• When prompted by your operating system, grant Locaitor the necessary “access permissions.”
• Revisit this section anytime to add or remove local folders, to adjust source “Scan Intervals,” or to explore other settings.

Mac users, please note that iCloud files are automatically included when you “Add Common Folders.” You’ll find iCloud listed among the Folders grouped under “Local Files” (see Sources Filter on left and click the carat expander next to “Local Files”).

A: Yes.

• From the “Home” screen, click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Sources/Locaitions.” Next, select the relevant cloud service (listed below “Local Files” in the list). Then click “Connect [cloud] Account” (upper right) and follow the process.
• When prompted by the cloud service, grant Locaitor the necessary “access permissions.”
• Revisit this section anytime to connect or disconnect cloud services, to adjust source “Scan Intervals,” or to explore other settings.

Mac users, please note that iCloud files are automatically included when you “Add Common Folders.” You’ll find iCloud listed among the Folders grouped under “Local Files” (see Sources Filter on left and click the carat expander next to “Local Files”).

A: Locaitor is currently free to use. Based on user feedback and experience, we plan to introduce a pricing model in the future. We will likely adopt a “freemium” approach, where most current features remain free, possibly with usage limits, while new features will be available via subscription. If you have any suggestions regarding pricing or new features, please contact us at [email protected]. 

A: Once you’ve configured your “Sources” (also known as Locaitions) in “Settings,” navigate to the home screen by clicking the “Home” button in the upper right. This will lead you to the main Locaitor interface. If you see “Settings” in the upper right, you’re already on the home screen.

In the “Search here…” box, input any word or phrase. Locaitor will display documents and files that have your search term in their filename or folder name. (Note: content search is coming soon.)

Use the blue “SmartList” buttons below the search box, (“Documents,” “Images,” “Presentations,” “Spreadsheets,” etc.) to refine your search to specific file categories. By default, files are shown from newest to oldest (AKA reverse chronological order) because the files you’ve been working with lately are most likely what you’ll need next.

Notice that before or during a search you can instantly reorder your results by “Name,” “Type,” “Date,” or “Size,” by clicking the up/down arrows associated with each attribute. You can also filter your results using any of five filters in the left-hand column (“Sources Filter,” “Tags Filter,” “Dates Filter,” “Size Filter,” and “Types Filter”).

To start a new search, click the “Clear All” button in the upper left.

A: To open any file shown in the Locaitor “Results List,” simply click/tap it. Right-clicking (AKA control-clicking) provides additional options, including “Open Folder.”

A: Yes, you can change the file-click behavior (open file vs. open folder) by clicking “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Search Results” and changing the “Local File Click Action” and/or “Cloud File Click Action” to another option, as desired. Make sure to “Apply” your changes before returning “Home” (upper right).

A: Absolutely! After authorizing access during “Sources/Locaitions” setup, Locaitor lets you access your cloud files with just one click (easier and faster than ever before). Depending on your configuration, click or right-click on a cloud file and Locaitor will use your default browser to access the service and open the file. Cool, huh?

A: Yes, you can change the browser that Locaitor uses to open your cloud files, but not in the Locaitor settings. Locaitor employs the browser set as default in your operating system (MacOS or Windows) or within the browser itself. To change this preference, please refer to the respective OS or browser instructions. After making changes, Locaitor will adopt the updated preference.

A: To see and/or search for folders, on the “Home” screen directly below “Clear All” (on the far left), there’s a toggle switch (AKA slider) with a folder icon to control folder visibility. When activated (colored blue), search results will include folders and files.

Alternatively, you can control folder inclusion by clicking “+ Types Filter” in the left-hand column (the last of your five filters) and selecting the checkbox for “Folder.”

To see only folders (no files), in the “Types Filter” double-click “All,” (essentially selecting and then deselecting all file types), and then click “Folder” to see only those results.

A: Unless you’re searching for a specific folder name, including folders can often lead to a cluttered “Results List.” What sets Locaitor apart is its ability to identify files within folders that match your search criteria, even if the files themselves don’t. This means you can effortlessly locaite relevant files without being bogged down by unnecessary folder hierarchy.

A: As you type a word or phrase in Locaitor’s “Search here…” box, notice that your search results change (update) with each letter you type or delete. This is referred to as “Live Text Search.” It’s like the auto-suggest feature available in select advanced apps.

A: The pros of using “Live Text Search” include that your results are usually available faster. Further, you may discover that you often find the desired file even before you’re finished typing.

A possible con (AKA downside) of using “Live Text Search” is that Locaitor is effectively doing a new search with each letter typed. If you’re on a slow machine or dealing with a very large number of files, you may prefer to turn off this feature. With “Live Text Search” turned off, you’ll see your results when you hit <Enter> or click the “Search” button on the right.

A: To start a new search, click the “Clear All” button in the upper left. This clears the search box and sets all controls (Filters, SmartLists, etc.) back to your chosen “initial search area.”

A: The “Results List” is the list of files on Locaitor’s main screen (AKA “Home”). When you hit “Clear All,” your search area is restored to your configured starting point (typically “All” of your documents and files). Notice the “Search Area Percentage Bar” below “Clear All.” It shows you the percentage of files Locaitor is ready to search (typically 100%, but it can be less whenever you’re working with a narrowed Search Area – see FAQ on “SOURCES AND SEARCH AREAS”).

Whenever you type in the “Search here” box, you click on a SmartList (e.g., “Documents,” “Images,” “Presentations,” “Spreadsheets,” etc., across the top), and/or you set any combination of Locaitor’s five filters (“Sources Filter,” “Tags Filter,” “Dates Filter,” “Size Filter,” and “Types Filter” in the left-hand column), your “Results List” will update to show the files that match your search and filtering criteria.

A: You can access the various pages of your search results (in the lower right) by selecting a page number or by clicking the forward and back arrows (“<” and “>” respectively). If there is no option to go beyond the first page, or to access a page number you expected, it’s because you’ve reached the end of the “Results List.” To the left of the page number(s), check the results count (look for “Top [N] Results,” where ‘N’ indicates how many results Locaitor has found).

A: Yes, you can easily change the “Results List” sort order. At the top of your “Results List,” the “Name,” “Type,” “Date,” and “Size” fields have sort arrows. The current sort order is indicated by one of the eight arrows in blue (newest files first by default). Click on the arrows to sort by the associated attribute.

For example, in the “Name” field, clicking the arrows once will sort alphabetically (A to Z). Clicking the arrows a second time will sort reverse-alphabetically (Z to A). Clicking the arrows a third time will return the list to its original order.

A: Yes, you can change how many search results are displayed per page. If you prefer paging, set a lower number (e.g., 15). If you prefer scrolling, set a higher number (up to the “Max Results per Search” value).

From the Home screen, click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Search Results” and look for the field labeled “Max Results per Page.” The default value is 50, but you can set it lower or higher, as desired. Note “Max Results per Search” shown immediately above when in settings. Make sure to “Apply” your changes before returning “Home” (upper right). The change will take effect when you click “Clear All.”

A: Yes, Locaitor allows you to access up to 500 results per search. However, manually looking through so many search results (more than, say, 10 to 20) is rarely the best use of your time. That said, to change the number of results displayed, from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Search Results” and look for the field labeled “Max Results per Search.”

The default value is 250, but you can set it lower or higher (up to 500 results per search), as desired. Make sure to “Apply” your changes before returning “Home” (upper right). The change will take effect when you click “Clear All.”

A: In practice, with Locaitor you’ll typically find what you’re looking for at or near the top of your search results list. At the risk of appearing as too “nanny state,” we believe that manually scanning an excessive number of results (more than 10 to 20) isn’t the best approach. Every manual review takes significant time. When you don’t find what you’re looking for among the initial results, it’s typically faster and more efficient to try a different search phrase or try “narrowing” your results instead.

In addition, while Locaitor is fast, it’s even faster when it’s retrieving fewer results. This is important if you’re using a slower computer.

A: When you don’t see what you’re looking for among the initial results, it’s typically faster and more efficient to narrow or focus your “Results List” instead. Some of the best techniques include:

• If you know what type of file you’re looking for, select the appropriate blue SmartList button (the buttons below the Search field, including “Documents,” “Images,” “Spreadsheets,” etc.) to narrow your results to just that category of files.
• If you’ve already selected a SmartList and/or know the specific file “extension” you’re looking for (e.g., “Documents” can include extensions such as .doc, .docx, .pdf, .gdoc, etc.), open the “Types Filter” (left-hand column near the bottom) and narrow your focus to the specific file extension(s) of interest.
• While search results are typically presented in reverse-chronological order (newest first, because those are most likely what you’re looking for), you can use the arrow buttons on the column headers to sort by “Name” (A-Z or Z-A, also accounting for numbers, special characters, and spaces in filenames), “Type,” “Date,” or “Size” (smallest-to-largest or largest-to-smallest).
• You can also fine tune date and size ranges by opening the corresponding filters in the left-hand column. Are you looking for, say, a video file that’s gi-normous? Or the other big files eating up your storage space? Set the “Size Filter” to, say, 100 MB and larger and prepare to be impressed.
• Maybe most powerfully, you can use the “Tags Filter” in the left-hand column to find a file with a specific tag (AKA keyword), or other files with the same tag, or files with specific combinations of multiple tags. You can toggle AI tag visibility (on/off) if needed during this process. Searching for tags is a topic in its own right. If that’s of interest, please explore that topic separately (highly recommended).
• Finally, you can always try a different search term or a longer, more specific phrase.

In practice, narrowing any individual search instead of manually looking through a long list of documents and files (to say nothing of folders), will almost always get you to your desired result faster. Considering how many searches you do in a week, or even in a day, when you stop searching manually it’s all-but-impossible not to save time. That’s why we say with Locaitor, you actually “find time.”

A: Yes, in addition to using Filters, SmartLists, and various column sorts, there are three other often useful ways to narrow your “Results List.” Right click on any file and you’ll see these options:

• “Omit From Results” > “Type: [this file extension].” All files with that extension will disappear until next time you click “Clear All.” If that temporary omission proves of value, consider switching that filetype to “Hidden” to avoid extra steps in the future. The process for hiding files by extension is described elsewhere.
• “Omit From Results” > “This File.” That file will disappear until next time you click “Clear All.” That can be useful anytime you’re doing a series of searches and an unwanted file is appearing repeatedly.
• “Omit From Results” > “All Files in This Folder.” As implied, all files in that folder will disappear until next time you click “Clear All.” Try it out and you’ll likely conclude it’s amazingly useful in many different situations.

A: Locaitor uses artificial intelligence (AI) to find results that might go beyond exactly what you’re searching for… when they’re likely to be relevant. One common scenario is that a specific file may not match your search word or phrase, but a folder containing that file matches that search word or phrase. This is key to how Locaitor finds files without requiring you to look in specific folders.

Locaitor essentially looks in all folders simultaneously (not to mention cloud sources) while maintaining relevant “folder awareness,” thereby finding files both faster and more reliably than traditional “hierarchical” search methods.

A: There is no scenario, under user control or otherwise, that Locaitor can delete any local or cloud files. If you can’t find a file using Locaitor, it’s likely that Locaitor doesn’t have access to it due to one of these addressable issues (please explore them in the order listed):

• Certain Locaitor parameters  (search terms, SmartLists, filters, tags, etc.) have been selected and temporarily exclude the file:
  • On the “Home” screen, click the “Clear All” button and retry your search.
  • If your file is still not found, hit “Clear All” a second time.
  • Next, in the “Sources Filter” (left-hand column), click the caret (the small pointer) next to each source to show more detail.
  • Verify that the relevant folders (for local files) and accounts (for cloud files) are listed as expected, paying extra attention to the source that is believed to contain the “missing” file.
  • Verify that all sources show non-zero file counts. If no file count is shown, or if a local folder or cloud source is not listed, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, skip to the step that follows it.
• The file’s source/locaition is not configured for Locaitor scanning, or Locaitor has lost access to a previously authorized source:
  • Go to “Settings,” look for “Sources/Locaitions,” and under there select the “missing” file’s local or cloud source.
  • If the “missing” file is one that’s stored locally, in “Local Files” review the column titled “Folder” and verify that the top-level folder containing the file is in the list. If not, click “Add Other Local Folders” (upper right area button) and add the desired folder.
  • If the “missing” file is one that’s stored in a “cloud” service and the corresponding listing is blank or an expected account is not shown, click “Connect [cloud service name] Account” (e.g., “Connect Google Account”) in the upper right area and follow the process. Otherwise, check and/or update associated settings.
  • Finally, in either case (local folder or cloud service), click the associated scan button (chasing arrows) in the “Action” column. Wait until the scan completes (chasing arrows stop rotating), return “Home” (upper right), and retry your search.
• Locaitor’s search space is narrowed, potentially to just “Office,” “Media,” or “Favorites” files, and your “missing” file is outside of the selected search area:
  • On the “Home” screen, click the “Clear All” button and verify that the “Search Area Percentage Bar” (below the “Clear All” button) displays 100%.
  • If not, click the “All” button (just above the “Search Area Percentage Bar,” which should then go to 100% unless you have a significant number of “Hidden” files). Without clicking “Clear All,” retry your search.
  • If you find your file and want to avoid the problem again, go to “Settings” > “Preferences” > “Search Area” to adjust the associated settings.
• In the previous step, if the “Search Area Percentage Bar” did NOT go to 100%, Locaitor’s search space is narrowed in another way, most likely by excluding one or more SmartLists from results:
  • On the “Home” screen, click the “Clear All” button and verify that the “All” search area indicator (immediately below) blinks twice. If not, click it.
  • Next, open the “Types Filter” by clicking on “+ Types Filter” in the left-hand column, then find the top-level CHECKBOX labeled “All” (not to be confused with the larger “All” button immediately below “Clear All”).
  • If it’s not checked already, click the “All” CHECKBOX to select it, and verify that all checkboxes below are now selected with the possible exceptions of “Folder” and “Hidden.”
  • If any of the other checkboxes are not selected, select them individually. Without clicking “Clear All,” now retry your search.
  • If you find the file and want to avoid the problem in the future, go to “Settings” > “Preferences” > “SmartLists,” look at column titled “Initially Selected” and check for SmartList(s) set to “No.”
  • Make changes as necessary (changing “No” to “Yes”) by clicking the edit button (pencil icon) in the associated “Action” column, at right.
  • Return to “Home,” click “Clear All,” and verify that your search is working.
• Locaitor has not recently “scanned” the Source/Locaition where the file resides:
  • Go to “Settings” > “Sources/Locaitions” and find the local folder or cloud source that contains the “missing” file (select “Local Files,” “Dropbox,” “Google,” etc.).
  • Check the date/time of the “Last Scan.” If the scan is more than 24 hours old, automatic scanning is likely turned off.
  • If you want to change that, make note of where you are currently as you’ll return shortly. Since you’re already in Settings, go directly to “Preferences” > “Search Results” and set “File Auto-scan” to “On”. Make sure to “Apply” changes (upper right) before returning to the previous source settings.
  • If file scans are running as planned, it’s possible that your file has been created, added, or changed since the last scan and Locaitor is simply not up to date on it. If you suspect that’s the case and want to increase Locaitor’s scan frequency for any source, assuming you’re still in “Settings” > “Sources/Locaitions” and have the desired source selected, reduce the “Scan Interval” (to as short as 5 minutes) by clicking the edit button (pencil icon) in the “Action” column at right, make adjustments, and save your changes.
  • Next, click the synch button associated with the relevant source (the chasing arrows icon in the “Action” column). Wait for the scan to complete, then return “Home” (upper right), click “Clear All,” and retry your search.
• Locaitor has categorized the “missing” file as “Hidden:”
  • On the “Home” screen, click the “Clear All” button.
  • Next, click “+ Types Filter” in the left-hand column, then find the top-level CHECKBOX labeled “All” (not to be confused with the “All” button immediately below “Clear All”).
  • Click the “All” CHECKBOX two times to UNselect all Filetypes (everything should be unchecked). Go to the bottom of the list, click the checkbox labeled “Hidden,” and without clicking “Clear All,” retry your search.
• If you still can’t find the “missing” file, use Windows or MacOS search tools (File Explorer or Finder, respectively, among other OS-level options) or relevant cloud search tools to verify that the file exists and is in a folder or authorized cloud service where Locaitor should see it. Once verified, contact Locaitor Tech Support for assistance.

A: To add a new “Source” to Locaitor’s search space, from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Sources/Locaitions.” Look for “Local Files” or the various “cloud” services. Select the relevant target in the “Sources/Locaitions” list and follow the requested process. For example, in “Local Files,” you’ll find the “Add Other Local Folders” option in the upper right. Click/tap that button and navigate to the folder (which includes all subfolders) you want to add. When complete, click the blue “Save” button, then click “Home” (upper right) to continue using Locaitor.

You may return to “Sources/Locaitions” at any time to add, delete, or modify local folders or cloud services (including “Scan Interval”, etc.).

A: To disconnect or remove a “Source” from Locaitor’s search area, on the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Sources/Locaitions.” In the list below, find “Local Files” or the relevant “cloud” service and select it. In the corresponding “Action” column (right side), you’ll see a delete button (trashcan icon). Click it and confirm the source removal or disconnection (AKA “Stop locaiting”). When finished, click “Home” in the upper right to continue using Locaitor.

Note: This action does not change or delete any folders or files on your computer or at any other locaition.

A: On the “Home” screen, your configured sources are listed in the left-hand filters column (look for the “Sources Filter”). After clicking “Clear All” (upper left), all sources should be selected (AKA checked) and ready for simultaneous search. If some sources are not selected, click the “All” button (immediately below “Clear All”) or manually select the associated sources’ checkboxes, as desired. Click the caret (small pointer) next to any source to show more detail.

To add more sources to Locaitor, from the “Home” screen click “Settings” (upper right) > “Sources/Locaitions.” Select either “Local Files” or the name of the cloud service you want to add and follow the requested steps.

Pro tip: You can get to the same setting instantly by clicking the “Gear” icon near the top right of the “Sources Filter.”

A: After “Clear All” (upper left), your configured sources are listed in the column directly below (AKA the “Sources Filter”). Click the caret (small pointer) next to any source to see more detail, and then use the checkboxes to select or unselect the target sources for your search.

A: Yes, you can always see the exact file count. Hover your mouse over 99999+ (without clicking it) and a pop up will display the exact number of files.

A: Yes. If you are looking for just “Office” documents, or “Media” files, or “Favorites,” the rectangular search area buttons (immediately below “Clear All”) allow you to instantly narrow your search area to those flavors of files (notice how the [available] “Search Area Percentage Bar” changes as you click these buttons). Before or during any search, you may use these search area buttons to broaden or narrow your focus.

A: Yes. To change the file types that are included in any of the “Office,” “Media,” or “Favorites” collections, from the “Home” screen (not in “Settings”) hit “Clear All,” then:

• Click the rectangular button that you want to modify (below “Clear All,” select “All,” “Office,” “Media,” or “Favorites”),
• Make desired adjustments to any of the filters (“Sources Filter,” “Tags Filter,” “Dates Filter,”  “Size Filter,” and/or most likely “Types Filter”),
• And change any other options as desired, so that the “Results List” (the list of files now displaying) reflects your new desired collection of files.

Next, save it by hovering over the “Save” icon (to the immediate right of “Clear All”). A drop-down list will appear. Click on the name of the button you’re updating (specifically, one of the three buttons shown after “Save Current Search as…”). To confirm the change, click the blue “OK” button; otherwise, choose “Cancel” instead.

A: No, you do not need to update the “Initial Search Area” settings after changing the associated button(s). If your “Initial Search Area” was already set to “Office” (for example), and you’ve just modified the “Office” button, your “Initial Search Area” will change to match the modified button and its associated file set.

A: Yes, you can set your “Initial Search Area” as desired. To do so, from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Search Area” > “Initial View (tab)” and select any one of the four “Initial Views.” Make sure to “Apply” your changes before returning “Home” (upper right).

The selected option represents your starting point after every “Clear All” (notice that your configured choice will blink twice immediately afterward to remind you of your setting). You can always click on any of the other search area options as needed (before or during any search) to temporarily broaden (“All”) or narrow your targeted search area.

A: Most people typically work with a specific subset of their files (say “Office” documents), rather than with all files they have access to. If this applies to you, narrowing your “Initial Search Area” can help you find your files faster… by searching a more targeted (smaller) area.

Regardless of your selection (“All Documents and Files [Default],” “Office Documents,” “Media Files,” or “My Favorites”), you can always temporarily adjust your search area as needed for any search. To do so, click the desired rectangular “Search Area” button (“All,” “Office,” “Media,” or “Favorites”) below “Clear All.” Your search will then apply to that set of files.

A: Locaitor does not yet fully support “Apps” but will in the future.

However, for Mac users only, you may experiment with Locaitor’s nascent app capability. To do so, it’s important to note that there are likely two different “Applications” folders on your Mac:

• /Applications
• /Users/[username]/Applications

The first (top-level) folder is the one you’ll add to Locaitor’s search space. To facilitate this, ensure that “Macintosh HD” is in Mac Finder’s “Favorites” list.

From the “Home” screen, click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Sources/Locaitions” > “Local Files” and then click “Add Other Local Folders” (upper right). When Locaitor invokes Finder, click on “Macintosh HD” > “Applications” > “Open.” Finally, back in Locaitor, click the blue “Save” button. Click “Home” (upper right) to continue. After “Clear All,” you’ll see a new SmartList called “Applications.”

Note: Sometimes adding the “Applications” folder to Locaitor can introduce significant file clutter. In that case, you may hide the unneeded file extensions (see “Hidden” files) or you may remove the “Applications” folder instead (see associated FAQ). Kindly provide us with your feedback on this evolving capability.

A: Typically, you know what flavor (AKA category) of files you’re looking for (documents, images, presentations, spreadsheets, etc.). Clicking on any of the “SmartList” buttons (just below the search box across the top) shows you just that kind of files… with the newest ones listed first (AKA reverse chronological order). Often, you can find what you’re looking for even without touching the keyboard.

To look for other flavors of files, click a different SmartList button. Notice the expander [“>”] on the righthand side to access even more SmartLists (referred to as “Primary” and “Secondary,” respectively).

You’ll discover that SmartLists are mutually exclusive (AKA either/or). If you want to search multiple SmartLists simultaneously (for example, “Documents” and “Presentations” together), you can do so by using the “Types Filter.” Click “+ Types Filter” in the left-hand column (the last of your five filters) and select the checkboxes for the SmartLists of interest. Without clicking “Clear All,” proceed with your search.

A: “SmartLists” are groups of one or more “File Types.” File types are the many flavors of files as defined by their file extensions, the letters that come after the dot (AKA period) in the file name. Examples include .jpg, .pdf, .json, etc. You can see all the file types (extensions) that Locaitor tracks by opening the “Types Filter” (click “+ Types Filter” in the left column near the bottom), and then click the caret (small pointer) next to any category to show the specific file extensions in that category.

File types can be grouped into flavors (or categories or kinds) of files. For example, .doc, .docx, .gdoc, .pdf, and .pages are all part of a category called “Documents.” Similarly, .key, .ppt, .pptx, and .gslides are in a category called “Presentations,” and .gif, .jpg, .png, and .tif are in a category called “Images.” Other common categories include “Applications,” “Archives,” “Audio,” “Data,” “Developer,” “Spreadsheets,” “System,” “Videos,” and the catchall “Other.”

Locaitor SmartLists are essentially these file categories.

For example, the “Documents” SmartList button (below the “Search” box at the top of the “Home” page) shows all flavors of “Document” file types (extensions), as you can verify by expanding the “Types Filter” at the bottom of the left-hand column, and then expanding the “Documents” group.

(Pro tip: Notice at that level that you can select (focus on) just a single file extension, for example .docx, to narrow you search to just that type of file.)

A: “Primary” SmartLists are always displayed on the “Home” screen (the blue buttons below the search box). Set the SmartLists you use most often to “Primary” for instant access. “Secondary” SmartLists are displayed only when you click the list expander [“>”]. Presumably, secondary SmartLists are used less often.

To change a SmartList from primary to secondary, or vice versa, from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “SmartLists.” In the associated “Action” column, click the edit button (pencil icon).  From there, you can set the selected SmartList as “Primary” or “Secondary.” Click the blue “Save” button (lower right) before returning “Home” (upper right).

A: To rename a SmartList, from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “SmartLists.” In the associated “Action” column, click the edit button (pencil icon).  From there, you can change the “Name.” Click the blue “Save” button (lower right) before returning “Home” (upper right).

A: When you hit “Clear All,” you can control whether any given SmartList is “Initially Selected” (“Yes” or “No”), meaning whether that set of files is included in your “Initial Search Area,” or not. Even when “Initially Selected” is set to “No,” you can always select it individually (by clicking it) or add it to everything already selected/included by selecting its associated checkbox in the “Types Filter.”

A: To choose whether a SmartList is “Initially Selected” (AKA included after “Clear All”), from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “SmartLists.” In the associated “Action” column, click the edit button (pencil icon).  From there, you can choose whether it’s “Initially Selected” (“Yes” is recommended). Click the blue “Save” button (lower right) before returning “Home” (upper right).

The preferred setting for all SmartLists is “Initially Selected,” but Locaitor gives you the flexibility to customize your set up, as desired.

A: Locaitor is pre-populated with almost 500 different “File Extensions,” although there are literally thousands in existence with new ones being added frequently. To add new file extensions to Locaitor’s database, from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “File Extensions.” In the upper right area, click “Add Other File Extension.”

On the resulting screen, in the “Extension” field, enter the new file extension (e.g., .xyzzy). Extensions may contain letters and numbers, but typically do not use special characters. Locaitor will omit the dot (“.”) and ignore any capitalization.

Next, from the pick list, select the related “SmartList” (required). See the associated FAQ to make custom SmartLists, if desired. Finally, add a “Description” (optional), set the “State” as “Active” (default) or “Hidden,” and select an associated “Icon” and “Color” (or keep the defaults). Click the blue “Save” button (lower right) before returning “Home” (upper right). New file extensions will be discovered on the next source scan.

A: Locaitor provides complete flexibility in mapping file types (extensions) to file categories / SmartLists (also known as customizing SmartLists). To change file type categorization, from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “File Extensions.”

On that screen, find the file extension you want to recategorize and click the associated edit button (pencil icon) in the “Action” column at right. From there, click the caret (small pointer) in the “SmartList” box (it looks like a “v” or down arrow) and select the desired option from the list. Click the blue “Save” button (lower right) to finish.

A: To customize or modify SmartLists, from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “File Extensions” (Note: NOT “SmartLists”). On the “File Extensions” screen, find the file extension you want to add or remove from a SmartList and click the associated edit button (pencil icon) in the “Action” column at right.

From there, click the caret (small pointer) in the “SmartList” box (it looks like a “v” or down arrow) and change the categorization for that file extension to any other SmartList, as desired. Use the SmartList named “Other” as a catchall. Click the blue “Save” button (lower right) to finish.

A: To create custom SmartLists, from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “SmartLists.” In the upper right, click “Add New SmartList.” Enter the desired “Name,” set it as “Primary” or “Secondary” (the latter meaning that it’s displayed only after clicking the list expander [“>”] ), and choose whether it’s “Initially Selected” (“Yes” is recommended). Click the blue “Save” button (lower right) to continue.

Next, select file types (extensions) to be part of your new SmartList. As you’re already in “Settings” > “Preferences,” click “File Extensions.” Find the first file extension you want to include in your new SmartList and click the associated edit button (pencil icon) in the “Action” column at right.

From there, click the caret (small pointer) in the “SmartList” box (it looks like a “v” or down arrow) and select your new SmartList from among the options. Click the blue “Save” button (lower right) and repeat the file extension selection process until all file types are included. Click “Home” (upper right), then “Clear All” to try your new SmartList.

A: A tag is a keyword (or short phrase) that you add to a document or file to make it easier to find – by searching for that tag instead of searching for the filename or other attribute. One advantage of tags over folders is that you can have multiple tags on a given file. That way, you can find the file using whatever tag you are thinking of at the time. It’s like putting a file in multiple folders, but without having multiple copies.

A related advantage of tags is they allow you to quickly access files that are related in different ways. Imagine having three files named Doc1, Doc2, and Doc3:

• Doc1 is tagged “Project 1”
• Doc2 is tagged “Project 1” and “Customer A”
• Doc3 is tagged “Customer A”

You can instantly find files tagged “Project 1” (Doc1 and Doc2), or…

Files tagged “Customer A” (Doc2 and Doc3).

If you were using folders instead, there’s no way to put a file (in this case, “Doc2”) in two different folders without duplicating it (versioning and duplication are already enough of a nightmare).

When a file is shown in the “Results List,” double-click in the blank area within the tags field and you’ll see an indication that you can “Select Tags”. As you begin to type, Locaitor will auto-suggest tags that start with or contain those letters. If, instead of typing, you click again, you’ll see a scrollable list of all available tags. Click on one or more tags to select them, and then hit <Enter> or click the “Check” icon to complete the process.

A: When a file is listed in the “Results List,” double-click in the tags field (anywhere it’s white/blank) and you’ll see an “X” associated with each current tag. Click the “X” to remove the tag and then hit <Enter> or click the “Check” icon to complete the process.

A: With Locaitor, there are a variety of ways to search for and work with tags.

On the “Home” screen, there are five types of filters shown in the left column (below “Clear All”). Click “+ Tags Filter” to access tag search (AKA tag filtering) mode. With that filter open, click “Show All” to see your entire list of tags, or use the “Find Tags” box to find tags that start with or contain specific letters. Select one or more tags using the checkbox next to each tag. Only files with the selected tag will be displayed in the “Results List.” That tag will appear in dark blue (meaning “selected”) instead of light blue or light purple (“not selected”).

After a Tag is selected, “Show All” will list other tags that appear on one or more of those same files, along with a count of how many files are tagged as such. Finding all files that have the same tags, or the same combination of multiple tags, can be incredibly valuable.

Alternatively, notice that you can click on any tag shown in the “Results List” to select (or unselect) that tag, instantly finding all files tagged similarly. This can be a useful, new way to find what you’re looking for.

Also notice the “Gear” icon in the upper right area after clicking “+ Tags Filter,” and in the “Tags” column header. These icons serve as shortcuts to the “Tag Editor” where you can add, delete, or modify your set of tags. From the “Home” screen, “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Tag Editor” will also get you to the “Tag Editor.”

A: A manual tag is one that you define yourself and then use to tag desired files. An AI (artificial intelligence) tag is one that is created by Locaitor and placed on files automatically. AI tags are very valuable because they can help you find files faster (including related groups of files), even when you didn’t tag them yourself. Notice the color difference between manual tags (light purple) and AI tags (light blue).

A: Tags that you add yourself (also known as “manual”) are light purple. Tags that are added by Locaitor’s AI (artificial intelligence) are light blue. Both kinds of tags change to dark blue when they are selected.

A: Yes, you can hide AI tags as needed. Sometimes, when you’re looking specifically for tags you added yourself (AKA manual tags), they’re easier to find when you temporarily hide AI tags. At the top of the “Results List” in the “Tags” column (upper right area), you’ll see a slider to toggle AI tags “Off” and “On.”

You can also configure the default behavior of that toggle switch in “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Tag Settings”. Make sure to “Apply” your changes before returning “Home” (upper right).

A: To create, edit, or delete tags at a system level, notice the “Gear” icon in the “Tags” column header, or alternatively, after clicking “+ Tags Filter,” to the right of “Show All.” These are shortcuts to the “Tag Editor” where you can add, delete, or modify tags. From the “Home” screen, “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Tag Editor” will also get you to the “Tag Editor.”

Once in the “Tag Editor,” click “Add New Tag” (upper right) and follow the process.

In addition, you can change the names of existing tags by clicking on their associated edit buttons (pencil icon) in the “Action” column, at right. You can also delete tags (from the Locaitor app and all associated files tracked in Locaitor) by clicking a tag’s associated “Trashcan” icon in the same “Action” column. In either case, confirm your choice when requested, before returning “Home” (upper right).

Note: Adding, deleting, and/or modifying tags in Locaitor does not affect tags used in other applications on your computer or at any other locaition. Locaitor never modifies your files’ metadata.

A: The process for creating new tags is distinct from simply typing a new tag in the “Tag” field. Ideally, tags are used “strategically” across an organization. Many companies set a tagging standard so that all team members (AKA employees) work with a common set of tags and can therefore easily find each other’s information (when permissions allow for such).

Because tags allow files to be found from multiple angles, different employees can find a given file in the way that is most logical to them. At the same time, people can still add “personal” tags (unique to them), even when following a team tagging standard.

Happily, with Locaitor there is no conflict between the old way of organizing information (hierarchically, with folders, within folders, within folders…) and the new way of organizing information (using tags). You’ll also discover that there is no conflict in the many ways that different people categorize information (surprise!) as tagging allows multiple approaches to peacefully coexist. As you use Locaitor, you’ll realize that the need for hierarchical filing abates. Not only will you #FindFilesFaster, but you’ll also save time filing files in the first place.

A: Locaitor provides five major filters, listed in the left-hand “Filters” column:

• Sources Filter
• Tags Filter
• Dates Filter
• Size Filter
• Types Filter

Click the + next to any filter to access its controls. Depending on the filter type, you can use the sliders, calendars, or checkboxes to narrow your search. You can use filters before or during any search, in virtually any combination, to narrow your “search area.” Watch the “Search Area Percentage Bar” at the top of the “Filters List” to see how quickly you’re closing in on your target.

For more details about the “Tags Filter,” see the FAQ on “TAGS AND AI.” For additional depth on the “Types Filter,” see FAQ about “FILE TYPES AND SMARTLISTS.”

As a rule, narrowing your search area using search terms, “SmartLists,” one or more “Filters,” or some combination of all the above, will help you find your documents and files faster. You’re reducing the area you need to search. Is it marketing or a just a straightforward statement? “Search less. Locaite more.”

A: Yes, Locaitor allows you to filter by file category (AKA “SmartList” – “Documents,” “Images,” “Presentations,” “Spreadsheets,” etc.) and/or by specific file extension(s), for example, any specific type(s) of document such as .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt, etc. Click “+ Types Filter” to open that filter (left-hand column near bottom). You’ll see all SmartLists (file categories) listed. To access the file extensions that comprise a SmartList, click the caret (small pointer) next to the file category to expand the list.

Use the checkbox(es) next to each file type (extension) to select or unselect… within a SmartList grouping and/or across many of them. Notice that there is a convenient “All” checkbox at the top of the list, and a similar checkbox for each SmartList (to select or unselect all file extensions in the group).

A: The “Hidden” category is for files that you don’t want or need to see regularly. Most computers contain dozens or even hundreds of file types (extensions) as defined by the letters that follow the dot or period (“.”) in the filename. Examples include .docx (Microsoft Word documents), .exe (Windows applications), .jpg (photo and image files), among many hundreds of others.

Some of these file types are rarely, if ever, accessed in the normal course of business. Locaitor allows them to be “Hidden”, decluttering your search results. For more details on managing such files, see the FAQ on “HIDDEN FILES.”

A: Yes, Locaitor allows you to save your most valuable or useful searches for rapid recall at any time in the future. First, create exactly the search you want to save, using a search phrase, desired SmartList buttons, Filters, column sorts, etc. Next, hover over or tap the “Save” button (the disk icon to the immediate right of “Clear All”). At the top of the resulting drop-down, select “[ New ]”, enter a name for the search, and click “Save.” You can have up to 10 saved searches. If you save more, the oldest saved searches will be overwritten (automatically deleted).

To recall a search later, hover over or tap the same disk icon (to the immediate right of “Clear All”) and click on the saved search name to recall it.

You may delete a saved search by clicking on the “X” to its right.

To recall a saved search, hover over or tap the disk icon (the button to the immediate right of “Clear All”) and click on the saved search name to recall it.

A: To delete a saved search, hover over or tap the disk icon (the button to the immediate right of “Clear All”) and click on the “X” to the right of its name. Note: You can have up to 10 saved searches. If you save more, the oldest saved searches will be overwritten (automatically deleted).

A: Locaitor allows you to hide files with extensions that are not accessed regularly (for example, .ace, .mdf, .pcd, etc.). To temporarily add selected hidden file extensions back to your search area, in the filters list, click “+ Types Filter.” At the bottom of the “Types Filter” list, you’ll find “Hidden.” (Note: It’s present only when you have one or more hidden file extensions.) To see more detail, click the caret (the small pointer) next to “Hidden.” Click the checkbox for “Hidden” to select all extensions, or click individual checkbox(es) to select the specific extensions of interest. Without clicking “Clear All,” proceed with your search.

A: To change a file type (AKA extension) to “Hidden,” click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “File Extensions.” On that screen, find the file extension you want to hide and click the edit button (pencil icon) in the “Action” column at right. From there, click the caret (small pointer) in the “State” box (it looks like a “v” or down arrow) and select “Hidden” from the list. Save your changes.

To unhide a file type (AKA extension), use the same process (“Settings” > “Preferences” > “File Extensions”) and click the edit button (pencil icon) in the “Action” column at right. From there, click the caret (small pointer) in the “State” box (it looks like a “v” or down arrow) and select “Active” from the list. Save your changes.

A: Your computer, whether PC or Mac, has countless filetypes with corresponding extensions. Many of these filetypes are seldom, if ever, accessed directly by users. However, these rarely used files can clutter your search results, slowing your search process. Locaitor allows you to hide them so you can find your relevant files faster.

For example, many programs on your computer use component files that end with the .json extension (including Locaitor itself). Unless troubleshooting a certain kind of problem, most people would never need to access such files. This is a perfect example of the type of file that should typically be hidden.

If, someday, you’re troubleshooting and need to include such files in Locaitor’s search space, it’s as easy as checking a box to temporarily add them in.

A: Whenever you’re looking at your “Results List” and seeing multiple files of a type not relevant to you, the first step is to see if your results are more useful without them. Right-click on any such file and select “Omit from Results” > “Type: [this extension].” All files with that extension will disappear until next time you click “Clear All.”

If that temporary exclusion proves of value, consider switching that file extension to “Hidden” to avoid the extra steps next time. The process for hiding files by extension is described elsewhere.

A: Most people organize files in a hierarchical folder structure. We started this practice decades ago because we had to. There was no search function… but now there is. You’re probably realizing that navigating this hierarchy is both slow and unreliable because files must be placed in a single location, even though information is multidimensional. When searching for files manually, we typically “drill down” through subfolders and when unsuccessful, move up the hierarchy and drill down somewhere else. Hours vanish!

Locaitor is fast because it looks in all folders (and across all “Locaitions”) simultaneously. Almost instantly, you’ll find documents and files that match a given search. But there’s more to it than that. When folder names anywhere in the “path” (the hierarchical sequence of folders and subfolders that contain a file) are related to your search parameters, those files are displayed as “high probability” results as well. You get the best of both worlds: You benefit from the information contained in your existing folder structure, without the hierarchy slowing down your searches.

However, sometimes you may need to locaite a specific folder, and for that situation Locaitor provides two options:

• Anytime you find an important document or file, Locaitor allows you to open its enclosing folder. Right-click (or control-click) and select “Open Folder.” Often, other files of interest are right there in the same folder. And those files’ tags can lead you directly to other important files. There’s never been a search tool anything like this. Experiment with the capabilities and decide for yourself.
• Before or during any search, you can toggle “On” folder visibility. To do so, use the slider immediately below “Clear All”. Voilà! All matching folders appear. Better yet, as with files, folders with a search match anywhere in their path are also revealed.

When finished, use the same slider to make folders invisible again, or simply hit “Clear All.”

A: While Locaitor never reflects a traditional folder hierarchy, “Yes,” Locaitor can still show you your file’s enclosing folder hierarchy. Hover over any file or folder name, pausing briefly, and the full path hierarchy pops up.

Locaitor never adopts a standard hierarchical structure because it comes at a cost and is rarely needed. If it is needed, your existing tools (Windows File Explorer, Mac Finder, etc.) excel at displaying hierarchy (by trading off speed and reliability-in-finding).

As you use Locaitor search, you’ll find that you need (and want) less hierarchical structure every day. You’ll spend less time organizing (putting files in folders) and yet, you’ll feel more organized than ever before.

A: No, Locaitor does not keep a copy of any of your files on its servers. Instead, Locaitor analyzes your local files locally and saves (on its servers) only the information (pointers, tags, etc.) required to help you find your files faster.

A: No, Locaitor never moves, modifies, or deletes your documents or files, regardless of their location. Locaitor also never changes file metadata (meaning, for example, that your files’ native tags metadata is never changed by Locaitor. Instead, Locaitor’s tags (for example) are stored separately by Locaitor and “associated” with your files from outside).

A: No, Locaitor does NOT share your data or anything about you or your data with third parties.

When companies make money using an advertising model, YOU are typically the PRODUCT being sold. Locaitor makes money not by advertising, or by selling your data, but instead by providing a valuable, free service with advanced features available by paid subscription (AKA a “freemium” model).

Further, Locaitor does not maintain a copy of your files on its servers, which minimizes (eliminates?) the possibility of your data being compromised by program actions.

“Settings” > “Profile” > “Account” > “Password (tab)”

A: To change your password, from the “Home” screen, click/tap “Settings” (upper right). By default, you should land on the “Profile” > “Account” screen (otherwise in “Settings,” select “Profile” > “Account”). The “Password” tab should be open but if not, click on it. Enter and confirm your new password, then click the blue “Change Password” button.

“Settings” > “Profile” > “Account” > “Reset (tab)”

A: To reset your account, from the “Home” screen, click/tap “Settings” (upper right). By default, you should land on the “Profile” > “Account” screen (otherwise in “Settings”, select “Profile” > “Account”). Select the “Reset” tab.

Now you can reset Locaitor to its initial configuration, DELETING all of your settings, tags, saved searches, etc. This should typically be done only at the direction of a Locaitor support team member or when closing your account.

The “Reset” process requires some care. In this exact order:

• Click the red “Reset” button
• Check the box that says, “Really delete all my Locaitor settings.”
• Click “Yes”. Or you may cancel the “Reset” process by clicking the “Cancel” button instead.

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “Search Area” > “Initial View (tab)”

A:  To configure your “Initial View,” the file set that you’ll see and search after each “Clear All,” from the “Home” screen, click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Search Area.” You’ll see options for “All Documents and Files (Default),” “Office Documents,” “Media Files,” and “My Favorites.” Select one of these options and then “Apply” that change (upper right area). That will become your initial search area. Click “Home” in the upper right to resume using Locaitor.

Note: Each of these file sets can be customized as desired by following the process described in the FAQ on “SOURCES AND SEARCH AREAS.”

Whenever you click “Clear All”, one of the search area buttons below will blink twice to remind you of your starting point.

Note that configuring your “Initial Search Area” is different than connecting Locaitor to your various file “Sources/Locaitions”. To connect more sources instead, click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Sources/Locaitions,” select the desired source, and follow the process.

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “Search Results” > “Local File Click Action”

A: Clicking on a local file can be configured to trigger any of three possible actions:

• “Open File”
• “Open Folder” (the “enclosing” folder that contains the file)
• Do nothing until “Use Right Click” to select option 1 or 2 above

From the Home screen, click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Search Results” and select the desired action under “Local File Click Action.” Make sure to “Apply” your changes before returning “Home” (upper right).

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “Search Results” > “Cloud File Click Action”

A: Clicking on a cloud file can be set to trigger either of two possible actions:

• “Open in Browser” (without requiring a separate login)
• Do nothing until “Use Right Click” to “Open in Browser”

From the Home screen, click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Search Results” and select the desired action under “Cloud File Click Action.” Make sure to “Apply” your changes before returning “Home” (upper right).

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “Search Results” > “Include Folders” 

A: Yes, you can set folders to be included in search results by default, even though it is not Locaitor’s recommended mode of operation. From the Home screen, click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Search Results” and toggle the “Include Folders” setting as desired (on or off). Make sure to “Apply” your changes before returning “Home” (upper right). The setting will take effect after you click “Clear All.”

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “Search Results” > “Max Results per Search”

A: From the Home screen, click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Search Results” and look for the field labeled “Max Results per Search.” The default value is 250, but you can set it lower or higher (up to 500 results per search) as desired. Make sure to “Apply” your changes before returning “Home” (upper right). The setting will take effect after you click “Clear All.”

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “Search Results” > “Max Results per Page”

A: From the Home screen, click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Search Results” and look for the field labeled “Max Results per Page.” The default value is 50, but you can set it lower or higher (up to the “Max Results per Search” value shown immediately above) as desired. Make sure to “Apply” your changes before returning “Home” (upper right). The setting will take effect after you click “Clear All.”

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “Search Results” > “Live Text Search”

A: To turn “Live Text Search” on or off, from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Search Results” and look for the field labeled “Live Text Search.” Toggle the switch (slider) as desired. Make sure to “Apply” your changes before returning “Home” (upper right). The setting will take effect after you click “Clear All.”

With “Live Text Search” turned off, you’ll see your results when you hit <Enter> or click the “Search” button at the right.

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “Search Results” > “Live Text Search”

A: Yes, you can improve Locaitor’s performance when it runs slowly during search term entry… by deactivating a feature called “Live Text Search.” To turn “Live Text Search” off, from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Search Results” and look for the field labeled “Live Text Search.” Toggle the switch (slider) to “Off.” Make sure to “Apply” your changes before returning “Home” (upper right). The setting will take effect after you click “Clear All.”

With “Live Text Search” turned off, you’ll see your results when you hit <Enter> or click the “Search” button at the right.

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “Search Results” > “Live Text Search”

A: When “Live Text Search” is off, type your search word or phrase in the “Search here…” field, and then hit <Enter> or click the “Search” button (at the far right of the search box).

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “Search Results” > “File Auto-scan”

A: You can disable automatic file/source scanning, if desired. From the Home screen, click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Search Results” and look for the field labeled “File Auto-scan.” Toggle the switch (slider) “On” or “Off.” Make sure to “Apply” your changes before returning “Home” (upper right).

With “File Auto-scan” disabled (AKA turned off), you’ll have to trigger manual source scanning (on a per-source basis) to keep Locaitor updated as your files change. There are two ways to manually activate source scans:

• Hit “Clear All” (on the “Home” screen in the upper left) and the “Sources Filter” in the column below will open. Click the caret (small pointer) next to each source to reveal locaition details. Next to each item, you’ll see a “chasing arrows” icon. Click the icon and scanning will start on that source. When the arrows stop spinning, synch is complete. There’s no need to wait for scanning to complete on one source before starting the next. Scanning works on multiple sources in parallel.
• Alternatively, go to “Settings” > “Sources/Locaitions.” As you select each source, you’ll see the timestamp of the “Last Scan.” In the “Action” column at right, click the “chasing arrows” icon and scanning will start on that source. Feel free to scan multiple sources in parallel.

“Settings” > “Sources/Locaitions” > [select source] > “Action” > “Edit” > “Scan Interval”

A: The interval at which Locaitor scans for new and/or updated files is configurable for each Source/Locaition.  Options include:

• 5 minutes
• 15 minutes
• 1 hour (default/recommended)
• 1 day

To configure individual source scanning intervals, from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Sources/Locaitions” and look for the sources listed below. To change a scan frequency, select any source and click the edit button (pencil icon) in the “Action” column at right. In the “Scan Interval” field, click the caret (down arrow or “v”) to change to a different value, as desired.

A: You can manually trigger Locaitor to scan any given source in one of two ways:

• On the Home screen, click “Clear All” to expand the “Sources Filter” (left-hand column) if it’s not in the expanded state already. Next, click the caret (small pointer) next to any source to show more detail. With the detail exposed, each source (AKA locaition) will feature a “chasing arrows” icon. Click the icon and it will rotate until the new scan is complete.
• Or… from the “Home” screen, click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Sources/Locaitions.” Select any source and on the right end of the listing you’ll see the “chasing arrows” icon. Click the icon and it will rotate until the new scan is complete. Note that the date and time of the “Last Scan” is always shown here for each source.

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “SmartLists” > “Action” > “Edit” > “SmartList (column)” > “Primary” or “Secondary”

A: All SmartList buttons are available on Locaitor’s “Home” screen to help you access your most important file types faster. However, you can choose which buttons are “Primary” (always displayed) and which are “Secondary” (revealed only when the list expander [“>”] is clicked).

To configure SmartList buttons as primary or secondary, from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “SmartLists.” In the “Name” column, find the listing for the desired SmartList and click the associated edit button (pencil icon) in the “Action” column at right. Once in edit mode, you’ll see a field labeled “SmartList” where you can choose “Primary” or “Secondary.” Make sure to save your change(s) by clicking the blue “Save” button in the lower right before returning “Home” (in the upper right).

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “SmartLists” > “Action” > “Edit” > “Name”

A: All SmartList button names can be customized. From the Home screen, click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “SmartLists.” In the “Name” column, find the listing for the desired SmartList and click the associated edit button (pencil icon) in the “Action” column at right. Once in edit mode, you’ll see a field labeled “Name” where you can customize the name. Make sure to save your changes by clicking the blue “Save” button in the lower right before returning “Home” (in the upper right).

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “SmartLists” > “Action” > “Edit” > “Initially Selected”

A: You can choose which SmartList buttons are selected after Clear all. This does not affect their operation, but rather whether they’re initially turned on, thus determining if those file types are initially present in the “Results List” / “Initial Search Area.”

To configure this setting, from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “SmartLists.” In the “Name” column, find the listing for the desired SmartList and click the associated edit button (pencil icon) in the “Action” column at right. Once in edit mode, you’ll see a column labeled “Initially Selected” where you can select either “Yes” or “No.” Make sure to save your change(s) by clicking the blue “Save” button in the lower right before returning “Home” (in the upper right).

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “SmartLists” > “Action” > “Delete” (not recommended)

A: Locaitor will not display a given SmartList button unless you have the associated file types. As such, we recommend NOT deleting SmartList buttons, but instead suggest setting them to “Secondary” and/or “Include in Results” = “No.”

These settings are explained elsewhere. Should you still want to delete a SmartList button (not recommended), from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “SmartLists.” In the “Name” column, find the listing for the SmartList you want to delete and click the corresponding delete button (trash can icon) in the “Action” column. When prompted, confirm your choice and return “Home” (upper right).

All file types that were previously associated with the now deleted SmartList will be marked as “Hidden” in the “State” field. You may edit this setting in “File Extensions,” assigning these file types to other SmartLists, if desired.

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “File Extensions” > “Add Other File Extension”

A: Locaitor is pre-populated with almost 500 different “File Extensions,” although there are literally thousands in existence with new ones being added frequently. To add new file extensions to Locaitor’s database, from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “File Extensions.” In the upper right area, click “Add Other File Extension.”

On the resulting screen, in the “Extension” field, enter the new file extension (e.g., .xyzzy). Extensions may contain letters and numbers, but typically do not use special characters. Locaitor will omit the dot (“.”) and ignore any capitalization.

Next, from the pick list, select the related “SmartList” (required). See the associated FAQ to make custom SmartLists, if desired. Finally, add a “Description” (optional), set the “State” as “Active” (default) or “Hidden,” and select an associated “Icon” and “Color” (or keep the defaults). Click the blue “Save” button (lower right) before returning “Home” (upper right). New file extensions will be discovered on the next source scan.

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “File Extensions” > “Action (column)” > “Edit”

A: Locaitor provides complete flexibility in mapping file types (extensions) to file categories / SmartLists (also known as customizing SmartLists). To change file type categorization, from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “File Extensions.”

There, find the file extension you want to recategorize and click the associated edit button (pencil icon) in the “Action” column at right. From there, click the caret (small pointer) in the “SmartList” box (it looks like a “v” or down arrow) and select the desired option from the list. Click the blue “Save” button (lower right) to finish.

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “File Extensions” > “Action (column)” > “Delete” (Not Recommended)

A: As a rule, you don’t need to delete file extensions from Locaitor because file types are not displayed (for example, in the “Types Filter”) when you have no files with matching extensions. However, if you have certain file types (by file extension) that you prefer not to see, it’s best to mark them as “Hidden” instead (see FAQ on “HIDDEN FILES”).

If you still want to delete certain file extensions (not recommended), from the “Home” screen click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “File Extensions.” Find the file extension you want to delete and in the “Action” column at right, click the associated delete button (trashcan icon), then confirm your choice (“OK” or “Cancel”).

Note: Hiding and deleting file extensions in Locaitor does not in any way affect files on your computer or at any other locaition. There is no scenario, under user control or otherwise, that Locaitor can delete local or cloud files. In fact, hiding and deleting actions in Locaitor are entirely about file visibility simply in Locaitor.

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “Tag Settings” > “AI Tags Default” > “On” or “Off”

A: “AI Tags Default” controls whether Artificial Intelligence (AI) tags are typically on (visible) or off (hidden) after every “Clear All” (AKA by default). Even with the setting “On by Default,” you can temporarily “toggle off” AI tags in the “Results List” (see slider in “Tags” column header) to focus on your manually added tags.

If you don’t want to see AI tags regularly, set this toggle to “Off by Default”. Even with this setting off, you can temporarily “toggle on” AI tags in the “Results List” as needed (see slider in “Tags” column header).

This control is explained in more detail by hovering over the Tool Tip (AKA the circled “?” icon) next to the field name in settings.

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “Tag Settings” > “Term Mapping”

A: This control is explained in detail by hovering over the Tool Tip (AKA the circled “?” icon) next to the field name.

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “Tag Editor”

A: The choice of tags that an individual and an organization uses is an important decision and should not be made “casually”. Your set of tags ultimately impacts how efficiently and effectively you, and possibly your coworkers, will access information. As such, it’s worth thinking strategically (and reaching consensus with other team members, if appropriate) about the set of tags your organization uses. Your existing folder names (and those used by your coworkers) provide a good starting point for choosing tags.

That said, even when you have a “corporate tagging standard”, individuals may supplement those tags with their own “personal tags,” as well.

For these reasons, Locaitor’s tag definition process is distinct from simply typing a new tag in the “Tag” field. Instead, from the “Home” screen, click “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Tag Editor” > “Add New Tag” (upper right).

Once defined, tags are available from a pick list and by autocomplete in the “Tags” column is Locaitor’s “Results List.”

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “Tag Editor” > “Action (column)” > “Edit” or “Delete”

To change a tag’s “Name,” or to delete an outdated tag at a system level, from the “Home” screen, click “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Tag Editor.” In the “Action” (column), click “Edit” (pencil icon) or “Delete” (trashcan icon) and follow the process.

Note: When a tag is deleted at the Locaitor system level, it is removed from all files tagged as such in Locaitor. This action does not affect the tagging metadata used by your operating system or other applications on your computer.

“Settings” > “Sources / Locaitions” > “Local Files”

A: This is one of the most important settings in Locaitor and is typically the first setting you should configure at initial start-up. It controls which folders (and therefore which files) Locaitor keeps track of on your computer (including, potentially, external storage devices).

From the “Home” screen, click “Settings” (upper right) > “Sources / Locaitions” > “Local Files.” There, you’ll find two buttons:

“Add Common Folders (recommended)” adds all common “local” folders to Locaitor’s search area (e.g., Desktop, Documents, Downloads, etc.). NOTE: Once selected, this button is no longer available because the action is complete. If you delete and must add back any “Common” folders to Locaitor’s search area, use the “Add Other Local Folders” thereafter (see #2 below).

After common folders are added, you may edit their “Names,” modify the associated “Scan Intervals,” or delete one or more as desired. See the “Action” column, at right, and click the corresponding icon. 

If requested by your operating system, grant Locaitor the required “access permission(s).”

“Add Other Local Folders” allows you to manually add an unlimited number of other “local” folders (always including any subfolders, as well) to Locaitor’s search area. Click the button and then navigate exactly as you usually do to the desired folder, then click “Select Folder” (PC) or “Open” (Mac), then click the blue “Save” button in the lower right.

As with your common folders, with these “Other” folders you may edit their “Names,” modify the associated “Scan Intervals,” or delete, as desired. See the “Action” column, at right, and click the corresponding icon.

If requested by your operating system, grant Locaitor the required “access permission(s).”

When finished, add your cloud sources to Locaitor (displayed lower in the same list) or click “Home” (upper right) to begin using Locaitor.

“Settings” > “Sources / Locaitions” > “Dropbox” > “Connect Dropbox Account”

A: You can connect your Dropbox account to Locaitor so that the app can find and, at your request, open your Dropbox files. From Locaitor’s “Home” screen, click “Settings” (upper right) > “Sources / Locaitions” > “Dropbox.” There, click “Connect Dropbox Account” (upper right) and follow the requested process. You’ll need to have your Dropbox access credentials on hand (username and password), and your two-factor authentication details available (if in use).

When requested by Dropbox, grant Locaitor the necessary “access permission(s).”

When the connection process is complete, may edit the service “Name,” modify the associated “Scan Interval,” or disconnect the account, as desired. See the “Action” column, at right, and click the corresponding icon.

“Settings” > “Sources / Locaitions” > “Google” > “Connect Google Account”

A: You can connect one or more Google accounts to Locaitor so that the app can find and, at your request, open your Google Drive files. From Locaitor’s “Home” screen, click “Settings” (upper right) > “Sources / Locaitions” > “Google.” There, click “Connect Google Account” (upper right) and follow the requested process. You’ll need to have your Google access credentials on hand (username and password), and your two-factor authentication details available (if in use).

When requested by Google, grant Locaitor the necessary “access permission(s).”

Repeat the process for additional Google accounts, if applicable. When complete, you may edit the service “Name,” modify the associated “Scan Interval,” or disconnect the account, as desired. See the “Action” column, at right, and click the corresponding icon.

“Settings” > “Sources / Locaitions” > “Microsoft” > “Connect Microsoft Account”

A: You can connect one or more Microsoft accounts to Locaitor so that the app can find and, at your request, open your OneDrive files. From Locaitor’s “Home” screen, click “Settings” (upper right) > “Sources / Locaitions” > “Microsoft.” There, click “Connect Microsoft Account” (upper right) and follow the requested process. You’ll need to have your Microsoft access credentials on hand (username and password), and your two-factor authentication details available (if in use).

When requested by Microsoft, grant Locaitor the necessary “access permission(s).”

Repeat the process for additional Microsoft accounts, if applicable. When complete, you may edit the service “Name,” modify the associated “Scan Interval,” or disconnect the account, as desired. See the “Action” column, at right, and click the corresponding icon.

“Settings” > “Sources / Locaitions” > “Local Files” (iCloud)

A: For Mac users, your Apple iCloud account is connected automatically when, in “Local Files” settings, you click “Add Common Folders (recommended).” If you choose to skip that step, you may click “Add Other Local Folders” instead, then navigate to the iCloud folder on your Mac. When requested, grant Locaitor the necessary “access permission(s).”

A: When you quit or close Locaitor, you remain logged in to allow for easy access the next time (without having to login again). If you want to logout of Locaitor (not required), from the “Home” screen (AKA the main user interface), click “Settings” (upper right). By default, you should land on “Profile” > “Account” (otherwise select “Settings” > “Profile” > “Account”), and then click/tap the red-outlined “Logout” button in the upper right area.

A: To contact Locaitor Technical Support, call or text 1-412-440-8930, or email [email protected]. A specialist will get back to you between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM Eastern Time.