A: Locator is a “professional file finder” designed to help businesspeople deal more efficiently and effectively with their overwhelming number of documents and files. Locator 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., Apple iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, 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 Locator sign up for your free Locator account (additional premium features coming soon):

• Go to LocatorLocator.com/Downloads.
• Download, install, and launch the Windows or macOS version of Locator.
• After starting the application on your computer, enter your email address and follow the account creation process.
• Sign in with your new account credentials.

A: Yes, it is safe. Locator 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 a judgment 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 use the AI chatbot on the homepage or FAQ page (lower right), call or text Locator Technical Support at 412-440-8930, or email us at Support@Locator.team.

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” (AKA “Preferences” in older versions of macOS).
• From the choices in the lefthand column, select “Privacy & Security.” This may vary slightly in older versions of macOS.
• Scroll down the list on the righthand side to find a message indicating: “Locator was blocked from use because it is not from an identified developer.” Locator Corp. is in fact, an approved Apple Developer.
• Below this message, click the button that says, “Open Anyway” and proceed normally.

If you encounter issues or have questions, please use the AI chatbot (Miss File) on the homepage or FAQ page (lower right), call or text Locator Technical Support at 412-440-8930, or email us at Support@Locator.team.

A: Yes, you must create an account to use Locator. After installing Locator on your PC or Mac, launch (open) the application. Follow the “Create Account” process:

• Enter your email address (your “work” email address is recommended but not required) and click “Continue.”
• Next, enter your first name and last name and click “Continue.”
• Select and confirm a password. For security reasons, Locator requires a minimum 12-character password with at least one upper case letter, one lower case letter, one number and one special character. The “Continue” button will turn blue when these conditions are met.
• Finally, check your email for a confirmation code and enter that code to complete the account creation process.

With your new account credentials, log in to Locator to start finding your files faster.

A: If you didn’t receive a code during the account creation process, and if you’re still on the “Creating Account” screen where the code is entered, click the blue link to “Resend Code.” Be sure to check your Spam folder. If you still can’t find the code, please call or text Locator Technical Support at 412-440-8930, or email us at Support@Locator.team, and we will complete the process for you.

A: To reset a lost or forgotten password, on the Locator Login screen, click the blue “Forgot Password” link and follow the process. You’ll receive a code by email as a first step.

If you encounter issues or have questions, please use the AI chatbot on the homepage or FAQ page (see lower right), call or text Locator Technical Support at 412-440-8930, or email us at Support@Locator.team.

A: Locator must be connected to your various file sources (AKA file locations) to enable locating / finding. A one-time configuration allows the Locator application to “index” your files at their locations (on your computer and on cloud sources including Apple iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, etc.). It may take a few minutes to set up, but then you’ll be able to locate and access your files wherever they are without having to login and search each of those services separately, a big-time timesaver.

The first time you log in to Locator, you are presented with the Locations Connections Configuration “drawer” (AKA slide-up panel). Here you’ll find an expanding list of sources you can include for locating, organized by “Local Locations” and “Cloud Locations” groups. If necessary, click the carat (“>”) to expand the group to see all available choices.

Start by connecting your “Standard Folders,” the first choice in the “Connect Local Locations” group. Standard folders include Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, and Movies / Videos folders and files. You can also add Other Folders and External Drives using the associated buttons in this same area.

Similarly, in the “Connect Cloud Locations” group, select the desired cloud service(s) (Apple iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, etc.) and follow the requested process which typically occurs in an associated browser tab/window.

This image (https://locatorlocator.com/add-local-folders-recommended/) shows how to connect Locator to your “Standard Folders” for locating.

While the one-time process for connecting locations takes a few minutes, your investment will be repaid repeatedly as you find files faster and Locator opens them for you, typically without you having to login to your cloud storage services each time (a tremendous convenience).

After configuring your locations, click the blue “Close” button in the upper right and start finding files faster.

Whenever you want to connect, disconnect, rename, and/or manually scan (AKA sync) local and/or cloud locations, return to this configuration drawer by clicking the “Locations” button in the upper right area.

A: Yes, whenever you want to connect, disconnect, rename, or manually sync locations, click the “Locations” button in the upper right area. You’ll find an expanding list of sources you can include for locating. Click on the desired local location (folders and files on or connected to your computer) or cloud service name (Apple iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, etc.) and follow the requested process.

When finished, click the blue “Close” button (upper right area) to dismiss the configuration drawer and start locating your files.

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

This image (https://locatorlocator.com/add-local-folders-recommended/) shows how to connect Locator to your local files (e.g., folders on you hard drive, local external drives, memory sticks, etc.) and/or cloud files (Apple iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, etc.).

A: Absolutely!

• From Locator’s main screen, click/tap the “Locations” button in the upper right area. This action will open the Locations Connections Configuration “drawer” (AKA slide-up panel) where you can connect, disconnect, and rename locations. This drawer will open automatically when you log into Locator if no locations are configured. In this same area, you can control your locations’ scan intervals (how often they’re synced), check last scan timestamps, and trigger manual scan(s), if desired.
• Next, notice that there are two different groups of locations: Local and Cloud. If the “Connect Local Locations” group detail is not displayed, click the carat (the “>” forward arrow). It will then point down (“v”) and you’ll see the various local choices.
• Select the “Standard Folders +” button to connect to your macOS or Windows computer’s Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, and Movies / Videos folders and files. If prompted, grant Locator the necessary “access permissions” or adjust your operating system’s settings, if needed.
• Select the “Other Folders +” button to add other folders and files on your computer. Navigate to your desired folders exactly as you would regularly. (Locator relies on your operating system for this action so it will feel very familiar.) If prompted, grant Locator the necessary “access permissions.”
• Select the “External Drives +” button to add folders and files on devices connected directly to your computer. Navigate to your desired attached drives (including devices such as memory sticks, etc.) exactly as you would regularly. (Locator relies on your operating system for this action so it will feel very familiar.) If prompted, grant Locator the necessary “access permissions.”
• When finished, click the blue “Close” button (upper right area) to dismiss the configuration drawer and start locating your files.

Revisit the Locations settings anytime to connect, disconnect, or rename local locations, or to manage your local locations’ scan frequency settings.

This image (https://locatorlocator.com/add-local-folders-recommended/) shows how to connect Locator to your local files for finding.

A: Yes

• From Locator’s main screen, click/tap the “Locations” button in the upper right area. This action will open the Locations Connections Configuration “drawer” (AKA slide-up panel) where you can connect, disconnect, and rename locations. This will happen automatically when you log into Locator if no locations are configured. In this same area, you can control your locations’ scan intervals (how often they’re synced), check last scan timestamps, and trigger manual scan(s), if desired.
• Next, notice that there are two different groups of locations: Local and Cloud. If the “Connect Cloud Locations” group detail is not displayed, click the carat (the “>” forward arrow). It will then point down (“v”) and you’ll see the specific cloud location choices.
• In most cases, when you select, Locator’s connection process will launch a browser tab / window and use the same industry-standard “OAuth” process you’ve likely experienced with other apps. One notable exception is for Mac users connecting to iCloud (click the “Apple iCloud +” button). Locator takes advantage of Mac’s iCloud sync folder in the local “Library” path and therefore does not need to use OAuth.
• For other cloud services (beyond Apple iCloud) select the desired button (e.g., “Dropbox +,” “Google Drive +,” “Microsoft OneDrive +,” etc.) and follow the requested OAuth process, which occurs in an associated browser window.
• For Dropbox, click “Dropbox +” and follow the prompts. 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 Locator the necessary “access permissions.” Note that because of its architecture, Dropbox permits just one account to be connected to Locator.
• You can connect multiple Google accounts to Locator. Click “Google Drive +” and follow the prompts. 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 Locator the necessary “access permissions.” Repeat the process to add additional Google accounts, if desired.
• You can connect multiple Microsoft accounts to Locator. Click “Microsoft OneDrive +” and follow the prompts. 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 Locator the necessary “access permissions.” Repeat the process to add additional Microsoft accounts, if desired.
• When the connection process is complete, may edit the service “Name,” modify the associated “Scan Interval,” or disconnect the account, as desired. In the “Connected Locations” list (lower in this same drawer), find the “Action” column at right and click the corresponding “edit” icon (pencil) or “delete” icon (trash can).
• When finished, click the blue “Close” button (upper right area) to dismiss the configuration drawer and start locating your files.

Revisit the Locations settings anytime to connect, disconnect, and/or rename cloud locations, or to manage your cloud locations’ scan frequency settings.

A: The gear icon in the Locations Filter (left column, near top) triggers the same exact action as the Locations button in the upper right. It opens the Locations Connections Configuration “drawer.”

A: Locator 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 info@locator.team.

A: Once you’ve connected one or more of your local folders and/or cloud storage services (also known as “Locations”), close the Locations “connections configuration drawer” by clicking the blue “Close” button (upper right) if you have not done so already. You should be on the main screen in the Locator application (look for the “Clear” button below the Locator logo in the upper left). If at any time you don’t see the “Clear” button, you’re not on the main interface. In that case, look for a blue button in the upper right that says “Close” or “Close Settings” to return to the main interface.

Next, take a short product tour (if it’s not offered automatically…or anytime you want to repeat the tour) by clicking the circle-i icon in the upper right (next to the chatbot button). With that, you now have a basic understanding of Locator.

To find your files, in the “Locate here…” box, enter any word or phrase. Locator will display documents and files that have your search term in their filename, their folder name (considering the entire path), or in their content. (Note: The Mode Filter allows you to include or exclude name matches or content matches, as desired.) Or use the blue “SmartList” buttons below the “Locate here…” box, (“Documents,” “Images,” “Presentations,” “Spreadsheets,” etc.) to instantly narrow your search to that specific type of files.

In either case, by default your files are listed 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. However, you can instantly reorder your results by “Name,” “Type,” “Date,” or “Size,” by clicking the up/down arrows associated with each attribute (in the column headers). You can also filter your results using any of six filter types in the left-hand column (“Locations Filter,” “Tags Filter,” “Modes Filter,” “Dates Filter,” “Size Filter,” and [file]“Types Filter”).

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

This image (https://locatorlocator.com/initial-search-area/) shows the top part of Locator’s main screen with the “Locate here…” field highlighted by a yellow rectangle. To its immediate left is Locator’s “Clear” button. Below those items are two flavors of “SmartList” buttons for instant access to Office files, Media files, Favorites, Documents, Presentations, Spreadsheets, and more. Finally, below the SmartList buttons are column headers labeled “Name,” “Type,” “Date,” and “Size,” each with corresponding sort controls.

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

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 selecting “Close Settings” (upper right).

A: Absolutely! After authorizing access during “Locations” setup, Locator typically 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 Locator will use your default browser to access the service and open the file. Cool, huh?

A: Yes, you can change the browser that Locator uses to open your cloud files, but not in the Locator settings. Locator employs the browser set as “default” or “preferred” 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, Locator will adopt the updated preference.

A: To see and/or locate folders, on the main screen directly below “Clear” (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 six major 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.

This image (https://locatorlocator.com/folders-visibility-slider/) shows the top part of Locator’s main screen highlighting the folders visibility slider just below the Clear button, and to the left.

A: Unless you’re searching for a specific folder name, including folders can often lead to a cluttered “Results List.” What sets Locator 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 locate relevant files without being bogged down by unnecessary folder hierarchy.

A: As you type a word or phrase in the “Locate 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 Locator 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” button in the upper left. This clears the “Locate here…” box and sets all controls (Filters, SmartLists, etc.) back to your chosen “initial search area.”

This image (https://locatorlocator.com/locator-clear/) shows the top part of Locator’s main screen highlighting the “Clear” button near the top left.

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

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

A: Yes, you can easily change the “Results List” sort order. At the top of your “Results List,” the “Name,” “[file]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: Locator presents a total of 250 results by default. You can decrease or increase this default, up to 500 total results (click “Settings” > “Preferences” > “Search Results” > “Max Results per Search”).

When you’re not finding what you’re looking for, perhaps because it’s not included in the “Results List” as shown:

• Use the sort options (see sort arrows next to the column headings titled “Name,” [file]“Type,” “Date,” or “Size”) as these can help focus your search results
• Use the Filters in the lefthand column below “Clear” (“Locations Filter,” “Tags Filter,” “Modes Filter,” “Dates Filter,” “Size Filter,” and [file]“Types Filter”) to narrow your search.
• Try a different word or (longer) phrase

A: In practice, with Locator 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 Locator 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 AutoTag 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 Locator, 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.” 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.” 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.” Try it out and you’ll likely conclude it’s amazingly useful in many different situations.

A: Locator 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 Locator finds files without requiring you to look in specific folders.

Locator essentially looks in all folders simultaneously (not to mention cloud storage services) 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 Locator can delete any local or cloud files. If you can’t find a file using Locator, it’s likely because Locator doesn’t have access to it due to one of these addressable issues (please explore them in the order listed):

• Certain Locator parameters  (search terms, SmartLists, filters, tags, etc.) have been selected and temporarily exclude the file:
  • On the main screen, click the “Clear” button and retry your search.
  • If your file is still not found, hit “Clear” a second time.
  • Next, in the “Locations Filter” (left-hand column), click the caret (the small pointer) next to each location to show more detail.
  • Verify that the relevant folders (for local files) and accounts (for cloud files) are listed AND SELECTED (the checkbox is colored blue), paying extra attention to the location that is believed to contain the “missing” file.
  • Next, trigger a manual scan (AKA sync) by hovering over the associated location file “count” number. When you hover over any location count you’ll see a “Refresh” button to trigger a scan (a manual sync).
  • Verify that all locations show non-zero file counts. If no file count is shown, or if a local folder or cloud location is not listed, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, skip to the step that follows it.
• The file’s location is not configured for Locator scanning, or Locator has lost access to a previously authorized location:
  • Click the “Locations” button in the upper right area.
  • If the “missing” file is one that’s stored locally, in the “Connect Local Locations” area trigger the carat (“>”), if needed, and then click the appropriate button (“Standard Folders +,” “Other Folders +,” or “External Drives +”) to reconnect the desired location.
  • 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, in the “Connect Cloud Locations” area, trigger the carat (“>”), if needed, and then click the desired service (e.g., ” Google Drive +”) and follow the process. Otherwise, check and/or update associated settings.
  • Finally, in the “Connected Locations” list, click the associated scan button (in the “Action” column, chasing arrows at far right). Next, select “Close” (upper right), and retry your search.
• Locator’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 main screen, click the “Clear” button and verify that the “Search Area Percentage Bar” (below the “Clear” button) displays 100%.
  • If not, click the “Clear” 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,” 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%, Locator’s search space is narrowed in another way, most likely by excluding one or more SmartLists from results:
  • On the main screen, click the “Clear” 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”).
  • 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,” 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 look 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.
  • Select “Close Settings” (upper right), click “Clear,” and verify that your search is working.
• Locator has NOT recently “scanned” the Location where the file resides:
  • Click the “Locations” button in the upper right area.
  • After the “drawer” (AKA slide-up panel) opens, review the “Connected Locations” list, checking the date/time of the “Last Scan.” If the scan is more than 24 hours old, see if Scan Interval is set to “Manual.”
  • If you want to change the scan frequency for a given Location (including switching between manual or an automatic interval), click the associated edit button (pencil icon) in the “Action” column at right, select a different “Scan Interval” from the list (including “Manual,” if desired), and click the blue “Save” button (lower right).
  • If file scans were running as planned, it’s possible that your file has been created, added, or moved since the last scan and Locator is simply not up to date on it. If you suspect that’s the case, click the synch button associated with the file location (the chasing arrows icon in the “Action” column) and wait for the “Last Scan” to show the current date/time. Select “Close” (upper right), click “Clear,” and retry your search.
• Locator has categorized the “missing” file as “Hidden:”
  • On the main screen, click the “Clear” 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”).
  • Click the “All” CHECKBOX two times (to select, then UNselect) all Filetypes (everything should be unchecked). Go to the bottom of the list, click the checkbox labeled “Hidden,” and without clicking “Clear,” 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 Locator should see it. Once verified, contact Locator Tech Support for assistance.

A: To connect (or disconnect, rename, or manually scan/sync) locations, click the “Locations” button in the upper right area. The “connections configuration drawer” (AKA slide-up panel) will open.

Notice that there are two different groups of locations: Local and Cloud. Click the appropriate carat (the “>” forward arrow) to reveal group detail if not displayed. The carat will then point down (“v”) and you’ll see the various choices in that group.

In this drawer you’ll find an expanding list of sources you can include for locating. Click on the desired local location (folders and files on, or connected to, your computer) or cloud service name (Apple iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, etc.) and follow the requested process.

Select any location and follow the requested process.

When finished, click the blue “Close” button (upper right area) to dismiss the configuration drawer and continue locating your files.

A: To disconnect or remove a “location” from Locator’s search area, click the “Locations” button in the upper right area. The “connections configuration drawer” (AKA slide-up panel) will open.

Below the local and cloud “connect” groups, you’ll see a list of all currently “Connected Locations.”

Find the relevant location in this list and in the corresponding “Action” column (right side), you’ll see a delete button (trashcan icon). Click it and confirm disconnection (AKA “Stop locating”). When finished, select the blue “Close” button in the upper right to continue using Locator.

Note: This action does not change or delete any folders or files on your computer or at any other location. Instead, it simply disconnects Locator from that source so that its files are no longer findable by the app.

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

To add more locations, from the main screen click “Settings” (upper right) > “Locations.” 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 “Locations Filter.”

A: After “Clear” (upper left), your configured locations are listed in the column directly below (AKA the “Locations Filter”). Click the caret (small pointer) next to any location to see more detail and use the checkboxes to select or unselect the target locations 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”) 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 main screen (not in “Settings”) hit “Clear,” then:

• Click the rectangular button that you want to modify (below “Clear,” select “All,” “Office,” “Media,” or “Favorites”),
• Make desired adjustments to any of the filters (“Locations Filter,” “Tags Filter,” “Modes 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”). 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 main 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 selecting “Close Settings” (upper right).

The selected option represents your starting point after every “Clear” (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.” Your search will then apply to that set of files.

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

However, for Mac users only, you may experiment with Locator’s preliminary apps 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 want to add to Locator’s search space. To facilitate this, ensure that “Macintosh HD” is in macOS Finder’s “Favorites” list.

From Locator’s main screen, click/tap the “Locations” button in the upper right area. If the “Connect Local Locations” group detail is not displayed, click the carat (the “>” forward arrow). It will then point down (“v”) and you’ll see the various local choices.

Select the “Other Folders +” button. When Locator invokes Finder, click on “Macintosh HD” > “Applications” > “Open.” Next, back in Locator click the blue “Save” button (lower right). Click “Close” (upper right) to exit the Locations drawer. After “Clear,” you’ll see a new SmartList called “Applications,” along with a matching folder in the Locations Filter list.

When you first launch a Mac-based “application” using Locator, grant the requested macOS “Privacy and Security” permissions by turning on the associated switch in the macOS “App Management” settings. You’ll be asked for your macOS password or biometric verification and to “Quit and Reopen” Locator.

Note: Adding the “Applications” folder to Locator can introduce significant file clutter. In that case, you can hide the unneeded file extensions (see “Hidden” files) and/or modify your “Application” SmartList components. If neither of these options provide sufficient relief, remove the “Applications” folder instead. See associated FAQs. 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 “Locate here…” 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 six filters) and select the checkboxes for the SmartLists of interest. Without clicking “Clear,” 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 Locator 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.”

Locator SmartLists are essentially these file categories.

For example, the “Documents” SmartList button (below the “Locate here…” box at the top of the main screen) 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 main screen (the blue buttons below the “Locate here…” 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 main 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 selecting “Close Settings” (upper right).

A: To rename a SmartList, from the main 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 selecting “Close Settings” (upper right).

A: When you hit “Clear,” 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”), from the main 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 selecting “Close Settings” (upper right).

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

A: Locator 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 Locator’s database, from the main 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. Locator 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 selecting “Close Settings” (upper right). New file extensions will be discovered on the next location scan.

A: Locator provides complete flexibility in mapping file types (extensions) to file categories / SmartLists (also known as customizing SmartLists). To change file type categorization, from the main 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 main 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. Select “Close Settings” (upper right), then “Clear” to try your new SmartList.

A: A tag is a keyword or phrase that you attach to a file to describe its content, purpose, or context. Unlike folders, tags are flexible: a single file can have multiple tags, making it findable in more than one way.

When saving or reviewing a file, you assign relevant tags such as Proposal, Q3-Financials, or Client-A. Later, you can search by tag to find that file faster and… instantly surface all related files—even across different storage locations and formats.

• Faster retrieval: Find what you need in seconds without clicking through a multi-level folder hierarchy (very time consuming and unreliable), and without always remembering exact file names.
• Smarter organization: Group or associate related files without duplicating or moving them. In fact, with tags a given file can be in multiple groups! Think about that. Information is not one dimensional and yet with folder-based filing we try to force it into a complex, one-dimensional folder-based hierarchy.
• Cross-platform search: Tags work across your devices and cloud services, creating a unified way to organize and access your documents and files.

Tagging turns chaotic file storage into a smart, searchable system—boosting productivity for busy professionals.

A: Locator is the first product in the world that allows you to tag any type of file at any connected location via a simple, common interface (Universal Tagging)! Because tags are so valuable, Locator gives you a variety of ways to assign (and/or remove) tags. In fact, you can assign and remove tags using the same process.

Assigning tags to a single file:

When a file is shown in the “Results List,” to enter “tagging” mode for that file:

• Double-click in a blank area of the tags field, or
• Hover over the tags field (for that file) and click the associated Tag button (the single tag icon) that appears on the right, or
• Right-click on the file name and select “Edit Tags”

In tagging mode, you can select one or more tags from the tags pick list (AKA your “Tags Library”). To find specific tags in your Tags Library, begin to type and Locator will narrow the choices to tags that start with or contain those letters. After you’ve selected the desired tags, hit <Enter> or click the “Circled Check” icon to complete the process.

 Assigning tags to multiple files:

With your desired files (among others) displayed in the Results List, activate bulk tagging by clicking the “list view” icon in the tags column header (to the right of the word “Tags” at the top).

Once selected, you’ll see all files are in “Select Tags” mode, ready to assign (or remove) tags. Click the tag field for a given file and, using the pick list, assign (or remove) tags. You can also begin typing to narrow the tags pick list in an autocomplete mode. Move among the various files’ tags fields, as needed. When finished, exit bulk tagging by clicking the “Circled Check” icon in the Tags column header (to the right of the word “Tags” at the top).

A: Removing tags from one or more files follows the same process used for assigning tags. In fact, you can assign and remove tags at the same time.

Removing tags from a single file:

When a file is shown in the “Results List,” to enter (un)tagging mode for that file:

• Double-click in a blank area of the tags field, or
• Hover over the tags field (for that file) and click the associated Tag button (the single tag icon) that appears on the right, or
• Right-click on the file name and select “Edit Tags”

Click the “X” on a tag to remove it, or alternatively, unselect the tag in the pick list. Hit <Enter> or click the “Circle Check” icon in the Tags column header to complete the process.

Removing tags from multiple files:

With your desired files (among others) displayed in the Results List, activate bulk (un)tagging by clicking the “list view” icon in the Tags column header (to the right of the word “Tags” at the top).

Once selected, you’ll see all files are in “Select Tags” mode, ready to remove (or assign) tags. Click the “X” on a tag to remove it, or alternatively, unselect the tag in the pick list. Move among the various files’ tags fields, as needed. When finished, exit bulk (un)tagging by clicking the “Circled Check” icon in the Tags column header (to the right of the word “Tags” at the top).

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

On the “Home” screen, there are six types of filters shown in the left column (below “Clear”). 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 other files with the same tag. 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,” or the “multiple tags” icon in the “Tags” column header. These icons serve as shortcuts to your “Tag Library” where you can create, delete, or modify (rename) tags in your collection. From the main screen, “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Tag Library” also gets you to your Tag Library.

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 Locator and placed on files automatically. AutoTags are very valuable because they can help you find files faster (including related groups of files), even when you didn’t tag files yourself. Notice the color difference between manual tags (light purple) and AutoTags (light blue).

A: Tags that you add yourself (also known as “manual” tags) are light purple. Tags that are added automatically by Locator (AutoTags) are light blue. Both kinds of tags change to dark blue when they are selected.

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

You can also configure the default behavior of that toggle switch (On or Off) in “Settings” (upper right) > “Preferences” > “Tag Settings” > “AutoTags Default.” Be sure to “Apply” your changes before selecting “Close Settings” (upper right).

A: To create, edit, or delete tags at a system level, notice the blue “multiple tags” icon in the “Tags” column header, or alternatively, after clicking “+ Tags Filter,” the gear icon to the right of “Show All.” These access your “Tag Library” where you can create, delete, and/or rename tags.

Once in the “Tag Library,” click “+ Create Tag” (upper right) and follow the process.

In addition, in the Tag Library 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 Locator app and all associated files tracked in Locator) by clicking a tag’s associated “Trashcan” icon in the same “Action” column. In either case, confirm your choice when requested, before selecting “Close Settings” (upper right).

Note: Creating, assigning, deleting, and/or modifying tags in Locator does not affect tags used in other applications on your computer or at any other location. Locator never modifies your files’ metadata.

A: The process for creating new tags is distinct from simply typing a new word in the “Tags” field to help achieve tag consistency. Examples of common problems with other tagging systems are using both singular and plural forms of the same word or phrase, mixing number symbols and spellings (1 vs. one), and simple typos. Locator helps avoid these problems by using tag pick lists.

Further, tags are typically used “strategically” across an organization. Many companies set a tagging standard so that all employees (team members, associates, etc.) 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 approaches, 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.

When you type a tag name that doesn’t exist, Locator indicates “Tag not found” and offers a click to open your Tag Library (the blue tags icon). Once there, you can “+ Create Tag” and perform other tag management tasks.

With Locator 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 Locator, 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: Locator provides six major filters, listed in the left-hand “Filters” column:

• Locations Filter
• Tags Filter
• Modes Filter
• Dates Filter
• Size Filter
• [file] 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. Locate more.”

A: Yes, Locator 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. Locator allows them to be “Hidden”, decluttering your search results. For more details on managing such files, see the FAQ on “HIDDEN FILES.”

A:​ Name search “mode” looks for file names and folder names that contain a matching word or phrase. Even though Locator’s default set-up doesn’t display folders, if any folder (AKA directory) in a filename’s “path” matches your search, the file will appear in Locator’s Results List. This explains why sometimes you’ll see results that don’t appear to match your search term. And perhaps that was the very file you needed.

Content search mode looks for files that contain content that matches your target word or phrase. This is valuable in that it can help you find files that don’t have obviously associated names. You will notice that name search typically completes in less than a second, while content results appear 1-2 seconds later (and potentially longer for certain cloud locations).

By default, Locator is set to look for both name and content matches. However, when you’re looking for a specific file name, content search results may clutter or slow your search. In such cases, access the Modes Filter and uncheck the “content” option to see only “name” results. Conversely, you can exclude name matches when looking for specific content by unchecking the “name” option.

Locator includes unique (custom built) software that “indexes” file names and folder names on PCs and Macs, and on cloud-based services (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.). For PCs, Windows content search is too sluggish to meet Locator’s response time requirements, so Locator uses custom built software that also indexes file content (which, like name search, happens locally on your PC to help ensure data privacy).

On Macs it’s a different story. Spotlight search is very fast and reliable for finding content locally and on iCloud. While Locator does not use Spotlight for name search, it does draw on Spotlight for discovering content. If you’re not finding relevant content with Locator, it may be an indication that macOS Spotlight needs to be reindexed.

While Locator supports content search on PCs, Macs, and iCloud, it is not yet available for other supported cloud services. As an easy workaround for OneDrive, you can add your local OneDrive sync folder to Locator. Click “Locations” > “Other Folders +” (in the Connect Local Locations group) and then navigate to your local OneDrive sync folder (likely near the root of your directory).

A: If content search is not working on your Mac, first verify that content “mode” is selected. Access the Modes Filter in the left column by clicking the “+” (plus sign). Verify that the “Content” checkbox is selected. Use the gear icon there to change your modes settings, if desired. 

If the problem persists, it’s likely due to Mac’s Spotlight search index being “stuck” (not the technical term, LOL). To test this hypothesis, use Mac Spotlight (the magnifying glass icon) to search for the same content.

If Spotlight can’t find the desired file content either (and assuming it actually exists), Spotlight requires reindexing. Ask Google or your favorite Chatbot (e.g., ChatGPT, etc.), “How do I reindex Mac Spotlight?” The process can take hours. Once it completes, restart Locator and the problem should be resolved.

If Spotlight finds the desired file but Locator does not, restart Locator and test again. Call Locator Support if the problem persists.

A: Yes, Locator 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”). 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”) 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”) 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”) 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: Locator 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,” 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. Locator 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 Locator 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 Locator’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.”

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!

Locator is fast because it looks in all folders (and across all “Locations”) 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 locate a specific folder, and for that situation Locator provides two options:

• Anytime you find an important document or file, Locator 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”. 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.”

A: While Locator never reflects a traditional folder hierarchy, “Yes,” Locator 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.

Locator 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 Locator 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, Locator does not keep a copy of any of your files on its servers. Instead, a Locator “process” 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, Locator never copies, moves, modifies, or deletes your documents or files, regardless of their location. Locator also never changes your files’ metadata (meaning, for example, that your files’ native tags are never changed by Locator. Instead, Locator’s tags [for example] are stored separately by Locator and associated with your files from outside).

A: No, Locator 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. Locator 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, Locator 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” > “Account and Profile” > “Manage” (tab) > “Logout” > (on Login screen) “Forgot Password”

A: To change your password, you must first log out:

From Locator’s main screen, click/tap “Settings” (upper right). By default, you should land on the “Account and Profile” > “Manage” tab (otherwise in “Settings,” select “Account and Profile” > “Manage” tab). Click the red “Logout” button near the center of the screen.

Next, on the resulting Login screen, click the “Forgot Password” link and follow the process. You will need to have access to your associated email account as the change password process involves receiving a code by email.

“Settings” > “Account and Profile” > “Account” > “Name (tab)”

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

A: To change your name (first and/or last) as known by Locator, from the main screen, click/tap “Settings” (upper right). By default, you should land on the “Account & Profile” > “Manage” tab (otherwise in “Settings”, select “Account & Profile”). Select the “Update” tab, enter your first and last name, then click the blue “Continue” button.

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

From there, you can reset Locator to its initial configuration, DELETING all of your settings, tags, saved searches, etc. This should typically be done only at the direction of a Locator 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 Locator settings.”
• Click “Yes”. Or you may cancel the “Reset” process by clicking the “Cancel” button instead.

If you simply want to change your first name and/or last name registered with Locator, select the “Update” tab rather than the “Reset” tab.

“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,” from the main 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 “Close Settings” in the upper right to resume using Locator.

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

Whenever you click “Clear”, 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 Locator to your various file locations. To connect more locations instead, click/tap “Settings” (upper right) > “Locations,” select the desired location 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 main 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 selecting “Close Settings” (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 main 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 selecting “Close Settings” (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 Locator’s recommended mode of operation. From the main 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 selecting “Close Settings” (upper right). The setting will take effect after you click “Clear.”

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

A: From the main 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 selecting “Close Settings” (upper right). The setting will take effect after you click “Clear.”

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

A: To turn “Live Text Search” on or off, from the main 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 selecting “Close Settings”  (upper right). The setting will take effect after you click “Clear.”

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

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

A: Yes, you can improve Locator’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 main 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 selecting “Close Settings” (upper right). The setting will take effect after you click “Clear.”

With “Live Text Search” turned off, you’ll see your results when you hit <Enter> or click the “Locate” 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 “Locate here…” field, and then hit <Enter> or click the “Locate” button (at the far right of the box).

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

A: You can disable automatic file/location scanning, if desired. From the main 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 selecting “Close Settings” (upper right).

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

• Hit “Clear” (on the main screen in the upper left) and the “Locations Filter” in the column below will open. Click the caret (small pointer) next to each location to see more detail. Next to each item, you’ll see a “chasing arrows” icon. Click the icon and scanning will start on that location. When the arrows stop spinning, synch is complete. There’s no need to wait for scanning to complete on one location before starting the next. Scanning works on multiple locations in parallel.
• Alternatively, go to “Settings” > “Locations.” As you select each location, 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 location. Feel free to scan multiple locations in parallel.

“Settings” > “Locations” > [select location] > “Action” > “Edit” > “Scan Interval”

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

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

To configure individual location scanning intervals, from Locator’s main screen click/tap the “Locations” button in the upper right area. Look for the applicable location in the “Connected Locations” list (in the lower part of drawer) and click the associated edit button (pencil icon) in the “Action” column. In the “Scan Interval” field, choose a different “Scan Interval” from the list (including “Manual,” if desired), click the blue “Save” button (lower right), and close the drawer (blue “Close” button in the upper right) to return to the main screen

A: You can manually trigger Locator to scan any given location in one of two ways:

• On the main screen, in the “Locations Filter” (left-hand column), click the caret (the small pointer) next to each location to show more detail. Next, trigger a manual scan (AKA sync) by hovering over the associated location “file count” number. When hovering, you’ll see a “Refresh” button to click to trigger a scan (a manual sync).
• As an alternative, from Locator’s main screen, click/tap the “Locations” button in the upper right area, or click the gear icon in the Locations Filter in the lefthand column. Look for the applicable location in the “Connected Locations” list (in the lower part of this drawer) and click the associated scan button (the chasing arrows icon in the “Action” column) and wait for the “Last Scan” to show the current date/time. Select the blue “Close” button (upper right) to return to the main screen.

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

A: All SmartList buttons are available on Locator’s main 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 main 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 selecting “Close Settings” (in the upper right).

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

A: All SmartList button names can be customized. From the main 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 selecting “Close Settings” (in the upper right).

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

A: You can choose which SmartList buttons are selected after Clear. 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 main 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 selecting “Close Settings” (in the upper right).

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

A: Locator 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 main 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 select “Close Settings”  (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: Locator 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 Locator’s database, from the main 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. Locator 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 selecting “Close Settings” (upper right). New file extensions will be discovered on the next location scan.

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

A: Locator provides complete flexibility in mapping file types (extensions) to file categories / SmartLists (also known as customizing SmartLists). To change file type categorization, from the main 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 Locator 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 main 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 Locator does not in any way affect files on your computer or at any other location. There is no known scenario, under user control or otherwise, that Locator can delete local or cloud files. In fact, hiding and deleting actions in Locator are entirely about file visibility simply in Locator.

“Settings” > “Preferences” > “Tag Settings” > “AutoTags Default” > “On” or “Off”

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

If you don’t want to see AutoTags regularly, set this toggle to “Off by Default”. Even with this setting off, you can temporarily “toggle on” AutoTags in the “Results List” as needed (see “Auto” 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.

A: When you quit or close Locator, you remain logged in to allow for easy access the next time (without having to log in again). Locator is not running when closed and will sync only upon reopening. If you want to logout of Locator (not required), from the main screen (AKA the primary user interface), click “Settings” (upper right). By default, you should land on “Account and Profile” > “Manage” (otherwise select “Settings” > “Account and Profile” > “Manage”), and then click/tap the red-outlined “Logout” button in the lower center of the screen.

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