RetraceDocs

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Text Search, OCR & Meaning Search

Search your visual history by text, or search by meaning — type 'login page' and find screens showing 'sign in' or 'credentials'. Powered entirely on-device.

Updated August 2026

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Search by What You Saw

Retrace doesn't just take screenshots. It reads them. Using Optical Character Recognition (OCR), Retrace indexes every word that appears on your screen, making your entire visual history searchable by text.

Can't remember which tab had that error message? Just search for the error text. Trying to find when you saw a specific number or name? Type it in and Retrace will find it.

Note
OCR indexing happens locally on your Mac using native Apple APIs. Your screen content is never sent to any server. Everything stays on your device.
  1. Open the Retrace timeline (⌘ + ⇧ + T)
  2. Click the search bar or press ⌘ + F to focus it
  3. Type any text you remember seeing
  4. Results filter in real-time as you type

For even faster searching, just start typing while the timeline is open. Retrace will automatically focus the search bar and begin filtering results. No need to click anything first.

Tip
Type-to-Search only activates for alphanumeric characters. Keyboard shortcuts (like ⌘ + F) still work normally.

Meaning Search finds screens by concept, not just exact text. Type "login page" and Retrace finds frames showing "sign in", "authentication", or "credentials" — even if the literal words "login page" never appeared on screen.

Search Modes

Use the search mode toggle next to the search bar to switch between three modes:

ModeWhat It SearchesBest For
SmartLiteral text + related conceptsGeneral use — combines Exact Match and Meaning results
Exact MatchThe literal text you type, including screen text and notesWhen you remember the specific words on screen
MeaningRelated concepts, even when the words are differentWhen you know what you were doing but not the exact words
Tip
Smart mode is the default and works well for most searches. Switch to Exact Match when you need precise text, or Meaning when you're searching by concept.

Sparkle Badge

When results include semantic (meaning-based) matches, they're marked with a ✨ sparkle badge so you can instantly tell concept-based discoveries from exact text hits.

Note
Meaning Search is powered entirely on-device. Your search queries and screen content never leave your Mac.

Search Behavior

Real-Time Filtering

As you type, Retrace updates your timeline with matches from the search mode you selected.

Case-Insensitive Matching

Searches are case-insensitive. Searching for "error" will find "Error", "ERROR", and "error" equally.

Word Boundaries

Retrace searches for your text within words. Searching for "log" will find "login", "catalog", and "log file".

What Gets Indexed

Retrace indexes:

  • Text in applications, documents, and websites
  • Menu items and dialog boxes
  • Notifications and alerts
  • Terminal output and code
  • Chat messages and emails (when visible on screen)

Not indexed: Images without text, handwritten content, and heavily stylized fonts that can't be recognized. Retrace does not index new content from excluded apps.

To clear your search:

  • Click the X button in the search bar
  • Press Esc to clear and close the search
  • Delete all text from the search bar

Clearing removes only the search. Any other filters stay active.

Performance Tips

  • Be specific: More specific searches are faster. "invoice 2024" is better than just "2024"
  • Use unique terms: Search for unusual words or specific numbers to find exactly what you need
  • Combine with time filters: Narrow down by date first, then search within that range

Next Steps