About mirowl
Overview
mirowl is a local-first visual memory tool for macOS that watches any folder and automatically indexes screenshots, downloads, and design assets. Its OCR makes every screenshot searchable by the text inside it, with the source app and URL preserved for context.
Everything runs on your Mac: indexing, OCR, categorization, and search happen on-device with no account required. Cloud AI is strictly opt-in, and your files never leave your computer unless you choose to send them.
Key Benefits
- Search the text inside any screenshot with high-accuracy local OCR
- Watch any folder and index screenshots, downloads, and design assets in real time
- Track the source app and URL behind every image automatically
- Keep all files on your Mac with hardware-locked, no-account local-first design
- Clear workspace clutter with one-click Archive vs. Index file routing
- Upgrade to Pro for human-like image descriptions and context-aware metadata
How It Works
Point mirowl at any folder and it watches, indexes, and organizes the contents automatically, tagging each image with its source app and URL. Type a word to search image text or filter by app, then jump back to the original source. All OCR and categorization run locally on the Mac, and nothing leaves the machine unless you opt into cloud AI.
Use Cases
- Developers recall past code snippets and Slack bug reports by searching image text
- Designers find assets by visual context instead of guessing from filenames
- People with cluttered Desktops archive files into a central library in one click
- Researchers relocate recipe or article screenshots captured in Chrome
- Professionals keep a private, searchable visual memory without uploading files to the cloud
Why Choose This Product
mirowl offers an unlimited free tier with real-time folder monitoring, on-device search, and local AI categorization, while Pro adds custom watch folders, per-folder Archive vs. Index rules, and advanced image analysis for $49/year. The app is Apple-notarized with billing protected by Stripe, and it is currently Mac-only with a Linux waitlist open.
mirowl Pros & Cons
- Local-first: OCR, indexing, and search run on-device with no account
- Unlimited free tier with real-time folder monitoring
- Tracks source app and URL context for every screenshot
- Opt-in cloud AI via Gemini API, files never used for training
- Currently Mac-only; Linux is on a waitlist
- Cloud AI deep analysis requires a Pro subscription and internet connection
- Pro licenses are hardware-locked to a single device
Key Features
OCR text search
All plansHigh-accuracy OCR extracts text from every screenshot so you can search inside images.
Source-app tracking
All plansmirowl records the source app and URL for each screenshot, preserving context for every search.
Real-time folder watching
All plansPoint mirowl at any folder to watch, index, and organize screenshots, downloads, and design assets automatically.
Local AI categorization
All plansA dual-tiered AI engine categorizes images locally for fast, private organization.
Image Understanding
ProPro unlocks human-like descriptions, semantic visual context, and complex metadata generation.
Unclutter file routing
ProArchive images into a central mirowlLibrary or index them in place with per-folder rules and one-click desktop cleanup.
Lightning-fast global search
All plansFind images by text, semantic context, or source app with fast global search.
Local-first privacy
Everything runs on your Mac with hardware-locked licensing, and cloud AI stays strictly opt-in via the Gemini API.
mirowl Pricing
- Unlimited library capacity
- Real-time folder monitoring
- On-device visual search
- Local AI categorization
- Source app recognition
- Custom watch folders
- Per-folder library rules (Archive vs. Index)
- Per-folder AI rules (Local vs. Cloud)
- Advanced AI image analysis
- Context-aware metadata
- Priority support & feature access
| Feature | Starter Free | Pro $49/yr |
|---|---|---|
| OCR text search | ||
| Source-app tracking | ||
| Real-time folder watching | ||
| Local AI categorization | ||
| Image Understanding | ||
| Unclutter file routing | ||
| Lightning-fast global search |
Pricing extracted from the product website and may change. Check the source for current details.
Frequently asked questions about mirowl
Where are my images stored?
Your images stay on your hard drive. mirowl is a local-first application, and even when you use Cloud AI features, your original high-resolution images are never stored on mirowl's servers.
Does mirowl work offline?
Yes. Core features such as folder watching, local OCR, and basic categorization work 100% offline. Cloud-powered deep analysis requires an internet connection and a Pro subscription.
What folders can I watch?
Any folder on your computer. Most users start with their Desktop or Screenshots folder, but you can point mirowl at Downloads, Work, or Design folders to automate your entire workflow.
Is my data used to train AI models?
Absolutely not. mirowl uses pre-trained models for local processing and the Gemini API for cloud processing, and your personal screenshots are never used for training purposes.
Can I use mirowl on multiple computers?
Pro licenses are hardware-locked to a single device to ensure performance and security. You can deactivate one device and move your license to another through the app's settings.
What happens to my files when I 'Unclutter'?
When 'Archive to Library' is enabled, mirowl moves the file from your messy folder into a structured mirowlLibrary folder, keeping your workspace clean while storing memories in one central database.
How mirowl compares
mirowlThis | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | Free | $19.99 |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium | Paid |
| Platforms | macOS | macOS, iOS | macOS |
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