Gallery Search AI
Gallery Search AI support
Describe it. Find it.
Type what you are looking for in English. AI finds matching photos in the collection you choose. Open a match, then Share or Copy it to use in another app.
How the search works
First, on-device AI turns each selected photo into a compact search representation. This one-time preparation is called indexing. The app saves the representation and a small preview on your iPhone. When you search, it compares your description with those saved representations and ranks the closest matches. It does not need to run AI on every photo again for each search.
Completed indexing stays saved across app launches. Reopening may load AI into memory; this is separate from indexing your photos. If an update changes the search model, saved previews are prepared once for the new model. Completed work is saved, and reopening resumes only unfinished photos.
Private, on-device AI
All photo indexing and search run on your iPhone with the AI included in the app. Your photos, search descriptions, and search representations are not uploaded to cloud AI or a developer server. App photo copies and search data are excluded from device backups. Your originals stay in Photos, where your own iCloud settings still apply. Photos you explicitly Share or Copy have separate behavior described below and in Privacy.
Free use
This version is free to download and use. Photo preparation, AI search, Share and Copy do not require a trial, subscription or in-app purchase. There are no ads in this version.
Add photos
Choose individual photos, or use Add photos beside your collection heading. On an empty collection or in Manage photos, this option is called Add photos in bulk. Choose All photos to include older and undated photos, or choose the last 3 months, 1 year, 3 years, 5 years, or 10 years using the photo date in Photos. Every option includes only photos you have allowed the app to access. With limited access, allow more photos in the app's photo-access controls or iOS Settings to include them. Review the count before starting. Already imported or queued photos are skipped, and the app selects the newest remaining photos up to the 10,000-photo collection capacity. The count is the number of photos to check, not a promise that every photo can be prepared.
Allow access to selected photos or your library. The app prepares local previews and keeps completed work if you stop or leave the app. Keep the app open while preparing a large collection. To continue later, reopen the app, use Continue preparation or Retry waiting photos when shown, or choose the same bulk option again.
Avoiding duplicates
Choosing an already prepared Photos item again does not run AI on it again or save another app copy. The app also checks for identical saved preview content before preparing a new copy. This protection is kept when the app restarts or the search index is rebuilt. Separately edited or re-encoded images with different preview content are not treated as identical merely because they look similar. To refresh search for an edited photo, remove its app copy and add it again.
Photos waiting for a preview
Some iCloud photos have no preview available locally through Photos. They stay waiting and are not included in the searchable count. Retry later from photo management. Indexing never requests an iCloud original. If access is limited, manage the allowed selection in iOS Settings or the app's photo-access controls.
Search
In the bottom bar labeled Search photos in English, describe the scene and run Search. Try “a dog at the beach” or “a red car in snow”. Results are ordered by similarity; an item may not contain every detail in your description. Try a shorter or different description if the matches are not useful. Clear the search to restore the newest-first collection order, which stays the same after reopening the app. Older saved photos use their previously saved date when the original photo date is unavailable. Search errors appear just above the search bar; tap a message for the full explanation. Korean search, video, exact OCR, and date/location search filters are not supported in this version; the date choices in Add photos in bulk control which photos are imported.
Photo preview quality
The photo grid uses sharper thumbnails directly from Photos when available on your iPhone, without saving larger app copies or preparing your collection again. Requests pause during library work and while the app is inactive. The saved preview stays visible if the Photos link or local thumbnail is unavailable.
Open a photo to inspect it. Its saved preview appears first, then the app looks for a sharper version of that photo already on your iPhone. Browsing the grid or opening a result does not download a photo from iCloud. If a sharper local image is unavailable, the saved preview stays visible. A softer preview does not reduce the resolution used for sharing from Photos.
Share or Copy
The Full-resolution sharing notice means Share and Copy use the full-resolution photo from Photos, including current edits. A full-size photo stored in iCloud can take time to download or fail without a network connection. Sharing can also fail if the source photo is missing or Photos access was revoked. Cancelling keeps your search and collection. Older app copies without a Photos link show Preview copy only: Share and Copy use the saved preview instead.
Remove data
Remove an app copy or clear the app's library from Manage photos. The app asks before clearing the collection. Your originals remain in Photos. Changing or revoking permission is available in iOS Settings.
Troubleshooting
If the app is interrupted, reopen it and continue preparation. Completed photos remain saved. If search reports damaged local records, rebuild from saved copies. If a source photo was deleted or access was revoked, choose it again after granting access if it still exists. Search may be less accurate when only a small preview is available.
Reporting a problem
Email lpaiu.cs@gmail.com. Include the steps, app version, and iOS version when reporting a problem. Do not send private photos, passwords, or payment details. You choose what to include; the app does not send diagnostic reports automatically.
Current support and usage information
Support: https://lpaiu-cs.github.io/platelog-site/gallery-search-ai/support.html Privacy: https://lpaiu-cs.github.io/platelog-site/gallery-search-ai/privacy.html Free use and license: https://lpaiu-cs.github.io/platelog-site/gallery-search-ai/purchase.html
The Apple standard software license applies unless a different license is displayed by Apple. Your mandatory consumer rights under applicable law are not excluded or limited.