SearchThing
SearchThing privacy
SearchThing for iPhone and iPad
The iOS app keeps imported files, extracted text, search indexes, search history, saved searches, and notes on your device. Search and text embeddings run locally. There is no SearchThing account, advertising SDK, or app analytics, and the app does not send your documents or search queries to Thoughtbubble.
First launch downloads the EmbeddingGemma model directly from Hugging Face after you accept its terms. That request sends network information, including your IP address, to the download service; it does not include your files or queries. Hugging Face may retain the IP address and infer an approximate location for service operation and analytics under its privacy policy. The app checks the downloaded model before installing it.
SearchThing for Android
The Android app keeps imported files, extracted text, search indexes, saved searches, and notes in its private app storage. Search and text embeddings run on your device. There is no SearchThing account, advertising SDK, or SearchThing analytics, and the app does not send your documents or search queries to Thoughtbubble. Android backup and device transfer are turned off for SearchThing data.
Like the iOS app, it downloads the EmbeddingGemma model directly from Hugging Face during setup. That request sends network information, including your IP address, and does not include your files or queries. The app checks the downloaded model before using it.
To read text in photos, the Android app uses Google’s on-device ML Kit text recognition. Images are processed on your device and are not uploaded. ML Kit sends Google limited diagnostics and usage data, such as device model and OS version, app package and version, a per-installation identifier, performance metrics, and error codes, as described in Google’s ML Kit data disclosure. This data does not include your images, recognized text, files, or searches, and is handled under Google’s privacy policy.
Your choices
You can remove imported files and clear local app data in the app, or uninstall it to remove everything it stored. iOS may also include app data in device backups according to your device settings; Android does not back up SearchThing data. If you contact support, we receive the email address and information you choose to send.
Separate browser app
The SearchThing browser app reads files into browser storage and generates embeddings in a web worker. Its index uses IndexedDB with OPFS-backed vectors. It does not upload your files as part of its normal search flow.
This page was updated November 7, 2026. For privacy questions, email [email protected].
Website analytics
This Thoughtbubble website uses Umami to measure anonymous pageviews and interactions, such as opening an app, choosing a store, reading a blog, or using a demo. Events include limited product, platform, and source context so we can understand which pages and links are useful.
Website analytics do not include your files, pasted text, reading content, search terms, sleep times, or other personal inputs. Page and link addresses are recorded without URL query strings or fragments. We do not send account identities or persistent device identifiers with these events.
The analytics service receives ordinary connection information, including IP address and browser information, to produce aggregate visitor and device reports.
This disclosure covers the website, including its portfolio pages, product landings, blogs, and demos. The apps and external services linked here have their own privacy policies.