Searching by Filename and Metadata
Standard search (without AI)
When AI Search is turned off—or the AI Search checkbox in the header is unchecked—the search box looks for matches in:
- File names
- Metadata LunaFinder can read from your images (such as title or description fields stored in the file)
The placeholder text reads: Search by filename or metadata…
How to search
- Make sure you have opened a folder (library).
- Click in the search field at the top center, or press ⌘ F to focus it.
- Type your terms.
- Press Enter or click the search button.
Search results
- Matching photos replace the normal grid contents.
- A line above the grid shows search results and how many files were found.
- To return to normal browsing, click Clear next to the search field.
No results
If nothing matches, you will see a message that no files were found, with a suggestion to try different keywords or check spelling.
Refresh during search
While search results are showing, Refresh is disabled. Clear the search first if you need to reload the folder from disk.
When to use standard search vs AI Search
| Use standard search when… | Consider AI Search when… |
|---|---|
| You know part of the file name | You remember what’s in the photo (“sunset on beach”, “red sports car”) |
| You rely on embedded metadata | You have not tagged everything manually |
| You want the fastest, lightest lookup | You enabled AI and indexed your library |