How do I find photos on my Mac by what's in them?
The Photos app can search its own library for things like "beach". Photos saved in folders, downloads and messages are not covered. Trawl looks inside every image on your Mac with Apple's on-device recognition and lets you search "pool with palm trees" or "sunny holiday by the water" anywhere.
The built-in way (free)
- In the Photos app, use the search field for objects and places.
- Spotlight can find some text inside images.
With Trawl
- Describe the photo. Use the Img key for photos only.
- The preview shows what Trawl saw: labels, text in the picture, faces.
Questions
Are my photos uploaded?
No. Recognition runs on your Mac with Apple's frameworks.
Describe it. Trawl finds it.
Files, photos, recordings, every browser and your clipboard, searched by meaning on your Mac. Your day, hour by hour. Nothing uploaded.
Download for Mac2 days free · macOS 26+ · Apple siliconRelated
Updated 2026-10-11.