Search

How to quickly find files and content

Search Feature

Loom's search goes beyond simple filename matching to support keyword search, fast search, and semantic search. You can find files by content or topic even without knowing the exact filename.

Starting a Search

  1. Click the Search tab in the left file panel
  2. Type what you're looking for
  3. Select the desired file from the results

Search Methods

Keyword Search (Grep)

Search using exact words or phrases. Works immediately without indexing:

  • "2024 sales"
  • "project proposal"
  • "meeting notes"

Fast Search (FTS)

High-speed full-text search using SQLite FTS5 index. Enables fast searching even in large files.

Semantic Search (Vector)

Search by meaning even without exact expressions:

  • "last year's performance data" - finds 2023 sales reports, annual performance summaries, etc.
  • "customer complaints" - finds claim records, customer feedback, etc.

Indexing

Fast Search (FTS) and Semantic Search (Vector) require indexing first.

Vector indexing uses an AI embedding model, so it consumes credits. However, usage is very minimal.

Building Index

  1. Click the Settings menu at the top of the search panel
  2. Click the Build Index button
  3. Select build options:
    • Build FTS + Vector (recommended): Use both fast and semantic search
    • Build FTS only: Use fast search only
    • Build Vector only: Use semantic search only
  4. Wait for indexing to complete

Indexing time depends on the number and size of files. Progress is shown on screen.

Auto Indexing

Enable auto indexing in settings to automatically update the index when new files are added.

Knowledge Base

Register folders outside your workspace as a Knowledge Base so the AI can use them as reference material.

Setting Up Knowledge Base

  1. Go to Settings > Tools > Search tab
  2. Select the folder to reference in the Knowledge Base section
  3. Build the index

Use Cases

  • Register company manuals and work guidelines so the AI provides answers that align with your policies
  • Register product spec documents so the AI references accurate information when answering customer inquiries
  • Register past report folders so the AI can follow previous formats and content when writing new reports

File Watch Mode

Enable file watch mode to automatically update the index whenever files are added or changed in the knowledge base folder.