Search by meaning
Ask in your own words and find the note you mean. How it works, which model to pick, and what stays on your device.
Search has two modes. Meaning finds notes by what they are about, so “what does my flatmate owe me” finds a note called “Rent split with Arjun” that never uses those words. Exact words finds the words you type, from the start of each word: “gro” finds “Groceries”. Meaning search mixes in exact matches too.
It runs on your device
Meaning search uses a small language model that runs on your phone, or on your computer in the desktop app. Your notes and your questions are never sent anywhere to be searched.
The model is downloaded once, the first time search by meaning is on. Keep VB Notes open while it downloads; if you leave the app, it carries on from where it stopped when you come back. After that it works offline.
Choosing a model on the phone
| Model | Good for |
|---|---|
| Standard | The best results, in English and ten other languages. The default. |
| Light | A smaller download that is quicker to read your notes. English only, and it finds less. |
| Many languages | Fifty or more languages, Hindi included, even across languages. Looser matches. |
Changing the model reads every note again with the new one, and removes the old model’s download.
The desktop app uses the Standard model.
Tips
- Ask the way you would ask a friend: “notes about feeling stuck”, “that lentil recipe”.
- A single word is best as an exact search; meaning comes into its own with a few words.
- Notes are read again whenever they change, a moment after you stop typing.