Something big is coming to VaultSort — and we think you're going to love it.
Introducing Smart Categorize — Local AI That Actually Reads Your Files
You've asked for it. We've built it. VaultSort is getting a local AI engine that reads and understands the contents of your files, right on your Mac. No cloud. No API key. No data leaving your machine.
This is Smart Categorize, and it's coming in VaultSort 3.
The Problem We're Solving
Right now, VaultSort's AI features work from your instructions — you describe what you want, and VaultSort does it. That's powerful. But for one common, frustrating situation, it falls short:
> "I have 30,000 PDFs and ePubs with messy filenames. Just sort them into the right subjects."
Without reading the contents, VaultSort can't know that scan_0042.pdf is a calculus textbook, or that download (7).epub is a business memoir. Until now.
Smart Categorize: How It Works
Smart Categorize uses a small, private AI model (~470 MB, downloaded once) that runs entirely on your Apple Silicon Mac. It:
- Reads your files — extracting text from PDFs, ePubs, Word docs, and more
- Embeds their content into a semantic vector space
- Clusters your actual files to discover what categories exist in your library
- Proposes categories derived from your content — not a generic pre-baked list
That last point is the headline. Unlike other tools that force your files into fixed buckets like "Shopping" and "Travel," VaultSort looks at what you actually have and suggests your categories: Mathematics, Computer Science, MBA Coursework, Client Files — whatever lives in your library.
You then curate the categories (rename, merge, split, set destination folders, add keywords), and VaultSort classifies your full library with a live dry-run preview before anything moves.
Private. Offline. Yours.
The model runs entirely on-device via Apple's own Neural Engine. It is downloaded once from our server over a verified, checksum-secured connection and stored locally. After that, zero network calls are made during classification. Your files never leave your Mac.
It Lives Inside Advanced Organize
Smart Categorize isn't a separate tool bolted on — it's built directly into the Advanced Organize engine you already know. That means:
- ✅ Dry-run preview before anything moves
- ✅ Composable rules — combine semantic categorization with filename filters, date conditions, file size rules, and more
- ✅ Scheduled jobs — set it and let it run automatically
- ✅ Saved category sets — curate once, reuse across jobs
- ✅ Undo and conflict handling, just like any other job
For power users: the new semanticCategory condition is available directly in the Rule Builder, so you can write rules like "If semanticCategory is Finance AND size > 500 KB, move to /Receipts/Large."
And There's More: A New Advanced Organize UI
Alongside Smart Categorize, VaultSort 3 is bringing a completely redesigned Advanced Organize interface. The new UI is cleaner, more capable, and built to support the growing power of the rule and job system — including first-class support for the Smart Categorize wizard.
If you've ever wished Advanced Organize felt more polished, more guided, or easier to navigate — this update is for you.
What's Coming After v1
Smart Categorize is the foundation. Here's a glimpse of what's next:
- AI-powered renaming — using document metadata (title, author, year, DOI) plus optional Gemini polish to rename files the right way, not the hallucinated way
- Semantic search — the embedding cache built for categorization powers future search features too
- More file types — images, audio, and video classification on the horizon
🎉 Get VaultSort Before the Price Goes Up
VaultSort 3 is coming with a price increase. If you've been on the fence, now is the time.
Use code Q0MTK4MG at checkout for 25% off — but this code expires May 11, so don't sit on it.
Lock in the current price, get Smart Categorize when it ships, and everything that comes after it.
- Questions? Hit reply — we read every one.
- — Justin & the VaultSort team
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