Everything you need to know about organising your video library with SiftVid. Can't find the answer? Email reply@siftvid.com.
No. SiftVid is a desktop app that runs entirely on your Windows PC. Your video files, thumbnails, tags, and search index stay on your machine. Nothing is sent to any server. There is no cloud component.
SiftVid reads every filename in your selected folder and extracts meaningful tokens: names, tags, dates, and categories. It builds a fuzzy-search index locally on your PC. Type any keyword and matching results appear instantly. The search is typo-tolerant and supports Boolean operators — use + to require a term and - to exclude one (for example: +ceremony -cutaway).
SiftVid plays any format Windows supports natively — MP4 (H.264, H.265), WebM (VP8/VP9/AV1), MKV, MOV, and AVI. For the search index, SiftVid only needs to read your filenames, so it can index any file format regardless of whether it can be played.
There is no cap on library size. Indexing a large library typically takes seconds on a modern Windows PC, and subsequent loads use a cached index that stays under a second at any size.
While a video is playing, press A to set a start point and B to set an end point. The player then loops that segment continuously. Press either key again to reset. It's useful for reviewing a specific play, technique, or shot repeatedly without scrubbing.
No. SiftVid has no accounts and no in-app sharing mechanism. What you buy is a personal, non-transferable licence tied to the license key we email you; you paste that key into Settings → License and activation happens offline on your own machine. Sharing the key is prohibited by our Acceptable Use Policy. Because SiftVid runs entirely on your device, the only enforcement action available to us is deactivating a license key — at your own request inside the refund window, or where a formal legal notice obliges us to act. Deactivation disables paid functionality on a future launch; it never deletes, hides, or touches any file on your computer. A team tier is being considered — if you need it, email reply@siftvid.com to add your interest to the demand count.
Browsers restrict access to system-level directories (Downloads, Desktop, Program Files, etc.) for security. Move your video collection to a regular folder in your home directory — for example, Documents/Videos — and select that instead. This takes about 60 seconds to set up once.
SiftVid is a desktop app for Windows, bought here at siftvid.com for $14.99 one-time. You get the full feature set: search, smart tags, A-B loop, compilation mode, fuzzy search, favorites, locking, and all future updates. There is no subscription, no recurring billing, and no cloud required. Everything runs locally on your PC.
No. SiftVid costs $14.99 as a one-time purchase. There are no recurring charges or automatic renewals, and every future software update is included. SiftVid runs on your Windows PC — everything stays local, no account required.
If you purchased SiftVid within the last 14 days and are not satisfied, email reply@siftvid.com and we will refund your purchase. After 14 days, refunds are at our discretion but we treat every request fairly.
No. SiftVid is a desktop app — everything stays on your PC. There is no cloud sync, no upload, and no server. Your library, tags, and search index are all stored locally.
No. SiftVid does not require an account, login, or internet connection to function. You purchase once at siftvid.com, install, and paste the license key we email you into Settings → License. Everything runs locally on your machine.
Email reply@siftvid.com. We reply within four hours on business days (usually 30 minutes).