The ufo-search-app helps you find information within declassified government documents. Many of these files contain text that is hard to read. This software uses optical character recognition, or OCR, to read the text inside these images.
You can search through thousands of pages of military and government records. The tool looks for specific keywords and phrases. It also extracts images from the files for easier viewing. This app runs on your computer and keeps your search history private.
Your computer needs to meet these basic standards to run the app:
- Operating System: Windows 10 or Windows 11.
- Memory: At least 4 Gigabytes of RAM.
- Storage: 500 Megabytes of free disk space.
- Processor: A standard dual-core processor or better.
- Internet: A connection is necessary for the initial download, though the app works offline once installed.
You must visit the project page to download the necessary files.
Visit this page to download the software.
Look for the link marked "Latest" on the right side of the page. Select the file ending in ".exe" to begin the download. Once the file finishes saving, your browser may ask if you want to keep the file. Select "Keep" to proceed.
- Locate the file you downloaded in your Downloads folder.
- Double-click the file to start the installer.
- Windows might show a warning message stating "Windows Protected Your PC." If you see this, select the link that says "More info" and then select the button labeled "Run anyway."
- Follow the instructions on the screen to install the app.
- Choose where you want to store the application files on your computer.
- Select "Finish" to close the installer.
After you install the app, look for the icon on your desktop. Double-click the icon to open the search engine.
The software will open a new window in your web browser. This window connects to a private local server running on your machine. This internal connection allows the program to process large PDF files without sending data to the internet.
Type your keywords into the search bar at the top of the window. For example, you can search for "Roswell" or "Air Force." Select the "Search" button to see a list of relevant results.
The results page shows a list of documents that match your search. Each entry displays:
- The file name of the document.
- A snippet of the text containing your search term.
- A link to open the full document in your PDF viewer.
You can select the "Image" tab to view only the pictures found inside the documents. This feature helps you scan quickly for diagrams or photographs of interest.
If the app does not launch, ensure your computer has the latest Windows updates installed. Older versions of Windows might require a library update from the official Microsoft support page.
If the search tool returns zero results, check your spelling of the search term. Sometimes, misspelled words in the original government documents appear in the search index exactly as they were written. Try using broader terms if you do not find what you need.
If you encounter an error during the installation process, clear your temporary files and restart your computer. Then, download the installer again using a different web browser.
The app stores all indexed files in a folder named "ufo-data" located in your Documents directory. You can add your own declassified PDF files to this folder. The app detects these new files automatically the next time you restart the search engine.
Ensure the files you add are standard PDF documents. Files that are password-protected might not appear in the search results.
The ufo-search-app does not track your searches. Your activity remains on your local machine. No information leaves your home network. You can delete the "ufo-data" folder at any time to remove your search index and the stored documents from your hard drive.
Updating the app is simple. Visit the download page again and install the new version over the old one. The installer keeps your existing document folder intact, so you do not lose your search index when you update.