Ugle

Ugle is a local-first search application for media professionals, newsrooms and podcasters. It transcribes speech on the user's device, builds a local index, and returns matching moments with timestamps. It runs on macOS and Windows, and the site states that no account is required.

What It Is

Ugle is a desktop search tool for audio and video archives. Users connect a local folder or an online cloud drive, and Ugle reads the files from their original location and stores only the index. Supported formats listed on the site are MP4, MOV, MKV, MP3, WAV, M4A, AAC, FLAC and OGG, with no file size limit.

How the Workflow Works

The workflow has three steps: connect the archive, let Ugle index it, then search. Queries can be a word, phrase or concept, and each matching moment comes back with a timestamp. Multiple files queue and process in order. Ugle states indexing takes roughly 4 minutes per hour of audio on Apple M-series hardware, and that search returns in about 30ms. The how-it-works page also covers clip extraction.

Privacy Model and Use Cases

Ugle states that indexing runs entirely on the device, that no servers receive transcripts, and that no telemetry collects searches. The site describes three editorial workflows: newsroom editors finding soundbites, podcast producers pulling clips from large episode back catalogs, and journalists keeping a searchable archive of source conversations. Organizations can request a custom commercial subscription through a sales contact form.