Question 1

What is TraceMind?

Accepted Answer

TraceMind is a Chrome extension that lets you search your entire browser history by page content. Instead of just searching titles and URLs like Chrome's built-in history, TraceMind indexes the actual text from every page you visit, captures visual screenshots, and uses AI to help you find pages even if you don't remember the exact words.

Question 2

How is it different from Chrome's built-in history?

Accepted Answer

Chrome's history only lets you search by page titles and URLs. TraceMind indexes the actual content of every page you visit, captures visual screenshots for easy recognition, and uses AI to understand what you're looking for, even if you don't remember the exact words. With Free you also get private, local storage with unlimited pages, 365-day retention, and exclusion controls. Pro unlocks higher-resolution screenshots, organizational tools (notes, tags, pins), and more.

Question 3

What browsers are supported?

Accepted Answer

TraceMind works with all Chromium-based browsers including Chrome, Brave, Edge, Opera, and Vivaldi. Install it from the Chrome Web Store and it works seamlessly across any Chromium browser.

Question 4

Do I need to create an account?

Accepted Answer

No, you don't need an account to use TraceMind's free features. All your history and search data stays on your device. If you choose to upgrade to Pro, you'll need an email address for your license, but we still won't have access to your browsing data.

Question 5

Is my data private?

Accepted Answer

Yes, 100% private. All your browsing history and page content is stored locally on your device. We never send your data to any servers. Your privacy is guaranteed by design.

Question 6

Where is my data stored?

Accepted Answer

All your history data is stored locally on your computer using Chrome's IndexedDB storage system. Nothing is uploaded to any cloud service or external server. You have complete control over your data.

Question 7

Do you have access to my browsing history?

Accepted Answer

No, never. TraceMind is designed so that we have zero access to your browsing history. Your data never leaves your device. We can't see what websites you visit or what content you view.

Question 8

What data do you collect?

Accepted Answer

On your computer, we collect nothing, all data stays local. On our website, we only collect the email addresses associated with purchases (to send license keys and receipts). We use basic analytics to understand which pages are popular, but we never collect any personal information beyond that.

Question 9

Can I set my own encryption password?

Accepted Answer

Yes, with Pro you can set a custom encryption password/lock for your local data. Free encrypts data at rest with the default key managed by the extension.

Question 10

Can I export my data?

Accepted Answer

Yes, with a Pro subscription you can export your entire history as an encrypted backup. This gives you full control over your data and lets you migrate to a new computer or browser if needed.

Question 11

Can I delete all my data?

Accepted Answer

Yes, absolutely. You can delete all your history data at any time from within the TraceMind extension. Once deleted, it's gone permanently and we can't recover it (because we never have access to it in the first place).

Question 12

Is TraceMind GDPR compliant?

Accepted Answer

Yes, TraceMind is fully GDPR compliant. Since all user data is stored locally on your device and we have no access to it, GDPR requirements are met by design. You have complete control over deletion and export of your data.

Question 13

How does the AI search work?

Accepted Answer

Our AI semantic search understands the meaning behind your search query, not just the exact words. Instead of looking for keyword matches, it finds pages based on their relevance to what you're actually looking for. This means you can find that article about 'best cameras' even if you search 'photography tips'.

Question 14

What are page screenshots and how do they help?

Accepted Answer

TraceMind captures visual thumbnails of each page you visit. These screenshots help you quickly recognize the page you're looking for without having to read through search results. You can often find the right page just by scanning the visual previews.

Question 15

Does it work offline?

Accepted Answer

Yes, TraceMind works completely offline. All search functionality, history access, and page screenshots are available without an internet connection. Your data is entirely local.

Question 16

How far back does history go?

Accepted Answer

Both Free and Pro store up to 365 days of your history, so you can go back as far as you've been using the extension. Pro additionally lets you configure the retention depth and provides organizational tools for long-term recall.

Question 17

Can I search page content, not just titles?

Accepted Answer

Yes, that's our core feature! Both Free and Pro tiers include full-text content search with AI-powered semantic search, which understands the meaning of your query and finds relevant pages even if they don't contain your exact search terms.

Question 18

Does it sync across devices?

Accepted Answer

Currently, TraceMind stores history locally on each device. We're exploring secure cloud sync options for Pro users while maintaining your privacy, but this is not yet available.

Question 19

What is hybrid search and RRF?

Accepted Answer

Hybrid search blends natural language, classic keyword search, and a re-ranking step (RRF) so you get the best of both worlds: exact matches plus semantic results that understand meaning. It also runs a Bloom-filter pre-check to tell you instantly if nothing matches, so you don’t waste time waiting.

Question 20

Can I add notes, tags, and pins?

Accepted Answer

Yes, on Pro. You can attach notes, add tags, and pin important pages (with a pinned-only view) to keep research organized. Free users can still save/bookmark pages, filter by date/domain, and exclude up to 10 domains.

Question 21

Can I save or bookmark pages?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and it's free for everyone. Click the bookmark button on any history card, or use "Save current page" in the popup to save a page instantly, even pages that weren't auto-captured (like excluded domains or when capture is off). Saved pages appear under a dedicated "Saved" filter in the full-page view and are exempt from automatic retention cleanup, so they never expire even past the 365-day window. Pinning (floating items to the top of results) remains a Pro feature.

Question 22

Do I see similarity scores or storage stats?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Results include similarity scores so you know why a page ranked, and the dashboard shows totals, storage usage, compression efficiency, and indexed-page counts. Pro adds deeper analytics like top domains, time-of-day patterns, and monthly trends.

Question 23

What's included in Free vs Pro?

Accepted Answer

Free includes core features: full-text + AI semantic search, hybrid ranking with Bloom-filter pre-checks, advanced filters, encrypted data at rest, low-quality screenshots (320×240px), save/bookmark with a Saved-only view, unlimited pages, 365-day retention, exclusion controls for up to 10 domains, and Chrome History Import. Pro adds productivity upgrades: AI-powered tag suggestions, notes on history items, tags & smart filters, pinning, export/import encrypted backups with validation, Ultra HD screenshots up to 1920×1080px, offline page viewer & saver, unlimited excluded domains, custom date range filters, analytics drill-down, and priority support. See our pricing page for the full breakdown.

Question 24

Can I cancel anytime?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can cancel your subscription anytime from your account. Your access continues until the end of your current billing period.

Question 25

Is there a refund policy?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we offer a 14-day money-back guarantee on all Pro purchases. No questions asked. If you change your mind, just contact our support team at support@tracemind.app.

Question 26

What happens to my data if I cancel Pro?

Accepted Answer

Your data is always yours. If you cancel Pro, all your local history data remains on your device. You lose access to Pro features like notes, tags, pinning, Ultra HD screenshots up to 1920×1080px, offline page viewer, export/import, unlimited excluded domains, and custom date range filters. All Free features, including full-text + AI search, encryption, low-quality screenshot capture, unlimited pages, and 365-day retention, continue to work perfectly.

Question 27

Do you offer student or team discounts?

Accepted Answer

We'd love to help! Please reach out to our support team at support@tracemind.app for special pricing on student and team plans.

Question 28

What's the difference between monthly and yearly?

Accepted Answer

The monthly plan is $5/month and you can cancel anytime. The yearly plan is $50/year (save $10 compared to monthly) and includes all the same Pro features with the convenience of annual billing.

Question 29

What permissions does the extension need and why?

Accepted Answer

TraceMind needs permission to read page content so it can index and search what you visit. It needs access to all websites because you might visit any website, and we need to capture their content. All this data stays local, we never send it anywhere.

Question 30

Will TraceMind slow down my browser?

Accepted Answer

TraceMind is designed to be lightweight. Indexing happens in the background during idle time, so it doesn't affect your browsing performance. Most users notice no difference.

Question 31

How much storage does it use?

Accepted Answer

TraceMind uses your browser's local storage (IndexedDB). Typical usage is a few hundred MB to a few GB depending on how much history you accumulate. Storage limits depend on your system, but most users won't hit them.

Question 32

How do I uninstall TraceMind?

Accepted Answer

You can uninstall TraceMind like any Chrome extension: click the extensions icon in your browser, find TraceMind, and click the remove icon. Your data will be deleted when the extension is removed.

Question 33

Why does it need access to all websites?

Accepted Answer

We need access to all websites because you could visit any website, and we need to capture the content of pages you visit so you can search them later. All this data stays entirely on your device.

Question 34

How do backups and restores work?

Accepted Answer

Pro lets you export encrypted backups tied to your password. Imports stream large files without freezing the UI and run integrity checks before/after restore so you know the backup is valid.

Question 35

How do I install TraceMind?

Accepted Answer

Install TraceMind from the Chrome Web Store. Click 'Add to Chrome' and confirm the installation. The extension works immediately, no account signup required. It also works on Brave, Edge, Opera, Vivaldi, and all Chromium-based browsers.

Question 36

Does TraceMind work on my browser?

Accepted Answer

TraceMind works on all Chromium-based browsers: Chrome, Brave, Edge, Opera, Vivaldi, and others. Install it from the Chrome Web Store, and it works seamlessly across any of these browsers.

Question 37

Do I need to configure anything after installation?

Accepted Answer

No configuration required. TraceMind starts indexing your browsing activity automatically after installation. You can optionally exclude specific domains from being indexed in the settings if you want to filter certain sites.

Question 38

How long until my history is searchable?

Accepted Answer

Pages you visit after installation are indexed in real-time and become searchable within seconds. You can also import your existing Chrome browsing history (titles and URLs) for immediate text-based search. Full AI semantic search for imported pages becomes available once you revisit them.

Question 39

Can I import my existing Chrome history?

Accepted Answer

Yes! TraceMind includes a free Chrome History Import feature. When your history is empty, an 'Import from Chrome' button appears that imports your URLs, titles, visit counts, and timestamps from Chrome's History API. Imported pages support text search by title and URL right away. However, full page content, screenshots, and AI semantic search are not available for imported pages until you revisit them, Chrome's history doesn't store full content. Both Free and Pro users get unlimited imports with no page or time limits.

Question 40

How does page indexing work?

Accepted Answer

When you visit a page, TraceMind extracts the text content, captures a screenshot, and creates a semantic embedding (a numerical representation of the page's meaning). All of this happens locally on your device in the background.

Question 41

Does indexing use a lot of CPU or battery?

Accepted Answer

Indexing is designed to be lightweight. It runs during browser idle time to minimize impact on your browsing experience. Most users notice no performance difference. The AI model is optimized for efficient on-device processing.

Question 42

Which pages are indexed?

Accepted Answer

By default, all pages you visit are indexed except those on your exclusion list. You can exclude specific domains (like banking sites or email) from indexing in the extension settings. Incognito/private browsing is never indexed.

Question 43

What is WebGPU and WASM acceleration?

Accepted Answer

TraceMind uses a dual AI pipeline: WebGPU (graphics acceleration) for fast interactive search, and WebAssembly (WASM) for efficient background indexing. If WebGPU isn't available on your device, WASM handles everything. This means fast, efficient AI search on any device.

Question 44

How does the Bloom filter pre-check work?

Accepted Answer

Before running a full search, TraceMind checks a Bloom filter to instantly determine if any results exist for your query. If no results are possible, you get immediate feedback instead of waiting for a full search to complete.

Question 45

What happens if indexing fails for a page?

Accepted Answer

If a page fails to index (due to complex JavaScript or other issues), TraceMind will retry during the next visit. The extension is designed to handle edge cases gracefully without affecting your browsing experience.

Question 46

What data stays on my device?

Accepted Answer

Everything. Your browsing history, page content, screenshots, search queries, and AI embeddings are all stored locally in your browser's IndexedDB. Nothing is ever transmitted to our servers or any third party.

Question 47

Does the AI model phone home?

Accepted Answer

No. The AI model is downloaded once during installation and runs entirely on your device. It never sends data to any server. All semantic search processing happens locally using your CPU/GPU.

Question 48

Can TraceMind employees see my data?

Accepted Answer

No, never. We have zero access to your browsing data. The architecture makes it technically impossible for us to see what you browse or search. Your data exists only on your device.

Question 49

What happens if I lose my device?

Accepted Answer

Your TraceMind data is stored locally and encrypted at rest. Without access to your browser profile (and your custom encryption password if set in Pro), the data cannot be accessed. Consider Pro's encrypted backup feature for recovery options.

Question 50

Is my data encrypted?

Accepted Answer

Yes. TraceMind encrypts all stored data at rest using AES-256-GCM encryption with PBKDF2 key derivation. Free users get automatic encryption with a default key. Pro users can set a custom encryption password for additional security.

Question 51

Does TraceMind comply with privacy regulations?

Accepted Answer

Yes. TraceMind is fully GDPR compliant by design. Since all data is processed and stored locally on your device, and we have zero access to it, privacy regulations are met automatically. You have complete control over your data.

TraceMind FAQ: AI Browser History Search Questions

General

Privacy & Data

Features

Pricing

Technical

Installation & Setup

Indexing & Performance

Privacy Guarantees

Still have questions?