Chapter 12 Settings and Maintenance
The Settings page lets you adjust common AIClue behavior and clear saved search information when needed. Cleanup operations may affect search results or added folders, so confirm their effect before continuing.
12.1 Enter Settings
Click the Settings icon at the bottom of the left sidebar to open the Settings page. The left side of the Settings page contains these tabs:
| Tab | Purpose |
|---|---|
| General Settings | Language, startup, tray, and file browser display |
| Appearance | Choose the interface mode and set light and dark themes separately |
| Privacy Settings | Behavior logging and data cleanup |
| File Types | Manage file type classification and extension bindings |
| Scan Exclusions | Choose folders and files to leave out of file lists and search |
12.2 General Settings
General Settings lets you adjust startup and window behavior.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Display language | Switch interface language |
| Start on boot | Start AIClue automatically when the computer starts |
| Minimize to tray | Keep AIClue in the system tray when the window is minimized |
| Close to tray | Minimize to tray when the close button is clicked, instead of exiting |
| Global wake shortcut | Bring the window back and focus it while AIClue is in the background or system tray |
| Show hidden files in file browser | Show hidden files and system files in the path browser |
The default global shortcut is Alt+C. You can turn it off, change it, restore the default, and check whether it is enabled. If a new shortcut cannot be used or another app already uses it, AIClue keeps the previous shortcut. Pressing it while the window is focused in the foreground hides it to the tray. Otherwise it restores and focuses the window, keeping the current page; a closed window reopens on the main screen. The shortcut does not start a search.
The Incoming card settings now use one watched-folder list for system presets and manually added paths. Preset folders can also be removed and added again; removed folders are not automatically re-enabled. Upgrades preserve previous enabled and disabled choices.
The system tray menu contains these entries:
| Entry | What it does |
|---|---|
| Open AIClue | Restore an existing window and keep its current page, or reopen the main screen if the window was closed |
| Quick Search | Restore the window, open file search, and select the search box |
| Settings | Restore the window and open Settings |
| Quit AIClue | Use the existing confirmation before exiting AIClue |
Left-clicking the tray icon works like Open AIClue. Only Quick Search opens file search, so it is different from Alt+C.
The top bar keeps a theme shortcut. For more control, use Appearance to choose system, light, or dark mode and select themes for light and dark modes separately.
12.3 Appearance
The Appearance page controls the interface mode and theme. With System selected, AIClue follows the system light or dark mode. You can also keep the interface in light or dark mode.
Light and dark themes are saved separately. When you switch modes, AIClue uses the theme selected for that mode.
12.4 Privacy Settings
Privacy Settings includes behavior logging and local data cleanup.
12.4.1 Behavior Logging
Behavior logging is used to improve the in-app experience and recommendation effects. You can choose a recording level:
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| Off | Do not record behavior |
| Low | Record only file clicks inside the app |
| Medium | Record target app names during drag-and-drop |
| High | Record external window titles for more complete usage scenario analysis |
If behavior logging is enabled, you can fill in app names you do not want recorded in the App blacklist. Separate multiple app names with commas, such as keepass,1password,wechat.
12.4.2 Desktop Activity Analytics
While the AIClue process is running, it automatically reports daily activity. Signed-out activity is counted by anonymous installation and signed-in activity is counted by account. This provides total, account, and signed-out activity trends. Activity before and after sign-in may be counted separately, so the total is not a strictly deduplicated person count. Each identity type is recorded successfully at most once per UTC date. This analytics behavior has no off switch.
When signed in, the account identity is confirmed by the existing login credential. The report does not include the host name, files, paths, search content, feature clicks, usage duration, or hardware information. Clear all data inside the app does not change the anonymous installation number used for signed-out analytics. For the complete processing scope and 60-day retention rule, see the AIClue Privacy Policy.
12.5 Data Management
Data management operations are provided near the bottom of the Privacy Settings page. A confirmation prompt appears before execution.
| Operation | Scope |
|---|---|
| Clear AI analysis results | Clear file summaries and keywords, while keeping added directories and file records |
| Clear Search Data | Clear scanned files, tags, and duplicate results while keeping app settings; you can scan your folders again afterward |
| Clear all data | Clear file records, directories, project workspaces, and user settings |
| Reset main settings to defaults | Restore managed main settings to defaults; this is not a file cleanup entry |
These operations do not actively delete source files on disk, but they affect results shown inside AIClue. After clearing data, rescan related directories if you need to continue using search and filtering.
Important: Data management operations cannot be undone. Confirm that you no longer need these records before continuing.
12.6 File Type Settings
The File Types page manages file classification and extension bindings. For example, you can adjust whether certain extensions belong to documents, images, videos, or custom categories.
For detailed file type operations, see Chapter 9 Tags and Classification.
12.7 Scan Exclusions
The Scan Exclusions page controls which folders and files AIClue leaves out of search. It affects newly checked files and may also remove matching files from existing results.
12.7.1 Scan Exclusion Switches
The top of the page provides common switches:
| Switch | Description |
|---|---|
| Ignore hidden folders | Skip hidden folders during scanning |
| Ignore removable drives | Skip removable drives such as USB drives |
| Ignore network locations | Skip folders shared over a network |
| Ignore hidden files | Skip hidden files |
| Ignore system files | Skip system files |
If you need to add a removable drive or network location, first confirm that the corresponding switch allows scanning that type of path.
12.7.2 Exclusion Types
Scan exclusion settings can come from three places:
| Source | Description |
|---|---|
| Protected rules | Built-in protections for important locations, such as system directories, the Windows system drive root, and the AIClue app directory. These rules cannot be modified |
| Default rules | Common default exclusions provided by AIClue, such as cache folders or dependency folders |
| Custom rules | Rules you add or edit yourself |
Protected rules are used to reduce accidental scanning of system or app directories. In normal use, you only need to adjust default rules and custom rules.
12.7.3 Directory, Path, and File Rules
You can add these types of custom rules:
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Folder name rule | Exclude folders with a specified name, such as a temporary folder |
| Selected location rule | Exclude one selected location and everything inside it |
| Filename prefix rule | Exclude files whose names start with a specified prefix |
| Extension rule | Exclude files with specified extensions |
Directory rules only affect folders. Filename prefix and extension rules only affect files.
After you save rules, AIClue may show a confirmation prompt. Stricter rules may clean up existing records that are now excluded. Looser rules may trigger a background rescan so matching files can appear again later.
12.7.4 Path Check
The Path Check tool helps you confirm whether a file or folder location will be searched:
- Open Settings > Scan Exclusions.
- Enter or paste a file or folder location in Path Check.
- Check whether AIClue says the path will be scanned or excluded.
- If the path is excluded, review the matched rule and decide whether the rule needs to be adjusted.
Directory Management still shows directory status and scan warnings. Rule editing and path checking are handled on the Scan Exclusions page in Settings.
For more directory operations, see Chapter 4 Directory Management and File Scanning.
12.8 Updates and Version
AIClue shows the current version number in the bottom status bar.
If a new version is detected, the interface shows an update prompt. You can handle it later or upgrade immediately. If the update package is ready, you can also click Restart now to install update at the top of the Settings page.
12.9 Maintenance Tips
- When directory contents change often, rescan related directories in Directory Management first.
- When search results are clearly unexpected, first confirm that directory scanning has finished, then consider clearing search data.
- After changing file types or scan exclusion rules, if old file results do not change, rescan related directories or wait for the background rescan.
- Before clearing all data, confirm that you no longer need current directory, project workspace, and settings records.
12.10 Next Steps
After you are familiar with settings and maintenance, continue with:
- Chapter 13 FAQ and Troubleshooting: View common problem handling methods
- Appendix Supported File Formats and Data Notes: Learn file format and local data notes