Ask for a file in plain words —
on a PC with no NPU
Windows' built-in AI semantic search ships on Copilot+ PCs — a class of newer machines that need a built-in NPU, which Microsoft specifies at 40 TOPS or more. The desktop that still works fine, or the laptop your company issued, usually isn't one of them. PowerFind's natural-language file search needs no NPU: it uses your graphics card if you have one and your CPU if you don't, on any Windows 10 or 11 x64 machine, and the whole thing runs on your own computer.
Windows 10 / 11 x64 · No NPU needed · Fully offline
What the machine has to have
Same idea — describe the file instead of naming it — but the two ask different things of your hardware.
| Requirement | Windows built-in AI semantic search | PowerFind AI file search |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in NPU | Required (Copilot+ PC, 40+ TOPS) | Not required |
| Discrete graphics card | Depends on setup | Used if present (Vulkan, any vendor), CPU if not |
| Operating system | Windows 11 | Windows 10 / 11 x64 |
| Network connection | Depends on setup | Not needed to search |
| Signed-in account | Depends on setup | Not needed to search |
| File contents leave the PC | Depends on setup | No |
The 40 TOPS NPU figure for Copilot+ PCs is Microsoft's published requirement. Which features actually reach a given device can vary by device, region and language — Microsoft's own documentation is the authority.
Modest hardware doesn't mean nothing works
The AI only handles the "what did you mean" part. When it can't run, the search itself carries on.
It picks for you
Enough video memory and the model runs on the graphics card. Not enough, or no discrete card, and it runs on the CPU — about 2.5 to 3.5 seconds per sentence. You don't have to work out which.
Finding files doesn't depend on AI
Filename search reads the NTFS Master File Table directly; content search uses a local full-text index. Both are millisecond-fast, and both work with no model installed at all.
The model is opt-in
Nothing is downloaded by default, so installing doesn't cost you gigabytes up front. Fetch it when you want it: about 1.1GB for the smaller model, about 3GB for the larger.
FAQ
My PC is not a Copilot+ PC. Can I still use PowerFind's AI file search?
Yes. PowerFind's natural-language search needs no NPU and is not tied to one chip vendor. It looks at your graphics card first: if there is enough video memory, the model runs there; if there isn't enough, or there is no discrete card at all, it falls back to the CPU. Both paths run on your own machine, on any Windows 10 or Windows 11 x64 PC.
I read that Microsoft opened local AI up to RTX graphics cards. Has that changed things?
That news is about the Language Model APIs developers call from their own apps, which Microsoft described in June 2026 as usable on PCs with an RTX 30-series or newer GPU and 6GB of video memory. It is not the same thing as the semantic file search in the taskbar and File Explorer, which is still offered on Copilot+ PCs. That path also requires a specific NVIDIA generation, whereas PowerFind runs on Vulkan — any GPU vendor, and machines with no discrete GPU at all.
Without a discrete graphics card, is it too slow to be useful?
It is slower, but still workable: on CPU only, a sentence takes roughly 2.5 to 3.5 seconds. And the AI is only doing the "work out what you meant" part — the actual filename and content search stays in the millisecond range regardless.
How large is the AI model, and does installing PowerFind take that space?
The model is optional and is not downloaded by default, so installing PowerFind does not take that space. When you want it, PowerFind suggests one based on your hardware: roughly 1.1GB for the smaller model, roughly 3GB for the larger. Skipping it does not affect anything else.
Do my file contents get sent anywhere?
No. The model runs on your own computer; neither your question nor your file contents leave the machine. Search needs no account, no cloud connection and collects no telemetry. The only network use is update checks, the model download, and signing in for a Pro licence.
Does AI file search cost money?
AI file search is part of Pro. Core filename and content search is free forever, with no ads and no time limit. Pro is a one-time purchase with a lifetime licence, not a subscription.
Start with the PC you already have
Core search is free forever — no new hardware, no account. Decide about the model later, if and when you want to ask in plain words.
Download PowerFind free