Scherlokk: Find the Mac Files Spotlight Misses
Scherlokk is a $29 one-time file search app for macOS that scans the real files on your disks, including hidden and system files that Spotlight skips, and can also read text in images and find similar pictures. It's for Mac users who know a file exists but can't find it, and it runs on macOS 10.15 or later with a 14-day free trial.
Quick facts
- Version: 8.0 (the order page still names the product Scherlokk 7)
- Developer: Naarak Studio
- Platform: macOS 10.15 or later, compatible with macOS 27, Intel and Apple silicon. No Windows version
- Price: $29 one-time, single user
- Trial: 14 days, fully functional
- What we checked: the app inside the 7.1 MB installer dated October 15, 2026 reports version 8.0; price $29.00 on the order page on November 6, 2026. We didn't run a search on a Mac
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Before you buy
Trial first. Naarak Studio gives no refunds once your activation key has been emailed, except when the product wasn't delivered within 24 hours, didn't work the same way as the trial, or for another technical reason.
Version naming. The installer is version 8.0, while the store and order page still say Scherlokk 7. If you want to be sure your key covers 8.0, ask Naarak Studio before you buy.
License. One user, on 3 Macs in your household, or one computer at work. Scherlokk needs Full Disk Access to search everywhere. VAT is added at checkout.
Overview
Spotlight only knows what is in its index, and Apple leaves some system folders out of that index. Scherlokk uses Spotlight first for quick results, then walks through every file in the folders you choose with its own engine. That second pass is why it finds things Spotlight doesn't, and also why it can take longer.
Recent updates have moved it past plain search: OCR arrived in 7.5, similar picture search in 7.6, AppleScript in 7.7, and new date and path columns in 8.0, along with improved macOS 27 compatibility.
The Scherlokk 8 window searching for rtf files containing a word, with matches in a tree and a preview in the Inspector.
Features
Scherlokk searches hidden, system and network locations
Scherlokk searches built-in drives, external devices such as USB drives and memory cards, iCloud Drive, and network volumes including AFP, SMB and FTP. It can include subfolders, packages such as apps, and invisible items that Finder never shows.
Scherlokk filters by almost anything about a file
Search by name or content, size range, date range and file kind such as documents, images, music, movies, archives and applications. Regular expressions, wildcards, case-sensitive search and include or exclude rules let you narrow results on volumes with millions of files.
A file name search with 308 results and an image preview in the Inspector.
Scherlokk OCR finds text inside images
OCR support recognizes text in screenshots, scanned documents and other photo-based files, so a scan of a receipt can be found by what it says, not by its file name.
Scherlokk finds visually similar pictures
Drag in a picture and Scherlokk looks for matching or related images, with an adjustable similarity level, multiple folders and size or date filters. All of it runs locally on your Mac.
A similar image search with the threshold slider and similarity bars beside each result.
Scherlokk compares files and folders
Select two files and Scherlokk shows insertions and deletions, in text or binary. Folder comparison goes down through subfolders, so you can see what changed between two versions of a project.
A folder comparison with different items marked in red.
Scherlokk works with scripts
AppleScript support returns matching file paths, so you can call searches from scripts, Automator or Shortcuts. A built-in hex editor also lets you inspect and edit a file of any type.
Benefits
- You stop wondering if a file is gone. A full scan gives a firmer answer than an index.
- You can search by memory. A date range or a word in a scan is often all you recall.
- You skip two extra apps. File and folder comparison and similar picture search come included.
Real-World Uses
- A developer finds a stray config file hidden inside a package that Spotlight ignores.
- An office worker finds a scanned contract by a phrase in it, using OCR.
- A designer drags in a logo to locate every variant across an external drive.
- A photographer checks an old backup folder against the current one before deleting it.
Who It's For, and Who Should Skip It
Scherlokk fits power users, developers and anyone with several drives. If Spotlight already finds what you search for, you don't need it. If you want instant results as you type across an entire disk, an index-based tool will feel faster, and if you only need a free way to find hidden files, the Terminal's find command does the basics.
Usage Guide
- Download the DMG, install Scherlokk and launch it.
- Give it Full Disk Access in macOS Privacy settings, or it can't search everywhere.
- Pick a search folder, then type a file name, text content, or both.
- Open the filter options to set size, date, kind and hidden items.
- Click the green start button, then sort, preview in the Inspector, or reveal results in Finder.
- Turn off "Search for folder" if you see too many folders in the list.
Where it falls short
- A full scan takes time. One 2018 MacUpdate reviewer measured 2.5 minutes on a nearly full 4 TB drive, against 20 seconds in another app. Later versions claim faster search, but test your largest drive.
- Content search may not cover every format. An App Store reviewer of an earlier version couldn't find text inside pptx files, so try your own document types.
- Support can be slow. The vendor's FAQ says replies sometimes take more than a few days.
What Users Say
MacUpdate
MacUpdate shows 3.6 from 6 ratings, mostly on old versions.
"If this had all the features of the original Sherlock, I "might" be persuaded to pay $30." Tim27, MacUpdate, June 10, 2026. He adds that file search alone is something Find Any File and EasyFind can do.
"I'm not sure what this application is good for." AnnL7456, MacUpdate, May 28, 2018, on version 3.6.1.
Other sites
Scherlokk holds a Mac Informer Editor's Pick for 2021, and its AlternativeTo page has 6 likes. Its App Store listing for the current app has too few ratings to show an average, and we found no written App Store review of it.
Public reviews are few, and the ones we found lean skeptical about value next to rivals. That's a reason to test it, not to assume the worst: most predate OCR and similar picture search, which are now the main differences.
Comparisons
Scherlokk vs Spotlight
Spotlight is free, built in and instant, but limited to its index. Scherlokk costs $29 and goes after hidden, system and unindexed files, at the cost of longer scans.
Scherlokk vs Find Any File and EasyFind
Those two are the tools MacUpdate reviewers name as rivals for pure file search. Scherlokk's case is the extras: OCR, similar pictures, comparison and AppleScript. If you only need a file finder, try them first.
Editions and Pricing
| License | Price at checkout | Where it installs | Payment |
|---|
| Single User | $29 | 3 home Macs, or 1 computer at work | One-time |
| Small Business | $69 | 5 Macs in a company | One-time |
| Site | $399 | All Macs in a company | One-time |
Prices were read on the order page on November 6, 2026. Naarak Studio also sells monthly and annual subscriptions in its own store, and the App Store edition has its own plans, including a $29.99 lifetime license. Non-profits, schools and universities can ask for a 40% discount.
Buy Single User ($29)Buy Small Business ($69)Buy Site ($399)
FAQs
Is Scherlokk based on Spotlight?
Partly. Scherlokk uses the Spotlight index to return indexed files quickly, then its own engine scans every folder you selected.
Does Scherlokk work on macOS 27?
Yes, Scherlokk is compatible with macOS 27, and version 8.0 improves that compatibility.
Can Scherlokk search iCloud Drive?
Yes, Scherlokk searches iCloud Drive as well as local, external and network volumes.
Does Scherlokk send my pictures to the cloud?
No, Scherlokk runs similar picture searches locally on your Mac.
Can Scherlokk search text inside documents?
Yes, Scherlokk has a file content search, and OCR extends it to text in images and scans.
Is there a Windows version of Scherlokk?
No, Scherlokk is built only for Mac.
System Requirements
- macOS 10.15 or later, compatible with macOS 27
- 64-bit Intel or Apple silicon (M chips)
- Full Disk Access permission for complete searches
- About 7 MB download
Conclusion
Scherlokk is worth $29 if Spotlight regularly lets you down and you can use OCR or image search. The reason to buy it is thoroughness in one app: real-file scanning, text in images, similar pictures and file comparison. The reason not to is that if plain file finding is all you want, cheaper or free tools do that. Use the trial on your largest drive, since refunds are limited.
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