Help and getting started.
How to get started with Nest, a few common how-tos, and answers to the questions people usually ask before trying it.
What is Nest?
Nest is a small desktop application for organizing personal documents — PDFs, scans, receipts, invoices, contracts, manuals, warranties, tax papers. It runs on your own computer and helps you find documents again later by searching the words inside them.
Getting started
The whole loop, start to finish:
- Import your documents. Click Import document and choose Import files… or Import folder…. Nest handles PDFs, images (JPG, PNG, TIFF), Word documents, and plain-text or Markdown files. It imports a copy into its own library — your original files are never moved or changed.
- Nest reads the text. For PDFs, Word and text files this happens automatically, so search can match the words inside them. For scans and images, select the document and click Run OCR to recognize the text (English).
- Find anything. Type at least three characters in the search box. Nest matches your text anywhere inside your documents as well as their titles, and shows a short snippet of each match.
- Review & organize. Give a document a title, date, category, source, tags and notes. New imports start flagged needs review so you can check their details and clear the flag when you're done.
Common how-tos
Make a scanned PDF or image searchable
Scans and photos are pictures, so there's no text to search yet. Select the document and click Run OCR — Nest recognizes the text and makes it searchable. OCR is English-only for now.
Where are my documents stored?
Everything Nest keeps lives under %LOCALAPPDATA%\Albedo One\Nest —
managed copies of your documents, their thumbnails and the search index. Your
original imported files are never touched.
Back up Nest, or move it to a new computer
Use Export library to write your whole library — documents, details and the search index — to a single archive file. On this or another computer, use Import archive to bring it back.
I deleted a document by mistake
Deleting moves Nest's copy to a recoverable Trash folder, and an Undo button appears right afterwards so you can restore it — row, text, tags and all. Your original file is never affected.
The complete guide is built into the app. Nest ships with a full Quick Start, User Guide, FAQ and Troubleshooting guide — open them any time from the Help menu. They work offline, like the rest of Nest. Don't have Nest yet? Download it here.
Before you buy
Is Nest cloud software?
No. Nest is local desktop software. Your documents stay on your machine. There is no cloud sync, and no online account is required to use the app.
Does Nest need an internet connection?
Nest does not require internet access and does not connect to the internet automatically. Online actions happen only when you choose them — such as a manual check for updates from the Help menu, which never runs on its own.
Do I need an account?
No. Nest doesn't require an account to install or use — no sign-in, no profile. A license key unlocks it after the free trial, but that's all.
Is Nest a backup tool?
No. Nest organizes documents — it doesn't back them up. You should still keep your own backups, just like you would with any other important files on your computer.
Is Nest a subscription?
No. Nest is sold as a one-time personal license. You buy it once. See Buy.
Can I use Nest on multiple computers?
Yes — the personal license follows the person, not one specific computer. You can use Nest on your desktop and your laptop.
What about my small office?
A small-office license will be available later for businesses with multiple people. The intent is simple pricing, not enterprise contracts.
Does Nest replace SharePoint or a corporate DMS?
No. Nest is intentionally smaller. It's not trying to replace SharePoint, enterprise records management, legal discovery tools, or company-wide approval workflows.
Contact
How do I contact you?
Email us at hello@getalbedoone.com. We read every message and aim to reply within a couple of business days.