Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions people ask most about privacy, AI agents, speed, file types, exports and moving cases.
#Privacy
#Does Discovery Engine upload my case files?
No. Reading, OCR, transcription, name detection, search, the graph, highlights and exports all run on your computer. The app's own built-in cloud AI is switched off in this version. The internet is used to download the reading models once.
#Does my AI agent see real names?
In this version, yes. The agent reads the case through the discovery command as it's written, with real names and file names, and whatever it reads may be sent to its AI provider. Use an AI plan your firm has approved for client material. See Stand-ins and what the AI sees.
#Then what are stand-ins for?
The app still detects every name, account and address and gives each a stand-in (PERSON A, ACCOUNT 1). That powers search across spellings, the People, Graph and Connections screens, the Show stand-ins switch for screen sharing, and sanitized exports.
#Can I stop an agent from using a particular case?
Yes: turn off Settings → This case → Let AI agents use this case. Every agent command on that case is then refused.
#Are files in a "confidential" folder kept from the agent?
Not in this version. They're marked confidential and you can filter by them, but they're read and shown like any other files. Keep files out of the case if an agent must never see them.
#How do I see what my agent did?
The Agent log screen lists every command it ran, live, with the kind of answer each got.
#The AI agent
#Which agents work?
ChatGPT desktop (in a Work session) and Claude desktop, with permission to run commands on your computer. Other agents that can run shell commands on the same computer, such as Codex or Claude Code, work the same way.
#Do I need to know how to use a terminal?
No. You click Install command-line tool, Write guide files and Copy prompt on the Start Up screen, and paste the prompt into your agent. The agent types the commands.
#Why not just give the agent the folder of files?
A big case is far more than any AI can hold at once, and reading files one by one is slow and expensive. Through the command, the agent searches everything in one go, counts, reads only the passages that matter, and gets exact citations it can't get from raw files.
#Can the agent approve highlights or merge people?
No. It proposes; you approve on the Highlights screen. Merging names, adding files to a case, changing agent access and moving cases are yours too.
#Does the app cost anything per question?
The app itself makes no AI calls in this version, so it spends nothing. Your agent's usage is covered by your plan with that AI provider.
#Reading
#How long does reading take?
It depends on the computer and the mix of files. Scanned pages are the slow part; e-mail and Word files are quick. Click Estimate reading time on Progress for a forecast on your computer before you start.
#Do I have to wait for it to finish?
No. Each file is searchable as soon as it's read, and your agent can start on what's ready.
#What if I quit in the middle?
Nothing finished is lost. Open the app and click Resume on Progress.
#What if new files arrive?
Click Add files or folders on Progress or Documents. If files changed inside the case's folders, click Rescan folder. Only new and changed files are read.
#Can it read recordings in other languages?
Speech recognition is built for English in this version. An optional Speech recognition, other languages model is listed for recordings that aren't in English.
#Which file types does it read?
PDFs (with and without text), pictures, Word and text files, e-mail (EML, MSG, MBOX, with attachments), spreadsheets and CSV, audio, video and ZIP archives. See Creating a case for the full list.
#Deliverables
#Are my original files ever changed?
Never. The app only reads them. Exports are new copies in a new folder, and the app refuses to write inside the case's folders.
#What does the attorney receive?
Yellow-highlighted PDF copies of every document with approved highlights (each highlight's reason attached as a note), and an exhibit index spreadsheet. Optionally, a spreadsheet of a connections study.
#Real names or stand-ins in exports?
Real names by default on the Exports screen: that's the attorney's copy. Switch Use real names off for a sanitized copy with stand-ins and blacked-out pages.
#Does the attorney need the app?
No. Exports are ordinary PDFs and spreadsheets.
#Does it Bates-stamp documents?
No. It reads Bates numbers already stamped on a production's pages and uses them, but it doesn't create them.
#Cases and computers
#Can I move a case to a new computer without reading it again?
Yes. All cases → Export… writes a .decase file; copy it to the new computer with your folder of originals and click Import a case…. Unchanged files aren't read again. See Moving a case.
#Mac to Windows, or Windows to Mac?
Either direction works, and so does same-to-same.
#How do I delete a case?
This version has no single-case delete. Settings → Start over → Delete every case… removes all of them from the app (never your originals).