1. Start with footage you have saved or filmed
Choose a familiar folder of videos you filmed or have permission to keep. Originals can stay in their existing locations. Keep your own notes about sources, creators and permitted uses alongside the files for future projects.
Add that folder in MediaDNA Library and finish indexing. When you need a shot again, use a screenshot or clip to search your indexed footage, review the matching time range and locate the file for your edit.
Browser saving is an optional way to add footage later. Install and connect the Chrome companion from desktop Settings. It supports direct video files and some HLS/DASH on-demand streams; live streams and DRM-protected media are excluded. Chrome saves the file and the compatible desktop app checks and indexes it.
2. Index one familiar folder first
Sign in to the desktop app and add a small folder of videos you know. Wait for indexing to finish before judging search results. You can then add external drives or mounted network storage as your collection grows.
Keep the relevant drives connected while indexing and locating files. You do not need to move every original into one new folder. Preparation time depends on the footage and your hardware.
During indexing, Activity shows progress and read problems. When it finishes, Overview shows the size and status of the library, while All Files lists each file's name, path, type, size, duration, resolution and availability. This is how you see what is actually covered before relying on a search or duplicate count.
3. Find duplicate videos before saving another copy
Search with a video file or review duplicates in the indexed library. MediaDNA Library uses AI visual features to find candidates and checks full visual content for duplicate matches, including files with different names. Duplicate checks compare the full visual content; audio tracks, subtitle tracks, encoding or picture quality may still differ. Confirm the version you want to keep before removing a file.
Compare previews and locations to decide which copy is useful for your project. A shared clip alone does not make two videos duplicates. You can keep every copy; removal is optional and requires selection and confirmation.
After indexing, open Duplicate Files to review groups of full-content matches. Compare each path, preview and availability before selecting anything. Local deletion normally uses the system trash; a network file may require permanent deletion, which the app explains before confirmation. Keeping an intentional backup is a valid choice.
4. Check a new video before adding it to the library
When you receive a new video, select that file in Content Search before adding its folder. The query file is used for this search and is not automatically added to the indexed library. Full-file matching can locate existing copies even if the filenames differ.
If there is a verified full-content match, inspect the stored locations and decide whether you need another copy. If no match appears, first check that the relevant drives are connected and indexed. Then add the new file's folder or save it to an indexed location. No result does not prove that the footage is original or absent from storage you have not indexed.
5. Choose the search clue you actually have
If you know part of a filename or path, look in All Files and narrow the list by media folder or availability. This is a text lookup over your library, useful when a project name or camera filename is still familiar.
If the filename means nothing, use Content Search instead. Select an image or video file, or paste one image or supported media file from the clipboard. An image gives candidate source videos and time ranges; a video search first checks complete content and lets you continue with section search for a clip inside a longer source.
6. Find the shot when a project needs it
If you remember the image but not the filename, search with a screenshot. If you have a short clip, start a video-file search and continue with section search to look for overlapping footage.
Review the candidate video, time range and file location. Open the located material in your usual creative tools. Finding a match does not establish permission to reuse it; refer to the source and usage notes you kept.
7. Keep the library and your files available
Update the library after adding or changing footage. When a file is missing, check whether its drive or network folder is disconnected before assuming the video has been deleted.
Keep a separate backup of originals and any source notes you need. If search finds nothing, confirm that the folder is included and indexing has finished before trying a different image or clip.
8. Work with a collection spread across drives
For example, keep current footage on your computer, older shoots on an external disk and a separate backup on a mounted NAS. Add the folders you want to search without moving the originals into one directory. Check their indexing and availability separately.
Before opening a result, inspect its path to see which drive is needed. If it is unavailable, reconnect the drive or mount the network folder, then check the source status again. A searchable index is not a replacement for the original video, and a missing drive should not be treated as proof that its files were deleted.