There is no delete call in the codebase.
Any file removed from a workflow is safely moved to a dated archive folder you control.
Otlet organises your files.
Not your life.
When you first open Otlet, it helps you de-clutter your folders and connected drives - including iCloud.
That first tidy teaches Otlet how you like things arranged.
When you are ready to tidy your files into folders, Otlet uses that learning to suggest the right folder for each file.
The more you use Otlet, the more it learns your preferences and rules, and the better its suggestions get.
Private by design.
None of your information leaves your Mac. • No cloud AI • No subscriptions
Coming soon to the App Store
Sign up before launch and the 50% launch offer comes to you by email.
Pricing
$22 once
No subscription.
A single purchase covers all Macs tied to your personal Apple Account.* Purchase safely through the App Store.
*Commercial teams: standard per-seat licensing applies via Apple Business Manager.
The 50% launch offer is announced only to the early access list.
Join the early access listChanged your mind - no problem.
Otlet is built around undo. Every move can be reversed.
How?
Zero deletions
All or nothing moves
Moves either finish completely or leave your files exactly where they started.
If something goes wrong partway through, Otlet puts back what it had already moved, so there are no half-moved folders.
Full undo, even after a restart
Every action is safely recorded directly to your disk.
You can close Otlet, restart your computer, or open it next week and still reverse earlier moves with a single click.
Clear explanations, not silent failures
If a drive disconnects or a folder goes missing, Otlet does not fail quietly.
It stops, tells you exactly what happened, and touches nothing else.
"Private AI" shouldn’t come with an asterisk.
Many file organisers claim to offer "private AI", but bury the truth in fine print: cloud processing is on by default, or true local mode is buried behind complex settings.
Zero internet access by design.
Otlet does not just promise privacy in a policy document.
The app has no permission to use the internet, and macOS enforces that through the App Sandbox, so it cannot connect at all.
You do not have to take our word for it: one terminal command shows it.
codesign -d --entitlements - /Applications/Otlet.app
Private, offline, checkable.
Everything Otlet does stays on your Mac. Here is how it handles your files - and how you can confirm it.
Runs fully offline
Otlet requires no internet connection. You can unplug your Ethernet or turn off Wi-Fi, and the app continues sorting normally.
It supports both Apple silicon and Intel Macs, though processing large folders on Intel chips takes a little longer.
How iCloud files are handled
Otlet cannot connect to the internet itself. If a file lives in iCloud and is not stored on your Mac, Otlet asks macOS to fetch it, exactly what happens when you open that file in Finder.
Otlet always asks for your confirmation first.
Built in, nothing in the cloud
Your files, their contents and their folder names never leave your machine.
Every model we use ships inside the app: Apple’s own and three we trained ourselves, so nothing is ever sent to an outside service.
Security enforced by macOS
We do not ask you to trust a privacy policy on faith.
Otlet runs inside the macOS App Sandbox with no permission to use the internet, so your Mac blocks any connection out.
Anyone can check that with the terminal command above.
A small note on the name.
Paul Otlet imagined a universal library, a way to bring order to information.
This is our tribute to that idea. A thoughtful tool for your own digital world.
Questions?
Does Otlet upload my files or data?
No. Reading, understanding and sorting your files all happens on your Mac.
Otlet has no network access, so nothing ever leaves your Mac.
How does Otlet work - is it AI?
Not in the way most people mean it. There is no chatbot in Otlet and nothing that writes text for you. It is machine learning: six small models that recognise patterns in your files.
Three of them are Apple’s own and three we trained ourselves. They run on your Mac’s own processor and read text, file details and images while the app is running.
No outside services, and no internet connection required.
Can I undo file and folder moves?
Yes. Every operation is recorded directly to disk.
You can undo moves immediately, or re-open Otlet days later and roll back an entire batch in a single click (as long as the app remains installed and its records aren’t deleted).
Are there limits to how many files Otlet can handle?
No limit on the folder. Otlet works through a big folder in batches of about 250 files, oldest first. Organise a batch, then scan again for the next one.
How long a batch takes depends on your Mac. Apple silicon is much faster than an Intel Mac.
Does Otlet work with iCloud Drive and external drives?
Yes. Otlet supports external drives, local folders, and iCloud Drive.
For iCloud files: to read files that live in iCloud and are not stored on your Mac, macOS temporarily downloads them. Otlet always asks for your approval first. Once sorting is complete, Otlet asks macOS to free that space again.
Low on disk space? If storage is tight, Otlet tells you and organises your iCloud items by filename and file details alone, without downloading them. For huge cloud libraries, we recommend sorting one folder at a time.
Will Otlet work with my existing folder structure?
Yes. Otlet works with your existing files and folders. It suggests organisation without forcing any particular structure on you.
Will the app receive updates?
Yes. All updates and improvements across version 1.x are included with your licence.
We focus on useful improvements and keeping the app fast, not on adding features for the sake of it.
Still have questions?
Email us