Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
What is SearchByVideo?
SearchByVideo is an AI-powered video search tool that uses natural language processing and computer vision to help you find specific moments in videos. Instead of manually scrubbing through footage, simply describe what you're looking for and let our AI find it.
How does SearchByVideo work?
When you upload a video, our system:
- Analyzes the video using Google's Gemini AI for semantic understanding
- Creates detailed descriptions of each scene and moment
- Extracts keyframes and generates visual embeddings
- Builds a searchable index of the entire video
- Matches your queries to moments using both AI and regex search
What file formats does SearchByVideo support?
We support all common video formats:
- MP4 (H.264, H.265)
- WebM
- Mov (QuickTime)
- MKV
- AVI
- FLV
Maximum file size depends on your subscription tier.
What is the difference between Instant Search and Deep Search?
- Instant Search: Uses regex pattern matching and basic scene analysis. Instant results but may miss semantic matches.
- Deep Search: Leverages full AI analysis with Gemini embeddings. More accurate and semantic, takes slightly longer.
Technical Questions
How long does it take to analyze a video?
- Short videos (<1 minute): 15-30 seconds
- Medium videos (1-10 minutes): 30 seconds to 2 minutes
- Long videos (>10 minutes): 2-5 minutes
Time varies based on video resolution and complexity.
What's the maximum video length I can upload?
Standard accounts: 60 minutes Pro accounts: 240 minutes Enterprise: Unlimited
Is my video data stored?
Yes, videos and analysis data are stored securely on our servers. You can delete videos anytime from your dashboard. Deleted videos cannot be recovered.
Can I download the clips I find?
Absolutely! Once you find a moment:
- Preview the clip with custom start/end points
- Choose your export format (MP4, WebM, etc.)
- Download directly to your device
Do you offer API access?
Yes! Enterprise customers get API access for:
- Batch video uploads
- Custom integration workflows
- Webhook notifications
- Advanced analytics
Account & Billing
Do you offer a free trial?
Yes! Every new account gets a 7-day free trial with full feature access. No credit card required.
How is my subscription charged?
- Automatically billed monthly on your billing date
- You can cancel anytime before the next billing cycle
- Cancel in Settings → Billing → Cancel Subscription
Can I change my plan?
Yes, you can upgrade or downgrade anytime:
- Go to Settings → Billing
- Click "Change Plan"
- Select your new tier
- Changes take effect immediately
Downgrading refunds unused time in your next cycle.
Do you offer annual discounts?
Yes! Annual plans save 20% compared to monthly billing.
What's your refund policy?
We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if you're not satisfied. No questions asked.
Search & Features
How specific do my queries need to be?
Very specific queries usually work best, but don't overthink it. These all work:
- "person laughing" ✅
- "someone laughing really hard" ✅
- "a person experiencing joy and laughing" ✅
Use 3-5 descriptive words for optimal results.
What if SearchByVideo can't find what I'm looking for?
Our system will suggest semantically related keywords. For example:
- If you search "red car" but there's a "red truck", we'll suggest "truck"
- Click the suggestion to auto-search, or try a different description
Can I search for multiple moments at once?
Not in one query, but you can:
- Run multiple searches with different descriptions
- Use our batch search feature (Pro+)
- Create saved search templates
Do you support non-English queries?
Currently, SearchByVideo works best with English descriptions. We're working on multi-language support for 2025.
How accurate is the search?
Our accuracy varies by content:
- High clarity content: 95%+ accuracy
- Normal quality: 85-90% accuracy
- Low light/complex: 75-85% accuracy
Accuracy improves with more specific queries.
Privacy & Security
Is my video content analyzed by humans?
No. All analysis is performed by AI algorithms. Human review only occurs if you request support assistance.
Do you use my videos for training?
No. We never use customer videos to train our AI models.
Is my data encrypted?
Yes. All data is encrypted in transit (SSL/TLS) and at rest (AES-256).
Can I delete my account and all data?
Yes. Go to Settings → Account → Delete Account. This permanently deletes:
- All videos
- Analysis data
- Account information
- Billing history (retained for tax purposes)
Deletion is irreversible.
Troubleshooting
My upload keeps failing. What should I do?
Try these steps:
- Check file size is within your plan limits
- Ensure video file isn't corrupted (try opening it in a player)
- Try a different file format (MP4 usually most reliable)
- Check your internet connection
- Clear browser cache and try again
Still failing? Contact support.
My search results are irrelevant. Why?
This usually happens because:
- Query is too vague or uses uncommon terms
- Video content doesn't match description
- AI struggled with poor lighting or resolution
- Video quality is very low
Try:
- More specific descriptors
- Use preset filters as starting point
- Re-upload with better quality version
The video player is slow or stuttering
This may be due to:
- Internet connection speed
- Browser tab overload
- Video file codec compatibility
- Browser cache
Try:
- Close other tabs
- Refresh the page
- Try different browser
- Clear cookies and cache
I'm not being charged for my free trial
Billing starts after your trial ends. You'll receive reminder emails at day 4 and day 6 of your trial.
Contact & Support
How can I contact support?
- Email: support@searchbyvideo.net
- Chat: Available in-app (Pro+ plans)
- Twitter: @SearchByVideoAI
What are your support hours?
- General support: Monday-Friday, 9 AM - 6 PM PST
- Priority support (Enterprise): 24/7
Do you have a community?
Yes! Join our:
- Discord: community.searchbyvideo.net
- Twitter: Latest updates and tips
- Blog: Tutorials and best practices
Still have questions? Contact our support team or check out our getting started guide.