Screenpipe
An open-source AI memory tool that captures your screen and audio locally, enabling search and automation agents based on your computer activity.
What is Screenpipe?
Screenpipe is an open-source AI memory tool that captures your screen and audio activity locally, creating a searchable record of everything you see and hear on your computer. It solves the problem of forgetting important information by providing AI-powered search and enabling automation agents that work based on your activity. All data is stored on your device, ensuring privacy and control.
Knowledge workers, developers, researchers, remote workers, and teams who need to recall computer activity, automate workflows, and integrate AI assistants with their screen context while maintaining data privacy.
Developers choose Screenpipe for its 100% local data storage, open-source transparency, and powerful plugin system that allows deterministic AI data permissions. It offers a private alternative to cloud-based tools with event-driven capture that minimizes resource usage.
Overview
YC (S26) | AI that knows what you've seen, said, or heard. Records everything you do, say, hear 24/7, local, private, secure
Use Cases
Best For
- Giving AI coding assistants context about current work via MCP integration
- Creating a searchable memory of meetings and conversations with local transcription
- Automating workflows with scheduled AI agents triggered by screen activity
- Deploying AI across teams with centralized config and data permission controls
- Building private alternatives to commercial screen recording and AI memory services
- Researchers needing to semantically search through large volumes of screen-based information
Not Ideal For
- Organizations with strict compliance policies that prohibit screen recording software
- Users on older or low-spec machines with less than 8GB RAM as recommended
- Projects requiring real-time, cloud-based collaboration on screen data
- Individuals unwilling to pay the $400 one-time fee for the desktop app
Pros & Cons
Pros
Only captures screenshots on meaningful OS events like app switches or typing pauses, reducing CPU usage to 5-10% and storage to ~20GB/month, as stated in the specs.
All data is stored locally on your device with optional encrypted sync, and supports local AI models like Ollama, ensuring no data leaves your machine without consent.
Plugin system allows scheduled AI agents defined in markdown files to query screen data and take actions, with per-pipe YAML-based data permissions for deterministic control.
Runs as an MCP server, enabling AI assistants like Claude Desktop and Cursor to directly query your screen history with zero configuration, as shown in the install instructions.
Cons
The desktop app requires a one-time $400 purchase for lifetime access, which is a significant barrier compared to free or subscription-based alternatives.
Linux support requires building from source, unlike macOS and Windows which have native installers, making installation less straightforward for non-technical users.
Uses 0.5-3GB RAM and 5-10% CPU continuously, which might impact performance on systems with limited resources or during heavy multitasking.
Open Source Alternative To
Screenpipe is an open-source alternative to the following products:
Granola is a macOS app for managing window layouts and organizing desktop workspaces with keyboard shortcuts.
Limitless is an AI-powered productivity tool that provides meeting recording, transcription, and summarization features to help users capture and organize information.
Rewind.ai is a platform that captures and organizes everything you see, say, or hear on your computer to create a searchable memory of your work.
Frequently Asked Questions
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