---
title: Install Lens for GNOME on elementary OS using the Snap Store | Snapcraft
description: Get the latest version of Lens for GNOME for on elementary OS - Spotlight
  alike AI powered local search engine
url: https://snapcraft.io/install/lens-for-gnome/elementary
---

[Canonical Snapcraft](https://snapcraft.io/)

# Install Lens for GNOME on **elementary OS**

# Lens for GNOME

[Christian (cwittenberg)](https://snapcraft.io/publisher/cwittenberg "View all snaps from Christian (cwittenberg)")

* [Christian (cwittenberg)](https://snapcraft.io/publisher/cwittenberg "View all snaps from Christian (cwittenberg)")
* [Productivity](https://snapcraft.io/search?categories=productivity)

[Install](https://snapcraft.io/install/lens-for-gnome/elementary#install)

#### Spotlight alike AI powered local search engine

**Lens for GNOME** is an AI powered local-first desktop search engine.

It indexes local files, extracts searchable text, watches folders for changes, runs local embeddings, supports OCR, syncs mail, and can use local GGUF language models through llama.cpp (such as those from HuggingFace).

The goal is simple: fast, private desktop search that helps you find information inside your files *without* sending your documents to a remote service. Lens for GNOME is *local-first*.

It can:

* Index configured folders recursively and watch for changes
* Search by meaning
* Extract text from documents, images, PDFs, office documents, mail, and videos.
* Run local LLM-powered queries when enabled, with an AI model of your choice.
* Keep indexed data, embeddings, metadata, and models on your machine.
* Very fast live preview of image, video, PDF, and Office document on hover.
* Utilizes native GPU or NPU/TPU for hardware acceleration, if available.

Requires Gnome Extension to be Installed: <https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/10337/lens/>

### Package name

* lens-for-gnome

---

### License

* GPL-3.0+

---

### Last updated

* 10 July 2026 - latest/stable

---

### Websites

* [github.com/cwittenberg/lens-for-gnome](https://github.com/cwittenberg/lens-for-gnome "https://github.com/cwittenberg/lens-for-gnome")
* [extensions.gnome.org](https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/10337/lens/ "https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/10337/lens/")

---

### Contact

* [github.com/cwittenberg/lens-for-gnome](https://github.com/cwittenberg/lens-for-gnome "https://github.com/cwittenberg/lens-for-gnome")

---

### Donations

* [ko-fi.com](https://ko-fi.com/cwittenberg "https://ko-fi.com/cwittenberg")

---

### Source code

* [github.com/cwittenberg/lens-for-gnome](https://github.com/cwittenberg/lens-for-gnome "https://github.com/cwittenberg/lens-for-gnome")

---

### Report a bug

* [github.com/cwittenberg/lens-for-gnome/issues](https://github.com/cwittenberg/lens-for-gnome/issues "https://github.com/cwittenberg/lens-for-gnome/issues")

---

##### Report a Snap Store violation

* [Report this Snap](https://snapcraft.io/install/lens-for-gnome/elementary#report-snap-modal)

---

## Enable snaps on elementary OS and install Lens for GNOME

Snaps are applications packaged with all their dependencies to run on all popular Linux distributions from a single build. They update automatically and roll back gracefully.

Snaps are discoverable and installable from the [Snap Store](https://snapcraft.io/store), an app store with an audience of millions.

### Enable snapd

Snap can be installed on elementary OS from the command line. Open *Terminal* from the Applications launcher and type the following:

```
sudo apt update
sudo apt install snapd
```

Either log out and back in again, or restart your system, to ensure snap’s paths are updated correctly.

### Install Lens for GNOME

To install Lens for GNOME, simply use the following command:

```
sudo snap install lens-for-gnome
```

### Other popular snaps…

[See more...](https://snapcraft.io/search?categories=featured)

[See more in Featured](https://snapcraft.io/search?categories=featured)

### More things to do…

#### [Get the snap store](https://snapcraft.io/snap-store)

Browse and find snaps from the convenience of your desktop using the snap store snap.

#### [Learn more about snaps](https://snapcraft.io/docs)

Interested to find out more about snaps? Want to publish your own application? Visit [snapcraft.io](https://snapcraft.io/) now.

[Back to top](https://snapcraft.io/install/lens-for-gnome/elementary)

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