Local Vault Desktop
Install, sign in, update, back up, and use the Windows desktop app without mixing local catalog data with owned items.
1. Install and sign in
- Download the Windows EXE or MSI from the Local Vault page, then open the app and sign in with your Collector account.
- The complete Windows app is free without a card through December 2026. Starting January 1, 2027, choose $12.99 yearly or $1.99 monthly to continue; there is no automatic charge. The Collector web app stays free.
- If the browser sign-in does not open automatically, use the sign-in link shown inside the desktop app.
2. Update the app
- Open the question mark button near your profile in the desktop sidebar and choose Check for updates.
- The updater downloads signed Windows installers from Collector Network and relaunches the app after installation.
- You can also download the latest EXE or MSI manually from the Local Vault page.
3. Collections, locations, and owned items
- Collections are logical groups such as Vinyl, Movies, Games, Jazz, or For Sale.
- Locations are physical places such as a room, cabinet, shelf, or box. A collection can have a location, but it is not required.
- Owned items are the actual things you have added to your vault. Catalog masters are not owned until a specific version is added.
4. Search and catalog import
- Search checks owned items first, then Local Catalog and Collector Network.
- Import master and versions saves catalog data locally. It does not add anything to your collection by itself.
- Use Add this version only when you want a concrete version to become an owned item in a collection.
- If Collector Network is missing an item or edition, continue the same search on the website and import it there.
5. Backup and restore
- Use Settings, Backup & Restore before major changes or before moving to another computer.
- The backup flow is designed to preserve the local database, manifests, and asset metadata together.
- Keep backups outside the same drive when possible so a Windows reinstall does not remove your only copy.
6. Friends and P2P snapshots
- Friends can browse collections that you explicitly share with them from Local Vault.
- Only public/shared collection data should be used for friend browsing. Private local data stays in your local vault.
- P2P image transfer uses encrypted WebRTC and may require a future TURN relay on restrictive NAT or firewall networks.
