Make the footage on your NAS findable where it lives.

An archive can be too large to copy onto a laptop just to find one clip. Mount the share, add its folder to Focus, and choose Keep originals where they are. Focus keeps references to the source files while it builds local search data.

Try it with your archiveRead the steps
Mounted video archive
Library / Add Source
▤Music project / Camera originalsMounted network folderConnected

Choose source handling

01

The originals stay on the NAS while this mode is selected.

Illustrative storage-choice model. It does not measure transfer size or show a real NAS connection.

01Mount the share first
02Keep original files in place
03Search analyzed footage

Search a NAS Video Archive Without Moving Originals | Focus Guide

Updated · Focus

Mount the NAS share in Finder or Windows, add its folder through Focus Library → Add Source, and choose Keep originals where they are. Focus indexes the videos locally while the original files stay on the NAS; keep the share mounted for playback and export.

From a mounted folder to a searchable archive.

The screenshots show real Focus Library and Search screens with separate example media. The storage-choice example above illustrates the source setting; it is not an app capture.

  1. 01

    Mount the NAS on your computer.

    Connect to the network share in Finder or Windows first. Confirm you can open its files in the operating system. Focus needs a normal mounted folder path; do not paste an smb:// address as a source.

    Finder or Windows / Mount share
    Focus 1.17 capture with separate example footage
  2. 02

    Add the folder to Focus.

    In Library, open Add Source and choose the mounted video folder. In source handling, explicitly choose Keep originals where they are. A removable or network source can otherwise suggest a local copy.

    Library / Add Source / Keep originals where they are
    Focus 1.17 capture with separate example footage
  3. 03

    Let Focus analyze the videos.

    Choose the analysis you need, such as speech or visuals, and let indexing finish. Focus stores its search data locally and keeps the original video files at their existing paths.

    Analyze source
    Focus 1.17 capture with separate example footage
  4. 04

    Search and verify a result.

    Open Search, look for a line or a visual shot, then open the result in the source. Keep the share mounted when you need to play or export linked originals.

    Search / Open source
    Focus 1.17 capture with separate example footage

Common questions

Does Focus upload the archive?

No. Focus analyzes local or mounted sources on your computer. The guide uses a mounted network folder, not a cloud upload.

Will it copy all my videos onto my laptop?

Choose Keep originals where they are to link the source files. Copy locally is a separate option that uses local disk space.

Can I search while the NAS is disconnected?

Some stored metadata may remain visible, but source playback and export need access to the original files. Mount the same share again before relying on a result.

Search the archive without relocating the archive.

Start with one mounted project folder and confirm the source handling choice before analysis.

Try it with your archive
Another field guideFound the clips for an edit?

Arrange them in Focus and send a linked timeline to Premiere Pro.

See the Premiere handoff