Documentation
Everything you need to get started with Vireo.
Getting Started
1. Install Vireo
Download the installer for your platform from the download page and run it. On macOS, drag Vireo to your Applications folder. On Windows, run the setup wizard. On Linux, install the .deb package.
2. Add your photo folders
Open Vireo and click Add Folder in the sidebar. Navigate to any directory containing your wildlife photos. Vireo reads your files in place — nothing is moved or copied. You can add multiple folders.
3. Run your first scan
Click Scan to start the classification pipeline. Vireo will detect subjects, classify species, and score quality for every photo. Progress streams in real time — you can watch the log panel for details. First runs download models (~500 MB), so give it a few minutes.
4. Review results
Once the scan completes, every photo has a label: keep, review, or reject. Open the Cull page to rapidly sort through them. Use keyboard shortcuts to move through photos and make decisions.
5. Sync to XMP
When you're happy with your decisions, sync changes to XMP sidecars. This writes standard metadata that Lightroom, Darktable, and other tools can read. Your decisions travel with your files.
FAQ
Where are my photos stored?
On your filesystem, exactly where you put them. Vireo reads photos in place and never moves, copies, or uploads them. The database is just a cache — you can rebuild it anytime from your files.
Does Vireo modify my photo files?
No. Metadata is written to XMP sidecar files (.xmp) alongside your photos. Your original image files are never touched.
Do I need an internet connection?
Only for downloading AI models on first use. After that, everything runs locally on your machine. No cloud processing, no uploads, no accounts.
Do I need a GPU?
No, but it helps. Classification runs on CPU if no GPU is available — it's just slower. A CUDA-compatible NVIDIA GPU will significantly speed up large scans.
Can I use Vireo with Lightroom?
Yes. Vireo can import keyword hierarchies from Lightroom catalogs (.lrcat files), and its XMP sidecars are compatible with Lightroom. You can use both tools on the same photo library.
What species can it identify?
Over 10,000 species, depending on the model. The iNaturalist-trained classifier covers the broadest range. You can run multiple models and compare predictions.
Is it free?
Yes. Vireo is free and open source under the MIT license. You can use it, modify it, and contribute to it.
Looking for more?
For technical documentation, troubleshooting, API details, and contributing guidelines, visit the project on GitHub.
View on GitHub