ClariRec Pro includes an on-device formula recognition engine — GLM-OCR — that converts printed math in a screenshot to LaTeX without sending anything to the cloud. No API key, no account, no network roundtrip after a one-time model download.
This page focuses on the local engine. For the full local-vs-cloud comparison including BYOK cloud providers, see Screenshot to LaTeX.
How it works
- Press
⌥Sand select a printed formula. - In the result window, click the formula action.
- GLM-OCR processes the image on your Mac — no network request.
- Preview the rendered result locally (KaTeX, also on-device).
- Copy the LaTeX source into your notes, paper, or editor.
The entire pipeline — capture, recognition, rendering, copy — stays on your Mac.
What is GLM-OCR
GLM-OCR is the on-device formula recognition engine bundled with ClariRec Pro:
- Model: GLM-OCR, Q8_0 quantization; model weights under MIT license
- Size: two files, ~1.34 GB total (one-time download)
- Offline: works without network after download — no API key, no cloud account
- Rendering: LaTeX previewed locally with KaTeX; rendering itself never touches the network
- Memory management: idle-unloads after 5 minutes; unloads early under system memory pressure
Requirements
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Chip | Apple Silicon (M1 or later) |
| RAM | 16 GB or more |
| macOS | 14 or later |
| ClariRec | Pro (one-time purchase) |
Why Apple Silicon + 16 GB
The local engine runs on the Neural Engine and GPU available in Apple Silicon Macs. On Intel Macs or machines with less than 16 GB RAM, recognition would fall back to CPU-only processing — roughly 14+ seconds per formula instead of ~2 seconds. At that speed, the experience is worse than not offering the feature, so ClariRec hides the local option on unsupported hardware.
If your Mac does not meet the threshold, you can still use formula recognition via a BYOK cloud provider — any Mac running ClariRec Pro with a configured API key.
Download and setup
- Open Settings → Providers → Formula Recognition.
- Select Local (GLM-OCR) in the provider list.
- Click Download Model. Two files are listed with individual progress bars.
- Wait for the download to finish. It supports pause/resume and verifies integrity with SHA-256 checksums.
- Once downloaded, set the local engine as your current formula provider.
The model can be deleted at any time from the same settings panel.
China mainland users: downloads automatically use a ModelScope mirror for better speed. If the mirror fails, ClariRec falls back to Hugging Face.
Privacy boundary
| Item | Local (GLM-OCR) |
|---|---|
| When data leaves your Mac | Never (after the one-time model download) |
| Where it goes | Nowhere |
| LaTeX rendering | Local KaTeX — no network |
| ClariRec servers | None — ClariRec does not operate servers that receive your content |
| API cost | None |
Your screenshot never leaves the device. The LaTeX preview is rendered locally by KaTeX. No telemetry, no analytics SDK. See Local OCR for macOS for the full privacy/network boundary table.
Switching to a cloud provider
Local GLM-OCR is not the only option. If you want to try a different model, or your Mac doesn’t meet the hardware requirement, you can switch to a BYOK cloud provider:
- Supported providers: Custom Vision API / Custom API, Qwen (通义千问)
- What changes: the screenshot is sent to your configured endpoint; you pay that provider
- What stays the same: LaTeX preview is still local KaTeX; ClariRec still doesn’t relay through its own servers
Switch between local and cloud in Settings → Providers → Formula Recognition at any time. Details: Screenshot to LaTeX — Cloud engine.
Tips for better results
- Crop tightly around the formula — avoid unrelated paragraph text in the same selection
- Prefer clear, high-contrast printed formulas over blurry photos
- Large images (above ~2560×1440) are automatically downscaled to stay within token limits
- If the preview looks wrong, adjust the selection and run formula recognition again
- The LaTeX source is the source of truth — preview is for checking
Troubleshooting
Local engine not listed Your Mac needs Apple Silicon and 16 GB RAM. If it doesn’t qualify, the option does not appear. Use a BYOK cloud provider instead.
Download stalls or fails Check your network. The download supports pause/resume, so progress is not lost. China mainland users should see the automatic ModelScope mirror; if both sources fail, try again later.
Recognition is slow Normal speed on Apple Silicon is ~2 seconds. If the app has just loaded the model (first use or after idle-unload), the first recognition may be slightly slower. Subsequent runs are faster.
LaTeX is incomplete or wrong Retake a tighter screenshot. Complex multi-line equations sometimes need a clean, well-cropped selection. If the local engine consistently struggles with a particular style, try a BYOK cloud provider for comparison.
You only needed plain text Formula recognition is a separate Pro action — it does not interfere with normal System OCR, which stays free and local by default.
Related
Screenshot to LaTeX (full guide) · Local OCR · Offline checklist · API keys · FAQ
