# WisprType Privacy Policy

**Effective Date:** April 29, 2026
**Site:** https://wisprtype.com

WisprType is a native macOS dictation application that converts voice to
text. This Privacy Policy explains what data WisprType collects, how it is
used, and what choices you have.

## 1. Privacy-First Design

WisprType is built with a privacy-first architecture. By default, all
speech-to-text processing happens **entirely on your device** using
WhisperKit, an Apple Silicon–optimized inference engine. No audio,
transcriptions, or personal content leave your machine unless you
explicitly opt into a cloud provider or anonymous telemetry.

## 2. Data We Collect

### 2.1 Data Stored Locally

All of the following data is stored in a local SQLite database inside
your macOS `Application Support` directory and is **never** transmitted
to our servers:

| Data                  | Purpose                                                                                  |
| --------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Settings & preferences | Hotkey, selected model, engine mode, theme, and other configuration choices             |
| Transcription history | Raw and cleaned transcript text, target app name, duration, provider used, and language  |
| Custom dictionary     | Words, hints, and categories you add to improve recognition                              |
| Snippets              | Trigger/expansion pairs you create for text shortcuts                                    |
| Tone overrides        | Per-app tone presets and custom prompts                                                  |
| Installed models      | Metadata about locally downloaded speech-to-text models                                  |
| API keys              | Provider API keys you enter, stored in the local key-value store                         |

Audio recordings are processed in real time and are **not** retained
after transcription completes, unless you explicitly save them.

### 2.2 Anonymous Usage Telemetry (Opt-In)

WisprType includes **optional, anonymous** telemetry powered by PostHog.
Telemetry is **disabled by default** and can be toggled at any time in
**Settings → Privacy**.

When enabled, we collect:

- A randomly generated installation identifier (not tied to your identity)
- App events such as feature usage and settings changes
- Engine mode and word counts (never the actual words or transcriptions)

We never collect:

- Audio recordings or microphone data
- Transcript text or cleaned-up text
- Dictionary words, snippets, or personal content
- Your name, email, Apple ID, or any personally identifiable information
- IP-based geolocation (PostHog is configured without IP tracking)

All telemetry property strings are truncated to 64 characters as a
defense-in-depth measure against accidental data leakage.

## 3. Third-Party Cloud Providers (Optional)

If you choose to use a cloud speech-to-text provider instead of local
processing, your audio data is sent to the provider you select.

| Provider | Data Sent                                       | Privacy Policy                       |
| -------- | ----------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| OpenAI   | Audio file (WAV), model name, optional prompt   | https://openai.com/privacy           |
| Groq     | Audio file (WAV), model name, optional prompt   | https://groq.com/privacy-policy      |
| Deepgram | Audio file (WAV), keyword hints                 | https://deepgram.com/privacy         |

Cloud providers are **never used unless you explicitly configure them** by
entering an API key and selecting cloud mode in Settings. WisprType does
not share your API keys with anyone — they are stored locally and used
solely to authenticate requests you initiate.

### 3.1 Smart Typing (Post-Transcription Cleanup)

Smart Typing is an optional feature that cleans up transcriptions by
fixing self-corrections, removing filler words, and improving formatting
using an LLM.

- **Local mode (default):** When using the local STT engine, Smart Typing
  runs a local Llama 3.2 3B model entirely on your device via Apple's MLX
  framework. **No transcript data leaves your machine.** The model
  weights are downloaded from Hugging Face on first use.
- **Cloud mode:** When using a cloud STT engine, the same cloud
  provider's chat LLM is used for cleanup. Your raw transcript text and
  dictionary words are sent to the provider you have already configured.
- **Telemetry:** Smart Typing telemetry events (when enabled) include
  character counts, latency, and error types — **never** the actual
  transcript text, cleaned text, or dictionary words.

## 4. System Permissions

WisprType requests the following macOS permissions, each required for
core functionality:

| Permission     | Reason                                                                                              |
| -------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Microphone     | Required to capture audio for voice-to-text transcription                                           |
| Accessibility  | Required for the global hotkey and paste automation to insert transcribed text into any application |
| Audio Input    | Grants the app access to audio input devices (entitlement)                                          |
| Apple Events   | Used for paste automation to insert text into the active application (entitlement)                  |

WisprType does **not** request access to your contacts, location, camera,
photos, or files beyond its own application directory.

## 5. Data Storage & Security

- All local data is stored in your macOS
  `~/Library/Application Support/com.wisprtype.app/` directory in an
  SQLite database.
- Data is protected by macOS file-system permissions and your user
  account credentials.
- No data is synced to iCloud, external servers, or other devices.
- API keys are stored locally in the same database and are never
  transmitted to WisprType servers.

## 6. Data Retention & Deletion

- **Local data** is retained on your device until you delete it. You can
  clear your transcription history, dictionary, and settings at any time
  through the app or by removing the application support directory.
- **Telemetry data** (when enabled) is retained by PostHog in accordance
  with their data retention policies. Since telemetry uses a random
  installation ID, it cannot be linked back to you.
- **Uninstalling** WisprType and removing its Application Support folder
  permanently deletes all locally stored data.

## 7. Children's Privacy

WisprType is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not
knowingly collect personal information from children.

## 8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be
reflected by an updated "Effective Date" at the top of this document and
will be included in the application's release notes.

## 9. Contact

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us
through our website at https://wisprtype.com or by email at contact@wisprtype.com.