Overview
This Privacy Policy explains how CaptionBar for macOS and the CaptionBar website handle information. CaptionBar is a local-first live-captioning application. The developer does not collect, upload, or remotely store audio, transcripts, translations, screen content, application metadata, usage analytics, or identifiers from the app.
CaptionBar has no account system, advertising, analytics, tracking SDK, or developer-operated backend. Speech recognition and translation run locally through Apple's on-device frameworks.
System Audio Recording Only
CaptionBar requests macOS System Audio Recording permission only after you select an application and click Start Captions. CaptionBar uses Apple's Core Audio Process Tap API to receive audio samples from only that selected application. CaptionBar does not request Screen Recording permission and does not receive, process, record, store, or transmit screen pixels, screenshots, video frames, window contents, or keystrokes.
To show eligible audio sources and establish the selected-app tap, CaptionBar temporarily processes the names and bundle identifiers of running applications and their local audio-activity status. It does not enumerate displays or windows and does not inspect window contents. This metadata stays on your Mac. If you choose “Remember for this app,” only the selected application's bundle identifier and caption-language preference are retained locally in CaptionBar's preferences.
Application audio is processed locally on your Mac using Apple's on-device Speech framework. Audio samples are held temporarily in memory and discarded after processing. CaptionBar saves an audio recording only if you explicitly enable Save audio recording, which is off by default.
Microphone
CaptionBar requests microphone permission only when you select Microphone as the caption source. Microphone audio is processed locally for live captions and is not used during an App Audio session. It is held temporarily in memory and discarded after processing unless you explicitly enable Save audio recording.
Local Storage and Retention
Before the first session, a standard macOS folder-selection panel requires you to choose where CaptionBar may save user files. If you cancel, the session does not start and no transcript or recording is created. CaptionBar stores a security-scoped bookmark locally so it can continue using the folder you selected.
Markdown transcripts and their translations are stored in that folder. If Save audio recording is enabled, a local M4A recording is stored beside the transcript. These files remain until you delete them. The developer cannot access them. Local settings, including language preferences and the folder bookmark, remain in CaptionBar's app preferences until you remove the app's data.
Your Choices and Deletion
- Decline or revoke Microphone permission in macOS System Settings.
- Decline or revoke System Audio Recording Only access in System Settings.
- Leave Save audio recording off, or turn it off at any time in CaptionBar Settings.
- Change the selected save folder in CaptionBar Settings.
- Delete transcripts and recordings directly in Finder at any time.
- Remove CaptionBar's local preferences by deleting its app data.
Because CaptionBar does not maintain an account or developer-controlled copy of your app data, there is no remote personal-data record for the developer to retrieve or delete.
CaptionBar Website
The CaptionBar website does not use analytics scripts, advertising, tracking pixels, accounts, forms, or cookies set by CaptionBar. The site's infrastructure provider, Cloudflare, may process limited technical request information such as IP address and security logs to deliver and protect the site under its own privacy terms.
Changes and Contact
Material changes will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. Questions about CaptionBar privacy can be sent to [email protected].