Synopsule
Features Privacy Pricing FAQ Get the app
Back to Synopsule

Synopsule Privacy Policy

Effective: 2026-05-25

Synopsule is a macOS app that records, transcribes, and (optionally) summarizes meetings on your Mac. This policy explains what data the app handles, where it goes, and the choices you have.

On this page

  1. TL;DR
  2. What we collect
  3. When data leaves your Mac
  4. Subscriptions & payments
  5. macOS permissions
  6. Recording other people
  7. Children
  8. Data retention & deletion
  9. Security
  10. Third parties
  11. Changes to this policy
  12. Contact

TL;DR

  • Audio never leaves your Mac. Recordings are stored locally; raw audio is never uploaded.
  • Transcripts stay on your Mac by default. Transcription happens fully on-device.
  • AI summaries are optional and opt-in. They are the only path where any of your content (transcript text) leaves your Mac, and only with your explicit consent. Audio is never sent.
  • No analytics, no tracking. Synopsule does not include third-party analytics, advertising SDKs, or tracking of any kind.

What we collect

Synopsule itself does not collect, store, or transmit personal data to its developer. Specifically:

  • Microphone audio and this Mac's system audio captured during a recording are processed locally on your device. The raw audio is held on your Mac for the duration of the recording and is deleted after finalization by default. Audio is never uploaded.
  • Transcripts and meeting metadata (titles, speakers, timestamps, your local notes) are stored in your Mac's local Application Support directory. They remain on your device and are not transmitted to us.
  • Settings and preferences (selected model, source toggles, AI provider choice, consent acknowledgements) are stored in macOS UserDefaults on your device.
  • API keys (if you bring your own LLM key) are stored in your Mac's Keychain. We never see them.

When data leaves your Mac

The only time any of your content leaves your Mac is if you choose to generate an AI summary. In that case, only the transcript text required for the summary is sent — never the audio.

You can use AI summaries in one of two ways:

Bring your own key (BYO)

If you configure your own LLM API key, your transcript text is sent directly to the provider you select, not through Synopsule:

  • OpenAI — transcript text is sent to api.openai.com.
  • Anthropic — transcript text is sent to api.anthropic.com.
  • LiteLLM-compatible gateway — transcript text is sent to the base URL you configure.

These requests use your API key and are subject to that provider's privacy policy. We never see them.

Synopsule subscription

If you subscribe via the App Store, transcript text is sent to the Synopsule API Worker (hosted on Cloudflare), which validates your App Store subscription receipt and forwards the request to OpenAI to generate the summary. We do not store the transcript text after the request completes.

Before the first off-device summary on either path, Synopsule asks for your explicit permission and names the destination provider. You can revoke this permission at any time in Settings → Intelligence → Reset AI consent, and you can stop using AI summaries entirely by simply not pressing "Summarize" — your recordings and transcripts continue to work fully offline.

Subscriptions and payments

Subscriptions are sold through the Apple App Store. Apple processes payments — we never see your payment information. To validate active subscriptions, Synopsule sends the App Store-signed transaction (a JWS token, not any personal data) to the Synopsule API Worker, which verifies it with Apple's servers.

Permissions

  • Microphone access is requested via macOS so the app can capture your voice and in-room speakers.
  • Audio recording access is requested via macOS so the app can capture this Mac's system audio for remote meeting participants. Audio capture happens entirely on your Mac.

You can change or revoke these permissions any time in System Settings → Privacy & Security.

Recording other people

When you capture this Mac's system audio during a meeting, you are recording the other participants on the call. You are responsible for obtaining their consent as required by the laws and norms of your jurisdiction. Synopsule will remind you of this when you first enable system audio.

Children

Synopsule is not directed to children under 13 and does not knowingly collect data from children.

Data retention and deletion

  • Recordings and transcripts live on your Mac. You can delete them at any time in the app's Library or by removing the app's Application Support folder.
  • Uninstalling the app removes its data on your machine.

Security

  • Audio and transcripts are stored in your Mac's user-protected directories.
  • API keys are stored in your Mac's Keychain with at-rest encryption and per-item access control.
  • All network calls use HTTPS.

Third parties

Synopsule only contacts third parties in the specific cases above:

When Who What is sent
You generate a summary (BYO OpenAI) OpenAI Transcript text + your API key
You generate a summary (BYO Anthropic) Anthropic Transcript text + your API key
You generate a summary (BYO LiteLLM) Your chosen gateway Transcript text + your API key (if required)
You generate a summary (subscription) Synopsule API Worker → OpenAI Transcript text + your signed App Store transaction
You download a transcription model Hugging Face (via the WhisperKit framework) Standard model-download request

Changes to this policy

If we change this policy in a way that affects how your data is handled, we will update the Effective date above and surface the change in the app on next launch.

Contact

Questions or requests? Email [email protected].

Synopsule

Private meeting transcription for Mac. Recording and transcription run on your Mac. AI summaries — if you want them — are always your choice.

Product
  • Features
  • Pricing
  • Download
Trust
  • Privacy approach
  • Privacy policy
  • FAQ
Support
  • Email support
  • App Store
© 2026 Synopsule. Made for Mac. Mac App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc.