Retrace

Privacy policy

Your Timeline stays on your Mac.

Effective August 21, 2026. This policy explains what Retrace stores locally, the limited data its app and website process, and the choices available to you.

The short version

Retrace is a local-first Mac app. Your screen images, the words Retrace reads from them, your notes, and your searches are stored on your Mac. Retrace does not automatically upload that Timeline content.

Retrace does not sell or rent personal information, and there are no ads in the app. This policy covers the direct edition available from retracesteps.com, the planned Mac App Store edition, and the Retrace website and help center.

Data stored on your Mac

Depending on the features you use, Retrace stores the following locally:

  • Change-triggered screen images and Timeline thumbnails.
  • Text found in those images, app attribution, and local search indexes.
  • Labels, text notes, voice notes, and locally generated transcriptions.
  • Preferences, exclusions, retention settings, App Lock settings, and diagnostics.

Retrace encrypts the Timeline archive and protects its keys with the macOS Keychain. New voice-note audio is protected separately. A local diagnostic log is stored as plaintext and may contain file paths, app identifiers, and error details, so review it before choosing to share it with support.

Screen Recording permission is required for the core Recording feature. Microphone permission is requested only if you choose to record a voice note. You can exclude apps from Recording or pause Recording at any time.

Copy, Save As, and Share actions can send a frame you select outside Retrace. The app or service you choose then handles that copy under its own privacy terms.

Limited app network activity

Retrace connects to external services only for specific product functions:

  • The direct edition contacts the Retrace licensing service to validate, activate, or deactivate a license and check entitlement status. These requests may include a license key and activation-instance data. Lemon Squeezy processes direct-edition checkout and account management.
  • The planned Mac App Store edition uses Apple's in-app purchase system for product information, purchases, entitlement checks, and purchase restoration. It does not use a Retrace license key. Apple processes App Store account and payment data.
  • The direct edition checks the Retrace update service for signed updates. The planned Mac App Store edition receives updates through Apple.
  • If you choose to download the optional voice-transcription model, Retrace downloads it from Hugging Face and verifies it before use. Hugging Face receives ordinary request data, such as your IP address, and may retain it under its privacy policy. Transcription after that download happens on your Mac.
  • Product, support, account, and subscription-management links open only when you choose them.

Retrace has no automatic upload path for screen images, text found in those images, notes, transcriptions, voice recordings, or search indexes.

Website data and measurement

Hosting and security providers receive ordinary request information, such as an IP address, browser details, and the requested URL, when they deliver retracesteps.com or docs.retracesteps.com. This information is used to operate, secure, and troubleshoot those sites.

Optional website measurement remains off unless you consent. With consent, Retrace can count page views, demo interactions, and download clicks. If a paid-attribution pilot is enabled and you arrive from a Google ad, Retrace can also store the Google click identifier and a random claim code in your browser for up to seven days. If that download results in a newly activated license, Retrace can send the click identifier and activation time to Google Ads once. It does not send Timeline content, searches, license keys, email addresses, device identifiers, or browsing history for this measurement.

Your measurement choice is stored in your browser. Use “Privacy choices” in the site footer to grant or withdraw consent. Withdrawing consent clears any pending local attribution claim and stops future optional measurement from that browser.

Service providers and sharing

Retrace shares limited data only when needed for the purposes described above:

  • Apple for Mac App Store purchases, entitlement checks, and updates.
  • Lemon Squeezy for direct-edition checkout, licensing, and account management.
  • Cloudflare for website delivery, security, and consented aggregate measurement.
  • Google Ads for consented paid-attribution reporting, when that pilot is enabled.
  • Hugging Face when you choose to download the optional transcription model.
  • Your selected email, sharing, or support service when you explicitly use it.

These providers process data under their own privacy policies and service terms. Retrace uses them only for the stated purposes and expects them to protect data in a manner consistent with this policy and applicable law. Retrace may also disclose information if legally required or necessary to protect users, the service, or others.

Retention and deletion

Timeline data remains on your Mac until you delete it or a retention rule removes it. You can delete captures and notes, change retention settings, or remove the active Retrace data folder. Because Retrace does not receive your Timeline, you do not need to contact Retrace to delete that local content.

A local paid-attribution claim expires after seven days. Your website consent choice remains until you change it or clear your browser storage. Retrace and its providers keep licensing, purchase, support, security, and measurement records only as long as needed to operate the service, provide support, prevent fraud, meet accounting or legal obligations, or produce aggregate statistics. Records are then deleted or de-identified.

To request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information controlled by Retrace, email [email protected]. Apple and Lemon Squeezy control the account and payment records held in their own systems, so their privacy tools may also be required.

Your choices

You can control Retrace data by choosing whether to:

  • Grant Screen Recording or microphone permission.
  • Exclude an app, pause Recording, or turn Recording off.
  • Change retention settings or delete local Timeline content.
  • Download the optional transcription model.
  • Allow optional website measurement.
  • Export, share, or send diagnostics to support.

Children

Retrace is not directed to children under 13, and Retrace does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided personal information to Retrace, contact support so it can be deleted.

Changes to this policy

This policy may change as Retrace evolves. Material changes will be posted here with a new effective date before they take effect when required by law.