Privacy Policy

Offline Dictation keeps your recordings and transcripts on your Mac.

Last updated: September 25, 2026

This policy describes how Offline Dictation for macOS handles information when you use the app. Offline Dictation is developed and maintained by QOL Apps. In this policy, “we” refers to QOL Apps.

At a glance

  • No account or sign-in is required.
  • Recordings, imported audio, transcripts, tags, favorites, word-replacement rules, and app settings are kept in the app’s local storage on your Mac.
  • The app transcribes audio on your Mac with a speech model you download. It does not send your audio or transcripts to QOL Apps or a cloud transcription service.
  • When enabled, the app copies completed transcript text to the macOS clipboard. This setting is on by default and can be turned off in Settings.
  • An internet connection is used when you choose to download the speech model. The download service may receive routine connection information, such as your IP address and request metadata.
  • The app has no advertising or analytics SDKs and does not track you across apps or websites.

Information processed by the app

Depending on how you use Offline Dictation, the app processes:

  • Audio captured after you start a microphone recording.
  • Audio files that you explicitly select for import.
  • Transcript text and timed transcript segments produced from that audio.
  • Transcript titles, source type, dates, tags, favorite status, and deleted or restored status.
  • Word-replacement rules and app preferences, including appearance, automatic clipboard copying, and whether source audio is retained.

The app processes audio to create transcripts, lets you review and edit transcripts, and supports playback, search, tagging, and export. Word-replacement rules are applied locally to new transcriptions. These items are stored in the app’s sandboxed application-support storage on your Mac. QOL Apps does not receive them.

On-device transcription and model downloads

Offline Dictation uses WhisperKit from Argmax OSS and downloads its speech model from the Argmax model repository on Hugging Face Hub. You initiate the model download from the app. The model is stored on your Mac and used there for transcription.

Hugging Face and the network infrastructure that serves the model may process routine information needed to deliver the download, such as your IP address, requested model files, request time, and connection information. The app does not include your recordings, imported audio, transcripts, or transcript library in the model-download request. QOL Apps does not receive the download’s connection information through the app.

After the model is installed, transcription runs locally and does not require an internet connection. The app does not upload audio or transcript text for transcription, and the app does not use those materials to train a cloud model.

For more information, see Hugging Face’s Privacy Policy and Argmax OSS Swift, the open-source transcription software.

Microphone, imported files, and exports

Microphone access is used when you start a recording. macOS asks for permission before the app can access the microphone. You can change or revoke that permission in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone.

Imported audio is opened only after you select files in the macOS file picker. If source-audio retention is enabled, the app saves a copy of imported audio in its local library. If it is disabled, the app does not keep a library copy of imported audio. The original imported file remains wherever you saved it.

Exports happen only after you choose an export action and a destination. Depending on the format and options you select, an export can contain transcript text, timed captions, and/or saved source audio. You choose where the exported file is saved and whether to share it with another app or person.

Clipboard

The Copy text to clipboard automatically setting is on by default. When enabled, the app writes a completed transcript to the macOS clipboard after transcription. You can turn this setting off in the app’s Settings. The clipboard is managed by macOS and may be available to other apps or system features, including Universal Clipboard if you have enabled it. Clipboard contents are outside the app’s local transcript library and are governed by your macOS and other apps’ settings.

Local storage, retention, and deletion

The app saves its transcript library and preferences on your Mac. When Keep source audio with transcripts is enabled (the default), the app retains source audio with the transcript in its local library. For microphone recordings, turning this setting off causes the newly recorded source audio to be removed after transcription. For imported audio, turning it off means the app does not save a copy in its library.

Deleting a transcript moves it to Recently Deleted, where it remains available to restore or permanently delete. Permanently deleting a transcript also deletes its saved source audio from the app’s library. The app does not keep a remote copy to delete. Copies in Time Machine, other Mac backups, exports, the clipboard, or other software are managed by those services and their settings.

You can revoke microphone access in macOS System Settings and turn off automatic clipboard copying or source-audio retention in the app’s Settings. To delete items from the app’s library, use its Recently Deleted controls. Contact us if you have a question about how to use those controls.

Sharing and third parties

QOL Apps does not operate an account service, analytics service, advertising service, cloud transcription service, or remote transcript library for Offline Dictation. The app does not share recordings or transcripts with QOL Apps or with the model-download provider.

The model download is served through Hugging Face Hub, which may process the connection information described above under its own privacy practices. App purchases are processed by Apple through the Mac App Store. Offline Dictation does not ask for or store payment-card details. Apple’s handling of purchase information is described in Apple’s Privacy Policy.

If you copy text to the clipboard, export a file, or share it using another app, that action may make the selected content available to the destination app, service, or person. Their handling of that content is governed by their own settings and privacy policies.

Security

Offline Dictation uses the macOS app sandbox and stores its library on your Mac rather than in a QOL Apps account or server. No method of storage or transmission is completely risk-free. The security of your Mac account, device, backups, and any files you export is your responsibility.

Children

Offline Dictation does not require an account and QOL Apps does not knowingly collect personal information from children through the app. The app is not designed specifically for children.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy if the app or its data practices change. The “Last updated” date above shows when the policy was most recently revised. The current version should be published at the public privacy-policy URL listed in the app and in App Store Connect.