Privacy Policy
Effective date: 2026-09-28 · Applies to Accrue Notes for iOS, Android, and macOS
Accrue Notes is an on-device application for deep thinking, bi-directional knowledge management, and AI cognitive reflection. We strictly adhere to the principle of Local-First architecture and data sovereignty: we have no user accounts, nor do we run any proxy or telemetry servers. Below, we clearly set out what is collected, where data is stored, when data leaves your device, and how you delete it.
1. What We Collect
We collect zero personal information. The app has no registration, login, or user profiles. It does not access advertising identifiers (IDFA/GAID), location, or contacts. It contains no third-party tracking, behavioral analytics, or advertising SDKs. No telemetry or crash logs are transmitted to any remote servers. Your notes, bi-directional links, entity graphs, formulas, audio memos, and attachments live exclusively on your device, completely inaccessible to us.
2. Where Data Is Stored
All note records, knowledge graphs, and local vector embeddings are stored inside your device's private app sandbox (SQLite database and local filesystem). Any AI service API keys you configure are stored inside hardware-backed secure storage (iOS Keychain / Android Keystore), isolated from unauthorized apps. If you enable "iCloud Private Backup & Sync" on Apple platforms, files are synced via your personal iCloud private documents container across your devices signed in with the same Apple ID. We have no access or decryption keys for this container.
3. Third-Party Services
The app integrates no third-party advertising, telemetry, or analytics SDKs. In-app purchases and subscriptions for Accrue Notes Pro are processed directly by the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or Huawei AppGallery. Transaction details are governed by the respective store's privacy policy. We only receive an anonymous purchase verification receipt without any billing or credit card info.
4. The Only Case Where Data Leaves Your Device: The AI Service You Bring
The app's AI cognitive mirror, white-box Q&A, mental model red-teaming, and 10D research matrix operate on a BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) model. When you configure an API key and initiate an AI query, network requests are sent directly from your device over encrypted HTTPS to the official API endpoints of your chosen provider (such as OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, DeepSeek, or Google Gemini), without passing through any servers of ours. Data transmitted includes:
- The question or prompt you enter;
- Selected note excerpts or relevant context retrieved via hybrid RAG (vector embeddings + knowledge graph entities);
- Structured system instructions guiding the analytical format or mental model framework.
Full Transparency: You can inspect the retrieved reference quotes before sending. How the provider processes your requests is governed by their independent privacy policies and enterprise terms. Inference token costs are billed directly to your provider account.
5. Permissions
| Permission | Purpose | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Photos / Media | Insert reference images and sketches into notes, kept strictly in local sandbox | Optional |
| Camera | Capture handwritten notes, book quotes, or whiteboard diagrams locally | Optional |
| Microphone | Record voice memos for transcription, stored only on device | Optional |
| Network | Only used to transmit requests to the AI provider endpoint you explicitly configured; opens zero connections if no key is set | Optional |
6. Data Deletion and Portability
Your data belongs entirely to you:
- Full Export: Export your knowledge base anytime into standard Markdown files with YAML frontmatter, publication-ready PDF, or Word (.docx) documents with zero vendor lock-in;
- Data Erasure: In "Settings → Data Management", you can wipe the local database, vector cache, and saved API keys in one tap;
- Uninstall to Remove: Deleting the app removes all sandbox data from your device. Any backups stored in your personal iCloud can be deleted from iOS system storage settings. Because we store no data on remote servers, no formal account deletion request is required.
7. Children's Privacy
Accrue Notes is designed for students, researchers, and professionals. It does not solicit or collect information from children under 13. All data remains on the device under the user's direct supervision.
8. Policy Changes
If we update this Privacy Policy, changes will be posted on this page along with an updated effective date. Material updates will also be highlighted in release notes.
9. Contact Us
If you have any questions or feedback regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact:
Email: blake.chen94@gmail.com