# What data does Vidiyo collect, and what stays on my Mac?

Canonical URL: https://getvidiyo.app/docs/privacy-and-data
Last updated: 2026-10-08

> TL;DR: Your footage, audio, images, projects and exports stay on your Mac. During the beta we record your sign-in email, downloads, feature usage and errors, and the text of your AI conversations with images removed. To edit, the assistant sends your request, transcript excerpts, the edit list and still frames to Claude or ChatGPT under your plan.

Vidiyo is built so your media never needs to leave your Mac. The beta does collect usage data and conversation text so we can find problems. This page summarizes both; the full policy is on the [privacy page](https://getvidiyo.app/privacy).

## What stays on my Mac?

Your media, projects and exports stay local. Footage, audio and images are imported, edited, transcribed and exported on your Mac. Transcription uses a local Whisper model, so audio never leaves it. Settings you connect, such as Buffer and storage keys, are stored encrypted on your Mac and only sent to the service they belong to.

| Stays on your Mac | Collected during the beta |
|---|---|
| Video, audio and image files | Your sign-in email |
| Projects, transcripts and exports | Download time, version and browser user agent |
| Keys for Buffer, storage, thumbnails | Feature usage, timings and errors |
| Your Claude Code or Codex sign-in | AI conversation text, with images removed |

## What does the beta collect?

We record how the app is used so we can see what's broken. That covers which screens and features you use, how long tasks take, and errors or crashes, tied to your beta account. Events carry identifiers we define, counts, sizes and timings. They never include chat text, file paths, project or media names, API keys or error message text.

We also store your AI conversations: what you ask, what the assistant replies, the tools it used and the edits it made. Images and video frames are stripped out, and attachments become placeholders like "[image]". Projects are identified only by a one-way hash, never their name or path.

## What does the AI provider receive?

The assistant runs on your own plan, so its traffic goes to Anthropic (Claude) or OpenAI (ChatGPT) directly from your Mac. To make an edit it sends your request, transcript excerpts, the project's edit list and the still frames it inspects. Their terms and privacy policies apply to that traffic. Your sign-in stays with Claude Code or Codex; Vidiyo never stores it.

## What leaves my Mac when I use optional features?

Only what each feature needs, sent to that service:

- **Publishing** sends the approved export, caption, title and time to your storage bucket and Buffer.
- **Stock search** sends search terms through your Vidiyo account to stock providers such as Pixabay.
- **Thumbnails** send your prompt and reference images to OpenAI or Gemini under your own key.

## What do logs and feedback contain?

A log file stays on your Mac at `~/Library/Logs/Vidiyo`. Keys, tokens, passwords and your home folder name are scrubbed from every line. When you send feedback, you choose whether to include recent logs and a screenshot of the window, and can see exactly what's sent.

## How do I delete my data or the app?

Email us from your sign-in address to delete your account, download records, analytics and stored conversations; the address is on the [privacy page](https://getvidiyo.app/privacy). You can also ask for a copy of what we hold. To remove the app, quit it and drag it to the Trash. Your projects stay where you saved them.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does Vidiyo upload my videos?

No. Import, transcription, editing and export run on your Mac, and your files are not uploaded to us. A finished video leaves your Mac only when you approve a post, which uploads that export to your own storage bucket for Buffer.

### Does the AI see my whole video?

No. The assistant gets your request, transcript excerpts, the project's edit list and the still frames it chooses to inspect. Those go to Anthropic or OpenAI under your own Claude or ChatGPT plan, and their terms apply.

### Does Vidiyo store my AI conversations?

Yes, during the beta. We store the text of your requests, the replies and the edits made, with images and attachment contents removed, so we can see where the assistant goes wrong. Project names and file paths are not included.

### How do I delete my data?

Email us from the address you signed in with and ask. We remove your account, download records, usage analytics and stored conversations and confirm by email. The privacy page has the address.

### Does Vidiyo use third-party analytics?

No. App usage goes to our own backend, and no third-party analytics service receives it. The website uses no analytics or advertising trackers.

## Related

- [Privacy](https://getvidiyo.app/privacy)
- [Private, local video editing with AI](https://getvidiyo.app/features/private-local-editing)
- [How do I connect Claude to Vidiyo?](https://getvidiyo.app/docs/connect-claude)
- [How do I connect ChatGPT to Vidiyo?](https://getvidiyo.app/docs/connect-chatgpt)
- [Private video editing with local AI: what stays on your Mac](https://getvidiyo.app/blog/private-video-editing-local-ai)

Request access to the Vidiyo beta: https://getvidiyo.app/request