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Privacy Policy

Your privacy matters. Here's how NearWord handles your data.

Last updated: January 6, 2026

1. Introduction

NearWord is a cross-platform desktop vocabulary learning application (macOS, Windows, and Linux) designed to help you expand your vocabulary while you work. We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about how we handle your data.

This Privacy Policy explains what information NearWord collects, how it's used, and what choices you have. By using NearWord, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

2. Data We Collect

NearWord is designed with privacy in mind. Here's what data the application handles:

Data Stored Locally on Your Device

  • Selected words and definitions — Words you look up and their definitions are saved to your local word collection
  • Learning progress — Your spaced repetition review history and performance data
  • Application preferences — Your settings, theme preferences, and keyboard shortcuts

Data Sent to External Services

  • Dictionary lookups — When you look up a word, that word is sent to dictionary API providers to fetch definitions
  • AI context requests — When using AI-powered explanations, the selected word and surrounding sentence context may be sent to AI service providers

Data We Do NOT Collect

  • Personal identification information (name, email, address)
  • Account credentials or passwords
  • Location data
  • Contents of documents you're reading (only selected words)
  • Browsing history or application usage outside of NearWord

3. How Data is Stored

Local-first architecture: All your vocabulary data, learning progress, and preferences are stored locally on your device. This means:

  • Your data stays on your device
  • You have full control over your information
  • No account or sign-up is required to use NearWord
  • The app works offline (except for dictionary lookups and AI features)

No cloud sync by default: We do not automatically sync your data to any cloud service. If cloud sync features are added in the future, they will be strictly opt-in and clearly disclosed.

4. Third-Party Services

NearWord integrates with the following third-party services to provide its features:

Dictionary Providers

When you look up a word, NearWord sends that word to dictionary API providers to fetch definitions. Only the word itself is sent — no personal information or context about what you're reading.

AI Services (Optional)

When you use the AI-powered contextual explanation feature, NearWord sends the selected word and the surrounding sentence to AI service providers. This helps generate relevant, context-aware explanations. No personal information is included in these requests.

Analytics (Optional)

If you opt in to anonymous usage analytics, we may collect aggregated, non-identifiable data about app usage patterns to improve NearWord. This can be disabled at any time in Settings.

5. Data Sharing

We do not sell your data. Period.

We may share data only in these limited circumstances:

  • Service providers: Dictionary and AI providers receive only the data necessary to provide their services (words and sentence context)
  • Legal requirements: If required by law, we may disclose information to comply with legal processes
  • Aggregated analytics: We may share anonymized, aggregated usage statistics that cannot identify individual users

6. Your Rights

You have full control over your data:

  • Access: All your data is stored locally and can be viewed within the app
  • Export: Export your entire word collection at any time (CSV or JSON format)
  • Delete: Clear your word collection and learning history from Settings
  • Opt-out: Disable optional features like AI explanations or analytics at any time

Since your data is stored locally, deleting the NearWord application or its data folder will permanently remove all your information.

7. Children's Privacy

NearWord is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. Since NearWord doesn't require an account or collect personal information, children can safely use the application under parental supervision.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes:

  • The updated policy will be posted on this page
  • The "Last updated" date will be revised
  • For significant changes, we'll notify you through the application

We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your privacy.

9. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how NearWord handles your data, please contact us: