Security & data

What stays on your Mac

Core lookup is designed to run on your device. Nothing below is uploaded or synced anywhere.

• Text recognition (OCR) runs on your Mac using Apple's built-in Vision framework, in the app's own process. Reading the text on screen never requires a server.
• Dictionary lookups use the dictionary packs installed on your Mac. Your looked-up words are not sent to a dictionary server.
• Lookup history and settings live in the app's local data folder, ~/Library/Application Support/dev.grishy.nearword. History can include the word, the result, and a small image of the area around your cursor from that lookup. It stays on your Mac — there is no cloud history — and you can clear it any time.

What leaves your Mac, and when

NearWord only sends data for the features that inherently need a server. Each is listed with exactly what it sends.

AI Context (only when you use it)

AI Context is optional. When you run an AI lookup, the app sends to our server, and onward to an AI provider, the text you looked up, the surrounding recognized (OCR) text for context, the source and target languages, and — when available — a small cropped screenshot of the area around your cursor. The name of the app and window you looked up in is sent to our server for abuse protection and is removed before the AI provider sees it. Do not use AI Context on content you would not want processed by an AI provider.

Account and billing (only if you sign in or subscribe)

Signing in and subscribing are online. Your email and session are handled by our accounts service; the session token is stored in your macOS Keychain and sent as authorization for account, AI, and feedback requests. Subscription and billing are handled by Polar, our payment provider. Core offline lookup never requires an account.

Downloads and updates

Downloading dictionary packs and checking for app updates are ordinary network requests. They do not carry your lookup content.

Feedback (only when you send it)

If you use the in-app feedback form, it sends your message plus anything you explicitly choose to attach — optional device details, a summary of your last lookup, or a screenshot. Nothing is attached unless you opt in.

What we keep

AI Context requests are used only to generate your answer. We do not retain the text or image from a lookup after it has been answered, and we never build a profile of what you read. Account and billing records are kept for as long as you have an account, because they are needed to run those services.

Screen Recording permission

NearWord asks for macOS Screen Recording so it can read the text where your cursor is. This permission is used on demand: when you press the lookup hotkey, the app takes a single screenshot for that one lookup. There is no continuous or background recording — the app is not watching your screen between lookups.

You are always in control. To revoke it, open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen Recording and turn NearWord off. Core lookup will stop working until you grant it again, which is the honest trade: reading pixels on screen is how NearWord works outside the browser.

No hidden tracking

NearWord does not include:

• Analytics or usage-tracking SDKs
• Crash or telemetry reporting that phones home
• Keystroke logging
• Background screen recording

To be precise: "no hidden tracking" does not mean "no network." The app does make the network requests described above for AI Context, accounts, billing, downloads, updates, and feedback. It just does not quietly report your activity in the background.

Questions

For the formal details, see the Privacy Policy. For anything else, email support@nearword.app — I read every message.