NoteScribe Privacy Policy

Effective date: October 20, 2026

NoteScribe is made by Adhithya Karthikeyan ("we," "us," "our"). This policy explains how the NoteScribe iOS app (Bundle ID: com.adhithyakarthikeyan.NoteScribe, version 1.0) handles your information. It is written to be plain and honest.

Overview

NoteScribe turns your notes and meetings into structured output. You can scan handwritten notes and whiteboards, paste or type text, record audio, or import photos of notes. On supported devices, NoteScribe uses Apple Intelligence — running locally on your device — to produce Objectives, Action Items, Minutes of Meeting, Blockers, and a one-tap recap email draft.

• Requires iOS 26 or later (built for iPhone; also runs on iPad).
• On Apple Intelligence-capable devices, AI summarization is unlocked. On other devices, you still get transcript-first capture (scanning, typing, recording, transcription, and import).
• We operate no backend servers. NoteScribe sends your content nowhere except your own private iCloud library, if you sign in with Apple (described below), and wherever you choose to share it.

What we collect — and what we do NOT

What we do NOT collect

• We do not collect, receive, or store your notes, photos, scans, audio recordings, transcripts, or AI-generated summaries on any server we control. We have none.
• We do not track you across apps or websites. The app's privacy manifest declares NSPrivacyTracking = false with no tracking domains.
• We do not use any analytics, advertising, crash-reporting, or attribution SDKs.
• We do not collect device identifiers, advertising identifiers, location, contacts, or usage telemetry.
• We do not sell or share any personal data, because we never receive any.

The app's App Store privacy manifest lists no collected data types. Content you store in your own iCloud account is held by Apple under your Apple Account; it is not collected by us.

What is stored on your device

The information NoteScribe handles is created by you using the app and is stored on your device:

• Notes and analysis — your captured text, scans, photos, transcripts, and the AI output (objectives, action items, minutes, blockers, email drafts). Stored locally on your device using Apple's SwiftData. Guest mode and Sign in with Apple mode each keep their own separate on-device library (see Guest mode and Sign in with Apple below).
• Audio recordings — saved as files in the app's local Application Support directory on your device and protected by iOS data protection. NoteScribe never syncs or uploads audio files. (If you turn on iCloud Backup for your device, iOS can include the app's data, such as notes and recordings, in your own encrypted device backup, as it does for every app.)
• Background recording — when enabled, the app can record audio while locked or in the background, with the standard iOS recording indicator visible. Recording pauses if you receive a phone or FaceTime call on the same device.
• Sign-in identity — if you sign in with Apple, a minimal profile (an Apple-provided user identifier, and your name/email only if you choose to share them on first sign-in) is stored securely in the device Keychain. See Sign in with Apple below.
• Age range answer — if iOS provides a Declared Age Range answer (on supported devices), it is stored on the device only and used only to tailor the app. NoteScribe never sends it anywhere.
• Free-note counter — a small counter of how many free notes you have used is kept in the device Keychain so the free tier can be enforced. It contains no note content. It intentionally survives account deletion and reinstalling the app; it is the only item NoteScribe keeps after you delete your data.
• Copied text — when you copy text from NoteScribe, it uses a local-only clipboard, so it does not sync to your other devices through Universal Clipboard.

The app's privacy manifest declares two required-reason APIs: UserDefaults (reason CA92.1: storing the app's own settings) and file timestamps (reason C617.1: reading dates of files inside the app's own container).

On-device processing

All content processing in NoteScribe happens on your device:

• Transcription uses Apple's on-device speech engine (SpeechTranscriber / SpeechAnalyzer, iOS 26). Audio is transcribed locally; it is not uploaded for transcription.
• AI summarization uses Apple's on-device Foundation Models framework (Apple Intelligence). Your content is analyzed locally by Apple's on-device model (part of Apple Intelligence). NoteScribe uses no third-party AI service. AI output is a draft; review it before relying on it.
• Text recognition (OCR) for scans and photos runs locally using Apple's Vision framework.

No notes, audio, transcripts, or summaries are sent to us or to any third party for processing.

AI features: what data, where, and who receives it

NoteScribe's AI features write summaries and recap email drafts. Here is the full picture in one place:

• What data the AI uses — only the notes you capture in NoteScribe: a recording transcript, text recognized from scans or photos, or text you type or paste.
• How it is collected — you create it in the app. You record, scan, import, or type it.
• What it is used for — only to create the summary (objectives, decisions, action items, minutes, and blockers) and the recap email draft shown to you.
• Where it is processed — on your device, by Apple's on-device model (Apple's Foundation Models framework).
• Who receives it — no one. Not us, not Apple's servers for AI processing, and no third-party AI service. NoteScribe does not use any third-party AI service.
• Where you can see this in the app — account menu on Home › AI & Privacy, and the note under each AI summary. That note says the summary was made by Apple's on-device AI and is never sent to third-party AI.

If you sign in with Apple, your saved notes can also sync to your own private iCloud (see iCloud library below). That is storage in your own Apple Account, not AI processing.

Guest mode and Sign in with Apple

NoteScribe offers two ways to use the app: Sign in with Apple or continue as Guest. An account is optional — the full app works without one.

• Guest mode keeps your notes on this device only. NoteScribe uploads nothing.
• Sign in with Apple mode has its own, separate on-device library. Notes in this library can be kept in your private iCloud (see below).
• The two libraries are separate. If you use Guest mode and later sign in with Apple, NoteScribe asks whether to back up your guest notes to your private iCloud. Nothing is uploaded unless you choose to.
• Signing out hides the iCloud library from this device. Your guest notes stay on the device.

iCloud library (optional, private, and user-controlled)

When you sign in with Apple, NoteScribe can keep your history in your own private iCloud so it is available across your own Apple devices.

• iCloud storage applies only to the Sign in with Apple library (and to guest notes only if you say yes when asked).
• Your notes and analysis are stored in your own private iCloud database through Apple's CloudKit, in the container iCloud.com.adhithyakarthikeyan.NoteScribe. Only note text and metadata sync. Audio recordings are never synced to iCloud.
• This is the CloudKit private database — it is Apple's infrastructure tied to your Apple Account. It is not a developer server, and we cannot read it. No developer-accessible copy of your data exists.
• NoteScribe never uploads guest-mode notes unless you choose to back them up.

Apple's handling of data stored in iCloud is governed by Apple's own privacy policy and terms.

Sign in with Apple

When you Sign in with Apple:

• We use Apple's AuthenticationServices framework. Apple provides a stable user identifier, and — only on your first authorization, and only if you allow it — your name and email.
• This identity is stored securely in your device Keychain. It is not transmitted to any developer server (we have none).
• We do not exchange the Apple authorization code with any backend, and no developer-held access or refresh token for your Apple identity ever exists. Because there are no tokens for us to revoke, you stop using Sign in with Apple with NoteScribe yourself: see Data retention and deletion below.

Camera, Microphone, Photos, and Reminders permissions

NoteScribe asks for system permissions only for the features you use, and explains each at the prompt:

• Camera — to scan your written notes and whiteboards with the document scanner. Images are processed on your device.
• Microphone — to record audio only when you tap record. Recording is transcribed entirely on your device.
• Photo Library — so you can pick photos of notes or whiteboards to analyze on your device.
• Reminders — NoteScribe adds your action items to Apple Reminders only when you explicitly ask it to. Reminders you create are written to your own Apple Reminders.

You can grant or revoke any of these permissions at any time in iOS Settings.

Data retention and deletion

• Your data stays on your device (and, if you use it, in your own private iCloud database) until you delete it.
• You can delete individual notes inside the app at any time.

In-app account deletion

Open the account menu and choose Delete Account. This permanently:

• Erases your notes, projects, and audio recordings on this device, and your sign-in identity.
• Deletes the app's data zone in your private iCloud database.
• If iCloud cannot be reached, the app tells you and lets you retry. If you continue without iCloud, the app explains that copies may remain in iCloud and how to remove them yourself: Settings › Apple Account › iCloud › Manage Storage › NoteScribe.
• This action cannot be undone. No developer-accessible copy ever existed.

Subscriptions: deleting your account does not cancel a subscription. Billing continues through Apple until you cancel it; the app shows a Manage Subscription button for this.

Sign in with Apple: after deletion, the app explains how to stop using Sign in with Apple with NoteScribe: Settings › your name › Sign in with Apple › NoteScribe › Stop Using Sign in with Apple.

Free-note counter: the small Keychain counter described above stays on the device after deletion, by design.

Children's privacy

NoteScribe is a general-productivity app and is not directed to children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. Because the app collects no personal data on any server and processes content on-device, no personal data about any user — child or adult — is transmitted to us.

Third-party services

NoteScribe uses no third-party data-collection, analytics, advertising, or tracking services, and no third-party AI.

• The app links no third-party networking or analytics SDKs.
• The only platform services NoteScribe relies on are provided by Apple and run on your device or in your own iCloud: Apple Intelligence / Foundation Models, the on-device Speech and Vision frameworks, Sign in with Apple, Apple Reminders, and Apple CloudKit (your private database). These are governed by Apple's privacy policy.

We do not share your data with anyone, because we do not collect it. Because NoteScribe shares no data with any third party, there is no third party that must provide equal protection.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Effective date" above and post the updated policy at this location. Material changes will be reflected here before they take effect.

Contact

Questions about this policy or your privacy?

• Email: skadhithya95@icloud.com
• Developer: Adhithya Karthikeyan