Privacy Policy
Last Updated: September 19, 2025
This Privacy Policy describes how Macscope ("we," "us," or "our") handles information when you use our macOS application. Your privacy is important to us, and we are committed to protecting it. Macscope is designed to be a privacy-first application.
Information We Collect
Macscope operates almost entirely on your local machine. We do not collect personally identifiable information. The data Macscope accesses can be categorized as follows:
- Application and Window Information: To provide its core functionality, Macscope accesses a list of your currently running applications and open windows, including their names and titles. This information is processed in-memory to be displayed in the Macscope interface and is not stored persistently or transmitted from your device.
- Browser Tab Information: If you enable the "List open browser tabs" feature, Macscope will request the title and URL of open tabs from supported web browsers (e.g., Safari, Chrome, Arc). This is done via local automation scripts. This information is processed in-memory and is not stored or transmitted.
- Browser Tab Favicons: To display icons (favicons) for your browser tabs, Macscope sends the domain name (e.g., "google.com") of the tab's URL to Google's public favicon service. The full URL is not sent.
- Application Usage Data (Stored Locally): To provide features like "Quick Switch" and intelligent sorting, Macscope stores a history of application usage (e.g., last focused date, focus count). This data is stored exclusively on your local device and is never transmitted to us or any third party.
- Anonymous Crash Reports: If you opt-in to share anonymous crash reports, and Macscope crashes, a report will be sent to our error reporting service, Sentry. This report contains non-personal, technical information such as the state of the application, device model, and operating system version at the time of the crash. This information is used exclusively for diagnosing and fixing bugs and does not include any of your personal data, window titles, or screen content.
- Software Update Information: Macscope uses the Sparkle framework to check for updates. To do this, it connects to our update server (hosted on GitHub) to compare your current version with the latest available version. This process does not send any personal information.
- License Activation and Validation: When you activate or validate a license key, Macscope communicates with our licensing partner, Lemon Squeezy. This process sends your license key and a unique, non-identifying machine ID to their servers to verify the purchase and activate the software. Your name and email are also stored with your license for validation purposes.
How We Use Information
The information Macscope accesses is used solely for the following purposes:
- To Provide Core Functionality: Displaying, filtering, and switching between your open windows and tabs.
- To Improve User Experience: Sorting applications based on your local usage patterns.
- To Provide Software Updates: Notifying you when a new version of Macscope is available.
- To Improve Application Stability: Analyzing anonymized crash reports to identify and fix bugs.
Data Storage and Security
All sensitive data that Macscope handles, including your application usage history and any window or tab information, remains on your Mac. We do not operate servers that collect or store your personal data.
System Permissions
Macscope requires certain system permissions to function correctly. These permissions are requested by macOS, and you are in full control of them.
- Screen Recording: Required to display live previews of your windows. Your screen content is never recorded, stored, or transmitted.
- Accessibility: Required to programmatically focus and activate a window when you select it.
- Input Monitoring: Required for the global keyboard shortcut to work. Macscope needs to listen for key presses system-wide to detect your shortcut combination. It does not record your typing or any other key presses.
- Automation: Required to request tab information from web browsers if you enable that feature.
Terms of Service
Last Updated: September 10, 2025
Please read these Terms of Service ("Terms") carefully before using the Macscope application (the "Service") operated by Macscope ("us", "we", or "our").
License
We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to use the Macscope application for your personal, non-commercial use on any macOS device that you own or control. A lifetime license is valid for the duration of the product's lifespan.
Disclaimer of Warranties
The Service is provided to you "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" without warranty of any kind. We do not warrant that the Service will meet your requirements, operate without interruption, or be error-free.
Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall we be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages arising out of or related to your use of or inability to use the Service.
Governing Law
The laws of Austria, excluding its conflicts of law rules, shall govern this Terms and your use of the Service.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us.