data flow
what leaves the machine?
| feature | leaves your machine by default? | when data leaves |
|---|---|---|
| screen and audio capture | no | never unless another feature sends selected context |
| local search and timeline | no | local only |
| MCP server | no | local assistant can read data; remote MCP over HTTP is your responsibility |
| chat with local Ollama | no | local only |
| chat with cloud AI | yes | selected context is sent to that AI provider |
| pipes with cloud models | yes | pipe context is sent to the selected model |
| connected app proxy | yes | requests go to the connected third-party API |
| cloud media analysis | yes, if enabled | media snippets can be sent to the configured enclave/provider |
| PII filter enclave | yes, for enclave mode | text is processed in the confidential enclave |
| cloud archive or team sync | yes, if enabled | encrypted data is uploaded to the configured archive or storage target |
| feedback/log bundle | only when you send it | diagnostic logs you submit for support |
local storage
| data | default location |
|---|---|
| screenpipe data | ~/.screenpipe/ |
| recorded media | ~/.screenpipe/data/ |
| connections | secure store first, legacy ~/.screenpipe/connections.json fallback |
| app settings | app store plus local config files |
| e2e test data | isolated .e2e/ directory in the app repo |
privacy controls
| control | where |
|---|---|
| pause or stop capture | app controls and settings |
| included/excluded windows | settings -> recording |
| microphone and system audio | settings -> recording |
| clipboard capture | settings -> recording or CLI flag |
| API auth | settings -> privacy -> API security |
| LAN access | settings -> privacy |
| cloud media analysis | settings -> privacy |
| AI PII removal | settings -> privacy |
| retention mode (media / lean / all) | settings -> storage or data APIs |
| delete range and compact database | settings -> storage or data APIs |
| archive / download my archive | settings -> storage |
| team sharing | settings -> team |
PII removal modes
| mode | what happens |
|---|---|
| text redaction at rest | detected PII is redacted in stored text columns on-device, not only at AI-query time |
| local text model | text is redacted locally before selected AI workflows use it |
| local image model | screenshots can be redacted locally when image PII is enabled |
| enclave mode | text is sent to a confidential enclave designed not to persist data |
| cloud media toggle off | cloud audio, video, and image analysis is blocked |
browser session inheritance
the embedded agent browser can optionally inherit login state from supported real browsers. this is opt-in and uses one-time Keychain consent per browser source. use it when:- an agent browser needs authenticated pages
- you want screenpipe to avoid repeated manual sign-in
- you trust the local machine and the agent task
- the page contains financial, health, or sensitive personal data
- you do not want agent workflows to access logged-in sessions
- you are on a shared device
agent and pipe security
local agents and pipes can access your screenpipe data—screen text, OCR, accessibility tree, and transcripts. they cannot steal keyboard input or files, but they can see API keys, passwords, and secrets visible on screen. secure your setup:- exclude sensitive windows — add your password manager, banking site, or cloud console to settings → recording → ignored windows. agents won’t see data from ignored apps.
- use connection proxies — instead of pasting API keys into prompts, create a screenpipe connection so tokens are managed securely.
- trust only official pipes — use pipes from the official pipe store or audit custom pipes before installing.
- scope tasks narrowly — a pipe searching only “the last meeting” is lower-risk than one searching “all screen text.”
- review logs — use
screenpipe pipe logs <name>to see what data a pipe accessed.
teams and admins
team sharing is encrypted client-side. the server stores membership and encrypted blobs, but not the team encryption key. invite links contain the key, so share them through a trusted channel and treat them as sensitive. admins should document:- whether cloud AI is allowed
- which models and presets employees can use
- which integrations are approved
- retention policy
- whether LAN API access is allowed
- how support logs are collected
irreversible actions
before deleting data:- confirm the time range or device ID.
- export or archive anything needed.
- run the delete action.
- verify the timeline and
/searchno longer return that range.