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 remote sync | yes, if enabled | encrypted data is uploaded or synced to your 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 and delete range | settings -> storage or data APIs |
| archive | cloud archive settings |
| team sharing | settings -> team |
PII removal modes
| mode | what happens |
|---|---|
| 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
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.