Privacy first: audio stays on device
1. Microphone & audio
- The microphone is used after you start a voice operation. An iOS keyboard session may remain on standby between recordings without writing audio to a recording file. You can end the session; the microphone is also released when the session expires.
- Apple on-device bilingual speech models perform recognition.
- Temporary recordings are cleared when the operation finishes or is cancelled, and are not uploaded.
2. Text & cloud AI
- Mac automatically cleans up each dictation. On iPhone and iPad, you can choose on-device recognition only or allow AI processing in privacy settings. Turning AI off on iOS does not recall requests already sent.
- AI cleanup sends Chinese and English transcripts and custom vocabulary to DeepSeek or the configured service to correct and organize text. With your consent, iOS “Write for me” sends your dictated request to that service to generate text. Audio is not sent to AI. A default service key is bundled; you may override it in settings with a custom key stored in the local Keychain.
- Mac has three usage tiers. AI cleanup pauses when the remaining allowance is insufficient, and any recognized text stays in the app for copying. Original transcripts are also retained when the AI service fails.
- Not used for advertising or sale.
3. Keyboard & Full Access
- The keyboard extension has no microphone entitlement and never records audio.
- Full Access lets the keyboard exchange dictation sessions, action requests and results with the main app through an on-device shared container.
4. Pasteboard
Selecting Copy writes the chosen result or history text to the system clipboard. The main app and iOS keyboard share speech results through their shared container without automatically reading or replacing the system clipboard.
5. Mac tiers & usage
- Mac Basic includes a cumulative 50,000-character AI cleanup allowance, Entry includes 250,000, and the highest tier has no usage limit. The current Mac app has no paid subscriptions or in-app purchases.
- Mac tier and cumulative usage are stored locally; upgrading preserves usage already recorded. There is no account or server-side usage validation. The iPhone and iPad app has not yet launched on the App Store.
History and custom vocabulary are stored locally and can be deleted in the app; Mac can also stop saving new history. Data sent to the configured AI service is handled under that service’s policies. You may revoke system permissions. AI can be disabled separately on iPhone and iPad; on Mac, stop using dictation if you do not want transcripts and vocabulary sent for AI processing.
6. What we do not collect
Contacts, precise location, advertising IDs for tracking, third-party ads/analytics profiling SDKs. No ATT cross-app tracking.
7. Children
Not directed at children under 13.