Privacy Policy
Effective date: July 27, 2026
Anchor is a macOS focus companion designed to run locally on your Mac. We do not sell, rent, or share your personal data, and we do not show ads. Anchor collects a small amount of anonymous usage and crash data to keep the app working well, as described below.
Data We Collect
To improve Anchor's reliability and understand how it is used, the app collects:
- App usage analytics — anonymous product-usage events such as app launches, setup and model-download milestones, selected proctor, planned session duration, session completion reason and score, aggregate focus-check success or failure counts, reminder-overlay type, and whether feedback was opened. These events help us understand usage and improve reliability. They do not include goals, notes, screenshots, visible app or website names, or other screen contents. They are processed by Aptabase and are not used to identify you.
- Crash and error diagnostics — when Anchor crashes or hits an error, we collect technical details about the problem along with device and operating-system information to diagnose and fix it. This is processed by Sentry.
We never collect the contents of your screen, the goals or notes you write, or what you are working on. Screen analysis happens entirely on your device.
Local App Data
Anchor may store focus session settings, session history, app preferences, downloaded local model files, and related app state on your Mac. This data stays on your device unless you choose to share it outside the app.
Screen Recording and Notifications
Anchor requests Screen Recording permission only so it can take periodic still screenshots of your main display while a focus session is active. Each screenshot may include the visible screen content and cursor. Anchor uses its downloaded on-device vision model to classify whether the visible activity is focused or distracting and to decide whether to show a local reminder.
Screenshots are processed only on your Mac. They are not uploaded, transmitted to us, included in analytics or crash reports, shared with third parties, or used for advertising or model training. A temporary screenshot file is deleted after that focus check and any related on-device intervention finishes. Anchor does not store screen recordings or retain a screenshot history.
Anchor may also request Notifications permission to deliver focus reminders and session summaries. Notification text does not contain captured screen content.
Data Retention and Deletion
Temporary screenshots are deleted after each focus check and any related on-device intervention completes. Other local data remains on your Mac until you delete it. You can delete local Anchor data by removing the app and its related files from your Mac's Application Support and cache folders.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Updates will be posted on this page with a new effective date.
Contact
If you have questions about this privacy policy, contact Haichao Li at haichaoli616@gmail.com.