> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/FALAK097/typesteps/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Privacy

> TypeSteps is built with privacy-first principles—all data stays on your Mac

Your privacy is the foundation of TypeSteps. The app is designed to track typing activity without compromising your security or collecting sensitive information.

## Core privacy principles

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Local-only storage" icon="lock">
    All data is stored locally on your Mac using UserDefaults. Nothing is sent to external servers.
  </Card>

  <Card title="No character recording" icon="eye-slash">
    TypeSteps never records what you type—only counts keystrokes.
  </Card>

  <Card title="No network activity" icon="wifi-slash">
    Zero network requests. The app functions entirely offline.
  </Card>

  <Card title="No analytics or telemetry" icon="chart-line-up">
    No usage tracking, crash reporting, or third-party analytics.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## What gets stored

TypeSteps stores only aggregated, non-sensitive data in macOS UserDefaults:

### Daily statistics

```swift theme={null}
// From StorageManager.swift:7
private let statsKey = "typing_stats_daily"
```

Stores keystroke counts grouped by date (format: `yyyy-MM-dd`):

```json theme={null}
{
  "2026-03-03": 12450,
  "2026-03-02": 9823,
  "2026-03-01": 11204
}
```

### Hourly statistics

```swift theme={null}
// From StorageManager.swift:8
private let hourlyKey = "typing_stats_hourly"
```

Tracks activity by hour (format: `yyyy-MM-dd-HH`):

```json theme={null}
{
  "2026-03-03-09": 1450,
  "2026-03-03-10": 2103,
  "2026-03-03-11": 1876
}
```

### Minute-level data

```swift theme={null}
// From StorageManager.swift:9
private let minuteKey = "typing_stats_minute"
```

Stores recent activity at minute granularity, automatically pruned to the last 120 minutes:

<Info>
  Minute-level data is used for real-time density calculations with WakaTime integration. Older data is automatically deleted to minimize storage.
</Info>

### Application statistics

```swift theme={null}
// From StorageManager.swift:10-12
private let appStatsKey = "typing_stats_apps"
private let projectStatsKey = "typing_stats_projects"  
private let appBundleMappingKey = "typing_app_bundles"
```

Tracks which apps you type in most, using only:

* Application name (e.g., "Visual Studio Code")
* Bundle identifier (e.g., "com.microsoft.VSCode")
* Project name (when detectable from window title)

<Accordion title="Example app data">
  ```json theme={null}
  {
    "Visual Studio Code": 45230,
    "Xcode": 32104,
    "Slack": 8903
  }
  ```

  No window content, file names, or typed text is ever stored.
</Accordion>

## What is NOT stored

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Typed content" icon="keyboard">
    The actual characters you type are never recorded, logged, or stored.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Passwords" icon="key">
    All keystrokes are counted equally—TypeSteps cannot distinguish password fields.
  </Card>

  <Card title="File names" icon="file">
    Only project names are extracted from window titles in supported IDEs.
  </Card>

  <Card title="URLs" icon="link">
    Browser activity is tracked by app name only, not visited URLs.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Data persistence with UserDefaults

All statistics are stored using macOS UserDefaults, Apple's built-in preference storage system:

```swift theme={null}
// From StorageManager.swift:106-112
private func saveStats() {
    UserDefaults.standard.set(dailyStats, forKey: statsKey)
    UserDefaults.standard.set(hourlyStats, forKey: hourlyKey)
    UserDefaults.standard.set(minuteStats, forKey: minuteKey)
    UserDefaults.standard.set(appStats, forKey: appStatsKey)
    UserDefaults.standard.set(projectStats, forKey: projectStatsKey)
    UserDefaults.standard.set(appBundleMapping, forKey: appBundleMappingKey)
}
```

<Tip>
  UserDefaults data is stored in your Mac's Library folder at:
  `~/Library/Preferences/com.falakgala.typesteps.plist`
</Tip>

## WakaTime integration (optional)

If you choose to enable WakaTime integration:

* Your API key is stored locally using `@AppStorage`
* TypeSteps makes requests to WakaTime's API to fetch your coding time
* Only coding duration is retrieved—no keystroke data is sent to WakaTime
* You can remove the API key at any time to disable integration

```swift theme={null}
// From StorageManager.swift:15
@AppStorage("wakatime_api_key") var wakaTimeApiKey: String = ""
```

## Data export and backup

You have full control over your data:

### Export data

Export all statistics as a JSON file for backup or transfer:

```swift theme={null}
// From StorageManager.swift:324-343
func exportData() -> Data? {
    let backup = BackupData(
        dailyStats: dailyStats,
        hourlyStats: hourlyStats,
        minuteStats: minuteStats,
        appStats: appStats,
        projectStats: projectStats,
        appBundleMapping: appBundleMapping,
        notifiedMilestones: notified,
        wakaTimeApiKey: wakaTimeApiKey,
        dailyGoal: goal
    )
    return try? encoder.encode(backup)
}
```

### Import data

Restore from a previously exported JSON file:

<Accordion title="Import process">
  1. Click the data options button in the menu bar
  2. Select "Restore Data"
  3. Choose your backup JSON file
  4. All statistics and settings are restored
</Accordion>

### Reset data

Permanently erase all tracking data:

<Warning>
  Resetting data is permanent and cannot be undone. Export a backup first if you want to preserve your statistics.
</Warning>

```swift theme={null}
// From StorageManager.swift:365-391
func resetStats() {
    dailyStats = [:]
    hourlyStats = [:]
    minuteStats = [:]
    appStats = [:]
    projectStats = [:]
    appBundleMapping = [:]
    
    // Remove from UserDefaults
    UserDefaults.standard.removeObject(forKey: statsKey)
    UserDefaults.standard.removeObject(forKey: hourlyKey)
    // ... etc
}
```

## Security considerations

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Accessibility API" icon="shield-check">
    TypeSteps uses macOS Accessibility APIs responsibly—only to count keystrokes, not to read content.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Code transparency" icon="code">
    The app is built with SwiftUI and all data handling is visible in the source code.
  </Card>

  <Card title="No third parties" icon="users-slash">
    Zero dependencies on analytics services, crash reporters, or ad networks.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Sandboxed storage" icon="box">
    All data is stored within the app's sandboxed container, isolated from other apps.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Open source transparency

TypeSteps' source code is available for review, allowing you to verify:

* Exactly what data is collected
* How it's stored and processed
* That no network requests are made
* Privacy claims are accurate

<Tip>
  If you have privacy concerns or questions, you can inspect the source code directly to see how your data is handled.
</Tip>