Privacy Policy
What stays on your device
Murmur stores the following on your device, in the app’s own storage (and, for everything except audio, also in your own iCloud if you turn sync on, see below):
- your audio recordings and imported audio
- transcripts, summaries and action items
- folders, custom dictionary words and app settings
We have no server and cannot see any of this. Deleting a note in Murmur removes its transcript and audio from the device (and, with iCloud sync on, from your other synced devices). Deleting the app removes everything it stored. Like other app data, it may be included in device backups that you control, such as iCloud or computer backups.
Optional iCloud sync
iCloud sync is off until you turn it on in Settings. When it is on, Murmur uses Apple’s CloudKit to copy these items to your private iCloud database so they appear on your other devices that use the same Apple ID (iPhone, iPad and Mac):
- notes: titles, dates, durations, transcripts, summaries, action items, speaker names and bookmarks
- folders and custom dictionary words
Audio recordings are not synced. A note’s audio stays on the device that recorded or imported it; other devices show the transcript only.
This data goes from your device to your iCloud account, under your Apple ID and Apple’s terms and privacy policy. It does not pass through any server of ours, and we cannot see it, read it or access it. Your iCloud storage quota applies. Turning sync off stops further syncing, but copies already in iCloud stay there until you remove them in your device’s iCloud settings (Manage Storage). Deleting a note on one synced device deletes it on your others. Before sync is first turned on, Murmur saves a local backup copy of your notes on your device in case anything goes wrong.
Microphone
Murmur uses the microphone only while you are recording. Audio is processed on your device and is never sent anywhere.
Files and videos you import
When you import a file from Files or a video from Photos, Murmur reads only the items you choose and processes them on your device.
Speech recognition and summaries
Transcription runs on your device using an open speech model (Whisper). Summaries, where available, are created by Apple’s on-device language model (Apple Intelligence). Your audio and text are not sent to us or to any third party for either.
The one download: the speech model
The first time you use Murmur, it downloads the speech model files from an online model-hosting service (currently Hugging Face). Like any download, this reveals your IP address and basic technical information to that service. No recordings, transcripts or personal information are sent. After the model is downloaded, Murmur works without an internet connection. The hosting service’s own privacy policy applies to that download.
Purchases
Subscriptions and the lifetime purchase are handled by Apple through the App Store. Apple processes your payment and we never receive your payment details. Murmur only learns, on your device, whether you have an active purchase.
Sharing and exporting
If you export or share a transcript, summary or audio file, it goes to the app or person you choose. What happens to it there is up to them.
Children
Murmur does not collect personal information from anyone, including children.
Your choices
Because we hold none of your data, there is nothing for us to access, correct or delete on our side. You control everything in the app: delete notes, turn iCloud sync on or off, delete the speech model, or delete the app. Data you have synced to iCloud is managed in your Apple ID’s iCloud settings.
Changes to this policy
If this policy changes, we will update this page and the date above. Material changes will also be noted in the app’s release notes.
Contact
Questions about privacy: open an issue at github.com/killoldesai/murmur/issues. Please do not post personal information there.