Privacy-First Design
Amber is designed with your privacy in mind. Your writing stays on your device by default, and we’re transparent about any data we collect.Your Data Stays Local
What Stays on Your Machine
- All your writing - Documents, sections, notes, and sources are stored locally on your Mac, iPhone, or iPad
- Open file format - Everything is stored as standard
.mdand.jsonfiles you can open in any text editor - iCloud sync - Your files sync via Apple’s iCloud (encrypted end-to-end), which you control through System Preferences
What You Control
- You can turn off iCloud sync anytime
- You can delete your workspace and all files are gone
- You can export your writing to markdown or PDF
- You own your files - no lock-in or proprietary formats
File-First Approach
Amber follows a file-first approach to data storage—everything is stored as plain text files (Markdown.md and JSON .json) in local folders, rather than in a proprietary database or cloud-only application.
This ensures your data remains:
Future-proof
- Even if Amber becomes obsolete, your notes will still be accessible
- Read and edit in any basic text editor, forever
- No vendor lock-in or data extraction needed
- Notes and files can be viewed, edited, backed up, or shared using any device
- Works with any file manager without needing Amber
- Copy files to any app: VS Code, iA Writer, Notion, Google Docs, Microsoft Word
- You retain full control over your data and folder structure
- Use external tools or scripts to manage your files
- Integrate with Git, automation workflows, or custom tools
- Your files, your rules
Optional Analytics
Amber uses TelemetryDeck to understand how users interact with the app. This helps us:- See which features are most useful
- Identify bugs and crashes
- Prioritize improvements based on real usage
Privacy-Focused Approach
TelemetryDeck is privacy-focused by design:- ✅ No personal data collected (no IP addresses, user IDs, or device identifiers)
- ✅ Aggregate statistics only (we see trends, not individual users)
- ✅ GDPR compliant
- ✅ Data deleted after 35 days
- ✅ No data shared with third parties
What We Track
We collect anonymous usage events like:- Feature usage (e.g., “user opened voice recording”)
- Crash reports (to fix bugs)
- Performance metrics (to optimize speed)
- Your writing content
- Keyboard input
- File names or workspace structure
- Personal information
Opt Out
If you don’t want to share analytics, you can disable telemetry in Amber’s Settings (coming in a future update).AI Features
Local AI Models
When using local AI models:- ✅ All processing happens on your device
- ✅ Your writing never leaves your computer
- ✅ No cloud servers involved
Cloud AI Models
When using cloud AI (Google Cloud / Vertex AI):- Your document content is sent to Google’s servers for processing
- You can choose to use only local models instead
- Google processes data according to their privacy policy
Steering Files & Sources
- These stay entirely on your device
- Never sent to AI services unless you explicitly chat about them
- You control what context is sent
File Permissions
Amber requests specific permissions for specific features:Microphone Access (Voice Recording)
- Requested only when you click the microphone button
- Just-in-time permission following Apple’s guidelines
- You can revoke anytime in System Preferences
iCloud Storage (Sync)
- Required to sync workspaces across devices
- Managed through Apple’s iCloud system
- You control iCloud sync in System Preferences > iCloud
File System (Import/Export)
- Standard file picker permissions
- Only for files you explicitly choose to import or export
Data We Don’t Collect
- Your writing content
- Your document structure
- Your file names
- Your search queries
- Your keyboard activity
- Your device identifier (IP, UUID)
- Your location
- Your contacts or calendar data
Open Data Format
Because everything is stored as standard.md and .json files:
- You can always read your data in any text editor
- You can back up your files to Git or any cloud service
- You can export everything to other tools
- You’re never locked into Amber
Why File-First Matters
This file-first approach means: True Ownership- Your data isn’t trapped in someone else’s database
- You can back it up anywhere—external drive, GitHub, cloud storage
- No proprietary lock-in
- Markdown has been around since 2004 and will be readable decades from now
- Plain text outlives applications
- Future-proof for your writing
- Switch between apps without losing your work
- Use Amber today, VS Code tomorrow, iA Writer next week
- Your files work everywhere
- No central database to breach or mine for data
- Files stay on your devices and under your control
- Your privacy is baked into the architecture, not just a policy
Security
Local Security
- macOS: File system permissions protect your files
- iOS: App Sandbox prevents other apps from accessing your workspace
- All files encrypted at rest on your device
iCloud Security
- End-to-end encrypted by Apple
- 256-bit encryption
- Apple manages the encryption keys (Apple has access via legal process)
In Transit
- HTTPS for all cloud API calls
- TLS encryption for data in flight
Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy if:- We add new features that collect data
- Laws change
- Our practices change
Intellectual Property & Ownership
Your writing is yours. Period.- You own 100% of your intellectual property
- Amber never claims rights to your work
- No licensing of your content to train AI models
- Your words stay your words, forever
Questions?
If you have questions about privacy or your data:- Email: [email protected]
- Visit: withamber.com/privacy
- Join our community: reddit.com/r/writewithAmber
Last Updated: November 19, 2025