GhostBrush Privacy Policy

Revision 1.3. Last updated November 11, 2026.

Azorskyi Maksym · Support and privacy requests: kusakamakar@gmail.com

1. Our principle

GhostBrush runs locally and does not send drawings or usage statistics to the developer.

This policy covers GhostBrush for macOS: drawing over other windows, its tools, dimming, toolbar and settings. Core features require no account, registration or internet connection. The app has no automatic telemetry, advertising or analytics SDKs, and does not track people across apps or websites.

2. Processing on your Mac

To display strokes and shapes, GhostBrush processes pointer movement and clicks in its drawing mode. Drawing geometry, style, timers and undo history are held in the current process's memory. The app does not read document text or pixels from other windows and does not itself record the screen, audio or video.

For canvases and toolbar placement, it uses connected-display geometry, scaling and arrangement. During active drawing, the app checks only the current Fn modifier state to temporarily pass clicks to windows underneath the canvas. These local states are not recorded or sent to the developer; the app does not build a history of activity in other apps.

GhostBrush recognizes assigned shortcuts through macOS and accepts input in its own windows. It does not log text entered in other apps.

3. Local settings

Your Mac stores language, selected tools, color, width, opacity, drawing expiry, session duration, dimming, shortcuts, toolbar orientation and placement. Local display-configuration identifiers are stored to restore toolbar placement.

These settings are used only to operate GhostBrush and restore your preferences. The app does not upload them to a server or initiate cloud synchronization. Backups, profile migration and other macOS facilities may separately include local files according to your system settings.

The public Alpha separately stores its first-launch date and latest confirmed trial check time in the local macOS Keychain. These determine 30 elapsed days of full access, followed by Free. The record contains no name, email address or device identifier, is not sent to the developer, and is not marked for iCloud synchronization. Alpha needs no account or purchase activation and does not consume the commercial trial.

4. Retention and deletion

Drawings and edit history exist in the current process's memory. Quitting GhostBrush releases its current canvas and history. Clearing or erasing changes the visible canvas; an earlier state can temporarily remain in undo history. Automatic expiry controls how long drawings remain visible. This version has no persistent drawing storage or export.

Settings remain until changed or their local store is deleted. Removing the app itself may leave settings behind. To delete the current settings store, quit GhostBrush first, then run defaults delete local.ghostbrush.prototype in Terminal. This also resets toolbar positions and shortcuts; macOS reports an error if no store exists. Separately saved diagnostic files must be deleted separately. Backups are managed using the tools that created them.

Public Alpha settings use local.ghostbrush.alpha, so reset them with defaults delete local.ghostbrush.alpha. Alpha dates are stored separately in the Keychain as GhostBrush Alpha trial dates, service local.ghostbrush.alpha.trial.v1. Resetting preferences, updating or removing the app does not delete this record. It remains after the 30 days so the period does not restart. To remove all local data, you can separately delete this record through macOS Keychain Access. macOS controls backups and profile migration.

5. Voluntary local diagnostics

A normal launch creates no GhostBrush diagnostic report. The test version can write a report only when explicitly launched with a special argument and a chosen file path. Test modes also create local reports only when explicitly invoked.

A window audit can include technical event names, process uptime, process identifiers for GhostBrush and the frontmost app, stroke count, drawing state, and the size, position and visibility of GhostBrush's own windows. It contains no screenshots, drawing points or typed text. Other explicitly invoked test scenarios can additionally describe macOS version, displays, check results and performance.

These files stay at the selected path until you delete them. They are not automatically sent anywhere. Stop recording by quitting the test launch and starting the app normally. Review a report and remove unnecessary information before voluntarily sharing it.

6. If you contact support

You may voluntarily send an issue description, a reply address or a diagnostic file through a communication channel you choose. The GhostBrush publisher uses these materials to respond to and resolve that request, without advertising, profiling or selling the data. Materials are kept only while the request is being handled and deleted when it is resolved, except information that must be retained by law; such information is retained only for the applicable mandatory period.

You may stop correspondence, withdraw consent to further use of submitted materials, or contact the publisher to request access, correction or deletion. This does not affect core app features. If you use email or another communication service, its provider handles delivery under its own terms; this is not built-in GhostBrush telemetry.

7. Third parties and external services

GhostBrush has no developer-operated server containing drawings or usage history and does not transmit app data to advertising networks, analytics services, data brokers or AI services. There is no app data that we share with those parties. If an optional transmission feature is added in the future, we will explain recipients, purposes, retention and controls before use and ensure appropriate protection.

In the commercial variant, Apple handles trial activation and the one-time Pro purchase through StoreKit. GhostBrush receives and verifies entitlement information: product identifier, original trial activation date, and purchase or revocation status. This information determines available features and is not sent to a developer-operated server. The app does not receive payment card details. App Store interaction, payment and purchase restoration may require internet access and an Apple Account; Apple handles them under its own policies. Deleting local GhostBrush settings does not delete Apple purchase history or start a new trial.

The separate Debug purchase demo does not contact StoreKit or make payments. Its simulated activation date and access state are stored only in the separate local `local.ghostbrush.access-demo` preferences store; they are not proof of a real purchase.

macOS, the App Store, TestFlight and backup tools may separately handle their own technical data. GhostBrush adds no automatic reporting of its own to these services. Their providers determine their policies and available controls. Apple's privacy policy: https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/.

If you use OBS, video conferencing or another screen-capture app, it may record your screen and GhostBrush drawings. You and the relevant external service control access to, sharing of and deletion of that recording.

8. Your control and security

You can stop drawing using the toolbar, assigned shortcut or Escape; clear the canvas; quit GhostBrush; and change or delete its local settings. System permissions and macOS diagnostic sharing are controlled in macOS settings. GhostBrush creates no user accounts, so in-app account deletion is not needed.

Local data is in your macOS user profile and depends on the protection of your device and backups. Do not send support passwords, payment details, confidential documents or screenshots containing personal information unless necessary for your request.

9. Policy changes

We will update this policy's date and text if data-handling practices change. A significant new feature that transmits data will be explained before use; where consent is required, it will be requested separately. Updating this policy does not by itself enable telemetry. A current copy is available using the Privacy Policy command in GhostBrush's menu.