Privacy Policy
Last Updated: March 8, 2026
AfterCut Studio ("we", "our", or "the App") is a macOS screen recording and video editing application. We are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how the App handles your information.
Summary
AfterCut Studio is designed with privacy at its core. The App processes all data locally on your Mac. The Mac App Store version does not collect, transmit, or store any data on external servers. The website-distributed version uses PostHog for feature access control and Sentry for error tracking, which collect basic device information (see details below). We do not collect personally identifiable information such as your name, email, or license key through these services.
Information We Do Not Collect
- We do not collect personal information (name, email, address, etc.)
- We do not track your behavior within or outside the App
- We do not use advertising networks
- We do not create user profiles
- We do not transmit your recordings, projects, or any content to external servers
- We do not transmit license keys to any service other than the licensing provider (Polar.sh)
Data Stored Locally on Your Device
The App stores the following data exclusively on your Mac. This data never leaves your device and is fully under your control.
Recordings and Projects
- Screen recordings (video and audio files) are saved to the output directory you choose
- Project files (containing editing metadata such as zoom sections, captions, timeline segments, and background settings) are stored in your Application Support directory
- Cursor position data collected during recording is stored within project files for the purpose of generating automatic zoom animations
User Preferences
The App stores your preferences locally using macOS standard storage (UserDefaults), including:
- Output directory location
- Video codec and frame rate settings
- Zoom, background, and camera overlay preferences
- Hotkey configuration
- Selected camera and microphone devices
- Launch at login preference
License Key (Website Distribution Only)
If you purchased AfterCut Studio outside the Mac App Store, your license key is stored locally on your device. License validation is performed by contacting the Polar.sh licensing service (see "Network Access" below for details).
Screen Recording Data
AfterCut Studio captures screen content solely at the user's request for the purpose of creating video recordings. All screen recording data is stored locally on the user's device and is never transmitted to external servers or shared with third parties. Users retain full control over their recordings and may delete them at any time.
Device Permissions
AfterCut Studio requests the following macOS permissions, each for a specific and necessary purpose:
| Permission | Purpose | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Screen Recording | To capture your screen content | Yes |
| Microphone | To record audio with your screen capture | Optional |
| Camera | To record a webcam overlay with your screen capture | Optional |
| Speech Recognition | To auto-generate captions from your microphone audio | Optional |
- Screen Recording permission is required for the App to function.
- Microphone, Camera, and Speech Recognition permissions are optional and only requested when you use features that need them.
- Speech recognition is performed using Apple's on-device speech recognition framework. Audio is processed locally on your Mac and is not sent to external servers.
- You can revoke any permission at any time through macOS System Settings > Privacy & Security.
Network Access
Mac App Store Version
The Mac App Store version of AfterCut Studio has no network access capabilities. It cannot connect to the internet for any purpose. Updates are delivered solely through the Mac App Store.
Website Version
The website-distributed version makes the following network requests:
Software Updates (Sparkle)
The App periodically checks for updates by contacting https://cdn.aftercut.studio/appcast.xml. This request retrieves a version manifest (XML file) containing version numbers, download URLs, and cryptographic signatures. No personal data, device identifiers, or usage information is transmitted during this check. You can disable automatic update checks in the App's preferences.
License Validation (Polar.sh)
The App validates your license key by contacting the Polar.sh licensing service. The only data transmitted during this process is your license key. No personal data, device identifiers, recordings, project data, or usage information is sent. Polar.sh is a third-party service with its own privacy policy, available at https://polar.sh/legal/privacy. We do not control the data practices of Polar.sh beyond what is transmitted by the App (the license key only).
Feature Access Control (PostHog)
The App uses PostHog to manage feature flags and control access to features based on your app configuration. PostHog may receive basic device information such as your operating system version, app version, device model, and macOS account username. PostHog does not receive your recordings, project data, license key, or other personally identifiable information. PostHog's privacy policy is available at https://posthog.com/privacy.
Error Tracking (Sentry)
The App uses Sentry to collect crash reports and error data to help us identify and fix issues. Sentry may receive basic device information such as your operating system version, app version, device model, and macOS account username, along with technical error details (stack traces, error messages). Sentry does not receive your recordings, project data, license key, or other personally identifiable information. Sentry's privacy policy is available at https://sentry.io/privacy/.
Third-Party Services
AfterCut Studio does not integrate with any advertising networks or cloud storage providers. The App uses Apple system frameworks (AVFoundation, ScreenCaptureKit, CoreImage, MetalKit, SwiftUI, AppKit, and Speech). The website-distributed version additionally uses:
- Sparkle — an open-source macOS update framework, for checking and delivering app updates
- Polar.sh — a licensing service, solely for license key validation
- PostHog — a product analytics platform, used solely for feature flag management and controlling feature access
- Sentry — an error tracking platform, used solely for crash reporting and error monitoring
None of these services receives your recordings, project data, license key, or other personally identifiable information. PostHog and Sentry receive only basic device information (OS version, app version, device model, macOS account username) necessary for their respective functions.
Data Sharing
We do not share, sell, rent, or disclose any of your personal data to third parties. The website-distributed version shares basic device information with PostHog and Sentry as described above, solely for the purposes of feature access control and error tracking. We do not share your recordings, project data, or license key with any third party other than the licensing provider.
Data Retention and Deletion
All data created by AfterCut Studio is stored locally on your device. You have full control over this data:
- Recordings: Delete them directly from Finder at your chosen output directory.
- Project files: Located in
~/Library/Application Support/com.aftercut.studio/. Delete them at any time. - Preferences: Automatically removed when you uninstall the App, or you can reset them manually via macOS defaults.
- Uninstalling the App removes all application data. To ensure complete removal, also delete the Application Support folder mentioned above.
Children's Privacy
AfterCut Studio does not knowingly collect any personal information from anyone, including children under 13 years of age. Since the App collects no personal data, it complies with COPPA and similar regulations by design.
International Users
Since AfterCut Studio does not collect or transmit any personal data, there are no cross-border data transfers. All data remains on your device regardless of your location.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be reflected in the "Last Updated" date at the top of this document. Continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:
- Email: support@aftercut.studio
- Website: https://www.aftercut.studio