Privacy Policy

Last updated: January 4, 2026

1. Introduction

Welcome to Study Support. We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you use our app.

2. Information We Collect

Study Support is designed with privacy first. We collect minimal information:

• No Account Required: You don't need to create an account or sign in to use Study Support.
• Study Content: Audio recordings, transcriptions, notes, and study materials you create are stored exclusively on your device and in your personal Apple iCloud account.
• Subscription Data: Apple manages all subscription information through StoreKit. We only verify subscription status locally to enable premium features.

Important: We do not collect, store, or have access to your personal data. Everything stays on your devices.

3. How We Use Your Information

Since we don't collect or store your data, here's how the app works:

• Local Processing: All recordings and notes are stored locally on your device using secure Apple Core Data
• iCloud Sync: Your data automatically syncs across your Apple devices using your personal iCloud account with Apple's end-to-end encryption
• AI Features: When you use AI transcription or study modes, audio/text is temporarily sent to our backend API, processed through OpenAI, and immediately returned to your device
• Subscription Verification: Premium features are unlocked based on your App Store subscription status, verified locally on your device

Your data is yours alone: Only you can access your study materials through your Apple devices. We cannot see, access, or retrieve your data.

4. AI Processing

Study Support uses OpenAI's GPT-4 and text-to-speech APIs to provide transcription, AI chat, exam generation, and Voice+ features. When you use these features:

• Your audio recordings and text are sent to our backend server (backend-kappa-rose-23.vercel.app) via secure end-to-end encrypted HTTPS connection
• Our backend securely forwards requests to OpenAI's API using encrypted channels
• All data transmission is protected with industry-standard TLS/SSL encryption
• OpenAI processes the data according to their API data usage policies
• We do not store your recordings or transcriptions on our servers - they are processed and immediately returned to your device
• OpenAI does not use API data to train their models

For Voice+ subscribers, audio generation uses OpenAI's TTS (text-to-speech) API with the gpt-4o-mini-tts model.

Security: All AI processing uses secure, encrypted connections. Your data is protected during transmission and is never stored on our servers.

5. Data Storage and Security

Your data is completely secure and private:

• Device Storage: All study content is stored locally on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac using Apple's secure Core Data framework
• iCloud Sync: Your data automatically syncs across your Apple devices using your personal iCloud account with Apple's industry-leading end-to-end encryption
• Zero Server Storage: We do not operate servers to store your study materials. Your data never leaves Apple's secure ecosystem except for temporary AI processing
• Only You Have Access: Since data is stored in your iCloud account, only devices signed in with your Apple ID can access your content. We cannot access, view, or retrieve your data
• Temporary AI Processing: When you use AI features, data is encrypted in transit (HTTPS), processed by OpenAI, and immediately returned to your device without being stored
• Secure API Keys: If you provide your own OpenAI API key, it's stored securely in your device's Keychain, encrypted and protected by iOS/macOS security

Privacy Guarantee: Your study materials, recordings, and notes are stored exclusively in Apple's secure iCloud infrastructure. We have zero access to your personal data.

6. Third-Party Services

Study Support integrates with the following services:

• Apple Services (Your Data Stays Here):
  • iCloud for secure, encrypted sync across your devices
  • StoreKit for subscription management
  • AVSpeechSynthesizer for basic text-to-speech (free tier)
  • Core Data for local device storage
  • Keychain for secure credential storage
• OpenAI API (Temporary Processing Only):
  • GPT-4 for transcription, AI chat, and exam generation
  • TTS API (gpt-4o-mini-tts) for Voice+ premium voices
  • Data sent via our backend server: backend-kappa-rose-23.vercel.app
  • OpenAI does not store or train on API data per their policy
• Vercel: Hosts our backend API that securely forwards AI requests to OpenAI (no data storage)

Key Point: Only Apple's iCloud stores your data permanently. All other services process requests temporarily without storage.

7. Your Rights and Control

You have complete control over your data:

• Full Access: All your data is on your devices and in your iCloud. Access it anytime through the app or iCloud settings
• Complete Deletion: Delete the app to remove local data. Disable iCloud sync in Settings to remove data from iCloud. You control everything
• Export Freedom: Your study content is accessible through the app and can be shared or exported anytime
• No Account Deletion Needed: Since there's no account, there's nothing to delete with us. Your data belongs to you in your iCloud
• AI Feature Control: Choose when to use AI features. All AI processing is opt-in when you press transcribe or use study modes
• Subscription Management: Cancel subscriptions anytime through App Store settings. Your data remains yours regardless of subscription status

You Own Your Data: Since everything is stored in your Apple iCloud account, you have complete ownership and control. We never have access to delete, modify, or view your content.

8. Children's Privacy

Study Support is intended for students aged 13 and above. Since we don't collect or store any personal data on our servers, and all data is stored in the user's personal Apple iCloud account, we do not knowingly process children's data. Parents should supervise use of AI features and iCloud sync for users under 13.

9. Data Retention

Your data is stored exclusively in your Apple iCloud account:

• We Don't Store Data: Zero data is retained on our servers. We don't have databases or storage systems for user content
• iCloud Storage: Your study materials remain in your iCloud account as long as you keep the app and have iCloud sync enabled
• Device Storage: Data on your device stays until you delete the app or clear app data
• AI Processing: Requests to OpenAI are processed in real-time and not stored anywhere after completion
• Complete Control: You decide how long to keep your data by managing iCloud settings and app storage

Privacy by Design: We cannot retain, access, or delete your data because it's stored exclusively in your personal Apple iCloud account.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes through the app or via email.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions about this privacy policy, please contact us at:

Email: privacy@studysupport.app

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