Overview
Telos Note is developed and operated by Roger Hamilton, a sole trader trading as Narrow Gate Labs. Roger Hamilton is responsible for the personal data handled as described in this policy. Contact: support@telosnote.com.
Telos Note is a local-first meetings and notes app for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch. You can use the app without creating a Telos account. Notes and other library content are stored on your device first. If you enable iCloud Sync, supported content is synchronised through your private iCloud account.
In Telos Note 1.2, transcription runs on-device. Apple Watch recordings are transferred to the paired iPhone for transcription. If you choose an AI action, relevant text is sent through our servers to OpenAI or Google Gemini for processing, and the result is returned to the app. Optional iCloud Sync also stores supported content in your private iCloud account. The sections below explain these features and the differences in version 1.1.
Information stored on your device
Depending on the features you use, Telos Note may store:
- notes, titles, transcripts, folders, tags, stars and library organisation;
- meeting prep, calendar references, actions, reminders and generated outputs;
- voice-note audio and any imported audio retained from earlier versions;
- imported documents, PDFs, images, extracted text and attachments;
- local preferences, subscription state and operational recovery data.
Deleting the app or clearing local app data may delete content that has not been exported or synchronised through iCloud.
Meeting recording and transcription
Mac
In 1.1, normal English meeting transcription runs locally on your Mac using a model bundled with the app. In 1.2, Mac meeting transcription uses Apple’s on-device speech technology in your selected language. In 1.1, explicitly choosing Apple Speech recovery uses Apple Speech Recognition for the saved recording, which may use Apple’s servers. In 1.2, final Mac meeting transcription and retry remain on-device; unavailable resources do not trigger server recognition of the saved recording. A temporary local recording is retained while transcription and the meeting record are being completed, and it is discarded only after the transcript and meeting record are safely saved. If processing fails, Telos Note may retain the local recording so that you can retry or recover it.
iPhone and iPad
In 1.1, transcription on iPhone and iPad uses Apple Speech Recognition and may use Apple’s servers. In 1.2, transcription uses Apple’s modern on-device speech technology where supported. Where an older Apple Speech fallback is available, it also runs on-device and does not use Apple’s servers. Availability depends on your device, selected language and installed speech resources. Speech Recognition and microphone permissions are controlled in your device settings. Ordinary voice-note audio is retained with the note. Native iPhone/iPad meeting audio is temporary and discarded after transcription has been safely persisted and the meeting saved. Failed or incomplete processing retains recovery audio.
Apple Watch
Apple Watch records meetings or voice notes and transfers recordings to the paired iPhone for transcription. Once the note and its completion status are safely saved, Telos Note removes the transferred audio chunks. Voice notes retain an assembled recording on iPhone, while meeting audio is temporary. If processing is interrupted or fails, audio and transcription progress are preserved for recovery or retry.
Your responsibility when recording
You are responsible for complying with local laws and workplace policies, including obtaining any required consent before recording a conversation or meeting.
AI features you choose to use
When you choose an AI action, the relevant note text, meeting transcript, question and other context needed for that action are sent through our servers to OpenAI or Google Gemini for processing. These actions do not send meeting audio. Assembling, copying or opening an email draft from existing content is local functionality. Translation uses Apple’s Translation framework.
Telos Note does not send note content to third-party AI providers merely because the app is open.
AI outputs may be incomplete or inaccurate. You should review them before relying on, exporting or sharing them.
Optional iCloud Sync
If you turn on iCloud Sync, supported Telos Note content is synchronised using Apple CloudKit and your Apple ID. The data is stored in your private iCloud database and is governed by your iCloud account and Apple’s terms. Telos Note does not receive your Apple ID password and does not create a separate Telos login.
Normal note sync does not transfer recordings or retained voice-note audio between devices. Watch recording transfer to the paired iPhone is separate from iCloud Sync. You can turn iCloud Sync off in Telos Note Settings. Turning it off stops future sync but does not automatically remove content already stored on your devices or in iCloud.
Subscriptions and cross-device allowances
Purchases are handled by Apple through StoreKit. We receive signed entitlement and App Transaction information from Apple so the app and server can verify Basic, Pro or Pro+ access.
To manage AI allowances across your Apple devices without a Telos account, our server verifies purchase information supplied by Apple and creates a pseudonymous identifier. This identifier is used to check access and manage usage allowances, including preventing duplicate charges against an allowance and restoring allowances when requests fail. It is not used for advertising or tracking. The original Apple transaction identifier is not included in product analytics.
You can manage or cancel a subscription through your Apple ID settings and use Restore Purchases in the app.
Analytics and operational security
Telos Note uses limited, first-party anonymous aggregate product analytics to understand whether important product flows are working and to manage service cost and reliability. Analytics are aggregated and use bounded categories rather than note content, free-form questions or advertising identifiers.
Analytics does not include note titles, note bodies, transcripts, audio, filenames, imported document text, OCR text, AI questions, AI answers, actions, reminders or personal contact information. We do not use advertising analytics or cross-app tracking.
Analytics is enabled by default. You can turn off Share Anonymous Analytics in Telos Note Settings. This does not disable security checks used to protect the service from unauthorised access and abuse. These checks are separate from product analytics and are not used for advertising tracking.
Imports, exports and sharing
You can import supported text, documents, PDFs and images. Telos Note may retain the original locally, extract readable text or run OCR where supported so the content can be edited, searched or used with features you choose.
When you export or share content, the selected destination app or service controls what happens next. Export formats vary by platform and by the content being exported.
Service providers and disclosure
We share information only as needed to operate the app and the features you request. Relevant providers may include:
- Apple, for App Store purchases, StoreKit, iCloud, Speech Recognition, translation and system services;
- Firebase and Google Cloud, for App Check, Cloud Functions, entitlement verification, aggregate analytics and service infrastructure;
- OpenAI and Google Gemini, for the AI actions you choose to run;
- email or support systems, when you contact us for help.
AI providers may temporarily retain request data for caching and abuse prevention. Processing may take place outside the UK.
We may disclose information if required by law or to protect the security and integrity of Telos Note and its services.
Security and retention
We rely on performance of our contract with you to provide the AI features you request, verify subscription access and apply usage allowances. For security and support, we rely on our legitimate interests in protecting Telos Note from misuse and responding to enquiries.
We use reasonable technical measures, including HTTPS, Firebase App Check, Apple-signed transaction verification and server-side entitlement checks where applicable. No system can be guaranteed completely secure.
Content sent for an AI request is processed to provide the requested feature. Operational and aggregate records may be retained as needed for security, reliability, allowance enforcement, cost monitoring and legal obligations. We do not maintain a Telos account profile containing your note library.
We keep pseudonymous usage records (linked to an identifier rather than your name) to manage subscription access and AI allowances. We also keep technical logs for security and troubleshooting. These records and logs do not store note or transcript content. Usage records currently have no automatic expiry. Logs may include IP addresses, app-installation identifiers and subscription details. Ordinary logs are kept for 30 days; required Google Cloud audit logs are kept for 400 days.
Your choices
- Do not invoke AI features if you do not want the relevant text processed by server-side AI services.
- Manage microphone, Speech Recognition, calendar, notification and file permissions in system settings.
- Choose whether to enable iCloud Sync.
- Choose whether to share anonymous analytics.
- Export supported content where available.
- In 1.2, move Notes to Deleted, restore retained Notes, or choose Delete Permanently or Empty Deleted. When iCloud Sync is enabled, deletion and restoration changes are synchronised when devices can sync. Removing the app does not automatically remove content already stored in iCloud.
- Manage subscriptions through Apple.
Where we hold personal data about you, you may have rights under UK data protection law to access it, correct it, request its deletion, restrict its use, object to processing or receive a portable copy, depending on the circumstances. To make a request, email support@telosnote.com. You can also complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/.
Children
Telos Note is not directed to children under 13. If you believe a child has provided personal information to us, contact us so we can review and respond appropriately.
Changes and contact
We may update this policy as Telos Note changes. The current version and effective date will appear on this page.
For privacy questions or requests, email support@telosnote.com.