ClipBob Privacy Policy
Last updated: 15 October 2026
The short version: ClipBob collects nothing. There is no account, no ClipBob server, no analytics, no advertising, and no third-party code that reports anywhere. What you copy stays on your Macs — and, if you turn sync on, in your own iCloud, where only your Apple Account can reach it.
This policy covers ClipBob for Mac, from the Mac App Store, including the Developer Edition subscription. ClipBob is made by Jagmeet Chawla · CloudCraft AI Labs.
What ClipBob keeps, and where
On your Mac. ClipBob saves what you copy — text, rich text, images, and references to files — in its own storage on that Mac, inside the space macOS gives it. It also keeps a search index of the words in your clips (including words it reads in pictures and screenshots), so the panel can find them. The index never leaves the Mac.
In your iCloud, if sync is on. Your clips and their details are kept in ClipBob's container in your iCloud account's private database, so your other Macs signed into the same Apple Account show them too. Apple stores this data under its own terms; ClipBob's developer can't see it, and runs no server that could. Your settings are kept there too — each Mac's own, so a new Mac can start with them and a Mac you reinstall gets its own back; the storage and sync limits are shared by all your Macs. With sync off, ClipBob works the same on one Mac and nothing goes to iCloud, settings included.
What never goes to iCloud:
- File clips. Copying a file records where it is, not what's in it, and that reference stays on the Mac it was copied on.
- Clips too large to sync — they stay on the Mac they were copied on.
- Clips holding personal details or keys, if you switch their syncing off (see below).
- The search index.
What ClipBob never saves
- Passwords. Anything a password manager — or any app — marks as confidential is skipped before it's read.
- Temporary clips. Apps that mark a copy as transient are passing data between themselves, not to you.
- Copies from apps you tell it to ignore (Settings → Privacy).
- Anything you copy while ClipBob is paused.
Personal details and keys
ClipBob recognises common formats of card numbers, IBANs and US Social Security numbers, and of API keys, tokens, private keys and passwords in configuration text — on your Mac; nothing is sent anywhere to check. Recognised details are masked on screen (switches in Settings → Privacy and, for keys, Settings → Developer), and pasting one as it is asks for Touch ID or your Mac's password first. That check is done by macOS; ClipBob never sees your fingerprint or your password. Each kind has a switch that keeps such clips off iCloud. ClipBob recognises the common formats, not every one — a password manager is still the place for secrets.
Pictures, files and screenshots
- Location data is stripped from images in the copy that goes to iCloud: it carries no GPS position. (The Mac you copied a picture on keeps it as it was.)
- ClipBob reads a file's contents only to preview it, and only if you turn on "Show a preview of files you copy" (off by default); macOS may then ask, once per folder, whether ClipBob may see files there. Otherwise copying a file records where it is, not what's in it.
- Screenshots are saved to your history only from folders you choose in Settings → Capture. ClipBob reads the screenshots in those folders to add them, and reads their text and recognises what's in them on your Mac.
Apple Intelligence
On Macs where Apple Intelligence is available and turned on, ClipBob uses Apple's on-device model to write the short summary under its list and to read questions you start with "?". This runs on your Mac; ClipBob doesn't send your clips anywhere to do it.
Telling your Macs apart
To show which of your Macs a clip came from, ClipBob reads your Mac's hardware identifier and keeps only a salted, one-way hash of it in your iCloud records. The identifier itself never leaves your Mac, the hash isn't shared with anyone, and it isn't used for advertising or tracking.
The Developer Edition
The Developer Edition is an auto-renewable subscription sold by Apple through the App Store. Apple handles your payment; ClipBob only learns, on your Mac and from Apple, whether your Apple Account has the subscription. Manage or cancel it in the App Store under your account's Subscriptions.
Release notes
ClipBob reads a public list of release notes from its iCloud container to tell you about updates. Nothing about you is written there.
Crash reports
If you've chosen to share analytics with app developers (System Settings → Privacy & Security → Analytics & Improvements), Apple may send us crash reports. We use them only to fix crashes.
Your choices
- Delete a clip — select it and press ⌘⌫ twice. It's removed from every Mac.
- Keep less — Settings → History sets how long clips are kept.
- Remove a Mac and its clips — Settings → iCloud.
- Turn sync off — Settings → General → Sync across your Macs.
- Delete everything ClipBob keeps in iCloud — in System Settings, open your Apple Account → iCloud, manage your storage, choose ClipBob and delete its data.
- Remove ClipBob — quit it and move it to the Trash.
Children
ClipBob isn't directed at children and collects nothing from anyone, children included.
Changes
If this policy changes, this page will say so and carry a new date.
Contact
Questions about privacy: jagmeet@cloud-craft.ai.