Privacy Policy

Overview

This policy explains how the Hermit app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac ("Hermit" or "the app") handles information. Hermit is published by HSmithDev LLC ("we", "us"). It also covers this website, https://hermit.harrisonsmith.ai.

What we collect

Through the app, we collect nothing. We do not operate any server that Hermit sends your content to, and we never receive your recordings, transcripts, summaries, tasks, documents, drawings, or anything else you create in the app ("Your Content").

Hermit contains no analytics SDK, no crash-reporting service that sends data to us, and no advertising or tracking framework. We do not sell or share personal information, and we do not track you across other companies' apps or websites.

On-device processing

Hermit's AI features run on your device's own processor, Neural Engine, or GPU. None of them upload your audio or text to produce a result:

• Transcription uses Whisper speech-recognition models through the open-source WhisperKit library.
• Summaries, task lists, titles, and chat use an open-source language model (such as Llama 3.2 or Qwen 2.5) running locally through Apple's MLX framework.
• Speaker identification, when you turn it on, analyzes the characteristics of voices in a recording to tell speakers apart. This analysis happens on your device and is used only to label a recording's transcript. Hermit stores the resulting labels (such as "Speaker 1") and timestamps, not voiceprints or other voice characteristics.
• Text recognition for scanned PDFs, photos, and handwriting uses Apple's on-device Vision and PencilKit frameworks.
• Search and chat retrieval use Apple's on-device Natural Language framework.

Model downloads

The AI models are too large to include in the app, so Hermit downloads them the first time you set it up, and again if you choose a different model in Settings. These files come from Hugging Face (huggingface.co), a third-party model host.

Like any download, the request reveals technical information needed to deliver the files, such as your IP address and basic device and network details. Hugging Face handles that information under its own privacy policy. The request contains only the name of the model being downloaded. It never includes Your Content. Once downloaded, models are stored on your device and are not included in device backups.

Permissions

Hermit asks for access only when you use a feature that needs it. You can change any of these in your device's Settings.

• Microphone: to record voice notes you start. Recording happens only after you tap record, and the audio is saved to Hermit's storage on your device.
• Reminders: only if you choose to send a task to Apple Reminders. Hermit creates, updates, and removes only the reminders for tasks you choose to send, and does not read your other reminders. Reminders you create are then handled by Apple's Reminders app and may sync through your iCloud account.
• Face ID or Touch ID: only if you turn on App Lock. Authentication is handled by iOS. Hermit never receives your biometric data, only whether authentication succeeded.
• Files and photos you import: Hermit accesses only the specific items you choose.

iCloud sync

When your device is signed in to iCloud and iCloud is enabled for Hermit, your notes, including audio recordings, imported documents, and drawings, sync between your own devices through Apple's CloudKit service. This data is stored in the private database of your iCloud account. We have no access to it, keep no copy of it, and cannot read it. Apple handles that data under the Apple Privacy Policy.

To stop syncing, turn off iCloud for Hermit in your device's Settings under your Apple Account, then iCloud.

Other Apple features

• Spotlight: Hermit adds note titles and a short excerpt to your device's on-device Spotlight index so you can search for notes from the Home Screen. When App Lock is on, only titles are indexed.
• Sharing and export: when you share or export a recording or transcript, you choose where it goes. The app or service you send it to handles it under its own terms.
• App Store: Apple may provide us with aggregated, anonymized download and sales statistics and, if you opt in to sharing with developers, crash reports. These do not include Your Content.

Storage and deletion

Your Content is stored in Hermit's private storage on your device and, if sync is on, in your iCloud account. When you delete a note it moves to the Trash, where it is permanently removed after 30 days or when you empty the Trash.

Deleting the app removes the data stored on that device. If you use iCloud sync, you can remove Hermit's iCloud data from your device's Settings under your Apple Account, then iCloud, then Manage Account Storage.

Recording other people

Laws on recording conversations vary by location, and many places require the consent of everyone being recorded. You are responsible for knowing and following the laws that apply to you. See our Terms of Use.

Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or port personal information, or to opt out of its sale or sharing. Because we do not collect personal information through the app, we have none to provide, correct, or delete, and we do not sell or share it. You control Your Content directly on your device and in your iCloud account. If you have emailed us, you can ask us to delete that correspondence using the contact details below.

Children

Hermit is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. The app does not collect personal information from anyone.

This website and email

This website uses no cookies, analytics, or tracking, and loads no third-party fonts or scripts. It is hosted on GitHub Pages, and GitHub may log visitors' IP addresses for security and operation of its service, under the GitHub Privacy Statement.

If you email us, we receive your email address and whatever you include in your message. We use it only to reply and to help with your request, and we do not add you to any mailing list. We keep correspondence only as long as needed to help you, and you can ask us to delete it at any time.

Changes to this policy

If we change this policy, we will update the effective date above and publish the new version on this page. If a change is significant, such as the app starting to collect any data, we will also tell you in the app before it takes effect.

Built with AI assistance

Portions of Hermit's source code were written with the help of AI coding tools. This describes how the app was built, not how it handles your data. The app's own AI features run on your device, as described above.

Contact

Questions about this policy or your privacy can be sent to support@harrisonsmith.ai.

HSmithDev LLC