SnipMD is a macOS menu-bar application that helps you capture, read, and reuse screen content and media. It does on-device OCR using Apple's Vision framework, converts the recognized text into clean Markdown, and transcribes audio and video files on-device using the Whisper model (via Apple Core ML). Optional cloud AI features include translation, summarization, multi-turn Q&A, code tools, math OCR, AI-generated filenames, action-item extraction to Reminders / Calendar / Contacts, AI PII masking (Smart Clean), and bilingual subtitle translation.
SnipMD has a Free tier (unlimited captures, OCR, Markdown, annotation, redaction, audio/video transcription up to 30 seconds, SRT export, local history up to 40 items) and a Pro subscription that unlocks the cloud AI features, longer transcription, batch OCR automation, subtitle translation and burn-in, and raises the history cap to up to 1,000 items.
The following features run entirely on your Mac. No data leaves your device for any of them:
SnipMD does not have an account system, does not run analytics or telemetry, does not show ads, and does not sell or share personal data. When you use a cloud AI feature, our server (SnipMD Cloud) processes the following, only to fulfill and meter that request:
Specifically, SnipMD does not collect:
SnipMD sends data to SnipMD Cloud only when you explicitly click a cloud AI feature. Everything else in the app is on-device (see §2).
Requests go to SnipMD Cloud (api.hqinfos.com), our
own backend. The server verifies your subscription with Apple,
enforces usage quotas, and relays the payload to an upstream AI
provider (currently Zhipu GLM and DeepSeek) to generate the
response. The upstream provider's privacy policy applies to the
payload of that request:
You can avoid all data leaving your Mac by not clicking any of the features above; the rest of the app is fully local.
SnipMD stores the following on your Mac only:
~/Library/Application Support/SnipMD/ (Developer ID build) or ~/Library/Containers/com.hanqi.snipmd/Data/Library/Application Support/SnipMD/ (Mac App Store build). You can wipe them at any time via History → Clear All.~/Library/Application Support/SnipMD/WhisperModels/. Downloaded once; can be deleted to reclaim space (transcription will simply stop working until re-downloaded).NSUserDefaults.~/Library/Application Support/SnipMD/license.json. Contains a signed payload — no personal data.~/Library/Application Support/SnipMD/debug.log. Stays on your Mac.SnipMD requests the following macOS permissions. All are opt-in (you can deny any of them and the app continues to work, with the corresponding feature disabled).
Required to capture screenshots of regions, windows, and the full screen. macOS shows a permission prompt the first time SnipMD requests it. Grant in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen Recording.
Needed to paste OCR'd text into the frontmost app via the Paste Latest hotkey (⌥⇧V). Without this permission, the hotkey copies to the clipboard instead and shows a one-time prompt explaining how to enable it.
When you click "Extract to Reminders / Calendar / Contacts", SnipMD uses AppleScript to write the parsed data to those apps. macOS prompts you the first time. SnipMD only runs the AppleScript that performs the specific write you requested — it does not enumerate your existing data, and it does not send any of it off your Mac.
Importing audio/video, saving exports, and watching a batch-OCR folder use the standard macOS open/save panels — SnipMD only accesses the files and folders you explicitly pick.
SnipMD's pattern-based redaction runs entirely on-device using regular expressions. It detects and masks 8 categories of PII: email addresses, phone numbers, credit card numbers, IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, MAC addresses, API keys, and bearer tokens. Face detection and redaction also run on-device via Apple Vision. Redacted content is never transmitted anywhere.
Smart Clean offers four levels. The full level is 100% on-device. The light, standard, and strict levels send the text to SnipMD Cloud (see §4) for AI-assisted PII detection; the result returns to your Mac where you review every change line by line before accepting.
SnipMD does not call any third-party analytics, ad network, or crash-reporting service. The third parties involved are:
SnipMD Pro is sold as an auto-renewing subscription through the Mac App Store. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel subscriptions in System Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions.
A 7-day free trial is included with new Pro subscriptions. If you do not cancel before the trial ends, you will be charged the subscription price. You can cancel any time during the trial and not be charged.
Refunds are handled by Apple per the Mac App Store refund policy. To request a refund, use the Report a Problem link in your purchase confirmation email or in the App Store app.
Pro status is granted either by an active App Store subscription
(managed by Apple) or by a license key you can redeem in the app.
License keys are validated locally using an HMAC signature — the
SnipMD backend does not see them. License state is stored in
~/Library/Application Support/SnipMD/license.json
on your Mac; it contains no personal data. Note that license-key
Pro unlocks local Pro features only; cloud AI features require an
App Store subscription because the server verifies them against
your App Store receipt.
SnipMD is a general-purpose productivity tool. It is not directed at children under 13 (US COPPA), under 16 (EU GDPR / UK), or under the age of digital consent in your jurisdiction. We do not knowingly collect information from children.
When you use a cloud AI feature, your request is processed on SnipMD Cloud servers and by upstream AI providers, which may be located outside your country. By using those features you consent to this transfer. All other processing happens on your Mac and involves no transfer at all.
We may update this policy. The "Last updated" date at the top will reflect the change. Material changes will be announced in the app's release notes. Continued use of SnipMD after a material change constitutes acceptance of the new policy. If you do not agree, you may stop using SnipMD and request a refund per §9.
For privacy questions, data deletion requests, or any other concern, contact support@hqinfos.com. We aim to respond within 5 business days.