Privacy policy

TuningMac ("we", "us") makes TuningMac, a macOS menu bar app, and runs tuningmac.com. This policy explains what information we handle and why. The short version: the app doesn't collect anything, and the website collects only what's needed to sell you a license.

The TuningMac app

• No data collection. The app has no analytics, no tracking and no account. It never sends your audio, settings or usage to us or to anyone else. The only things it does over the internet are the license check and the update check described below.
• System audio. macOS asks you to allow System Audio Recording so TuningMac can apply its equalizer. Audio is processed in real time on your Mac and is never recorded, stored or transmitted.
• Microphone. The microphone is used only when you press Auto Sync, to measure the delay of each speaker. The measurement stays on your Mac and is discarded afterwards.
• Bluetooth. The app talks to your headphones over Bluetooth to read battery levels and change noise-control modes. That information stays on your Mac.
• Settings. Your presets, profiles and preferences are stored locally on your Mac.
• License check. When you enter your license key, the app sends the key and your Mac's name (so you can tell your activated Macs apart) to the license server run by Dodo Payments. Every few days it re-checks that the key is still valid. It keeps working offline for up to 14 days between checks. Your key is stored in your Mac's Keychain.
• Update check. A few times a day the app fetches a small file from tuningmac.com (/appcast.xml) listing the latest version, like any web request, which includes your IP address and the app's version. When there's an update, it downloads it from GitHub, where we host our releases. Nothing about you or how you use the app is sent. You can stop updates from installing automatically in the app's settings.

Purchases

Payments are handled by Dodo Payments, which acts as our merchant of record. When you buy, Dodo Payments collects your name, email address, billing country and payment details to process the payment, calculate taxes and prevent fraud. We never see or store your full card details. We receive your name, email, country and order details so we can deliver your license and give you support. Dodo Payments' handling of your data is covered by their privacy policy.

The website

tuningmac.com is hosted on Vercel, which keeps standard server logs (such as IP address and browser type) for security and reliability. Everything below is about the website only; the Mac app has no analytics of any kind.

• Google Analytics. We use Google Analytics 4 to understand how people find and use the site: pages viewed, rough location (country or city, from your IP address, which Google doesn't store), device and browser type, where you came from, and a few actions such as clicking Buy, completing a purchase (order id and amount, never your name, email or card) or following an "Ask AI" link. Google sets first-party cookies (_ga, _ga_*) that last up to two years to tell visits apart. We don't use Google Signals, advertising features or ad personalisation, and we don't sell or share this data for advertising. Google processes it for us under its privacy policy; see also how Google uses data from sites that use its services.
• Your choice. If you're in the EEA, UK or Switzerland, analytics cookies stay off until you click "Allow"; until then Google only receives cookieless, anonymous pings. Anyone can change their choice at any time from "Cookie settings" in the footer, block cookies in their browser, or install Google's opt-out browser add-on. Your choice is saved in your browser's local storage.
• Preferences. Your choice of light or dark theme is saved in your own browser (local storage) so the site looks the same next time. It never leaves your device.
• Demo audio. The "Listen" demo is generated in your browser. Nothing is recorded and your microphone is never used by the website.
• "Ask AI" links. These open ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Google or Grok with a question about TuningMac filled in. Once you follow one, that service's own privacy policy applies. We don't send them anything about you.

Trademarks and third-party names

TuningMac, its name and its logo belong to TuningMac. Every other product name, brand and trademark mentioned on tuningmac.com belongs to its owner, including:

• Apple, Mac, macOS, AirPods, Safari, Apple Music, FaceTime and Logic (Apple Inc.)
• Sony and WH-1000XM5 (Sony Group Corporation)
• Bose (Bose Corporation)
• Spotify (Spotify AB)
• YouTube, Chrome and Google (Google LLC)
• Netflix (Netflix, Inc.)
• Zoom (Zoom Communications, Inc.)
• Slack (Slack Technologies, LLC)
• ChatGPT (OpenAI)
• Claude (Anthropic)
• Perplexity (Perplexity AI, Inc.)
• Grok (xAI)
• eqMac (Bitgapp)
• SoundSource (Rogue Amoeba Software, LLC)
• BlackHole (Existential Audio) and Soundflower
• Dodo Payments and Vercel

These names are used only to describe what TuningMac works with or how it can be used. TuningMac is an independent app and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any of these companies. App icons shown in our screenshots and mockups are placeholders, not the companies' own logos.

If you own one of these names or marks and you're not happy with how it's used here, email support@tuningmac.com and we'll fix or remove it promptly.

How long we keep information

We keep purchase records for as long as needed to provide your license and support, and as required by tax and accounting law.

Your rights

You can ask us to access, correct or delete the personal information we hold about you by emailing support@tuningmac.com. We'll respond within 30 days. Some records may need to be kept to meet legal obligations.

Changes

If we change this policy, we'll update the date above. Significant changes will be announced on this website.

Contact

Questions about privacy: support@tuningmac.com.