From 4f56b394d3ee9b7bdf8bb753e82c4a618443f04c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: ComputelessComputer Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2026 17:49:31 +0900 Subject: [PATCH] docs: explain network activity and clarify privacy Add FAQ section about background network activity including connectivity checks, update downloads, and analytics. Clarify that local AI keeps meeting content local while some background traffic may still occur. Update privacy section to distinguish between meeting content locality and complete offline usage. --- .../docs/faq/10.ai-models-and-privacy.mdx | 8 ++++++-- .../content/docs/faq/11.troubleshooting.mdx | 19 +++++++++++++++++++ 2 files changed, 25 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) diff --git a/apps/web/content/docs/faq/10.ai-models-and-privacy.mdx b/apps/web/content/docs/faq/10.ai-models-and-privacy.mdx index abb8a0afb7..8f5cf3498c 100644 --- a/apps/web/content/docs/faq/10.ai-models-and-privacy.mdx +++ b/apps/web/content/docs/faq/10.ai-models-and-privacy.mdx @@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ These are the supported local models: ### App updates -Char checks for updates using the Tauri updater system. +Char checks for updates automatically in release builds and downloads them in the background when one is available. **What is sent:** - Your current app version and platform @@ -253,6 +253,10 @@ Char checks for updates using the Tauri updater system. **Where it goes:** - [CrabNebula](https://crabnebula.dev) — release hosting and update distribution +**How often:** +- An update check runs roughly every 30 minutes while the app is open +- If an update is found, the app downloads it and installs it on the next restart + ### Authentication (when signed in) When you sign in for Pro or cloud features, Char authenticates via Supabase. @@ -274,7 +278,7 @@ When you sign in for Pro or cloud features, Char authenticates via Supabase. - Send your meeting content in analytics — analytics only includes event names and app metadata - Lock your data in a proprietary database — everything is plain Markdown and JSON files you can open, move, and use with other tools -**To use Char completely offline:** Use a local STT model for transcription and a local LLM (LM Studio or Ollama) for AI features. The only background network requests are the connectivity check and update checks. +**To keep meeting content fully local:** Use a local STT model for transcription and a local LLM (LM Studio or Ollama) for AI features. Your audio, transcripts, notes, and prompts stay on your device. Background network traffic can still come from the connectivity check, update checks/downloads, analytics if enabled, and crash reporting in release builds. **To maximize privacy:** 1. Use a local STT model for transcription — see [Local Models](/docs/developers/local-models) diff --git a/apps/web/content/docs/faq/11.troubleshooting.mdx b/apps/web/content/docs/faq/11.troubleshooting.mdx index 25ed39327c..33de0a05cd 100644 --- a/apps/web/content/docs/faq/11.troubleshooting.mdx +++ b/apps/web/content/docs/faq/11.troubleshooting.mdx @@ -30,3 +30,22 @@ If issues persist, you may need to restart your Mac to refresh the keychain stat ### Why this happens When Char updates, sometimes the code signing identity changes, which can cause macOS to treat the new version as a different application. This triggers keychain access prompts because macOS is protecting your stored credentials from unauthorized access. + +## Why does Char show network activity in Activity Monitor when I'm not using it? + +Usually this is expected background traffic, not your meeting content being uploaded. + +The biggest source is Char's connectivity check. The desktop app sends a bare `HEAD` request to `https://www.google.com/generate_204` every 2 seconds so it can tell whether cloud-only features should be treated as online or offline. + +In release builds, Char also checks for updates in the background every 30 minutes and automatically downloads an update when one is available. If you have analytics enabled, Char may also send anonymous usage events to PostHog and Outlit. Release builds also include Sentry for crash reporting. + +If you are using local STT plus a local LLM like LM Studio or Ollama, your audio, transcripts, notes, and prompts still stay on your device. Local AI does **not** disable every background network request, but it does keep your meeting content local. + +If you want the smallest possible network footprint: + +1. Use a local STT model and a local LLM +2. Disable analytics in Settings +3. Stay signed out unless you need Pro or other cloud features +4. Avoid cloud sync, cloud transcription, and cloud LLM providers + +For the complete data-flow breakdown, see [AI Models & Data Privacy](/docs/faq/ai-models-and-privacy).