pathnotePrivacy Policy
Effective November 5, 2026
Pathnote runs on your PC. Your guides, screenshots, and recordings stay on your computer, and Pathnote has no account, analytics, or tracking. Only three things ever leave your computer: license checks, update checks, and AI step descriptions if you turn them on. Each one is described below.
This policy covers the Pathnote desktop app and the website at getpathnote.com, both made by Useful Geeks LLC ("we" or "us").
What stays on your computer
Everything you make in Pathnote is saved in a folder on your PC: guides, screenshots, recordings, brands, your Words list, and your settings. Blurring sensitive information runs offline on your PC. We never receive any of it, and we can't see it.
What leaves your computer
1. License checks (Pathnote Pro)
Pathnote Pro licenses are managed by Polar, the company that sells them. When you enter a license key, Pathnote activates it on this computer by sending Polar:
- your license key
- a random ID that Pathnote makes for this install, and a label built from it, such as "Pathnote on Windows PC · 7f3a", so you can tell your computers apart on your purchases page
- your operating system (for example, Windows)
The random ID isn't based on your computer's name, your hardware, or anything else about your PC. After activation, Pathnote checks the key about once a day by sending only the key and the activation ID that Polar gave it. When you remove a key, Pathnote sends the same two things so Polar can free up that computer.
The free version and the 14-day trial don't contact Polar. Polar handles this data under its own privacy policy.
Earlier versions of Pathnote labeled activations with your computer's name. An activation made with one of them keeps that label until you remove the key and enter it again.
2. Update checks
Pathnote checks for new versions on GitHub, where it's published, and downloads updates from there. Like any download, GitHub sees your IP address. See GitHub's privacy statement.
3. AI step descriptions (optional, off by default)
This Pro feature stays off until you turn it on and add your own Claude API key from Anthropic. When you use it, Pathnote sends Anthropic the step's screenshot (after blurring and cropping), the step title, the previous step's title, and the guide title, and gets back a suggested description. Pathnote runs the reply through the same text blurring before showing it to you.
These requests go straight from your computer to Anthropic under your own Anthropic account, so Anthropic's privacy policy and terms apply to them. We never see them. Your API key is stored on your PC, encrypted by Windows.
When you buy Pathnote Pro
Polar is the merchant of record for Pathnote Pro, which means Polar processes your payment and handles sales tax. We never see your card details. Polar shares your name, email address, and purchase details with us so we can issue your license, provide support, and handle refunds. We keep these records for as long as your license is active, and afterward for as long as tax and accounting rules require.
The website
getpathnote.com doesn't use cookies, analytics, or tracking scripts. It loads fonts from Google Fonts, which receives your IP address when your browser requests them (see Google's privacy policy). The site is served through Cloudflare, which may keep standard logs, such as IP addresses, to run and protect the service.
When you email us
If you write to support@usefulgeeks.com, we keep the conversation so we can help you and follow up.
What we don't do
- We don't sell or rent your personal information.
- We don't use your information for advertising.
- We don't collect usage analytics or crash reports from the app.
Your choices
- To stop license checks, remove your key in Pathnote under Pro. Pathnote then works as the free version.
- To delete your guides and settings, delete them in Pathnote or remove Pathnote's data folder from your PC.
- To see, correct, or delete the purchase information we hold about you, email us. We'll answer within 30 days. Records we're legally required to keep stay until we're allowed to delete them.
Children
Pathnote is a work tool and isn't directed at children under 13. We don't knowingly collect information from them.
Changes to this policy
If we change what Pathnote sends or collects, we'll update this page and the date at the top before the change takes effect.
Contact
Useful Geeks LLC, Georgia, USA
support@usefulgeeks.com