Petasus Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 23, 2026

In short. Petasus runs on your Mac. It has no accounts and we do not see the websites you open, your emails, your files or your passwords. The only things that can reach us are listed below, and each optional one is off until you switch it on.

What stays on your Mac

Your workspaces, apps, settings, the list of pages you visited (used only for search, and you can turn it off or clear it), and each workspace's website data (cookies and sign-ins) are stored on your Mac, in separate storage per workspace. Saved sign-in tokens (see Google and Microsoft below) are kept in your Mac's Keychain. You can clear a workspace's website data in Settings > Advanced.

Websites you open

The apps and pages you open are ordinary websites. They receive the requests any browser would send and have their own privacy policies. Petasus does not see or copy what you do inside them. If you add a website as an app, Petasus also asks that site once for its small icon.

Google and Microsoft (only if you connect an account)

Connecting a Gmail or Outlook account lets Petasus show an exact unread count. Petasus asks only for the least permission that can read that count: Google's gmail.labels (it cannot read your messages) and Microsoft's Mail.ReadBasic (message basics, not message bodies). The tokens stay in your Keychain and are never sent to us. Petasus's use and transfer of information received from Google APIs adheres to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements. You can disconnect an account at any time in the app's settings, which deletes its tokens.

Updates

Petasus checks for updates through our update service. A check sends the app's version number (in a standard request header) and nothing about you. The service adds one to a daily count for that version and does not store your IP address (it runs on Cloudflare, under Cloudflare's own privacy policy). Updates are cryptographically signed; the app refuses an update that is not.

Optional: diagnostic reports (off by default)

If you turn on diagnostics, macOS gives Petasus crash and performance reports, and Petasus keeps a cleaned copy on your Mac (web addresses, email addresses, tokens and your user name removed). Nothing is sent. You can read a report and save or email it to us yourself, or delete it.

Optional: anonymous performance report (off by default)

If you turn this on, Petasus sends one small report a week. You see exactly what a report contains before you turn it on, and any time afterwards. A report has: the Petasus and macOS versions, the Mac's chip type, how fast Petasus started and switched apps, how many workspaces and apps you have, how often a page crashed, and a random ID that you can reset. It never contains web addresses, page titles, emails, or the names of your apps or workspaces. The service stores no IP address (the service runs on Cloudflare, which handles requests in the normal course of operating its network under its own privacy policy). We use reports only to find and fix performance problems and to see which versions are in use. We do not sell them or share them with anyone, and we cannot tell who you are from them. Reports are deleted automatically after about 14 months. Switching the option off deletes your random ID, so earlier reports can no longer be connected to your Mac.

Ad and tracker blocking

Petasus blocks ads and trackers on your Mac with built-in rules (EasyList and EasyPrivacy, credited in the app). No information about what is blocked leaves your Mac.

Children

Petasus is not directed at children under 13.

Changes

If this policy changes in a way that matters, the new version is posted here and the date above changes.

Contact

Questions or requests: support@criticalcreative.ca