Legal

Privacy Policy

Effective date: January 1, 2025  ·  Last updated: January 1, 2025

The short version

1. Who we are

LinguaLens ("we," "our," or "us") is an iOS application designed to transcribe, translate, and synthesize speech from video and audio files. This Privacy Policy explains how we handle information when you use the LinguaLens app.

If you have questions about this policy, please contact us at the address provided at the end of this document.

2. Information we collect

2.1 Information you provide

LinguaLens does not require you to create an account or provide personal information to use the app. We do not collect your name, email address, or payment information directly.

If you purchase LinguaLens Pro, payment is processed entirely by Apple through the App Store. We receive only a non-identifiable transaction confirmation — we never see your payment details.

2.2 Media files

When you import a video or audio file, or paste a direct link, the file is processed on your device. We do not transmit, upload, or retain copies of your media files on any server we control.

On-device only: Transcription (Whisper ASR), language detection, and translation (Apple Translation API) all run locally. Your audio content is never sent to our servers or to third-party AI services for these steps.

2.3 Text for voice synthesis (Pro feature)

If you have LinguaLens Pro and voice synthesis is enabled, the translated text string (not your original audio) is sent to Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services to generate speech. This is a string of text only — your original video or audio file is never transmitted.

Microsoft's handling of this data is governed by the Microsoft Privacy Statement. Azure Cognitive Services processes speech synthesis requests and does not retain audio output or text inputs beyond the immediate request.

2.4 App usage data (anonymous)

We may collect anonymized, aggregated crash reports and performance diagnostics through Apple's built-in crash reporting infrastructure. This data does not identify you individually and is used solely to diagnose bugs and improve app stability. You can disable this in iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Analytics & Improvements.

3. How we use information

We use the limited information described above to:

We do not use your data for advertising, profiling, or any purpose beyond providing the app's core functionality.

4. Data storage and retention

4.1 On-device storage

All job history, transcripts, and translations are stored in a private SQLite database on your device. This data is protected by iOS app sandboxing and is not accessible to other apps.

Your data is retained until you delete individual jobs or uninstall the app. You can clear all cached audio (TTS cache) at any time from Settings → Storage.

4.2 No cloud sync

LinguaLens does not sync your job history, transcripts, or translations to any cloud service. There is no mandatory cloud backup. Your data stays on your device.

4.3 Cached TTS audio

For performance, synthesized voice audio may be cached locally in the app's private container. You can clear this cache at any time in Settings → Storage → TTS Audio Cache.

5. Third-party services

LinguaLens integrates the following third-party services in limited circumstances:

Apple Translation API

Used for on-device translation. This API runs entirely within iOS and does not transmit your content to Apple's servers. Governed by Apple's standard iOS privacy framework.

Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services — Neural TTS

Used for voice synthesis in LinguaLens Pro. Only the translated text string is transmitted. No audio, no original content, no identifying information is included in these requests. Data is processed in accordance with Microsoft's enterprise privacy commitments.

Applicable to: LinguaLens Pro subscribers only. Free users use AVSpeechSynthesizer, which runs fully on-device.

Apple App Store

In-app purchases and subscriptions are handled by Apple. We do not have access to your payment information. See Apple's Privacy Policy for details on App Store data handling.

6. Permissions we request

Microphone

Required for real-time audio recording. Audio is processed on-device only and is not transmitted. Recording only occurs when you explicitly initiate a session.

Photos and media library

Required to import video and audio files from your Photos library. We only access files you explicitly select — we do not scan your library.

Notifications (optional)

Used to notify you when a processing job is complete, particularly useful for long files. You can decline this permission without affecting core functionality.

7. Children's privacy

LinguaLens is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take steps to delete it promptly.

8. Your rights

Because LinguaLens does not collect or store personal data on our servers, most data rights (access, correction, deletion) are exercised directly on your device:

If you are located in the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, or California, you may have additional rights under GDPR, UK GDPR, or CCPA. Given that we process minimal data, most of these rights will apply to your on-device data. Contact us if you have specific requests.

9. International users

LinguaLens is operated from [Country]. If you use the app from outside this jurisdiction, please be aware that the Azure TTS service transmits text to Microsoft's data centers, which may be located in different countries. Microsoft maintains appropriate data transfer mechanisms including Standard Contractual Clauses.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we may notify you via an in-app notice. Continued use of the app after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

If we ever change our approach to on-device processing — for example, if we begin sending transcriptions to a server — we will notify you in advance and update this policy. We are committed to maintaining the privacy-first architecture described here.

Contact us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, please reach out. We aim to respond within 48 hours.

Email: privacy@lingualens.app

LinguaLens · iOS Application · All rights reserved © 2025