Data Controls

Last updated: February 2025

You have complete control over your data because all of it lives on your Mac. There is no account to delete, no cloud data to request, and no third-party database storing your information.

Where your data lives

Meeting notes
Markdown files in your chosen storage folder (default: ~/Documents/KiKu)
Audio recordings
Temporary files in your storage folder, automatically managed
App settings
macOS UserDefaults (~/Library/Preferences)
OpenAI API key
macOS UserDefaults, stored locally on your device
Meeting statistics
Local JSON file in Application Support
Apple Notes copies
Your Apple Notes app (if enabled)

How to delete your data

Delete individual notes

Navigate to your KiKu storage folder in Finder and delete any Markdown files you no longer need. If you also exported to Apple Notes, delete the corresponding note in the Apple Notes app.

Delete all meeting data

Delete the entire KiKu storage folder (default: ~/Documents/KiKu). This removes all meeting notes and any temporary audio files.

Reset app settings

To clear all KiKu preferences, including your stored API key, you can:

  1. Open Terminal
  2. Run: defaults delete com.kiku.app

This resets KiKu to its initial state as if freshly installed.

Uninstall completely

To remove all traces of KiKu from your Mac:

  1. Quit KiKu
  2. Move KiKu.app from Applications to Trash
  3. Delete your KiKu storage folder (~/Documents/KiKu or your custom path)
  4. Run defaults delete com.kiku.app in Terminal to clear preferences
  5. Empty Trash

Data sent to OpenAI

When you use KiKu's recording or voice features, data is sent directly to OpenAI's API. To manage this:

  • View usage — Check your OpenAI dashboard at platform.openai.com/usage
  • API data retention — By default, OpenAI retains API data for 30 days for abuse monitoring, then deletes it. API data is not used for model training. Refer to OpenAI's policies for current details.
  • Revoke access — You can revoke KiKu's API access at any time by deleting or rotating your API key in your OpenAI account settings

Permissions management

You can review and revoke KiKu's macOS permissions at any time:

  • Microphone — System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone
  • Screen Recording — System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen Recording
  • Accessibility — System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility
  • Calendar — System Settings > Privacy & Security > Calendars

Revoking permissions will disable the corresponding features but won't delete any existing data.

Questions

If you have questions about managing your data, reach out through kiku-notes.com.