aud-io

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 22 October 2026

aud-io combines your local music collection with optional Apple Music streaming. Local-first design remains central. It does not require an aud-io account or upload your imported audio files to a developer-operated cloud library. Some features use third-party online services and can send data directly from your device to those services, as explained below.

The short version: the core player works without an aud-io account, ads, or cross-app tracking. Your imported audio files stay on your device; selected library-derived information can be sent only as described below. Online Features are controlled in Settings. On a new iPhone or iPad installation, aud-io build 139 or later starts with them off by default; earlier builds may initially have them enabled. Current App Store editions use Apple Intelligence and optional Private Cloud Compute as described below. The direct Mac edition and older App Store versions can use a separate, optional Google Gemini connection under a key you provide. Apple Music is also optional and uses Apple’s system authorization. See the sections below before enabling or using these connections.

What stays on your device

Your imported audio files, local artwork and lyric caches, playlists, favorites, play counts, and listening history are stored on your device. aud-io has no aud-io account system or cloud sync service for your library. That does not prevent the direct third-party requests described below: Online Features can send library-derived lookup information, and optional PCC in App Store editions or Gemini in the direct Mac edition and older App Store versions can send information used to personalise an AI request.

Online Features

aud-io's core playback works offline. Online Features are controlled in Settings ▸ Online Features. In the iPhone and iPad app, builds earlier than 139 may have them enabled when the app is first used. A new installation of build 139 or later starts with them off by default. Updating the app keeps your existing setting until you change it. When Online Features are enabled, the app can make direct internet requests while importing or enriching a library, playing a track, or using a relevant feature. These requests can include:

Artwork, metadata, lyrics, artist information, related artists, and videos — library lookup terms such as title, artist, album, duration, and store region may be sent to third-party catalogs and search services.
Track identification — when you ask aud-io to identify a song, it sends an acoustic fingerprint (a compact numeric summary derived from the audio, not the audio file itself) and duration to AcoustID.

Like other internet requests, these connections can disclose your IP address and ordinary network-request information to the provider. We do not describe the lookup information as anonymous: a provider may combine it with other information it holds. Turning Online Features off stops future Online Features requests; local playback and on-device analysis remain available.

Third-party services used for Online Features

When Online Features is on, aud-io may contact the following services. Each has its own privacy policy:

MusicBrainz & Cover Art Archive — music metadata and cover art
AcoustID — audio-fingerprint track identification
Apple (iTunes Search) — cover art and metadata
Deezer — artist images and related-artist data
Wikimedia (Wikipedia) — artist biographies
LRCLIB — synced lyrics
Google / YouTube — artist-video search, thumbnails, and video links

Apple Intelligence and Private Cloud Compute in App Store editions

In current App Store editions, AI Mixes, Radio and Librarian use Apple’s models rather than a personal Gemini key. On-device generation processes its inputs locally. If you explicitly enable Private Cloud Compute (PCC), supported requests can send your prompt and selected library metadata needed for the task to Apple’s private cloud models. This is cloud processing, not on-device processing. PCC is configured for the App Store editions, with on-device fallback where available. The direct-download Mac edition retains the separate Google Gemini connection described below and does not use Apple Intelligence or PCC.

On-device AI requires an Apple Intelligence-compatible device running iOS, iPadOS or macOS 26.5 or later, with Apple Intelligence enabled and its models ready. Optional PCC requires OS 27 or later, a supported App Store build, internet access, Online Features enabled and explicit opt-in. See AI requirements.

Cloud inputs can include selected song, artist and album names and other catalogue information used to answer your request. These features do not upload your audio collection to an aud-io music server. See Apple Intelligence & Privacy for Apple’s processing practices, service diagnostics and device analytics choices. aud-io’s no-telemetry policy does not override Apple’s system settings or third-party service policies.

Voice requests, generated artwork and artist news

In-app voice requests use Apple’s speech recognition. On-device recognition is required when supported by the recogniser; it is not guaranteed in every configuration. Image Playground receives your mix description or playlist name when you choose to create artwork, under Apple’s available generation options and privacy controls.

In current App Store editions, artist-news retrieval sends artist search terms to Google News RSS for headlines and source links. Apple Intelligence can summarise the retrieved material on-device. News retrieval is an online request even when summarisation is local; Google can receive the search terms, IP address and normal request information. Opening a source link connects to that publisher under its own policy. See Google’s Privacy Policy.

Google Gemini in the direct Mac edition and older versions (separate opt-in)

In the direct-download Mac edition and in older App Store versions, Gemini-powered features such as AI Mixes, AI Radio, the AI Librarian, artist news, and auto-filled credits do not run until you choose to add your own Google Gemini API key. Some features also require aud-io Pro. This is not an aud-io account: Google AI Studio is used outside aud-io to create the key, and aud-io accepts only the resulting key. The key is stored in the device Keychain and is sent directly to Google with each Gemini request.

When Gemini is connected, aud-io can send the following directly from your device to Google:

Prompts and recent AI conversation context — for example, a mix request or library question.
Library-derived information needed to answer — such as track, album, and artist names; durations; credits; genres; release information; playlist names; favorites; play counts; and playback recency.
Artist-news requests — once Gemini and the relevant feature are enabled, a daily briefing can send selected artist names from your library to request current artist information.

aud-io does not route Gemini requests through an aud-io app backend. Your actual audio files and local file paths are not sent to Gemini. Artist-news results can include Google Search-grounded links; opening a listed source connects directly to that publisher under its own privacy policy. Google's handling of Gemini information is governed by the Google Gemini API Terms and the Google Privacy Policy.

Google plan choice matters: Google's terms for unpaid Gemini services may allow Google to log and use submitted content to provide, improve, and develop its products. Terms and plan treatment can change, so review Google's current terms before connecting a key and do not submit information you would not want Google to process. You can disconnect at any time in Settings ▸ AI ▸ Disconnect, which removes the key from the device and stops new Gemini requests.

Apple Music (optional)

Apple Music is a separate, optional connection provided through Apple’s MusicKit system authorization. Apple handles the Apple Account and any Apple Music subscription required for catalog access; aud-io does not collect or store Apple Account credentials. Apple’s handling of Apple Music data is governed by Apple’s Privacy Policy.

Last.fm (not active in this release)

Last.fm scrobbling is shown as coming soon but is disabled in the current release. The current app cannot authenticate with Last.fm or send listening data to it. We will update this policy before enabling that connection.

Wi-Fi transfer stays on your network

The optional Wi-Fi transfer feature runs a small web server on your local network only so you can send music from a computer's browser. It never connects to the internet. While active, it advertises your device's name (for example, "Jane's iPhone") on your local network so the aud-io companion app can find it. It's off unless you start it.

Purchases

iPhone and iPad in-app purchases are handled entirely by Apple through the App Store. Direct aud-io for Mac purchases are handled by Lemon Squeezy. In either case, the checkout provider processes payment details; aud-io does not receive them. See Apple's Privacy Policy and Lemon Squeezy's Privacy Policy.

No ads or cross-app tracking

aud-io contains no advertising SDKs and does not track you across apps or websites. It does not use a third-party app analytics SDK. This does not override the third-party processing described above. The App Store privacy disclosure identifies the applicable data sent to third parties for app functionality.

Children

aud-io has no account registration and we do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children through the app. Third-party providers can process information if online services, cloud AI, speech recognition or the Gemini connection are used, so parents and guardians should review those providers’ policies before enabling them for a child.

Your data, your control

You can disable Online Features to stop future lookup requests, turn off optional PCC in App Store editions, or disconnect Gemini in the direct Mac edition or an older App Store version to remove its API key from the device. These actions do not delete information a third party has already received; use that provider’s privacy tools or contact it directly. Deleting aud-io removes its local library and associated local data from the device, subject to your operating-system backup and file-storage choices.

Website and support

aud-io.app is hosted by Netlify. The website does not add advertising or analytics scripts, but a hosting provider can process ordinary technical request data. If you email support, we process the information you include so we can respond to your request.

Changes to this policy

If we change how aud-io handles information, we'll update this page and its "last updated" date. Material changes will be noted in the app's release notes.

Contact

Questions about privacy? Email support@digitalxdesign.studio.