Privacy policy
Last updated: February 21st, 2026
1. Overview
Geist is a macOS utility that enables hands-free authentication using the Mac’s camera and on-device verification.
Geist is designed to perform authentication-related processing locally on your Mac. Camera images, facial representations, authentication results, and your macOS login password are not uploaded to Geist servers.
Geist does not operate a cloud service for biometric authentication.
2. Camera and Biometric Processing
Geist requires access to your Mac’s camera to provide its authentication functionality.
Camera frames may be processed locally to:
detect the presence of a face;
verify whether the detected face matches the enrolled user;
detect potential spoofing or presentation attacks;
evaluate whether authentication should be permitted.
This processing occurs on your device.
Geist does not upload camera frames, photographs, facial embeddings, face templates, liveness information, or biometric authentication results to our servers.
Biometric representations required for authentication are stored locally on your Mac and are used solely to provide the authentication functionality of Geist.
3. Login Credentials
To perform automatic login, Geist may require you to provide your macOS login password.
Your login password is stored locally using the security mechanisms provided by macOS, such as the macOS Keychain.
Your login password is not transmitted to Geist servers, analytics providers, or other third parties.
We cannot view or recover your macOS login password.
4. Location
If you enable location-based features, such as Trusted Locations, Geist may request permission to access your current location.
Location information is used locally to determine whether location-dependent functionality should be active.
Geist does not require your precise location to be sent to Geist servers for this functionality. Stored trusted-location information, such as coordinates and related configuration, remains on your device unless explicitly stated otherwise within the application.
Location functionality is optional and can be disabled.
5. Network Connections
Geist is designed so that its core authentication functionality does not require communication with a Geist server.
The application may establish network connections for limited non-authentication purposes, including checking for and downloading software updates.
Software updates may be provided using third-party update infrastructure or frameworks such as Sparkle. When an update check is performed, standard technical information necessary for an internet connection, such as your IP address and information required to determine update compatibility, may be processed by the relevant hosting or infrastructure provider.
No biometric data, camera images, facial templates, or macOS login credentials are included in these update requests.
6. Analytics and Tracking
Geist does not use biometric information for advertising, profiling, or cross-app tracking.
Geist does not sell biometric information or macOS login credentials.
If optional analytics, crash reporting, or diagnostic functionality is introduced or enabled, the application will disclose the relevant processing where required and this Privacy Policy will be updated accordingly.
7. Data Stored on Your Mac
Depending on the features you use, Geist may store information locally, including:
application preferences and settings;
enrolled facial representations required for authentication;
trusted-location configurations;
authentication and security configuration;
your macOS login password within the macOS Keychain;
other information required for the local operation of the application.
This information is primarily controlled through your device and the security mechanisms provided by macOS.
8. Data We Do Not Sell
We do not sell your personal data.
In particular, we do not sell, rent, license, or otherwise monetize:
biometric information;
facial representations;
camera images;
macOS login credentials;
location information.
9. Third-Party Services
Geist may rely on third-party infrastructure for limited functionality such as application distribution, website hosting, payments, or software updates.
Those providers may independently process technical information when you interact with their services. Their processing is governed by their respective privacy policies.
Third-party services are not given access to Geist’s locally processed biometric authentication data merely by being used for distribution, payment, hosting, or software updates.
10. Website
When you visit the Geist website, the hosting provider may automatically process standard server information such as your IP address, browser information, requested pages, timestamps, and technical request data.
Additional services used by the website, such as payment providers, waitlist providers, or analytics tools, may process information according to their own privacy policies.
Where legally required, optional tracking technologies will only be used after obtaining the necessary consent.
11. Data Retention
Data required for local authentication remains on your device for as long as it is needed by Geist or until you remove the relevant configuration or application data.
Information processed by external providers, where applicable, is retained according to the applicable provider’s retention policies and legal requirements.
12. Security
Geist is designed to minimize the amount of sensitive information leaving your device.
Local processing, macOS security mechanisms, and restricted handling of authentication information are used to reduce unnecessary exposure of sensitive data.
However, no software or security mechanism can guarantee absolute security.
13. Your Rights
Depending on where you live, including under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you may have rights regarding personal data processed by us, including the right to request access, correction, deletion, restriction of processing, data portability, or to object to certain processing.
Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time with effect for the future.
You may also have the right to lodge a complaint with a competent data protection supervisory authority.
Many of Geist’s most sensitive data categories are processed exclusively on your Mac. Where we never receive such information, we generally cannot access, retrieve, export, or delete it remotely.
14. Legal Bases for Processing
Where the GDPR applies and Geist processes personal data for which we act as controller, processing may be based on:
performance of a contract or steps taken at your request before entering into a contract;
our legitimate interests in providing, securing, maintaining, and improving Geist;
compliance with legal obligations; or
your consent, where consent is required.
The applicable legal basis depends on the particular processing activity.
15. Children’s Privacy
Geist is not specifically directed at children. We do not knowingly collect biometric information from children through a Geist-operated online service.
16. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy when Geist’s functionality, technical architecture, third-party services, or legal requirements change.
The current version will be made available through the Geist website or application.
17. Controller and Contact
The controller responsible for personal data processed directly by Geist is:
Burak Ugurelli
[Business address]
Germany
Email: [Privacy contact email]
For privacy-related questions or requests, please contact us using the email address above.
Privacy policy
Last updated: February 21st, 2026
1. Overview
Geist is a macOS utility that enables hands-free authentication using the Mac’s camera and on-device verification.
Geist is designed to perform authentication-related processing locally on your Mac. Camera images, facial representations, authentication results, and your macOS login password are not uploaded to Geist servers.
Geist does not operate a cloud service for biometric authentication.
2. Camera and Biometric Processing
Geist requires access to your Mac’s camera to provide its authentication functionality.
Camera frames may be processed locally to:
detect the presence of a face;
verify whether the detected face matches the enrolled user;
detect potential spoofing or presentation attacks;
evaluate whether authentication should be permitted.
This processing occurs on your device.
Geist does not upload camera frames, photographs, facial embeddings, face templates, liveness information, or biometric authentication results to our servers.
Biometric representations required for authentication are stored locally on your Mac and are used solely to provide the authentication functionality of Geist.
3. Login Credentials
To perform automatic login, Geist may require you to provide your macOS login password.
Your login password is stored locally using the security mechanisms provided by macOS, such as the macOS Keychain.
Your login password is not transmitted to Geist servers, analytics providers, or other third parties.
We cannot view or recover your macOS login password.
4. Location
If you enable location-based features, such as Trusted Locations, Geist may request permission to access your current location.
Location information is used locally to determine whether location-dependent functionality should be active.
Geist does not require your precise location to be sent to Geist servers for this functionality. Stored trusted-location information, such as coordinates and related configuration, remains on your device unless explicitly stated otherwise within the application.
Location functionality is optional and can be disabled.
5. Network Connections
Geist is designed so that its core authentication functionality does not require communication with a Geist server.
The application may establish network connections for limited non-authentication purposes, including checking for and downloading software updates.
Software updates may be provided using third-party update infrastructure or frameworks such as Sparkle. When an update check is performed, standard technical information necessary for an internet connection, such as your IP address and information required to determine update compatibility, may be processed by the relevant hosting or infrastructure provider.
No biometric data, camera images, facial templates, or macOS login credentials are included in these update requests.
6. Analytics and Tracking
Geist does not use biometric information for advertising, profiling, or cross-app tracking.
Geist does not sell biometric information or macOS login credentials.
If optional analytics, crash reporting, or diagnostic functionality is introduced or enabled, the application will disclose the relevant processing where required and this Privacy Policy will be updated accordingly.
7. Data Stored on Your Mac
Depending on the features you use, Geist may store information locally, including:
application preferences and settings;
enrolled facial representations required for authentication;
trusted-location configurations;
authentication and security configuration;
your macOS login password within the macOS Keychain;
other information required for the local operation of the application.
This information is primarily controlled through your device and the security mechanisms provided by macOS.
8. Data We Do Not Sell
We do not sell your personal data.
In particular, we do not sell, rent, license, or otherwise monetize:
biometric information;
facial representations;
camera images;
macOS login credentials;
location information.
9. Third-Party Services
Geist may rely on third-party infrastructure for limited functionality such as application distribution, website hosting, payments, or software updates.
Those providers may independently process technical information when you interact with their services. Their processing is governed by their respective privacy policies.
Third-party services are not given access to Geist’s locally processed biometric authentication data merely by being used for distribution, payment, hosting, or software updates.
10. Website
When you visit the Geist website, the hosting provider may automatically process standard server information such as your IP address, browser information, requested pages, timestamps, and technical request data.
Additional services used by the website, such as payment providers, waitlist providers, or analytics tools, may process information according to their own privacy policies.
Where legally required, optional tracking technologies will only be used after obtaining the necessary consent.
11. Data Retention
Data required for local authentication remains on your device for as long as it is needed by Geist or until you remove the relevant configuration or application data.
Information processed by external providers, where applicable, is retained according to the applicable provider’s retention policies and legal requirements.
12. Security
Geist is designed to minimize the amount of sensitive information leaving your device.
Local processing, macOS security mechanisms, and restricted handling of authentication information are used to reduce unnecessary exposure of sensitive data.
However, no software or security mechanism can guarantee absolute security.
13. Your Rights
Depending on where you live, including under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you may have rights regarding personal data processed by us, including the right to request access, correction, deletion, restriction of processing, data portability, or to object to certain processing.
Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time with effect for the future.
You may also have the right to lodge a complaint with a competent data protection supervisory authority.
Many of Geist’s most sensitive data categories are processed exclusively on your Mac. Where we never receive such information, we generally cannot access, retrieve, export, or delete it remotely.
14. Legal Bases for Processing
Where the GDPR applies and Geist processes personal data for which we act as controller, processing may be based on:
performance of a contract or steps taken at your request before entering into a contract;
our legitimate interests in providing, securing, maintaining, and improving Geist;
compliance with legal obligations; or
your consent, where consent is required.
The applicable legal basis depends on the particular processing activity.
15. Children’s Privacy
Geist is not specifically directed at children. We do not knowingly collect biometric information from children through a Geist-operated online service.
16. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy when Geist’s functionality, technical architecture, third-party services, or legal requirements change.
The current version will be made available through the Geist website or application.
17. Controller and Contact
The controller responsible for personal data processed directly by Geist is:
Burak Ugurelli
[Business address]
Germany
Email: [Privacy contact email]
For privacy-related questions or requests, please contact us using the email address above.