Charge Beacon privacy information

Last updated: 12 October 2026

Privacy contact: chargebeacon.support@icloud.com

Local app information

Charge Beacon reads battery, connected-power, display and macOS thermal information to provide status, guidance and departure estimates. Optional diagnostic readings depend on what your Mac makes available. Preferences, departure plans, notification cooldowns and telemetry history are stored locally on your Mac. The App Store build stores its app data in its sandbox container.

Charge Beacon does not use advertising identifiers, track you across apps or include analytics. History remains local; optional companion status sharing is described below. This version has no separate Charge Beacon account, advertising, subscription or payment features.

Optional companion connections

Nearby sharing sends selected Mac status through an encrypted session after both devices confirm matching codes. It may include battery, power, thermal, departure, optional diagnostic readings and weekly observation totals. Raw telemetry history remains on the Mac. Nearby status may include a connected display’s name. Optional remembered pairing verifies the trusted device when reconnecting; Forget paired device removes that trust.

Optional remote sharing saves the latest snapshot per Mac in your private iCloud database and requires the same iCloud account on both devices. Remote display information uses a generic label. A random identifier separates each Mac. We do not advertise this cloud status as end-to-end encrypted. Stop sharing prevents future uploads; Delete saved status removes the Mac’s saved reading.

Silent iCloud notifications request fresh status after changes without banners or sounds. Apple may delay delivery. The Mac must be awake and online for fresh updates; check the displayed measurement time.

Optional companion controls

A separate Mac permission allows changes to selected Charge Beacon preferences: mode, desk target, weekly insights, advanced readings and menu-bar percentage. Permission starts off unless you choose to remember it after restarting. Turning it off rejects further commands. Commands and receipts use the approved nearby session or your private iCloud database. Remote commands expire; expired commands are not executed. Command records can remain after expiry. Deleting saved status does not delete command records. Controls do not change macOS charging, fans or game settings.

Upcoming local AI features — in testing

The submitted first release does not include these features. The upcoming local test version reads system CPU, memory, storage and accessible app main-process samples for an optional Mac assessment. Storage and app process samples remain on the Mac. Local AI generation uses Apple’s on-device model; no external AI API key, third-party model service or cloud AI fallback is used.

General Chat supplies typed text and up to two recent exchanges to the model on that device, without Mac measurements. Chat history is held in window memory, bounded to 12 answers, and cleared when closed, cleared or switched between modes. It is not saved to iCloud.

When you choose Update companion AI assessment on the Mac, selected system measurements and the generated explanation can be sent through your enabled nearby or private iCloud status sharing. Storage values and app process samples are excluded from that assessment. The companion displays generation and measurement times. The This device tab reads that iPhone or iPad’s own battery percentage, charging state and Low Power Mode locally; these are not shared as Mac status.

Your controls

Settings → Data & Privacy lets you choose a history retention period and clear recorded telemetry history. Settings also controls notifications and optional launch at login. macOS asks for notification permission and may require approval for login items. Clearing history does not erase your preferences or an active departure plan; those have separate app controls.

Copy diagnostics only when you choose to share them. The copied text contains local battery, power, display and app-setting information, including timestamps and departure information where applicable. Charge Beacon does not send it for you. Review it before sending it to anyone.

External links and support

Apple guidance links open in your browser. Visiting Apple or our support pages is subject to the relevant website’s privacy practices. Charge Beacon does not automatically fetch those pages or send your telemetry to them.

If you contact support, your email provider and our support provider process your message and any diagnostics you choose to include. Support email is handled through Apple iCloud Mail. Use the privacy contact above for questions or requests concerning support messages you have sent. This website is hosted using Amazon Web Services S3 and CloudFront, which process normal web requests, including IP addresses. We have not enabled website analytics, cookies, forms or access logging.

Changes

This policy describes Charge Beacon for Mac and Charge Beacon Companion for iPhone and iPad. We will update it when our data practices change.