Privacy
Last updated 26 October 2026
Q8 works on your Mac. It has no account, no analytics and no tracking, and it never uploads your files. To find details and artwork, it asks public catalogues about the title, year or catalogue number of what you add.
What stays on your Mac
- Your media files, and everything Q8 makes from them.
- Your queue, settings, Gallery, ratings and credits.
- API keys you add. Keys for media servers you link are kept in your Mac's Keychain.
- Text read from pictures in your Gallery. It's recognised on your Mac by macOS.
What Q8 looks up, and where
When you add a file, Q8 reads its name, its tags, or a code such as an ISBN, and searches for it. It sends the search, not the file. Each service receives your Mac's internet address as part of the request, and its own privacy policy applies.
| Service | What Q8 sends | Why |
|---|---|---|
| TMDB | Film and show titles, years and TMDB numbers, with your own TMDB API key | Details and artwork for films and TV |
| fanart.tv | Catalogue numbers of films, shows and artists, with Q8's key and your personal key if you added one | Artwork |
| MusicBrainz, Cover Art Archive | Artist, album and track names, track lengths, MusicBrainz numbers | Album details, credits and covers |
| Open Library, Apple Books search, Google Books | Book titles, authors and ISBNs | Book and audiobook details and covers |
| Wikidata, Wikipedia | Film and show titles | Names and summaries in your language, when you haven't added a TMDB key |
If you add your own key for another catalogue in Settings, Q8 contacts that service to check the key.
Your own network
Network shares you connect are mounted by macOS, which keeps their passwords in your Keychain. Media servers you link are contacted only at the addresses you give, on your own network. Q8 only reads from them.
Apple
Q8 is sold through the Mac App Store, so Apple handles purchases. If you choose to share crash reports with developers in macOS, Apple may pass them on to us without your name.
Children
Q8 collects nothing from anyone, children included.
Changes
If this policy changes, the new version will appear here with a new date.
Contact
Questions about privacy: [email protected]