Manage data sharing, cloud storage and local history

Last updated: September 26, 2026

Available on: Mac, Windows, iOS and Android. Local history controls, Notes options and agreement actions differ by platform.

Flow separates permission to improve AI models, cloud storage of dictation data, and storage on your device. Check each control independently; turning off one does not necessarily turn off the others.

Choose your data settings

Open Flow from the menu bar or system tray on desktop, then go to Settings → Data & Privacy.

Control

What it changes

Improve the model for everyone

Permits or prevents use of Notetaker and dictation content to improve Wispr's models; saves immediately, without confirmation.

Dictation Cloud Storage

Stores dictation data, not Notetaker or Scratchpad, on Wispr's servers; turning it on applies immediately, turning it off requires confirmation.

Automatically delete transcripts (iOS)

Deletes transcription history automatically; off by default, and an organization can force it on and lock it.

Improve the model for everyone is on by default for Free and Pro, with the choice shown during onboarding, and you can turn it off. On Enterprise it is off and administrators cannot re-enable it. A signed agreement or organization policy can restrict changes, so check the displayed setting rather than assuming a new default replaced your saved choice.

Important: For confidential or privileged content, turn Improve the model for everyone off before recording. Turning it off does not stop cloud processing or change storage settings.

Wispr does not sell your data; aggregate usage statistics, such as words dictated, do not include dictation contents. See how Wispr uses data.

Local retention and Context Awareness

Your local storage choice does not change Dictation Cloud Storage, and it does not control Notetaker or mobile storage. Flow applies the stricter of your choice and your organization's Local Data Policy.

Warning: Deletion options require confirmation, and changing the policy back cannot recover deleted history.

Context Awareness has its own control in Settings → Data & Privacy. On Growth it is controlled individually; Enterprise administrators can disable and lock it off organization-wide. Follow the Context Awareness guide for that control and its local-retention options.

When a setting is locked

The subtitle beside a disabled setting explains whether a HIPAA Business Associate Agreement (BAA) or your organization's policy applies. You cannot override an organization restriction in the app. An organization may disable Improve the model for everyone while leaving Dictation Cloud Storage individually controllable; check both.

Authorized administrators manage organization policies in the Admin Portal's Organization settings, and Manage in portal opens those settings; available controls depend on the plan and administrator permissions. A member's Request Access message directs them to their administrator; it does not grant access.

A signed BAA locks both Improve the model for everyone and Dictation Cloud Storage off, even if another organization setting permits sharing. Review HIPAA guidance for account requirements, local retention and provider obligations.

Signing or changing a BAA

Individuals can open the HIPAA BAA row on Mac, Windows or iOS, read the agreement and enter their legal name before selecting I Agree. A failed attempt leaves the sheet open to retry. Organization agreements are managed by authorized admins in the portal. Android has no signing or revocation flow.

iOS can display a signed agreement but has no in-app revoke action: an individual BAA signed on iOS can be revoked on desktop, and an organization BAA requires its admin route. Revocation changes agreement coverage and does not automatically turn Improve the model for everyone or Dictation Cloud Storage on. See download and revoke a BAA before proceeding.

How these settings affect notes and meetings

  • Desktop Scratchpad: storage and syncing are separate from Dictation Cloud Storage, though account and organization restrictions may still apply.

  • iPhone Notes: sync is independent of Dictation Cloud Storage. Data-restricted accounts can keep local notes, but sync, AI summaries, Spotlight indexing and Siri note suggestions may be unavailable unless enabled for the account. See iPhone Notes and its account restrictions.

  • Notetaker: Improve the model for everyone governs model improvement for meeting content as well as dictation. Your Dictation Cloud Storage choice and desktop local-history settings do not control meeting storage or retention, and turning Dictation Cloud Storage off does not stop you recording. Notetaker transcripts and summaries are stored in Wispr's cloud, with no customer setting to opt out of that storage. A signed personal or organization BAA blocks recording. See Notetaker privacy and security.

Check that changes have applied

Your data-use preference follows your account across devices. Desktop organization policies update while Flow runs; opening Settings or returning with Settings open refreshes preferences. Mobile policy changes appear on launch or sign-in.

Signing out resets the Dictation Cloud Storage preference to enabled and clears the previous organization association for the next sign-in, so review the settings again. A signed BAA remains in effect, and signing in again does not reset these preferences.

If Flow cannot confirm a sharing preference, agreement or organization policy, it does not share dictation audio, and an opt-out on your device holds before confirmation. On iOS organization accounts with an unresolved policy, Improve the model for everyone and Dictation Cloud Storage are forced off and automatic transcript deletion on until the policy resolves.

Still stuck?

  • A setting is locked with no explanation, or your change does not save: contact support with your platform, plan and the control's exact message.

  • You need processing, security or contractual details: see Data Controls and the Wispr Trust Center.