Your files stay yours.

Effective 26 October 2026

The short version: Lookhound does all of its work on your own computer. I do not collect, receive, store, sell or share your files, your searches, or any personal information about you through the app. There are no accounts, no analytics and no tracking.

1. Who I am

Lookhound is made and provided by Izaan Hussain, an individual developer based in the United Arab Emirates ("I", "me"). For the purposes of data protection law, I am the controller of any personal data processed through this website or the Lookhound app (together, "Lookhound"). You can reach me at contact@lookhound.spools.studio.

2. What this policy covers

This policy explains what happens to information when you visit lookhound.spools.studio (the "site") or download and use the Lookhound desktop app for macOS or Windows (the "app"). It is written with the UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data (PDPL) in mind, and with the EU and UK General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) for visitors in those regions.

3. Information that stays on your computer

To let you search by meaning, the app reads files in the folders you choose (by default Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures and your installed apps) and keeps the following only on your own computer:

A search index: each file's location, name, type, date modified, a short text excerpt or small thumbnail, and numerical "fingerprints" of its meaning.
Your preferences: the folders to watch, window size, last filter, and the name you'd like to be greeted by (read from your computer account's display name unless you change it).
Recent searches: your last few searches, shown on the home screen. You can clear them at any time with forget.

This information is never sent to me or to anyone else. I have no access to it, so I cannot view, copy, correct or delete it for you; you stay in full control of it (see section 8).

4. When the app connects to the internet

The app makes only two kinds of connection, and neither contains your files, searches or preferences:

Model download. The first time it runs, the app downloads its AI models (about 1 GB) from Hugging Face. They are then stored on your computer and used offline.
Update checks. The app asks GitHub whether a newer version of Lookhound has been released and, if so, downloads the installer.

As with any internet request, these services receive your IP address and basic technical details so they can respond. I do not receive this information. It is handled under the providers' own policies: Hugging Face and GitHub.

5. This website

The site sets no cookies, uses no analytics, advertising or tracking scripts, and has no forms. To show it to you, a few service providers necessarily process your IP address and browser details:

Vercel hosts the site and may keep short-lived server logs for security and reliability (privacy policy).
Cloudflare provides the site's domain name service and forwards email sent to the contact address (privacy policy).
Google Fonts serves the typefaces (privacy policy).
GitHub serves the installer downloads (privacy statement).

The legal basis for this limited processing is my legitimate interest in providing a working, secure website (GDPR Article 6(1)(f)) and, under the PDPL, processing that is necessary to provide the service you asked for.

6. When you email me

If you write to contact@lookhound.spools.studio, I receive your email address, your name if you include it, and whatever you choose to tell me. I use this only to reply and help you, keep it no longer than needed for that (normally no more than 12 months after our conversation ends), and share it only with the email providers that deliver and store the message for me. The legal basis is your request and my legitimate interest in answering it.

7. International transfers

The service providers above may process data in countries outside the UAE, the EU or the UK, including the United States. Where they do, they rely on their own legal safeguards, such as the European Commission's standard contractual clauses.

8. Your rights and choices

Depending on where you live, the PDPL or the GDPR may give you the right to access, correct, delete, restrict or object to the processing of your personal data, to data portability, and to withdraw consent. Because I hold none of your personal data apart from emails you send me, most of these rights are exercised directly on your own computer:

Clear recent searches: click forget on the home screen.
Change or remove your greeting name: click the greeting.
Delete everything: quit Lookhound, delete its folder, then uninstall the app.
Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Lookhound
Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Lookhound

For anything about emails you've sent me, write to contact@lookhound.spools.studio and I'll respond within 30 days. If you're unhappy with how I've handled your data, you may complain to the UAE Data Office or, in the EU or UK, to your local data protection authority.

9. Security

Because your data stays on your computer, its security depends on your device. Lookhound never exposes your files to the internet, and downloads are served over HTTPS.

10. Children

Lookhound is not directed at children under 13 and does not knowingly collect personal data from anyone, including children. If you believe a child has emailed me personal information, contact me and I'll delete it.

11. Changes to this policy

If this policy changes, I'll update this page and the effective date above. If a change would ever mean information leaving your computer, it will be clearly announced in the app and on this site before it takes effect.

12. Contact

Questions or requests about privacy: contact@lookhound.spools.studio.