Last updated 21 August 2026.
The Blackbar macOS application has no network capability. Its binary ships without any network entitlement, and this is checked by automated macOS entitlement tests. Your screenshots, the text recognized in them, and everything you redact are processed entirely on your own Mac and are never transmitted anywhere. There is no analytics, no telemetry, and no crash reporting in the app — ever.
The app never goes online, including for licensing. You activate each device once in your web browser at getblackbar.com/activate by entering your licence key and a device code the app displays. The device code is a one-way hash of your machine's identifier: it cannot be turned back into that identifier or linked to your machine by anyone else. The app verifies the activation code it receives offline.
For each licence we store: the purchase reference, the email address it was sold to, the device codes it has activated, when each was activated, and when devices were removed. We use this only to enforce the device limit, to let you manage your devices, and to stop refunded or leaked keys activating new devices. Email support@getblackbar.com to have it deleted.
When you buy Blackbar on this website, payment is handled by Stripe, which collects your email and billing details to process the transaction and any applicable tax. We use your email address solely to send you your license key and, when you ask for it, a link to manage your devices (delivered via Resend) and, if needed, to provide support. We do not sell or share your information, and we do not send marketing email unless you ask us to.
To limit abuse of checkout, activation, and email links, the website stores short-lived hashed request counters. These counters contain no screenshot content.
Through Stripe we can see the record of your purchase (email, amount, country for tax, purchase ID). We retain this as required for accounting and support. You can request deletion of your support correspondence at any time.
Questions or requests: support@getblackbar.com.
Blackbar is built and maintained by Ivan Spiridonov (xbz0n).