Subtle asks one question about your data: may we use your audio and dictations to make our models better? That choice is yours, it's explicit, and you can change it whenever you like. Subtle works fully either way.
The choice you made during setup
When you set up Subtle, the You control your data screen offered two options:
- Help improve Subtle — lets Subtle collect your audio, dictations, and edits for model training, to improve the accuracy of Subtle's models.
- Don't contribute data — no dictation data is stored or used for training. Your notes and chats are still saved to Subtle's encrypted cloud so they sync across your devices.
Change it any time
- In the Subtle app, tap your profile icon, then Settings. (On Mac, open Settings → Data & Privacy.)
- Find the Help Improve Subtle toggle under Data Controls.
- Switch it on or off. On means your audio, dictations, and edits may be collected for model training; off means they aren't.
The change applies going forward — it doesn't retroactively affect data already processed under your previous choice. (Deleting your account also removes your data from future training datasets — see Export your data and delete your account.)
How this choice affects encryption
Your notes, chats, and recordings are saved to your account either way — that's what makes syncing work.
- Help Improve Subtle off: your content is stored encrypted, and Subtle staff can't read it.
- Help Improve Subtle on: the content you contribute is no longer protected that way — Subtle can access it, including the text of your notes and chats, to improve its models.
What this choice doesn't affect
- All features work identically with the toggle on or off — accuracy for you doesn't change.
- Limited non-content usage statistics (for example, that you used dictation — not what you said) may still be collected.
If the toggle won't save
Saving the choice needs a connection.
- "Couldn't Save Your Choice" — nothing was saved and the toggle goes back to where it was. Check your internet and try again.
- "Saved, But Not Finished" — your choice saved, but applying it stopped partway. Tap Retry to finish.
Questions?
For full details, see Subtle's Privacy Policy, or email contact@subtle.co with "Privacy Request" in the subject line.