What Strata processes on your Mac
Strata reads files and metadata to provide the file manager’s features:
- File search and folder sizes: names, paths, sizes, dates and other file metadata are indexed locally so searches and size calculations can stay current.
- Content search, previews and summaries: supported documents are read locally. The content index can store extracted text and search data derived from it.
- History and undo: file operations record details such as source and destination paths, dates and file identities so Strata can show past operations and undo them safely.
- Preferences: settings, favorite and frequently visited folders, saved searches, workspaces, window locations and saved server details are kept locally.
Strata does not upload your local files, search queries, document text or AI prompts to the developer.
AI stays on your Mac
Ask Strata, document summaries and natural-language search use built-in rules and local processing. When available, Apple Intelligence runs through Apple’s on-device Foundation Models framework. Strata does not send these requests to a cloud AI provider.
Local storage and credentials
The file index, content index and operation history are encrypted on disk with AES-GCM. Their encryption
key is stored in your macOS login Keychain. These stores are kept under
~/Library/Application Support/Strata.
Settings and saved locations use macOS preferences. They are separate from the encrypted indexes and history. S3 secret keys are stored in Keychain; SFTP uses your SSH configuration, keys or agent, or a password you enter for the connection.
Browsing archives, containers and remote files can create local working copies under
~/Library/Caches/dev.strata.app. These working copies are separate from the encrypted
indexes. Strata clears containers’ and servers’ copies at quit and cleans up copies left by an interrupted
session on a later launch.
Permissions are controlled by macOS
Full Disk Access lets Strata browse protected folders and include more of your Mac in search and folder-size calculations. Without it, macOS limits which folders Strata can read.
Accessibility is requested if you enable the optional search box in the Dock, so Strata can read the Dock’s layout and position the box alongside it.
You can review or revoke these permissions in System Settings → Privacy & Security.
When the app connects to the internet
Strata’s core file browsing, indexing, search and AI processing do not require a Strata server. Network connections support the following features:
- Strata updates: checking for an update contacts GitHub through the Sparkle updater; downloading an update also contacts the download host. Automatic checks are optional and can be changed in Settings → General. Update requests can include app or system information and normal connection metadata, such as your IP address. They do not include your files or search queries.
- Checking other apps for updates: when you ask Strata to check installed apps, it contacts their publishers’ update feeds or Apple’s App Store lookup service. App Store requests include the relevant app identifiers and store region.
- Servers, network shares and cloud folders: browsing, transferring or changing files on a connection you configure sends the requests and data needed for that action to the relevant server or provider. Cloud-folder downloads and uploads may also be handled by macOS or your cloud provider’s software.
Those services handle connection information and data you send under their own privacy policies. Strata does not route your file transfers through a developer-operated service.
Retention and your controls
Local indexes, preferences and saved locations persist between launches. Operation history keeps up to 500 operations; you can clear it with Clear History in the History window. Settings → Search & Index provides Rebuild Index for the file index. Removing a saved S3 server also removes its saved secret key from Keychain.
Removing the app alone does not remove all saved data. After quitting Strata, its application-support data and caches can be removed from the locations listed above. Preferences and any remaining Strata Keychain items are stored separately and can also be removed from your Mac.
Diagnostics and information you share
Strata writes local diagnostic messages through macOS logging. It does not automatically upload diagnostics or crash reports to the developer. If you open a GitHub issue or send a report yourself, the information you choose to include is shared through that service.
Questions and changes
For questions about Strata’s privacy practices, contact the maintainer through the Strata Files GitHub repository. GitHub issues are public, so leave out private file contents and credentials.
If the app’s data handling changes, this policy will be updated and the date above will change. Strata’s source code is available on GitHub.