ARC
Privacy policy
This policy explains separately how the ARC Music app processes data on your device and how the ARC Music website and privacy or support correspondence process data.
Effective October 28, 2026
About the developer
ARC Music is independently developed by Daniel Chen, who owns the copyright to the app.
Privacy contact: support@arcmusic.app
ARC Music app — local data
ARC does not provide ARC accounts, registration, sign-in, or its own servers. Memory, Moments, Listening Ledger (local listening records), and Voice notes are stored on your device, and are copied to your own iCloud only if you turn on iCloud Sync (see below). Their sources are playback observed by ARC, music metadata received from Apple Music, notes and Moments you create, recordings you choose to make, and archives you explicitly import. ARC uses these data locally to show your listening memories, replay saved Moments, and create Chapters. App preferences and cached artwork are also stored locally to remember settings and display music.
ARC uploads Memory and Voice notes only to your own iCloud, and only when you turn on iCloud Sync. The app uses no advertising, behavioral analytics, crash collection, mailing lists, or third-party tracking SDKs.
Optional iCloud Sync
iCloud Sync is off until you turn it on in ARC Settings. When it is on, ARC copies your Moments, notes, tags, Listening Ledger records, and listening-rhythm names to your own private iCloud database through Apple’s CloudKit, so they stay the same on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac signed in to the same Apple Account. Voice notes are included only if you also choose Include Voice notes; another device downloads a voice note when you play it there.
This data is stored in your iCloud account, not on an ARC server, and the developer cannot access it. Apple stores and processes it as part of iCloud under Apple’s privacy policy and iCloud terms, and it counts toward your iCloud storage. Apple’s silent notifications tell ARC that another device changed something; they carry no Memory content. To avoid mixing data between Apple Accounts, ARC keeps a one-way hash of your iCloud user identifier on the device.
Turning iCloud Sync off stops syncing and keeps your Memory on each device. Delete Memory from iCloud in ARC Settings removes the iCloud copy without changing Memory on your devices. When you untick Include Voice notes, you choose whether to delete voice notes from iCloud or keep them there. If you sign out of iCloud, turn off iCloud for ARC, or your iCloud storage is full, Memory stays on the device and syncing stops or waits.
App preferences, Chapters film looks, and the Apple Music library and artwork cache are never synced.
Chapters and listening records
Chapters uses listening activity recorded by ARC on this device and saved Moments to create week, month, and year viewing experiences locally. ARC cannot access or import your complete Apple Music playback history. Chapters reflects changes to its source records, does not send notes to a cloud generation service, and does not automatically play Voice notes. Chapter playback does not add to ordinary ARC listening records.
Apple Music and third-party services
With your authorization, ARC uses Apple's MusicKit to access your Apple Music library, search the catalog, retrieve album artwork and music metadata, and play music, including chapter music. These actions send the necessary search, content, and playback requests to Apple. Search playback can create local listening records and Moments without first adding a song to your Library. Apple Music is a third-party service; Apple's processing, retention, and deletion of service data are governed by its privacy policy and applicable service terms. Local Memory storage does not make Apple Music fully offline.
You can revoke ARC's Apple Music access in System Settings under Privacy & Security, in the media or Apple Music permission category provided by your macOS version. Revoking access stops the authorized music functions but does not automatically delete local Memory. Apple Music authorization is not an ARC account.
On iPhone and iPad, review ARC’s access in Settings › Privacy & Security › Media & Apple Music.
· Apple Privacy Policy · Apple Media Services Terms and Conditions
Voice notes and microphone access
Voice notes are created only when you actively choose to record and grant microphone permission. ARC stores the audio on your device for attachment to and playback with a Moment; it uploads the audio only to your own iCloud, and only if iCloud Sync is on and you choose Include Voice notes. You can revoke microphone permission in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone. This prevents new recordings; it does not automatically delete existing Voice notes or Memory.
On iPhone and iPad, use Settings › Privacy & Security › Microphone.
Local retention, export, import, and deletion
Local records remain in ARC's application data until you delete the records or remove the local data. In ARC Settings, use Memory Archive to export a backup file or import an archive you select. Voice notes are excluded from exports by default and included only when you explicitly choose Include Voice notes. Import reads the selected file into local storage; if iCloud Sync is on, the imported records then sync like any other change. You control exported files; saving one to a shared or cloud-synced folder lets your chosen service handle that copy under its own terms.
Use Delete on a Moment and confirm to remove it from the active collection. This is not immediate erasure of every local copy: recovery snapshots and audio files marked as deleted may remain on the device. To remove all local listening records, retained audio, and recovery copies, quit ARC and remove its local application data; contact us for help locating those files. Removing the app alone may leave its data behind. Separately delete exports and backups you control. The developer has no copy of your Memory and cannot delete it remotely; if you use iCloud Sync, Delete Memory from iCloud in ARC Settings removes the iCloud copy.
With iCloud Sync on, a Moment you delete is also deleted in iCloud and on your other devices, together with its voice note’s audio.
Keep backups you control. Device loss, damage, power loss, or force-quitting can cause local data, including the latest unsaved listening activity, to be lost. Local storage is not a guarantee against data loss.
Widgets and Chapters film looks
ARC’s Home Screen widgets read a small display snapshot that ARC keeps in a container shared only with its own widgets on your device: the current song’s title, artist, album, artwork, colours, and playback state. It contains no Memory, notes, listening history, or Voice notes, and it is not uploaded.
When a Chapters film is first built, ARC saves the look it chose so the film looks the same whenever you reopen it. This choice is stored locally with your profile; it is not part of Memory and is never exported, imported, or synced.
Language preferences
ARC follows your system or app language by default. An explicit language choice is stored in ARC’s local app preferences and takes effect after restart. It does not change global system language preferences or translate your original music metadata and notes.
ARC Music website — hosting and requests
The ARC website is hosted on Cloudflare Pages. When your browser requests a page or asset, Cloudflare may process your IP address, request metadata, and security logs to deliver and protect the website. This information comes from website requests, not your local ARC Memory. Cloudflare's handling and retention of this service data follow its applicable terms and privacy policy; ARC does not promise a separate fixed deletion period for Cloudflare logs.
The website uses no advertising, analytics tools, tracking cookies, account forms, or email subscriptions. Fonts and images are served as website assets. Visiting the website does not upload your app's Memory or Voice notes.
Privacy questions and data requests
For privacy questions or requests concerning data we hold, email support@arcmusic.app. When you choose to email us, we receive your email address and message content, including any attachments you send, and use them only to respond to your privacy or support request. Please do not send private recordings or Memory archives unnecessarily.
Correspondence is stored in our email mailbox for handling your request and related follow-up; our email service processes delivery and storage. You can use the same address to request access, correction, or deletion of that correspondence. These requests are handled by email, not an ARC account or deletion portal. For device-only data, use the local controls and removal options above; for data held by Apple or Cloudflare, their policies describe their retention and privacy choices.