Last updated: March 24, 2026 · Effective immediately upon download
The short version: NotchBrowser runs entirely on your Mac. We do not have servers that collect your data, we do not track you, and we do not sell or share any information about you. Everything stays on your device.
NotchBrowser is a macOS application built and distributed by StartupStartup ("we," "us," or "our"), accessible at startupstartup.app. We build apps that respect user privacy by design.
This Privacy Policy explains how NotchBrowser handles information when you use the app. By using NotchBrowser, you acknowledge you have read and understood this policy.
We collect no personal information. NotchBrowser is a local-first application with no backend services, no user accounts, and no telemetry pipeline. Specifically, we do not collect:
Because we collect no data, we also never sell, rent, share, or trade any data about you.
The following data is created and stored exclusively on your Mac. It never leaves your device and is not accessible to us:
Settings you configure — such as your chosen accent color, default homepage, display mode (light/dark/cinema), notification preferences, and window behavior — are stored in macOS UserDefaults on your local machine. These are standard macOS storage mechanisms with no network component.
Cookies, cached web content, login sessions, stored passwords (via macOS Keychain integration), IndexedDB, LocalStorage, and other web storage created by websites you visit are managed by Apple's WebKit engine and stored locally on your Mac. NotchBrowser does not have access to the contents of this data — it is managed at the operating system level.
The URLs of your currently open tabs are stored locally so your session can be restored when you relaunch the app. This data is stored in the app's sandboxed container on your Mac and is not transmitted anywhere.
If you enable browsing history, it is stored locally on your device only. You can clear your history at any time from Settings → Privacy → Clear Browsing Data.
Any bookmarks, pinned sites, or custom shortcuts you save are stored in the app's local container. This data stays on your Mac.
NotchBrowser includes an optional Smart URL Detection feature. When enabled, the app checks whether your clipboard contains a URL and offers to open it in the browser. This feature:
When disabled (the default), NotchBrowser never reads your clipboard.
NotchBrowser makes network requests only for these purposes:
The app itself does not make any network requests for analytics, crash reporting, telemetry, advertising, or license validation. There is no "phone home" functionality.
NotchBrowser is built on Apple's WebKit browser engine, the same engine that powers Safari. WebKit is maintained by Apple and handles all webpage rendering, JavaScript execution, and web storage. Apple's own privacy practices govern how WebKit operates at the system level. For more information, see Apple's Privacy Policy.
Because we use WebKit rather than a custom browser engine, NotchBrowser benefits from Apple's ongoing security updates, Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP), and other privacy-protective browser features that are baked into macOS.
NotchBrowser is a browser — it loads websites at your direction. The privacy practices of those websites are entirely outside our control. When you visit a website using NotchBrowser, that website may collect information about you according to its own privacy policy.
We are not responsible for the data practices of any third-party website you access through NotchBrowser. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of websites you visit.
NotchBrowser is distributed through the Mac App Store. Apple independently collects information about your device, purchase history, and App Store interactions as part of their platform. This data collection is governed by Apple's Privacy Policy, not ours.
Apple may also collect crash reports and basic usage information through their standard macOS crash reporting infrastructure, independent of our application. We do not receive or have access to this information.
If NotchBrowser offers in-app purchases or a premium tier, all transactions are processed entirely through Apple's in-app purchase system. We never see, handle, or store your payment information. Apple acts as the merchant of record and their privacy and payment policies apply to all transactions.
We may receive from Apple only a confirmation that a purchase was made (e.g., a receipt validation token) to unlock premium features. This confirmation is verified locally on your device and does not include your payment details.
Because all data is stored locally on your device, you are in complete control of it. To delete all NotchBrowser data:
We hold no data on our end, so there is nothing for us to delete on your behalf.
NotchBrowser is distributed as a notarized, sandboxed macOS application, meaning it is reviewed by Apple and operates within strict permission boundaries enforced by the operating system. The sandbox prevents the app from accessing system resources, other apps' data, or your files without explicit permission.
All web traffic rendered in the browser passes through macOS's secure networking stack. We recommend keeping macOS up to date to benefit from the latest security patches to the underlying WebKit engine and system libraries.
Since we store no data on servers, there is no central database of user data that could be breached.
NotchBrowser is a general-purpose web browser intended for users of all ages, but we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone, including children under the age of 13 (or the applicable age in your jurisdiction, such as 16 in the EU under GDPR).
Since the app collects no data whatsoever, it does not engage in any practices that would be prohibited under COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) or similar laws. If you are a parent or guardian and have concerns about your child's use of the app, note that all browsing data is stored locally on the device and can be cleared by you at any time.
NotchBrowser is available worldwide through the Mac App Store. The app operates entirely on your local device, meaning your data never crosses any borders — it stays on your Mac regardless of where you are located.
Because NotchBrowser does not collect, process, or store personal data on any server, we do not act as a data controller or data processor under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). There is no personal data for us to handle, and therefore the typical GDPR obligations (data subject rights, lawful basis for processing, data breach notifications, etc.) do not apply to our relationship with you.
NotchBrowser does not sell personal information and does not collect personal information in the first place. California residents have the right to know what personal information is collected, used, shared, or sold. The answer in our case: none.
We respect privacy laws worldwide. Because we collect no personal data, we are not aware of any jurisdiction whose privacy law would be implicated by our practices. If you have jurisdiction-specific questions, contact us.
Depending on your location, you may have certain privacy rights. Because NotchBrowser collects no personal data, most of these rights are satisfied by default:
If you have a privacy concern or request, contact us at contact@startupstartup.app and we will respond promptly.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time, for example if we add new features that involve data processing, or if applicable laws change. When we make changes:
We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or NotchBrowser's privacy practices, please contact us:
We aim to respond to all privacy inquiries within 5 business days.