What stays on your Mac
Ostra stores workspace and app names, page addresses and titles, tab layouts, bookmarks, and browsing history locally. Browsing history is limited to 2,000 entries. Apple WebKit stores website cookies, caches, and local/offline data in the relevant account store.
Apps share their workspace account unless assigned a separate account. Moving tabs between panes or windows preserves that account. Changing an app’s account retains its previous website data rather than transferring its sign-ins.
Preferences and site permission choices are local. Workspace migration and recovery backups may retain older names and URLs. Protect access to your Mac and backups; local storage does not make a page address nonsensitive.
Control and deletion
Use the browsing library to remove bookmarks or clear browsing history. Website Data for This Account removes selected website records after confirmation and can sign you out or remove offline work. Shared-account apps are affected together. Open websites can recreate data.
Removing or archiving an app does not promise erasure of its retained website data. Restoring a workspace backup changes tab and workspace definitions; it does not copy or delete website account storage. Local deletion does not remove information from websites, exported files, or backups.
Private browsing
Private windows use a nonpersistent website store and are excluded from Ostra’s ordinary browsing history and developer API. Private downloads are visible during the current launch but are not saved in download history. Files you download remain wherever you save them.
Active downloads can keep a temporary private session alive after its window closes. Exporting or sharing a private page is an explicit action that can disclose its content to the destination you choose.
Private browsing does not hide your IP address or activity from websites or network services. It is not a VPN or a hosted relay.
Documents and authentication
Local documents use isolated temporary sessions restricted to the selected file. HTML documents can still contact remote services. System authentication browser requests use a separate store, or temporary storage when the requesting app asks for it; they do not borrow workspace cookies.
HTTP Basic/Digest credentials are supplied to WebKit for the current challenge without saving them to Ostra’s files or a credential vault. Ostra does not currently implement Apple Passwords AutoFill. Browser passkey access requires Apple’s entitlement and system permission.
The Open URL shortcut accepts a link you supply and follows workspace destination settings. Ostra does not index browsing history into Spotlight or sync it with iCloud.
Downloads and folder access
Ordinary download history, limited to 300 saved entries, includes filenames, source hosts, destination locations, and local permission bookmarks. When available, it also saves the source page and original workspace/app/account identity so you can revisit that page after an interruption. Source-page URLs reject embedded usernames and passwords but may contain sensitive query values and fragments.
WebKit recovery data for same-launch resumption stays in memory. Ostra does not persist it for automatic resumption after restart. Private and local-document downloads do not save a web source-account fallback. Clearing history does not delete downloaded or partial files.
Optional workspace download folders use permission bookmarks stored locally and excluded from layout exports. Private and local-document downloads ask for a destination. Locate… lets you reselect a completed file and renew access.
Websites and network traffic
Websites and their embedded resources communicate with their own services through WebKit. They receive network information and the data you submit according to their own behavior and policies. Search requests are sent to the search service you use.
Ostra does not provide a hosted relay, VPN, device-sync service, or automatic access to iCloud Private Relay. Account separation does not hide your IP address. Apple handles App Store distribution and its own diagnostics under Apple’s settings and policies.
Content blocking
The built-in blocking rules and imported WebKit JSON rules operate locally. Site exceptions apply to the domain and its subdomains across accounts. Blocking is not a guarantee that every unwanted resource will be stopped.
Optional HTTPS filter subscriptions fetch only when you choose Subscribe or Update now; there are no automatic background updates. The publisher receives the list request and ordinary network information such as your IP address. Ostra sends no workspace cookies or browsing history, uses no credential storage or cache for that request, and rejects redirects.
The downloaded rules, source URL, and last successful update time are saved locally. Removing a subscription removes those saved subscription rules and details; built-in and separately imported rules remain. Failed updates keep the last valid rules. Choose a publisher you trust: rules can block, hide, or change matching resource requests.
Permissions, page activity, and notifications
Camera and microphone permission choices are scoped to the exact website origin and account. Remembering a choice is optional. Revoking it affects future decisions; end an active call or close its page to stop capture. macOS permission controls also apply.
Ostra’s edited-field monitor reports whether a field was edited, not its content. Media controls interact with page video/audio elements. Optional activity monitoring reads numeric counts from page titles. Local notifications can display the app name and reported count according to macOS settings; Ostra has no hosted web-push service.
Screen Time uses Apple’s system integration. On older supported macOS versions, Ostra suppresses its usage reporting for private, hidden, or inactive pages.
Sleeping tabs and temporary state
During the current launch, Ostra can retain WebKit’s opaque interaction state for sleeping regular tabs in memory: up to 16 entries, with a 15-minute eligibility window and periodic expiry cleanup. WebKit may include history, scroll position, or form data in this object.
Pages with detected edits, loading pages, private sessions, local files, and URLs with embedded credentials are excluded. Ostra does not inspect this opaque object or guarantee that it contains no form data. Restoration requires the same account container.
This cache is never written to disk or included in exports. It is consumed on restoration or cleared when discarded or when Ostra quits. It does not guarantee restored scroll positions, forms, or complete session recovery after restart.
Optional local developer access
The developer server is off on every launch and listens only on this Mac’s loopback address. It requires a fresh in-memory access token. Trusted local programs with that token can read ordinary workspace/tab metadata and use documented controls. Private windows and local documents are excluded.
API snapshot URLs omit credentials, query strings, and fragments. The API does not expose cookies, passwords, or arbitrary page content. Console forwarding is a separate opt-in and can contain website information; it sends bounded top-level messages to connected local clients and an in-memory table.
Stopping the server invalidates the token and clears its event history. Connected software can retain information it already received. Ostra does not automatically send console logs to P.Industries or an AI provider.
Exports, diagnostics, and support
Workspace exports contain names and URLs but not cookies, passwords, authenticated session storage, or download folder permissions. Imports create fresh account identities. Review exported URLs before sharing them.
Diagnostics export is your choice and saves a local file with versions, feature settings, and counts. It excludes page URLs and titles, cookies, account names and identifiers, and notification contents. Ostra has no automatic telemetry or crash-upload service; this does not cover diagnostics collected independently by Apple or websites.
If you email support, P.Industries receives your email address and information you choose to send. Share only what is needed and omit passwords, cookies, tokens, and private keys. No browsing data is attached automatically.
Contact
For support, privacy questions, or help managing information you have sent to P.Industries, email [email protected].
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