Dictate / Guides / Check if an app sends data
How to check if an app sends your data
To check if an app sends data, turn the network off to see whether it still works, then run a firewall such as LuLu or Little Snitch to see every server it contacts. Each test answers a different question.
The 30-second test: turn the network off
- Turn off Wi-Fi. Click Wi-Fi in the menu bar and turn it off. Unplug Ethernet too.
- Use the feature. Dictate a sentence, transcribe a file, or do whatever the app claims to do locally.
- Read the result. If it works, the processing happened on your Mac. If it fails or waits, it needs a server for that feature.
See how much an app sends: Activity Monitor
- Open the Network tab. Open Activity Monitor from Applications > Utilities and click Network.
- Sort by Sent Bytes. Each process has running totals of bytes sent and received. Use the app, then see whether its Sent Bytes jumped.
See where it connects: a network firewall
- Install a monitor. LuLu is a free, open-source firewall from Objective-See. Little Snitch from Objective Development is paid, with a demo mode that runs for three hours at a time and can be restarted.
- Use the app normally. Each new outgoing connection triggers an alert naming the app and the server it wants to reach. Allow or deny it.
- Compare with the privacy page. Write down every server the app contacted and when. Each one should match a connection the developer lists; anything during the core feature is a red flag.
What each test can and can't tell you
| Test | Proves | Misses |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi off | The feature works without a server | Uploads queued for later; anything sent before or after |
| Activity Monitor | How much each process sent | Where it went, and what it was |
| LuLu or Little Snitch | Every server each app contacts, and when | What the encrypted traffic contained |
Watch for helper processes. Some apps make their connections from a separately named background process, so look for unfamiliar names that appear only while the app is open.
Local history is not local processing
Two claims sound alike and mean different things. Local history means your past transcripts are stored on your Mac. Local processing means the audio is turned into text on your Mac. An app can keep its history locally and still upload every recording to transcribe it. When a privacy page says your data "stays on your device", check which of the two it means. The Wi-Fi-off test settles it: local processing keeps working, local history alone doesn't. What on-device dictation means goes further.
Built-in features count too. Apple Dictation is processed on your Mac only for languages with an on-device model; our Apple Dictation explainer shows how to tell.
A worked example
We publish Dictate's connections so they can be checked this way. The privacy page lists every one: a single speech model download on first launch and a daily update check. Run it under LuLu or Little Snitch and dictate; you should see no connection at all while you speak. If you see anything else, tell us at support@offlinedictation.app.
Microphone access is a separate question from network access. System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone shows which apps may use it, and the recording indicator in Control Center shows when the microphone is in use or was used recently.
Questions
How do I check if an app sends data on my Mac?
Run a network firewall such as LuLu or Little Snitch, which alerts you to each outgoing connection and names the server. For a quick first check, turn Wi-Fi off and see whether the feature still works.
Does turning off Wi-Fi prove an app is private?
No; it proves the feature can work without a connection. An app could still upload later, once you are back online. A firewall that logs every connection is what shows whether it does.
Can Activity Monitor show which servers an app connects to?
No. Its Network tab shows how many bytes and packets each process sent and received, not where they went. Use LuLu or Little Snitch to see destinations.
How do I check a dictation app with Little Snitch?
Leave Little Snitch's alerts on, then dictate several times. An on-device dictation app should make no connection while you speak; at most you'll see a model download and an update check. Dictate's privacy page lists exactly which connections to expect.