Privacy in Helios

Diagnostics are optional

Automatic diagnostic reports are disabled by default and require explicit opt-in. A manual one-shot report can still be prepared while automatic diagnostics remain disabled. Before sending, Helios shows a preview of the report and transmits it only after a separate Send confirmation.

Update checks

After Welcome Setup is complete, Helios may automatically check GitHub Releases for new versions at most once every 24 hours. A manual Check for Updates can be run independently. Update checks are separate from diagnostics and do not require diagnostics consent. Helios does not add diagnostic data or a stable installation or device ID to these requests. GitHub and its network infrastructure may technically process ordinary network metadata such as the IP address while carrying the HTTPS request.

What a report may contain

A report may contain technical information required to diagnose Helios and Mac hardware compatibility.

• Helios version and build
• macOS version and build
• Mac model identifier and Apple Silicon family when available
• memory size represented only as a bucket, not an exact value
• fan count and whether a battery is present
• telemetry provider states and failure categories
• privileged helper state and broad runtime stability information
• for compatibility reports (manual, or weekly if you turn that on), limited technical metadata about detected hardware
• only if you turn on fan-control statistics: how the fan layer behaved, as ranges (see How diagnostics work)

What Helios does not send

The diagnostics schema is closed and the server rejects unknown or prohibited properties.

• name, email address, Apple ID or user account identity
• hostname or computer name
• serial number or hardware UUID
• MAC address, IP address, SSID, BSSID, router, gateway or DNS configuration
• file paths or file names
• process names, application names, bundle IDs or window titles
• environment variables, shell history, clipboard or browser history
• a stable installation, client or device identifier

No persistent identifier

Helios does not create or send a permanent installation ID, device ID or stable fingerprint intended to link reports from the same device.

Data retention

Raw diagnostic reports are retained for no more than 30 days. The server creates a random report ID for internal database use only; that ID is never returned to the client.

IP addresses and infrastructure

The Helios application backend does not store the request IP address or HTTP-header identity in the diagnostics database and intentionally avoids application-level logging of diagnostic requests. Hosting or CDN infrastructure may still technically process the IP address while transporting the request.

Contact

Questions about privacy or diagnostics can be sent to helios@snejda.cz.