The short version
How it works
1. Your documents stay on your computer
When you add files to a Brain, Elephas reads them, extracts the text, runs OCR on scans, and builds its search index on your computer. Your files are not uploaded to be indexed, in any mode. The extracted text, the index and your chats are stored in an encrypted database (SQLCipher). Its keys are kept in Keychain on Mac and Credential Manager on Windows. Elephas also keeps a copy of each file you add in its data folder on your computer.Where your data is stored
2. You choose where AI runs
In Settings › AI, under How Elephas answers:- Elephas AI (included with your plan). Your question and the matching passages go to the Elephas gateway, which forwards them to a model provider. The gateway does not store your prompts or answers.
- My own AI account. The same content goes straight from your computer to the provider you pay, with your own API key. Elephas is not involved.
- Local (on this computer). A model on your computer answers. In Local AI mode, your question and your documents are not sent to any AI provider.
What data is sent to AI
Use Elephas offline
3. Personal details are hidden before cloud AI
With cloud AI, Protect personal information when using cloud AI is on by default. Before anything is sent, Elephas finds many common personal details, such as names, organisations, email addresses, phone numbers, card and bank numbers, and replaces them with placeholders. The real words go back into the answer on your computer. If the protection can’t run, nothing is sent. It does not catch everything. A shield under each answer shows what was hidden, and you can add names that must always be hidden to a Brain’s Protected Names.Personal information protection
Review hidden details
4. Sync is end-to-end encrypted
Personal Sync (Professional plan, off by default) encrypts your Brains, documents and chats on your computer before they leave. Keys stay on your devices, and new devices are approved by comparing five words. The trade-off: there is no recovery if you lose every synced device.Sync encryption
5. Reports are anonymous and optional
Elephas can send anonymous usage and error reports, processed by PostHog in the EU. They never include your documents, questions, answers or file names. Turn them off in Settings › Privacy.Usage reports
6. You can delete your data
Your data lives on your computer, so you can delete it there. Account deletion is a separate request.Delete your data and account
What Elephas does not promise
Being clear about limits is part of being trustworthy:- Cloud AI is not end-to-end encrypted. The gateway and the model provider read your question and passages in order to answer.
- Personal information protection hides many common details, not all of them.
- Elephas holds no security or compliance certifications today. It does not make your use of AI compliant with a specific regulation on its own.
FAQ
Is Elephas private?
Is Elephas private?
Elephas gives you control over where your documents go. Indexing and storage always happen on your computer. What leaves your computer depends on the AI you choose, and in Local AI mode, no AI request leaves it. See What data is sent to AI.
Can Elephas staff read my documents?
Can Elephas staff read my documents?
Your documents are stored on your computer, not on Elephas servers. Synced data is end-to-end encrypted, and Elephas does not hold the keys. With Elephas AI, the gateway relays the passages needed for an answer without storing them.
Is this safe for client work?
Is this safe for client work?
For the most sensitive files, use Local AI, so the content of your questions and documents is not sent to any AI provider. For cloud AI, keep personal information protection on, add client names to Protected Names, and check the shield under answers.
Where can I read the privacy policy?
Where can I read the privacy policy?
See the Elephas privacy policy.