No data transmission. No compliance gap.
Cloud dictation tools create compliance risk because your data leaves your device. Yaps processes everything on-device. There is no data to regulate because there is no data transmission. The simplest path to compliance is to never transmit the data in the first place.
Audio transmitted
Text transmitted
On-device processing
Third-party servers
Compliance by architecture
When no data is transmitted, compliance frameworks are satisfied by design.
No PHI transmitted
No third-party processing
Data minimization by design
Student data stays local
Air-gap capable
No data crosses network
Verifying data transmission status...
Cloud dictation vs on-device processing
The architecture difference that eliminates compliance risk entirely.
CLOUD DICTATION
4 hops -- ~200ms latency -- data exposed
YAPS (ON-DEVICE)
1 hop -- ~12ms latency -- fully private
Cloud dictation creates compliance risk
On-device processing eliminates the risk
Compliance by architecture
These are not features bolted on after the fact. This is how Yaps was built from day one.
Air-Gap Capable
Yaps requires no internet connection for dictation, text-to-speech, or voice notes. It operates identically in air-gapped environments, SCIFs, clean rooms, and facilities with no network access. Disconnect completely and keep working.
No BAA or DPA Required
Business Associate Agreements and Data Processing Agreements exist because data is shared with third parties. Yaps never shares data with anyone. There is no third-party processor — so there is no agreement to negotiate.
Data Minimization by Design
GDPR Article 5(1)(c) requires data minimization. Yaps achieves this architecturally: no audio is uploaded, no text is transmitted, no usage data is collected. The minimum amount of data shared externally is zero — and that is what Yaps shares.
Audit-Ready Architecture
When an auditor asks where voice data is processed and stored, the answer is simple: on the user's Mac, and nowhere else. No server logs to produce, no data flows to map, no sub-processors to list. The audit trail starts and ends on-device.
Fully Offline Operation
Dictation, text-to-speech with 8 offline voices, and voice notes all work without an internet connection. Export recordings as WAV and transcripts as SRT — entirely on-device. Cloud voices and voice commands do require connectivity.
Institutional Deployment Ready
Yaps runs on macOS 13.0+ and requires no cloud account, no server infrastructure, and no network configuration for core features. Deploy to a fleet of Macs without opening a single firewall port for dictation traffic.
Cloud dictation vs. on-device
When compliance matters, architecture matters.
| Feature | Yaps | Cloud Dictation |
|---|---|---|
| Audio leaves your device | Never | Always |
| Text leaves your device | Never | Always |
| Works in air-gapped environments | Yes | No |
| Requires BAA / DPA for compliance | No | Yes |
| Third-party sub-processors | None | Multiple |
| Data minimization (GDPR Art. 5) | By architecture | By policy |
| Offline dictation | Yes | No |
| Data residency concerns | None — data stays on-device | Server location dependent |
Yaps eliminates the compliance surface area entirely. When no data is transmitted, there is no data to regulate, no breach to disclose, and no processor to audit.
Built for every regulated sector
Six industries where on-device dictation is not a nice-to-have — it is a requirement.
Healthcare (HIPAA)
Dictate clinical notes, patient observations, and referral letters without transmitting protected health information to any server. Yaps processes everything on-device, so PHI never enters a third-party system. No BAA required because there is no business associate.
A physician dictates post-visit notes directly into their EHR. The audio is processed locally — no PHI leaves the Mac.
”Legal (Privilege)
Draft briefs, case notes, and client communications by voice without risking attorney-client privilege. Cloud dictation routes privileged text through external servers — Yaps does not. Litigation hold requirements are simplified when dictation data stays on one device.
A litigator dictates case strategy notes on a flight. Nothing is transmitted — privilege is never exposed to a third party.
”Financial Services (SOX / GLBA / PCI-DSS)
Dictate trading notes, compliance reports, and client advisories without sending material non-public information through external servers. SOX and GLBA require strict data controls. On-device processing means no data crosses a network boundary.
A compliance officer dictates a regulatory filing in an office with restricted internet access. Yaps works without a connection.
”Government / Defense (FISMA / CMMC)
Yaps works fully offline — making it suitable for classified environments, SCIFs, and facilities operating at CMMC Level 2+. No internet connection is required for dictation, voice notes, or text-to-speech. No data exfiltration vector exists because no data leaves the device.
An intelligence analyst dictates a briefing summary in a SCIF. The Mac is air-gapped. Yaps works identically.
”Pharmaceutical (GxP / FDA)
Clinical trial data, adverse event reports, and FDA submission drafts require strict chain of custody. Yaps keeps all dictated content on the device where it was created. No cloud intermediary touches the data, preserving the integrity of GxP-regulated records.
A clinical researcher dictates adverse event observations in a clean room with no network access. Yaps processes it locally.
”Education (FERPA)
Student records, IEP notes, and counselor observations are protected under FERPA. Cloud dictation tools transmit this data to external servers. Yaps processes everything on-device, keeping student information exactly where FERPA says it should stay — under institutional control.
A school counselor dictates session notes about a student. The text stays on their Mac — never sent to an outside service.
”Hear from people like you.
“We evaluated nine dictation tools for our hospital system. Every cloud-based option required a BAA, a security review, and months of procurement. Yaps required none of that — because no patient data ever leaves the clinician's Mac. Our compliance team approved it in a single meeting.”
Rachel Torres
Chief Information Security Officer, Regional Health System
More on privacy and compliance
The safest data is data that never leaves your device.
Zero transmission. Zero third parties. Zero compliance gaps.
Requires macOS 13.0+ (Apple Silicon recommended)