Porthole doesn't collect your data.

What we collect

Nothing. Porthole has no accounts, no analytics, no advertising and no crash reporting service, and TRD Ventures LLC receives no information from the app. We don’t run servers that your data could pass through.

Your Mac’s screen

Porthole connects straight from your iPhone or iPad to the Mac or SSH server you add, over your own network, your own VPN (such as WireGuard or Tailscale), or an SSH tunnel you set up. There is no cloud relay. Your screen, keystrokes, clipboard and files travel only between your device and your Mac, and never reach us.

Passwords and SSH keys

By default, Porthole asks for your Mac password each time you connect and keeps it in memory only for that session.

If you turn on Remember Password, it’s stored in the Keychain on this device only, and so are any SSH keys you add. They aren’t backed up to iCloud and aren’t synced to your other devices.

Type a Password in Send to Mac types a password you enter, or fill from your password app, into your Mac as key presses. Porthole doesn’t keep it, and it never goes on the clipboard.

Saved Macs

The names, addresses and connection settings of Macs you add, and a small picture of each Mac’s screen from your last session, are stored on your device. The picture is encrypted while your device is locked and is left out of backups.

From Porthole 1.1, Sync Macs with iCloud also keeps the names, addresses and connection settings of your Macs in your own iCloud account, so they appear on your other iPhone or iPad signed in to it. Apple stores them for you; we can’t see them. Passwords, SSH keys and the screen pictures never sync. Sync is on unless you turn it off in Porthole’s settings.

To delete everything, remove your Macs in Porthole before you delete the app. Removing a Mac also deletes its saved password and SSH key, and with sync on, removes it from iCloud and your other devices. If you delete the app first, iOS keeps saved passwords and SSH keys on your device; from Porthole 1.2.1, they’re removed the next time you install and open Porthole. We hold no copy, so there’s nothing to ask us to delete.

Files

When you download a file from your Mac, it goes to a protected temporary folder on your device until you share or save it, and it’s deleted when you close Files.

Finding nearby Macs

Show Nearby Macs uses Bonjour to find Macs with Screen Sharing turned on. This happens on your local network only, and nothing is sent beyond it. You can turn it off in Porthole’s settings.

iOS asks you to allow Local Network access so Porthole can find and connect to Macs on your network.

Face ID and Touch ID

Once you’ve saved a Mac, App Lock asks for Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode whenever Porthole opens. You can turn it off in Porthole’s settings.

iOS handles the check entirely. Porthole only learns whether unlocking succeeded, never anything about your face or fingerprint.

Siri, Shortcuts and widgets

Siri, Shortcuts, Spotlight, widgets and the Control Center control see only your Macs’ names and addresses, on your device, so they can offer them. They never see passwords, and they only open Porthole, which asks you to unlock it first while App Lock is on.

Send Feedback

Send Feedback in Porthole’s settings opens an email to us in your own email app, with the app version, iOS version and device model filled in so we can help. Nothing is sent unless you send it, and we use what you send only to reply.

Purchases

Porthole is free to download and to try for 7 days. Starting the free trial and unlocking Porthole are App Store purchases: Apple handles payment, and Porthole checks your purchases on your device. We don’t receive your payment details or anything else about your purchases.

Children

Porthole isn’t directed at children under 13. We don’t knowingly collect information from anyone, children or adults, because the app collects no information at all.

Changes

If this policy ever changes, we’ll update this page and the date at the top. If a change ever involves data leaving your device, we’ll say so plainly.

Questions

Porthole is made by TRD Ventures LLC. For anything about privacy, email privacy@trdventures.net.