Fast Finder
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  1. Fast Finder
  2. Privacy

Privacy

What Fast Finder sends, and what it never sends.

Your files, names, paths and search words never leave your computer. Anonymous usage counts can be turned off with one switch. Crash reports are sent only when you press Send.

Never sent

Fast Finder never sends your files, the contents of any file, file names, folder names, paths, search words, machine names or account names. The search index stays on your computer, in a folder that only your user can open. The search helper opens no network connection.

You need no account for anything on your own computer.

Anonymous usage counts

When the setting "Help us make Fast better" is on, Fast Finder can send:

  1. That it was installed, and that it started (once a day at most).
  2. Your system version, chip, language and the app version.
  3. Whether it finds other machines on Tailscale, and how many, as a range.
  4. That the Talk2me button was clicked, and whether an install followed. Talk2me is a separate app; the button is in the status bar.
  5. How often you used a few basic features, such as search, two panes or a new tab. A range, never the content.
  6. A random install number. It names the install, not you. Turning the setting off and on again makes a new one.

The server sees the address of your connection when a message arrives. It keeps the country and does not keep the address.

Today nothing is sent. In Mac build 5420 and the Windows beta 0.1.0, the server that would receive usage counts and crash reports is not set up. Usage counts wait in a small queue on your computer for 7 days at most. A crash report that you choose to send is deleted instead.

The setting starts off and asks first in the EU and EEA, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Quebec. Elsewhere it starts on. The first launch shows the Privacy page either way.

Turn it off

Use the first switch on the Privacy page, under the gear at the top right. Fast Finder then sends one last message that says it was turned off, asks the server to forget this install, and sends nothing after that. Setting DO_NOT_TRACK=1 in the environment also turns it off.

Crash reports

If Fast Finder stops because of a fault, it saves a report on your computer. At the next start it shows you the report and asks. It sends nothing unless you press Send. Your home folder in the report is replaced by ~.

Other connections the app can open

  • Tailscale. Browsing your other machines stays inside your own tailnet. Security model.
  • Connect to server. Only to the address you type.
  • The Talk2me button. After you click and confirm, it downloads Talk2me from talk-2.dev, and checks its signature.
  • Links. A link you click in a preview opens in your browser.

Fast Finder does not check for updates. To update, come back to the download page and download the newest build.

What this website counts

This site uses no cookies, no third-party scripts, no third-party fonts and no ad or analytics services. Our own server counts:

  • Page views per page and per day, with the country, the site you came from, and whether the device is a desktop or a phone.
  • Downloads per day, system and version.
  • Clicks on download buttons: which button, on which page.

To estimate visitors per day, the server makes a one-way code from your connection address and browser, with a key that changes every day. Codes from earlier days are deleted. Your IP address is not stored. Bots and crawlers are counted apart from people.