How GetCompress Stays Private and Secure

Security forms ask: “Where does the file go?” For GetCompress the short answer is: it stays on your Mac while it is compressed. There is no step where your PDF, photo, or MOV uploads to our servers for encoding.

That answer matters for NDAs, healthcare-adjacent workflows, and unreleased product media. You can describe the flow in one sentence: input folder on disk, encode locally, output folder you choose.

Where files go during compression

1. You pick files from your disk.
2. GetCompress encodes on your Mac using the local engine.
3. You pick where to save the result.

We do not operate an “upload your file and we compress it in our cloud” product. MCP and the embedded local HTTP automation server call the same on-Mac engine. The model or script sends instructions and paths; the bytes stay on your machine during encode.

Stage	Location of your file
Input	Folder you selected
Processing	In memory and temp files on your Mac
Output	Destination folder you choose

If you work offline with an active license, compression itself does not require a network connection.

Temp files during encode live on the same volume you chose for output unless you redirect them. Empty Trash on shared Macs if temp folders accumulate during large video batches.

What may use the internet

Separate from compressing:

• Software updates (if you turn them on)
• License checks for the paid app

Details are in our Privacy Policy . You can compress with the app installed while offline if your license is already active. Those calls do not include your media files.

Update and license traffic is distinct from the compress workflow. Security reviewers can allow offline compress while still requiring periodic patch installs through your normal IT channel.

Clipboard compress and quick dropzone features also run locally. They use the same engine as drag-and-drop; nothing in those flows uploads media for encoding.

Metadata and local processing

Photos may include EXIF location and camera tags. PDF files can embed author names. Video MP4 and MOV files may carry creation dates and device info. GetCompress reads that metadata as part of normal file handling on your Mac.

Because files never upload to a third-party compressor site, you avoid the extra server logs and retention policies that come with browser tools. Review output before share if you need to strip sensitive metadata manually. The online compressor safety guide contrasts local apps with upload services for the same reason.

When email caps force smaller files, compress locally first. The email attachment size limits guide lists typical provider caps so you can hit a target size without opening a browser upload form.

Compared to Preview and upload sites

	Online compressor	Preview / QuickTime	GetCompress
Upload your media	Yes	No	No
Batch many files	Sometimes	Manual	Built for it
Mixed types in one queue	Rare	One app per type	Yes
Folder monitoring	No	No	Yes

Preview is fine for one PDF. GetCompress helps when you also need to batch PDF, images, and video in one queue without switching apps.

Online compressors sometimes add watermarks on free tiers or limit batch size until you pay. Local tools avoid that surprise billing path, but you still choose quality settings yourself. Preview and QuickTime offer fewer knobs; GetCompress exposes presets, target file size on video, and folder monitoring when those knobs matter weekly.

Folder monitoring for automatic jobs

Turn on folder monitoring in GetCompress settings when the same export directory fills up on a schedule. Pick a watch folder, attach a saved preset, and new JPEG, MP4, or PDF files compress when they appear.

Use case	Watch folder	Preset example
Design exports	~/Exports/web	JPEG max 1920 px
Screen recordings	~/Movies/Captures	MP4 1080p
Scan inbox	~/Documents/Scans	PDF image compression

Files still never leave your Mac. Monitoring only automates the same local encode you would run manually. Pair it with MCP when you want an AI assistant to trigger the same preset on demand.

If a watch folder lives inside iCloud Drive or Dropbox, output may sync automatically. That is your sync client, not GetCompress uploading media. Point watch folders at local project paths when policies require it.

What we do not claim

We are not a HIPAA compliance package or legal advice. We do not stop you from syncing output to iCloud or Dropbox if you turn that on yourself. We do not replace Lightroom for RAW editing. GetCompress focuses on compress, convert, and batch workflows on your Mac.

Using GetCompress

Download from getcompress.com , then:

• Drag files in, choose output format and quality, export to a folder you pick.
• Save presets for repeat jobs: max width on photos, compression level on PDF, target file size on video.
• Queue mixed PNG, MP4, and PDF in one window instead of three separate apps.
• Enable folder monitoring when a shared export path gets new files every week.
• Use MCP or the local HTTP server when scripts or AI tools should call the same presets you use in the UI.

Your files stay on your Mac during processing, the same as Preview or QuickTime, with batch, mixed formats, and automation in one app.