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. 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.

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.

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 size limit 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. Exact target file size applies to video only.

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. If a watch folder lives inside iCloud Drive or Dropbox, output may sync automatically. That is your sync client, not GetCompress uploading media.

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.

When Preview alone is enough

Preview or QuickTime can finish a single local export when you do not need batches, presets, or automation.

GetCompress fits the same local-only trust model with batch queues, mixed formats, reusable presets, folder monitoring, and MCP or the local HTTP server when scripts should call those presets. Download from getcompress.com , drag files in, choose output format and quality, and export to a folder you pick. Your files stay on your Mac during processing.