App lock and screen privacy
Two complementary settings for keeping session content off prying eyes.
App Lock
When App Lock is on, Confidant requires biometrics (Touch ID, Face ID) or your system password whenever:
- The app launches
- Your screen wakes from sleep with Confidant in the foreground
Your encrypted database is already protected at rest, but App Lock adds a second layer: if someone walks up to your unlocked Mac and clicks Confidant in the dock, they're stopped at a Touch ID prompt instead of seeing your patient list.
To enable
- Open Settings → Privacy & Security
- Toggle Lock on launch and screen sleep under App Lock
That's it — no setup, no password to remember. Confidant uses your OS-level biometrics or system password.
Caveats
- App Lock is currently macOS-only. Windows support is coming.
- If you don't have biometrics enrolled, you'll be prompted for your system password instead.
- App Lock isn't a substitute for locking your screen when you walk away. Lock your screen.
Screen Privacy (Privacy Mode)
Privacy Mode hides patient names by replacing them with initials throughout the app — sidebar, patient detail headers, session lists. Useful when:
- Sharing your screen on a video call
- Working in a public space where someone might glance over
- Demoing the app
To enable
Three ways:
- Click the eye icon in the sidebar header (next to + New)
- Press ⌘⇧P
- Toggle Privacy mode in Settings → Privacy & Security
The setting persists between launches, so you can leave it on if you regularly screen share.
What changes
- Patient names → initials (e.g. "Jason Fried" → "JF")
- Session list still shows session metadata, just without the name attached
Patient detail content (notes, transcripts) is not blurred — Privacy Mode is about quick visual scans, not full data hiding. If you need to hide everything on the screen, lock your screen.