What Work-mode can & can't see

Work-mode changes settings on your computer so it feels like a "work" or a "personal" machine. To do that it reads and writes a specific, small set ofsettings — never your content. Here is the whole picture.

What it reads and changes (settings only)

Depending on which features you turn on, Work-mode reads the current value of a setting (so it can restore it later) and sets it for the active mode:

• Desktop wallpaper and system light/dark theme.
• Pinned apps (taskbar / Dock) and quick-access folders (File Explorer / Finder sidebar).
• Which apps launch or minimise on a switch (by app name — it never reads inside them).
• Which browser profile opens (it launches the profile; it does not read your tabs, history, or passwords).
• Notification settings for apps you choose to quieten.
• Default printer, VPN connection, and system proxy (Windows).
• The locations of Desktop / Documents / Downloads, and a hosts-file entry for the optional distraction blocker.

Before changing any of these, Work-mode snapshots the previous value so switching back — or uninstalling — restores it.

What it never reads or collects

• Your files — names or contents.
• Your browsing history or the URLs you visit.
• Your location.
• Your keystrokes or screen contents.
• The list of applications you have installed.
• Any usage analytics about how you work.

Work-mode is a behavioural nudge, not surveillance and not a security tool.

What leaves your device

• Free / unmanaged: nothing — except a software-update check when you ask for one.
• Managed by an organisation: your administrator distributes a signed configuration to the app. The app reports only coarse, non-personal status (an opaque device ID, app version, seat status) so the organisation can see licences are in use.
• With the optional Assurance layer on: device-healthbooleans (e.g. "disk encryption on") under an opaque ID that is never derived from your identity. Your organisation — not Work-mode — holds the map from that ID to a person.

Full detail is in our Privacy Policy.