Overview
StepWise is a Chrome extension that captures step-by-step screenshots and workflow documentation. We are committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what data we collect, how it's used, and how it's stored.
Data We Collect
Screenshots & Click Data
When you start a recording session, StepWise captures:
- Screenshots of the visible browser tab
- Click positions, element metadata (tag name, text content, CSS selectors)
- Page URL and title of the active tab
This data is captured only while you are actively recording (after clicking "Start Recording") and is stored locally on your device. StepWise never captures data in the background.
Voice Recordings (Optional)
If you enable voice narration, StepWise requests microphone access to record your voice descriptions. Audio is:
- Sent directly to OpenAI's Whisper API for transcription
- Never stored on our servers
- Processed only when you explicitly enable voice narration
API Keys
StepWise stores two optional API keys locally on your device:
- OpenAI API Key — Your own key, encrypted locally using XOR cipher and stored in Chrome's local storage. Sent only to OpenAI's official API endpoints for transcription and text-to-speech features.
- StepWise Publishing Key — Provided by your administrator. Sent to our publishing server to authenticate guide publishing, video saving, and account features.
How Data Is Used
- Screenshots & steps — Used to generate your documentation. Stored locally until you export or publish.
- Published guides — When you click "Publish", your guide HTML is sent to our server and hosted at a permanent URL you control.
- Video generation — Step data may be sent to our video generation service to create MP4 walkthroughs. Videos are stored on secure cloud storage.
- Brand settings — Company name, logo, and colors are stored locally and included in exported guides.
Data Storage
- Local storage — All step data, screenshots, settings, and API keys are stored in Chrome's local storage on your device only.
- Server storage — Published guides and saved video links are stored on our server at app.heychatmate.com.
- No third-party analytics — We do not use Google Analytics, tracking pixels, or any third-party analytics services.
Third-Party Services
StepWise integrates with the following third-party services only when you explicitly use those features:
- OpenAI API (api.openai.com) — For voice transcription (Whisper) and text-to-speech. Uses your own API key. Subject to OpenAI's Privacy Policy.
Permissions Explained
- activeTab — Capture screenshots of the current tab during recording.
- tabs — Access tab information to inject the recording script and capture page URLs.
- storage / unlimitedStorage — Store step data, screenshots, and settings locally.
- scripting — Inject the click-capture script into pages during recording.
- Host permissions (all URLs) — Required because workflow recording must work on any website you visit.
Data Sharing
We do not sell, share, or transfer your data to any third parties. Your data is only sent to:
- Our publishing server (when you click Publish)
- OpenAI's API (when you use voice or AI features, using your own API key)
Data Deletion
You can delete all locally stored data at any time by:
- Clicking "Clear" in the extension popup to remove recorded steps
- Using "Log Out" to remove your API keys and account data
- Uninstalling the extension (removes all local data)
To delete published guides, use the "Manage" button on your guides index page.
Contact
For privacy questions or data deletion requests, contact us at: engrmoshbari@gmail.com
Last updated: February 14, 2026