How long we keep your recordings
What Scribewren keeps and for how long: original files, playback copies, transcripts, who handles speech-to-text, and what our logs never contain.
Filed under
On this page
Uploading a recording means trusting someone with it. This post sets out, in one place, what we keep, for how long, and who else touches the audio. The Privacy Policy is the authoritative text. If this post and the policy ever differ, the policy wins.
Original files
The file you upload is the original. We delete it within 24 hours after a job reaches a terminal state, meaning it has succeeded, failed or been canceled. We keep the original only as long as processing needs it.
Playback copies
To let you listen while you edit, we keep a separate playback copy. It stays for 7 days on the Free plan and 90 days on the Unlimited plan. When that period ends, the audio is gone. Your transcript is not affected.
Transcripts
Transcripts are kept until you delete them. There is no timer on them. They are yours, so removing them is your decision.
Why the periods differ
Each item has a different job, so each has a different lifetime. The original exists only so we can process it, which is why it goes within a day. The playback copy exists so you can check the text against the sound, which is why it lasts days or months instead. The transcript is the work product you came for, so it stays until you say otherwise. Keeping every file for the shortest period that still does its job is the whole idea.
Training
Your recordings and transcripts are never used for training.
Who handles the audio
Speech-to-text is done by xAI, under a Zero Data Retention arrangement. xAI is named, with the other companies that handle data for us, on the subprocessors page. We keep that page current so you can see who is involved.
What our logs contain
We do not write transcript text to our logs or to our error reports. When something breaks, we see that an error happened, not what was said in your recording.
At a glance
| What | How long |
|---|---|
| Original upload | Deleted within 24 hours after a job reaches a terminal state |
| Playback copy, Free plan | 7 days |
| Playback copy, Unlimited plan | 90 days |
| Transcript | Until you delete it |
| Use for training | Never |
Questions
If something here is unclear, or you need a detail we have not covered, ask through the contact page. We would rather answer a question than leave you guessing about your own recordings.
