Privacy & Analytics
3dSynth uses lightweight, privacy-respecting analytics on the web version so we can see which features people use and fix the ones that break. The desktop app does not track anything at all. This page lists exactly what's tracked, how to opt in or out, and where the settings live.
What 3dSynth collects
Plausible — page views and custom events (always on, web only)
Page views- Anonymous visit counts per page, referrer, country, and device class. No cookies, no personal identifiers. Cookie-free and GDPR-safe by design.
Custom events- Named events that tell us which features are used. Full list:
StartDesign,ExportGcode,ExportMesh,SaveProject,LoadProject,LoadLibraryShape,OpenLibrary,OpenDocs,OpenTutorials,OpenPremiumModal,ActivateLicense,AddEffect,ChangeShadeMode,OpenThemeEditor,OpenLicense,ToggleInspector,OpenPrinterSettings. What we do NOT send- Your designs, profile points, G-code, file names, license keys, emails, IP addresses, or any content you create. Plausible only sees the event name and optional non-identifying properties.
Microsoft Clarity — session replay (opt-in only, web only)
What it records- Anonymous click, scroll, and interaction heatmaps plus session replays of UI navigation. We use it to debug UX problems (e.g. “why does this button feel hidden?”).
Consent required- Clarity only loads if you tick “Help improve 3dSynth with anonymous usage analytics” in the startup dialog. No consent = no Clarity script is ever fetched.
Where it's stored- Your consent choice lives in
localStorageunder3dsynth_clarity_consent. Clearing this key resets your choice; the startup dialog will re-ask next time.
Desktop app — no tracking
The desktop build (Electron, see Desktop App) disables all analytics: Plausible is not loaded, Clarity never runs, and no custom events fire. The code guard checks navigator.userAgent for Electron and bails out early.
Opting in or out
Startup dialog
The first time you launch 3dSynth in a browser, the Welcome dialog shows a checkbox:
Help improve 3dSynth with anonymous usage analytics (Privacy Policy)
- Leave it unchecked → only Plausible's cookie-free page/event counts are sent; no Clarity.
- Tick it → Clarity is loaded and your session becomes eligible for anonymous replay.
Changing your mind later
- Browse to the site with Don't show again disabled, or clear the
3dsynth_welcome_dismissedflag inlocalStorage, and the startup dialog comes back. - To revoke Clarity without re-opening the dialog, set
localStorage.setItem('3dsynth_clarity_consent', 'false')in the browser dev tools. Reload — Clarity stops loading.
Data storage summary
| Where | What | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Plausible (EU-hosted) | Page views, custom event names | Aggregated usage stats |
| Microsoft Clarity | Anonymous heatmaps + replay (opt-in only) | UX debugging |
localStorage (your browser) | 3dsynth_clarity_consent, 3dsynth_welcome_dismissed, your designs and presets | App state |
localStorage (web license) | 3dsynth_license_* keys | Offline license check — see Activating your license |
Nothing you design — profile points, G-code, effects, SynthBlocks graphs, node sculptor graphs — is ever sent to our servers. Everything is stored locally in your browser or (on desktop) as files on your disk.
Related
- Privacy Policy — the full legal version.
- Desktop App — tracking-free option.
- Activating your license — what we store for Premium.
- Feedback & bug reports — if you'd rather just tell us what broke.