> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.bowerlabs.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Cookies

> What cookies Bower uses, why, and how to control them.

Bower uses a small number of cookies and browser storage items to keep you signed in, remember your preferences, and understand how the product is used.

## Cookie consent

When you first visit Bower, you'll see a consent banner at the bottom of the screen. You can choose:

* **Accept all** — enables analytics cookies alongside essential ones.
* **Essential only** — only the cookies Bower needs to function. No analytics or tracking.

You can change your preference at any time from **Settings > Privacy**.

## Cookie categories

### Essential (always active)

These cookies are required for Bower to work. They cannot be disabled.

| Cookie / Storage                      | Purpose                                                         | Duration                          |
| ------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| Firebase Auth token                   | Keeps you signed in and verifies your identity on every request | Session (refreshed automatically) |
| `workspaceId` (localStorage)          | Remembers which workspace you last used                         | Persistent                        |
| `bower_cookie_consent` (localStorage) | Stores your cookie preference                                   | Persistent                        |
| `chakra-ui-color-mode` (localStorage) | Remembers your light/dark theme choice                          | Persistent                        |
| `ui-store` (localStorage)             | Sidebar state and UI preferences                                | Persistent                        |

### Analytics (requires consent)

These cookies help us understand how Bower is used so we can improve it. They are **only activated after you click "Accept all"** in the consent banner.

| Cookie / Storage | Purpose                                        | Provider                               | Duration         |
| ---------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------- | ---------------- |
| PostHog cookies  | Product analytics, session recording, heatmaps | [PostHog](https://posthog.com/privacy) | Session / 1 year |

**What we track:** page views, feature usage (which tools you use and how often), UI interactions, and error rates. We use this to prioritise improvements and fix bugs.

**What we never track:** the content of your notes, voice recordings, file contents, or any research data. Analytics events contain only action names and metadata (e.g., "Note Created", "Search Performed"), never the data itself.

### Functional (requires consent)

These cookies support optional product functionality.

| Cookie / Storage      | Purpose                        | Provider                                 | Duration |
| --------------------- | ------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------- | -------- |
| Langfuse (if enabled) | AI response quality monitoring | [Langfuse](https://langfuse.com/privacy) | Session  |

## Third-party services

Bower uses the following third-party services that may set cookies or process data:

| Service                 | Purpose                             | Privacy policy                                                  |
| ----------------------- | ----------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Firebase Authentication | Sign-in and identity verification   | [Firebase Privacy](https://firebase.google.com/support/privacy) |
| PostHog                 | Product analytics and feature flags | [PostHog Privacy](https://posthog.com/privacy)                  |
| Cloudflare Turnstile    | Bot protection during sign-up       | [Cloudflare Privacy](https://www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy/) |

For a complete list of services that process your data, see [Data privacy](/trust-centre/data-privacy).

## Managing your cookies

* **On first visit:** use the consent banner to make your choice.
* **After sign-in:** go to **Settings > Privacy** to update your preferences.
* **In your browser:** you can clear Bower's cookies and localStorage at any time via your browser settings. This will sign you out and reset your consent preference.

## Questions

If you have questions about how Bower handles cookies or your data, contact us at [privacy@bowerlabs.ai](mailto:privacy@bowerlabs.ai).