> ## 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.

# Restricted mode (HIPAA-ready)

> Lock a workspace down to BAA-covered AI only — for PHI or any highly sensitive data.

If your workspace handles protected health information (PHI) — or any highly sensitive material you want to keep inside the tightest possible boundary (confidential or unpublished research, trade secrets, regulated data) — you can enable **Restricted mode (HIPAA-ready)** to enforce stricter controls on AI processing and data sharing.

## What Restricted mode does

When enabled, two restrictions take effect immediately:

* **AI processing is restricted to Google (Vertex AI) only.** Bower uses multiple AI providers for different tasks. In Restricted mode, only routes covered by a signed Business Associate Agreement — Google Vertex AI — are permitted. Every other provider (the Gemini API, OpenAI) is blocked at the API level.
* **External sharing is disabled.** Share links cannot be created for any artifact in the workspace. Existing share links are not retroactively removed, but no new ones can be generated.

These restrictions are enforced server-side by middleware — they cannot be bypassed from the frontend.

### What still works in Restricted mode

The following features run entirely on Google (Vertex AI, BAA-covered) and remain available:

* Voice transcription (Google Cloud Speech-to-Text, covered by GCP BAA). The OpenAI transcription fallback available to other workspaces is **disabled** here — your audio stays on Google only.
* Photo OCR and text extraction (Gemini Vision)
* AI-generated descriptions for attachments (Gemini)

### What is blocked in Restricted mode

Any AI route not in the Google Vertex AI (BAA-covered) allowlist is blocked. This includes features that may route through non-BAA-covered providers. If you attempt to use a blocked feature, you will see an error explaining that the feature is restricted in this workspace.

## Enabling Restricted mode

Only workspace **admins** and **owners** can toggle Restricted mode.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to Settings > Workspace" />

  <Step title="Find the Restricted mode toggle in the workspace card" />

  <Step title="Click the toggle to enable" />

  <Step title="Confirm in the dialog that appears" />
</Steps>

A confirmation dialog will explain exactly what changes. Once confirmed, restrictions take effect immediately.

## Disabling Restricted mode

You can disable Restricted mode from the same toggle. A warning dialog will explain that the protections will be removed. Disabling is also immediate — AI provider restrictions are lifted and sharing is re-enabled.

## Important notes

* Restricted mode is **forward-only**. Enabling it does not retroactively re-process content that was previously handled by non-Gemini providers.
* Restricted mode is a **workspace-level** setting. If you have multiple workspaces, each one can be configured independently. Consider creating a dedicated workspace for PHI data.
* Bower's Restricted mode restricts AI processing and sharing. It does not replace a full HIPAA compliance programme. You are responsible for ensuring your organisation meets all applicable requirements, including staff training, risk assessments, and BAA coverage for other tools in your workflow.

## Further reading

* [Data privacy](/trust-centre/data-privacy) — encryption, workspace isolation, and access controls
* [Sub-processor list](/trust-centre/sub-processors) — all third-party services that process your data
* [Audit logs](/trust-centre/audit-logs) — track every action in your workspace