How-to
How to share a document with Claude Desktop without sharing personal information
Give Claude an approved copy with the personal details already replaced, not the original file. You can paste that copy into the chat, or let Claude Desktop read it through a local connection limited to the documents you select. Claude still processes whatever you share on Anthropic’s servers, so the protection comes from removing details before sharing.
Last reviewed · 3 sources
What Anthropic does with what you share
Anthropic’s August 2025 update to its consumer terms gives consumer users “the choice to allow their data to be used to improve Claude.” If you opt in, retention extends to five years; if you decline, Anthropic says it continues “our existing 30-day data retention period.”
Anthropic’s pricing page says Team and Enterprise plans do not use content for training by default. Either way, the content you share is processed by Anthropic to produce a response.
Two ways to give Claude the case, not the client
Copy and paste: prepare a copy with identifiers replaced, review it, and paste it into the chat. This works with Claude on the web, desktop or phone.
A local connection: Claude Desktop can use MCP servers running on your Mac. A local server can offer Claude only the files you approve, so Claude never browses your folders. Check what any MCP server can read before you enable it.
What still needs your judgment
Removing names does not remove every identifying fact. Read the copy Claude will see, and keep restored documents, which contain the real names again, out of the chat.
Where PiBye fits
How PiBye handles this
PiBye prepares the approved copy on your Mac and offers an optional local connection for Claude Desktop. It runs on your Mac over stdio, with no network port, and Claude can read only the approved Documents you select. Originals and the restoration map are never offered.
When Claude’s work comes back, PiBye restores the real details locally.
1.0.1 · macOS 14.8.5 or later · Apple Silicon · 1.1 GB
Frequently asked questions
Does Claude train on my conversations?
For consumer accounts, Anthropic says it is your choice, set in your privacy settings. Team and Enterprise plans are not used for training by default, per Anthropic’s pricing page.
Does PiBye send documents to Anthropic?
No. PiBye has no cloud service. Claude receives only the approved copies you paste or select for its local connection, and Anthropic processes those.
Does this work with Claude on the web?
Yes, by pasting the reviewed copy into the chat. The local connection that reads selected documents is for Claude Desktop on your Mac.
Sources
- Updates to Consumer Terms and Privacy Policy, Anthropic, August 28, 2025. Checked 17 September 2026.
- Claude pricing, Anthropic. Checked 17 September 2026.
- Generative AI: Your professional obligations, Law Society of Ontario, April 10, 2024. Checked 17 September 2026.