BETA DATA GUIDE · UPDATED OCTOBER 6, 2026
Wayfarer works without an account. This guide describes the current beta’s local features and optional services.
Your local browser profile includes destinations, settings, Home Port and browsing data. Journeys, Field Notes, goblin conversations and reports are not sent by automatic profile sync. Gobsworth’s question matching, writing hints and site analysis run locally.
The account service stores your email address, device names, device sessions and the profile you sync or upload. Profiles can contain personal bookmarks, Home Port text, CSS and images. HTTPS protects transport; sync is not end-to-end encrypted.
Websites and search providers receive normal browsing requests and submitted search terms. Uncharted contacts Wiby. Update checks contact getwayfarer.org for release metadata; filter and dictionary updates may contact their providers. These features do not send your account profile with those requests.
Optional error and crash capture saves reports locally. You choose what to include and send through your mail app. Native crash dumps are not automatically uploaded or attached. Review screenshots and free-text comments for personal information.
Hiding a cookie banner does not accept or reject consent. Protection filters may improve a page’s behavior but cannot guarantee every ad or tracker is blocked. Websites have their own privacy practices.
On Wayfarer Accounts, download your profile, revoke device sessions or delete your account. Deletion removes the live account, stored profile and sessions; existing hosting backups may retain earlier copies until their normal expiry. Local files already saved on your computers remain.
For questions, contact bugs@hameltonsoftware.com. See the account and sync guide for setup and conflict handling.
The accounts website can store a separate encrypted password vault. Passwords, usernames, website addresses and notes are encrypted together in your browser using AES-256-GCM. PBKDF2-SHA256 with 600,000 iterations derives the key from your master passphrase. The service stores the encrypted envelope, account association, revision and update timestamp. Your vault passphrase and optional session PIN are not sent to the server.
Browser CSV imports are parsed locally and are never uploaded as plaintext. Encrypted backups require their original passphrase. Session PIN key material is kept only in page memory. Closing or reloading the page removes it. The clipboard may expose a copied password to other apps. Account deletion removes the live encrypted vault along with the profile; existing hosting backups expire separately.
The beta has not been independently security-audited. Browser-side encryption does not protect against compromised devices or altered code served by a compromised website. Desktop profile sync is not end-to-end encrypted and excludes passwords; browser autofill and automatic vault integration are not available in this version.
Secure, HttpOnly, SameSite=Strict cookies keep your account signed in across reloads. Session renewal expires after 30 days without use. A random browser identifier helps reuse your device entry after verified sign-in; it cannot sign you in by itself. Device removal revokes its session. Vault passphrases, decrypted logins and session PINs are not stored in these cookies.