daylight
What does local background processing actually mean?
It describes where the utility performs person segmentation and frame composition. It does not mean that a video call stays offline, that the meeting provider receives no video, or that every optional feature in the utility runs locally.
- Webcam processing
- The utility reads camera frames, separates the person from the room, and composes the replacement. Check whether those frames are processed locally or sent to a service.
- Meeting transmission
- The meeting app receives the selected camera’s output. Its policies control transmission, recording and other meeting features.
- Asset generation
- A cloud image generator can receive a prompt to create a background without receiving the live webcam feed.
- Weather and location
- Optional location or weather requests can contact another service even when all webcam processing stays local.
- Analytics and accounts
- Website visits, optional desktop telemetry and login records have their own purposes and controls. Check each disclosure separately.
Processing can vary between products and editions. For example, Google Meet documents both device and cloud effects processing for eligible configurations. Do not infer a tool’s architecture merely from the word “AI”.
Which Daylight features run locally?
| Feature | Data flow | Your control |
|---|---|---|
| Person removal and composition | Webcam frames are processed on your computer. They are not uploaded to Daylight for cloud processing. | Start or stop your webcam and virtual-camera output. |
| Video call | The finished frame goes to the meeting app you select. Daylight does not handle meeting audio. | Choose the camera and microphone in your meeting app; check its recording and privacy controls. |
| Live weather and place search | Open-Meteo receives approximate coordinates for enabled weather lookups, or the text of a place search, plus normal network metadata. | Set time and weather manually to avoid those live lookups. Device location requires your explicit choice and system permission. |
| Optional AI background creation | An account request stores a prompt and generation settings; the generation service sends the prompt to OpenAI. Generated assets are stored privately. | Use existing or local packs without an account. Downloaded packs can be used after signing out. Cloud creation is a separate optional workflow. |
| Optional anonymous desktop usage | When enabled, bounded app events go to Daylight’s service. They exclude webcam video, audio and location. | The choice starts off. Change it in Account & privacy in supported Windows releases. |
| Website analytics | Clicky measures website visits. Optional Google Analytics loads only after an explicit website consent choice. | Use Analytics choices to allow or turn off Google Analytics. Read the full website analytics disclosure; the desktop usage toggle is separate. |
The full Daylight privacy notice describes accounts, stored requests, credit records, retention and deletion requests. Some account and cloud records currently have no automatic deletion schedule. Removing a local pack does not delete its cloud copy.
Optional cloud creation and the current account controls are newer Windows features. The current Mac release has a separate version and feature set; see the product reference.
Does a virtual background reliably hide sensitive information?
No. Blur and person segmentation can make mistakes, especially around hair, transparent objects, moving hands or objects held close to the camera. A replacement may fail, be turned off or show a different result in another app. Treat it as a visual aid.
Remove sensitive documents and screens from the real camera view before a call. Check the receiving app’s prejoin preview, test moving hands, and turn the camera off when you need certainty that the room is not visible. Google explicitly notes that sensitive information may become visible when backgrounds change in its effects guidance.
What should you ask a background utility provider?
- Do webcam frames leave my computer for background processing?
- Which optional features send prompts, location, identifiers or usage events to another service?
- Can I use the basic camera workflow without an account?
- Do downloaded assets remain usable after signing out or while offline?
- What remains in cloud storage when I remove a local download?
- What are the retention, deletion and consent controls for each type of data?
For choosing a workflow, read the utility comparison. For setup, read the virtual-camera guide.
Sources and scope
- Daylight privacy notice, including exact account and network flows
- Google Meet: effects processors and background limitations
- Open-Meteo: terms and privacy information
Published by Daylight and reviewed October 2, 2026 against Daylight’s privacy notice and the linked provider documentation. This page describes behavior; it is not a third-party security audit.