Privacy Policy
Hermes-Relay · Effective date: July 18, 2026
Hermes-Relay is a native Android app that connects to your own Hermes Agent host. This policy describes how the app handles your data.
Summary
Hermes-Relay has no hosted cloud service and sends no analytics. The app connects only to servers that you configure; those servers may send chat, voice, attachments, and optional Assistant screen context to the AI providers you configure.
Google Play Track
The Google Play build ships Hermes Bridge Core and does not include AccessibilityService or MediaProjection Device Control. It cannot tap, type, swipe, send SMS, place calls, access contacts or location, or perform unattended phone control. If you select Hermes as Android's Digital Assistant, a compatible unlocked assistant-button invocation may provide bounded visible text and an available screenshot for one Standard voice turn. That context is sent to your configured Hermes server and AI provider. Ordinary wake, power-button, assistant, and keyguard invocations do not request screen context.
The sideload build is a separate distribution track for users who intentionally install Device Control outside Google Play.
Data Storage
All data is stored locally on your device in the app's private sandbox:
| Data | Storage Method |
|---|---|
| Server URLs, preferences | Android DataStore (app-private) |
| API key, relay session tokens | AES-256-GCM encryption via Android Keystore |
| Performance counters | Android DataStore (local only) |
| Notification trigger rules and activity log | Android DataStore (local only) |
| Pending Android Assistant context | App-private cache until one turn is accepted, the session exits or is cancelled, or one-hour stale cleanup runs; a failed preflight retains it for retry |
Chat messages are not cached on your device. They are loaded from your Hermes server on demand and exist only in memory while the app is running.
Network Connections
The app connects only to endpoints you configure:
- Your Hermes API server — HTTP/SSE for chat streaming
- Your relay server — WSS for terminal/TUI relay, Bridge Core status, media handoff, notification companion, and session management
- Your relay voice routes — HTTP(S)/WSS for speech-to-text, voice settings, realtime voice sessions, and text-to-speech audio when you use Voice mode
- Your Hermes Dashboard/Gateway or API route — Android Assistant turns, including bounded visible text and an available screenshot when compatible firmware supplies screen context
No connections are made to Google, Anthropic, or any other third-party service by the app. There is no telemetry, no crash reporting, no DNS prefetching, and no background network activity to hosted services.
Permissions
Google Play build:
| Permission or access | Purpose | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Internet | Connect to your Hermes servers | Yes |
| Network State | Detect connectivity for reconnect behavior | Yes |
| Camera | QR code scanning for server pairing | No |
| Microphone | Voice mode speech-to-text and opt-in local “Hey Hermes” detection | No |
| Notification Access | Optional notification companion metadata forwarding to your paired relay | No |
| Android Digital Assistant role | Optional assistant session; compatible unlocked assistant-button invocations may include one-turn screen context | No |
Notification Access is granted and revoked from Android system settings. When enabled, Hermes-Relay forwards posted-notification package, title, text, subtext, timestamp, and notification key to your paired relay. It does not forward notifications to a Hermes-Relay cloud service. If you separately enable Notification triggers, matching happens locally on the phone; the MVP action writes a local activity-log entry and posts a local “Ask Hermes?” prompt. It does not send a new AI request or reply in another app automatically.
If you select Hermes as Android's default Digital Assistant and separately enable background “Hey Hermes,” local sherpa-onnx keyword spotting uses the microphone while the mode is enabled. Pre-activation wake audio is not sent to Hermes, Relay, or a hosted service. The Digital Assistant listener and the notification-based experimental listener cannot be active together.
Sideload Device Control builds may request additional permissions for overlay, foreground service, wake lock, screenshots, contacts, location, SMS, and calls. Those permissions are not present in the Google Play build.
Third-Party Services
Hermes-Relay includes no advertising, tracking, or analytics services. The app is built with Android platform components and open-source libraries.
Note
Your Hermes server may connect to AI providers such as OpenAI or Anthropic server-side. That network activity is outside the scope of this app and governed by your server's configuration.
Data Export & Deletion
From the app's Settings screen, you can:
- Export a full connection backup. The file includes server URLs, preferences, API keys, relay session tokens, device IDs, and dashboard cookies so restored connections can work without manual re-entry. Keep it private.
- Import a saved configuration
- Full reset to permanently delete local data including encrypted credentials
Uninstalling the app removes all stored data from your device.
Children's Privacy
Hermes-Relay is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children.
Changes to This Policy
Updates will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. Significant changes will be noted in the app's release notes.
Contact
Questions about this policy: GitHub Issues
Open Source
Hermes-Relay is MIT licensed. All source code is publicly auditable.