Windsurf · Windsurf Terms of Service

Pro User Zero Data Retention (ZDR) Option

Medium severity
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What it is

If you pay for a Pro subscription, you can enable a Zero Data Retention mode where your code is processed in real-time, deleted immediately after a response is generated, and never stored or used for training.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Pro users gain access to a meaningful data protection option — Zero Data Retention — that ensures code is not stored or used for model training, but this protection is unavailable to free users and has carve-outs for specific models and features that may not be immediately obvious.

Cross-platform context

See how other platforms handle Pro User Zero Data Retention (ZDR) Option and similar clauses.

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Why it matters (compliance & risk perspective)

ZDR is a significant privacy protection for professional developers working with sensitive or proprietary code, but it is only available to paying Pro users and does not apply to models labelled '(no ZDR)' or features like Remote Indexing and Memories.

View original clause language
For Pro Users, you may elect to place limits on the use of User Content such that User Content (i) is transmitted only to generate code, outputs, or other functions generated in response to input User Content ("Suggestions") in real-time and are deleted once Suggestions are generated; (ii) is not used for any other purpose, including the training of language models; and (iii) is encrypted during transit and is not stored at rest. These limits control over the usage rights referenced in Section 10 above. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if you elect to use a model labeled "(no ZDR)", we or the provider may store User Content solely to provide the Service to you.

Institutional analysis (Compliance & legal intelligence)

(1) REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: The ZDR option is directly relevant to GDPR Art. 5(1)(e) (storage limitation principle), Art. 25 (data protection by design and default), and Art. 32 (security of processing including encryption in transit). For US users, it addresses CCPA §1798.100 data minimization principles. The carve-out for 'no ZDR' models and persistent features (Remote Indexing, Memories, Recipes, etc.) creates partial compliance gaps that must be documented in any GDPR Article 30 Records of Processing Activities. (2)

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Provision details

Document information
Document
Windsurf Terms of Service
Entity
Windsurf
Document last updated
April 29, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
April 30, 2026
Last verified
April 30, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-004079
Document ID
CA-D-00487
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
00ec2ae906a7a237f79cd586583ef2cf26f4725d380b3677eb3b6e7fd4d293ef
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Windsurf | Document: Windsurf Terms of Service | Record: CA-P-004079
Captured: 2026-04-30 05:54:22 UTC | SHA-256: 00ec2ae906a7a237…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/windsurf/windsurf-terms-of-service/pro-user-zero-data-retention-zdr-option/
Accessed: May 2, 2026
Classification
Severity
Medium
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