on-device invisible watermarking
ZeroLeak
This post was written by hand. This is not AI-generated slop.
This is worth your time if you are interested in our process and how we built this particular product.
This is worth your time if you are interested in our process and how we built this particular product.
We built ZeroLeak to solve a simple but real problem: once you share a private image, you lose control over where it ends up. Even with good intentions, screenshots and forwards happen. ZeroLeak helps you stay in control by making every shared image traceable.
You can read more about the motivation on 0leak.com/about, where we explain why preventing leaks at the moment of sharing is more effective than trying to deal with the fallout later.
Two core flows: watermark and detect
ZeroLeak is built around two simple actions. Before sharing, an invisible watermark is embedded into the image. If that image shows up somewhere it shouldn’t, you can scan it to identify who originally received it. The flow is intentionally minimal so it fits naturally into everyday sharing.
Watermark flow explainer
Leak detection flow explainer
Fully on-device, no cloud, no accounts
Everything runs directly on your device. Images never leave your phone, no accounts are required, and no cloud services are involved. This keeps your data private by design and eliminates unnecessary exposure.
3 Easy Steps and the Vault
The product follows a straightforward flow: add a watermark, share the image, detect if it leaks, and identify the source. Each step is designed to be fast and frictionless.
Step 1 - Add watermark
Step 2 - Share image
Step 3 - Detect leak
The Vault, all images in one place
The Vault is a secure place to store all images with watermarks, this 'safe' can be protected with Face ID to prevent unauthorized access.
Branding for safety and trust
The brand is calm, safe, and intentional. Visually, we leaned into a clean native iOS feel with soft glass-like surfaces and clear hierarchy, while keeping everything readable and trustworthy. The icon captures the core idea in a single mark, reading as both a zero and a lock.
App Store page and logo
Private by default
ZeroLeak is designed around privacy from the ground up. Sensitive images stay local on your device, protected by system-level controls like Face ID. There is no backend dependency, which keeps everyday usage fast and reduces risk.
Local-only processing and privacy-first design
Logo concept: zero + lock
Tech Stack
Swift is a programming language by Apple, it's the best way to build native macOS applications
Swift enables a high-quality native iOS experience with smooth performance and tight integration with system security features.
Astro is a web framework focused on fast content-rich websites with minimal client-side JavaScript
Astro powers fast, lightweight marketing pages that clearly communicate how the product works.
Tailwind is a CSS framework based on utility classes, this allows coherent CSS naming across all projects and team members
Tailwind helped us iterate quickly on the visual system while keeping everything consistent and production-ready.
Core ML
Core ML enables efficient on-device ML inference on Apple devices
Core ML supports on-device processing where needed, keeping sensitive data local and avoiding external dependencies.
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