Dot by New Computer is shutting down. Here’s a safer alternative that won’t strand your data.

What happened (and when)

On September 5, 2025, New Computer announced it’s “winding down operations and sunsetting Dot,” keeping the app online until October 5 so users can request their data from Settings before access ends.

Coverage noted the same window for data export and that Dot positioned itself as a “friend and confidante.”  

Why this hurts

Dot framed the shutdown in unusually human terms: many would “lose access to a friend, confidante, and companion.” That speaks to how personal these tools had become.  

Users echo that attachment. One Redditor wrote they “fell in love with the app… a decent all-in-one source of personal reflection.”  

When an AI companion vanishes, so can months of context, routines, and reflections. Even with an export, cloud-dependent products can take your access with them.

Looking for a Dot alternative? Try Kin (privacy first, by design)

Kin is a personal AI that helps you think clearly, prepare for tough moments, and build better habits—without siphoning your life into someone else’s servers.

• Local-first storage. “Every word you share and every reply is stored locally on your device… Kin does not have access to this data at all.”  
• Built for trust. Our privacy architecture centers user-controlled data, edge processing, and transparent choices.  
• Total visibility and control. You can view, search, and manage what Kin knows—because it’s on your device.  
  

If Dot taught us anything, it’s that your most personal data should live with you—not with a startup’s runway.

‍Quick migration guide: move from Dot to Kin in 10 minutes

1. While Dot still works, request your data. Open Dot → Settings → “Request your data.” Save the export they send you.  
2. Capture a summary of “you.” Ask Dot to summarize what it knows about you (values, routines, relationships, goals, key facts). Copy the response. (This works even if your export is pending.)
3. Bring that context into Kin. Paste the summary into a Kin Journal entry. Add any must-know details Dot missed (projects, deadlines, health notes, preferences).  
4. Reconstruct your rituals. In Kin, set gentle reminders for the same times Dot used to nudge you, and pin a “Daily Check-in” journal tag so you rebuild momentum.  
5. Pressure-test with a real scenario. Start a conversation in Kin about something coming up (a negotiation, 1-on-1, decision). Kin’s job is to help you get clear, calm, and ready—privately.  

Why “local-first” matters after Dot

• Continuity: If a cloud app shuts down, your access can vanish overnight. With Kin, your data lives on your phone—you decide when to delete it.  
• Fewer hands on your life: Processing on-device reduces who can see or store your information. That’s the sane default for intimate data.  
  

FAQ for former Dot users

Can I import Dot’s archive directly?

Dot provides a data export; the fastest path today is to paste a self-summary and key notes into Kin Journal, then build from there. (We’re exploring streamlined imports; for now, keep your export safe.)  

Will Kin “remember” like Dot?

Kin maintains memory from your conversations and journals—stored locally—so it can recall context when helping you think and prepare.

How private is Kin—really?

By default, Kin stores your conversations and memories on your device. Kin does not have access to this data unless you share it proactively to help improve Kin.

‍

Sources:

New Computer’s shutdown notice and data-export steps.  New.computer

Coverage confirming dates and context.  Yahoo Finance