Memory Machine (internal name: Orbit) keeps your searchable History in an encrypted SQLite database on your Mac. You can reveal its key in Settings → General → History if you want to inspect the database with a SQLCipher-compatible tool.

Where the files live

In a production installation, the database is at ~/Library/Application Support/com.heckmann.orbit/storage/orbit.db. SQLite may also create orbit.db-wal and orbit.db-shm beside it while Memory Machine is running. Captured video files live in ~/Library/Application Support/com.heckmann.orbit/storage/videos/. The database holds searchable text, timestamps, window context, and references to those videos; opening the database alone does not display all screen images. Preview and development builds use a different application data folder.

Open the database carefully

1. In Memory Machine, open Settings → General → History, choose Reveal database key, and read the warning before revealing it.
2. Use a SQLCipher-compatible SQLite tool. Open orbit.db in read-only mode, then supply the revealed key. Memory Machine uses SQLCipher 4-compatible settings.
3. Keep Memory Machine’s database and its -wal and -shm files together. Do not copy only orbit.db while Memory Machine is running and assume the copy is complete. Use your tool's supported backup or snapshot method if you need a separate copy.
4. Do not edit tables, run migrations, rekey the database, or change journal settings. Direct writes can break Memory Machine’s assumptions or corrupt History. Close your tool when finished.

Treat the key as sensitive

Anyone with the key and the database files can read your searchable History. Do not paste the key into support requests, issue reports, logs, scripts, or shared notes. Be careful with clipboard managers and saved connections. Revealing the key does not change or remove encryption. Memory Machine records that the key was revealed, but does not log its value. That record cannot establish whether another tool later changed the database.