Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains what information the App collects, how it is used, and the choices you have. We have written it in plain language and designed the App to keep your photos on your device.

Device Detox ("we", "us", "the App") is an iOS application that helps you find and clean up near-duplicate and duplicate photos in your device's photo library. We can be reached at support@devicedetox.app.

1. Information We Collect

The App accesses or collects the following categories of information:

a) Photo library access

With your permission via iOS, the App reads your photo library to find duplicate and near-duplicate photos. This happens entirely on your device. We do not transmit your photos, thumbnails or photo metadata (filenames, EXIF, location) to our servers or to any third party.

b) Product analytics

Anonymous, aggregated metrics about how the App is used: app launches, onboarding progress, scans started/completed, clusters found, photos selected and deleted, total gigabytes potentially or actually reclaimed, scan duration, and which features are used. These metrics are sent to Firebase Analytics (Google Analytics for Firebase) and are not tied to your name or contact details.

c) Diagnostics and performance data

Anonymous crash logs and performance signals (e.g. App start time, scan duration). On iOS this is collected via Apple's MetricKit and, where you opt in via iOS Settings, shared with us through Apple's diagnostic sharing.

d) Purchase and subscription state

Apple StoreKit reports whether you have purchased the Pro subscription, the product identifier, the current entitlement status, and the subscription period. We do not receive your name, email address, billing address, or payment card details.

e) Advertising signals (free tier only)

Google Mobile Ads (AdMob) collects information needed to serve ads: anonymous device identifiers, ad interaction data, coarse location inferred from IP, and similar advertising data. When you decline Apple's App Tracking Transparency prompt, these ads are served in "non-personalised" mode and AdMob is instructed not to use this data for cross-app personalisation.

f) Device and environment information

Device model, iOS version, App version, locale, time zone, and consent status. Used by analytics, ads, and diagnostics SDKs to correctly attribute usage and render content.

g) Local on-device storage

To make the App responsive, scan results, cluster metadata, and the App's choice of best photo per cluster are cached on your device. This cache lives entirely on your device, is never transmitted, and is cleared when you uninstall the App or use the "Reset" controls.

2. How Your Photos Are Handled

We rely on Apple's Photos framework. When you grant the App access:

• We read photo assets and request thumbnails through PHImageManager.
• Vision and image processing run on your device using Apple's on-device frameworks (Vision, Photos, Core Graphics).
• We do not upload, store, or transmit your photos, their thumbnails, or their content to our servers or to any third party.
• When you confirm deletions, the App asks Apple's Photos framework to move the selected photos to your "Recently Deleted" album. They are permanently removed only after the standard 30-day Recently Deleted recovery period, controlled by iOS.

The App can also work with "Limited" photo access — only the photos you explicitly select are visible to the App.

3. Analytics and Diagnostics (Firebase)

We use Firebase Analytics (a Google service) to understand how the App is used and to prioritise improvements. Firebase Analytics receives:

• Anonymous event names and parameters (e.g. "photo_scan_completed", "saved_gb", "potential_saved_gb", "duration_seconds", "used_cache").
• Anonymous app/device identifiers used by Firebase to count distinct users and sessions.
• Standard device and locale metadata.

Firebase Analytics does not receive your photos, contact details, or other directly identifying personal data. Where applicable, Firebase acts as our data processor; Google's processing terms apply. You can reset the device's advertising identifier at any time in iOS Settings.

4. Advertising (Google AdMob)

If you use the free tier, the App displays ads served by Google Mobile Ads (AdMob), including occasional rewarded video ads you can choose to watch to earn additional cleanup credits.

• If you allow tracking via Apple's App Tracking Transparency prompt, AdMob may use your advertising identifier to personalise ads.
• If you decline tracking, the App passes "non-personalised ads" (NPA) to AdMob so that no cross-app personalisation occurs.
• When you upgrade to Pro, ads are disabled.

For information on how Google uses advertising data, see: policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites

5. App Tracking Transparency (ATT)

The App may show Apple's App Tracking Transparency prompt asking for permission to track you across apps and websites. You can allow or deny, and change your choice at any time in iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking. Your choice controls only personalised advertising in this App; analytics and core App functionality work either way.

6. Purchases and Subscriptions

Purchases and subscriptions are processed by Apple through the App Store. Apple handles billing, renewals, cancellations, refunds, and payment method management. Your purchase history with Apple is not visible to us beyond:

• the product identifier and entitlement status,
• whether the subscription is active, expired, or in a billing retry state,
• the subscription period (monthly or annual).

You can manage or cancel your subscription at any time in iOS Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions.

7. Data Retention

• On-device data (scan caches, cluster metadata, "best photo" choices, user preferences): retained on your device until you delete the App, use in-App reset controls, or clear iOS storage.
• Analytics data sent to Firebase: retained according to Firebase's default retention period (currently up to 14 months for event-level data). You can request earlier deletion by contacting us.
• Purchase status from Apple: retained for as long as we need to honour entitlements and for legal/accounting purposes.

8. How We Use the Information

We use the information described above only to:

• provide and improve the App's photo-cleanup features,
• measure feature usage so we can prioritise development,
• diagnose crashes and performance regressions,
• serve advertising (free tier) and respect your consent choices,
• process subscriptions through Apple,
• communicate with you when you contact us at support@devicedetox.app.

We do not sell your personal data. We do not use your data for profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects.

9. Data Sharing and Third Parties

We share information only with:

• Apple (App Store, Photos framework, MetricKit, in-app purchase processing): apple.com/legal/privacy/
• Google — Firebase Analytics, Google Mobile Ads (AdMob), and Google User Messaging Platform (consent management for advertising): policies.google.com/privacy

These providers act as processors or independent controllers for the limited data described in this Policy. Each maintains its own privacy practices, which we encourage you to review.

10. International Data Transfers

Some of our service providers (notably Google/Firebase) operate globally. By using the App, you understand that your anonymous usage data may be processed in countries other than your own, including the United States. Where required, we rely on Standard Contractual Clauses or equivalent safeguards.

11. Your Rights

Depending on where you live (e.g. the EU, UK, California), you may have the right to:

• access the information we hold about you,
• correct inaccurate information,
• request deletion,
• request a portable copy of your data,
• restrict or object to certain processing,
• withdraw consent for analytics or personalised advertising.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@devicedetox.app. We will respond within the period required by applicable law (typically 30 days). You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

12. Legal Basis (EU/UK Users)

Where the GDPR or UK GDPR applies, our legal basis for processing is:

• your consent (analytics, personalised ads),
• performance of a contract (delivering paid Pro features),
• our legitimate interests in operating, securing, and improving the App,
• compliance with legal obligations (tax, accounting, fraud prevention).

You can withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal.

13. Children's Privacy

The App is not intended for children under 13, or the minimum age required by applicable law in your jurisdiction. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can delete it.

14. Security

We rely on Apple's platform security: data stays on your device, and analytics/ads payloads are transmitted to Google over HTTPS. No internet-connected service is perfectly secure, but we limit collection to the minimum we need and follow industry-standard practices.

15. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time. The "Effective date" at the top reflects the latest revision. For material changes we will, in addition, surface a notice inside the App. Continued use of the App after a change indicates acceptance of the revised Policy.

16. Contact Us