Photos
Android app · Android 12 and later
Photos Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how Photos on Android 12 and later handles information. Photos is developed by RatioJuris and published by PrajnaBytes International Private Limited (“we”, “us”).
Who we are
Photos is developed by RatioJuris and published by PrajnaBytes International Private Limited.
For any privacy question or request, write to RatioJuris@duck.com.
Information Photos handles
| What | Why | Leaves your device? |
|---|---|---|
| Photos and videos (Android MediaStore) | To show your gallery, albums and search | No |
| Location metadata stored inside photos and videos | To show where a photo was taken, and the Places map | No |
| Passwords you type for protected photos | To encrypt or open a protected photo | No. Never stored; discarded after use. |
| App settings and the list of archived items | To remember your preferences | No. Kept in the app’s private storage. |
Permissions
- Photos and videos (
READ_MEDIA_IMAGES,READ_MEDIA_VIDEO,READ_MEDIA_VISUAL_USER_SELECTED): To show your library. On recent Android versions you may grant access to selected items only. - Media location (
ACCESS_MEDIA_LOCATION): To read location metadata in your photos, on the device. - Internet (
INTERNET): Only to download map images, and only when Maps is turned on.
Network connections and third parties
| Who | When | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
OpenStreetMap Foundation (tile.openstreetmap.org)Their privacy policy |
Only when you turn Maps on. Maps are off by default. | Your device’s IP address and the map area being viewed. No photos, file names or other information. |
| The maps app you choose | Only when you tap Open in Maps | The coordinates of that photo. That app’s own privacy policy applies. |
We do not operate any server that receives information from Photos.
Storage, retention and deletion
- Settings and the archived-items list, in the app’s private storage.
- A location index, on the device. It is deleted when you turn location features off.
- A cache of map images of up to 60 MB, refreshed after 7 days. You can clear it in Settings.
- Temporary copies made for sharing, deleted automatically within 15 minutes.
- App data is excluded from Android cloud backup and device-to-device transfer.
Uninstalling Photos removes all of its private data. Your photos, videos and protected photo files remain in your device’s storage until you delete them.
Sharing
Photos only shares content when you explicitly choose to, using Android’s share sheet. Protected photos are shared as protected files unless you explicitly choose to share an unlocked original. Temporary copies created for sharing are deleted automatically.
Encryption and password recovery
Protected photos are encrypted on your device with Argon2id and AES-256-GCM, using a key derived from your password. There is no password recovery. If you forget a password, the protected original cannot be recovered by anyone, including us.
What we never do
- We do not sell, rent or trade personal data.
- We do not show advertising or use advertising identifiers.
- We do not build profiles of you or track you across apps and websites.
If you contact us
If you email us, we receive your email address and whatever you choose to include in your message. We use it only to reply and to deal with your request, and we delete correspondence when it is no longer needed for that purpose, unless the law requires us to keep it. Our address is a DuckDuckGo Email Protection address, so DuckDuckGo forwards your message to us; see the DuckDuckGo Privacy Policy.
Issues and discussions on GitHub are public. Do not post personal information, passwords or private keys there. GitHub's own privacy statement applies to your GitHub account.
Under India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, we process this information because you have chosen to provide it for that purpose.
Children
Photos does not knowingly collect information from anyone, including children. If you believe a child has sent us personal information by email, contact us and we will delete it.
Security
We design our software to keep information on your device and to handle as little data as possible. No system is completely secure, so please keep your device, operating system and browser up to date. To report a vulnerability, follow the security instructions on the Photos security page, or email us.
Your rights
Depending on where you live, including under India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and the EU and UK General Data Protection Regulation, you may have the right to:
- ask what personal data we hold about you, and get a copy;
- ask us to correct, complete, update or erase it;
- withdraw consent you have given;
- nominate another person to exercise your rights if you die or become incapacitated; and
- have a grievance addressed, and complain to your data protection authority, including the Data Protection Board of India.
Because Photos keeps information on your device, we usually hold no personal data about you other than emails you send us. To make a request, email RatioJuris@duck.com. We aim to reply within 30 days.
Changes to this policy
If this policy changes, we will publish the new version on this page and update the “Last updated” date. Every past version is preserved in the public revision history.
Contact and grievances
Questions, requests and grievances about privacy: RatioJuris@duck.com. You can also visit Photos Support.