Privacy Policy

Effective Date: September 1, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how information is collected, used, processed, stored, and shared when you use the TextTrace application.

“TextTrace,” “we,” “us,” or “our” refers to the developer identified on the TextTrace App Store product page.

For privacy questions, requests, or complaints, contact:

Email: ataerdal.dev@gmail.com

1. Information We Process

1.1 Content You Select

TextTrace processes only content that you choose to import or create. This may include:

• Supported chat export files and their attachments

• Supported data selected from an iPhone backup

• Screenshots

• Photos and scans

• Screen recordings

• Voice-message files

• Message text, participant names, sender labels, dates, timestamps, and attachments

• Corrections made by you

• Record titles and folders

• PDF, spreadsheet, text, HTML, RSMF, image, and other export files you create

Imported records and retained source files may remain in the application’s private local storage until you delete them or uninstall the application.

1.2 Google Vision Text Recognition

When you import screenshots, photos, scans, or screen recordings, TextTrace may:

1. Remove exact duplicate or unchanged frames before processing.

2. Upload only the unique frames required to create the record through TextTrace’s secure backend.

3. Send those frames to Google Cloud Vision API to recognize visible text and layout.

4. Organize the recognized information into messages, participants, dates, timestamps, and other visible conversation elements.

5. Delete temporary server data after the result has been saved successfully.

Supported structured chat exports and supported backup data may be parsed directly and may not be sent to Google Vision for OCR.

TextTrace does not use imported content or recognized text for advertising or generative artificial intelligence model training.

Google states that content submitted through online Vision API operations is processed in memory, is not persisted to disk, and is not used to train or improve Cloud Vision models. Additional information is available in the Google Cloud Vision Data Usage FAQ.

1.3 Voice-Message Transcription

If you choose to transcribe a voice-message file, TextTrace uses Apple Speech with on-device recognition where the required language support is available.

TextTrace may request Speech Recognition permission when you use this feature. Voice-message files are not sent to Google Vision.

1.4 Account and Security Information

TextTrace does not require you to provide a name, email address, telephone number, social media account, or contact list to create an account.

Firebase Authentication creates an opaque anonymous user identifier so that TextTrace can securely communicate with its backend. The following technical information may be processed:

• Anonymous Firebase user identifier

• IP address

• Authentication and App Check tokens

• App Attest or device-integrity information

• Request timestamps

• Security and abuse-prevention records

The anonymous identifier does not contain your name or email address, but it may be technically associated with your TextTrace records, backend jobs, and subscription entitlement.

1.5 Purchases and Subscriptions

All payments are processed by Apple. TextTrace does not receive or store your credit card or bank account information.

RevenueCat may process:

• An opaque TextTrace/Firebase user identifier

• App Store transaction and receipt information

• Purchase history

• Product and subscription status

• Entitlement status

• Limited application, operating system, and device information

• Purchase, renewal, cancellation, and restoration events

Imported conversations, screenshots, message text, source files, and generated documents are not sent to RevenueCat.

For more information, see the RevenueCat Privacy Policy.

1.6 Analytics

TextTrace uses Firebase Analytics to understand whether core product features and application flows are functioning as intended.

Firebase Analytics may process:

• An application-instance or installation identifier

• Application version

• Device model and operating system

• Application launches and updates

• Content-free product interaction events

• Session information

• Subscription and paywall interactions

• Approximate country or region derived from network information

TextTrace does not add message text, participant names, record titles, source files, file names, URLs, content hashes, authentication tokens, or Firebase user identifiers to Analytics events.

TextTrace does not use IDFA, display third-party advertising, or track users across other companies’ applications or websites.

1.7 Crash and Diagnostic Data

TextTrace uses Firebase Crashlytics to identify crashes and technical failures. Crashlytics may process:

• Crash stack traces

• Crashlytics and Firebase installation identifiers

• Application version

• Device model and operating system

• Performance and diagnostic information

• Sanitized error codes and technical context

TextTrace does not intentionally include recognized text, record titles, source files, file names, URLs, hashes, authentication tokens, or Firebase user identifiers in Crashlytics reports.

Firebase states that Crashlytics crash data and associated identifiers are retained for 90 days before deletion begins. Deleted Firebase Authentication information may take up to 180 days to be removed from live and backup systems. See Privacy and Security in Firebase.

1.8 Support Communications

If you contact us, we may process your email address, message, and any files or information that you voluntarily provide. We use this information only to respond to your request and provide support.

2. How We Use Information

We process information to:

• Import selected conversation sources

• Recognize visible text using Google Vision

• Identify and organize visible messages, participants, dates, and timestamps

• Create searchable conversation records

• Generate PDF, print, spreadsheet, text, RSMF, HTML, image, and other exports

• Verify and restore TextTrace Pro subscriptions

• Prevent fraud, abuse, and unauthorized access

• Maintain application and backend security

• Diagnose crashes and technical failures

• Measure whether core application flows work correctly

• Respond to support requests

• Comply with legal obligations

Where applicable law requires a legal basis, processing is based on providing the service you requested, performing our contract with you, protecting our legitimate security and operational interests, complying with legal obligations, or obtaining consent where required.

3. Service Providers

TextTrace uses the following service providers:

• Apple: App Store payments, StoreKit, device permissions, App Attest, and Apple Speech

• Google Cloud and Firebase: Backend infrastructure, anonymous authentication, App Check, Analytics, and Crashlytics

• Google Cloud Vision: Visual text and layout recognition

• RevenueCat: Subscription validation and entitlement management

We provide these services only with information required to perform their respective functions. We do not authorize service providers to use imported conversation content for their own advertising.

4. No Advertising, Tracking, Sale, or AI Training

TextTrace:

• Does not display third-party advertising

• Does not use IDFA

• Does not track users across other companies’ applications or websites

• Does not sell personal information

• Does not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising

• Does not use imported conversations or recognized text to train generative AI models

5. Retention and Deletion

5.1 Local Data

Imported records, retained sources, edits, folders, and generated files may remain on your device until you delete them or uninstall TextTrace.

Files exported to another application or location are controlled by that application or location after export.

5.2 Temporary OCR Data

Frames uploaded for Google Vision processing are:

• Deleted after processing and successful acknowledgement by the application

• Deleted when a job is cancelled or permanently fails

• Protected by scheduled cleanup, database expiration, and storage lifecycle rules

• Configured to be retained for no longer than 24 hours

After a successful result has been stored and acknowledged by the device, the backend deletes the source evidence, OCR result, and related job metadata.

5.3 Other Records

Apple, Google, Firebase, and RevenueCat may retain limited transaction, authentication, analytics, diagnostic, security, or technical records under their own retention policies and as required for billing, fraud prevention, taxation, dispute resolution, security, and legal compliance.

6. Your Choices and Rights

From TextTrace Settings, you may:

• Delete an individual record

• Delete all imported records

• Use Delete Account & Data to delete the anonymous TextTrace/Firebase account and associated application data

Account deletion:

• Removes locally imported TextTrace data

• Requests deletion of associated remote OCR jobs

• Deletes the anonymous Firebase account

• Does not cancel an App Store subscription

• Does not remove transaction records that Apple must retain for payment, taxation, fraud prevention, or legal compliance

Subscriptions must be managed or cancelled through your Apple Account settings.

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to request access, correction, deletion, restriction, objection, or a copy of personal information associated with you.

To submit a privacy request, email ataerdal.dev@gmail.com.

7. Security and International Processing

TextTrace uses measures such as HTTPS, Firebase Authentication, App Check/App Attest, short-lived upload URLs, private cloud storage, access controls, and SHA-256 integrity metadata.

No electronic storage or transmission method is completely secure.

Apple, Google, Firebase, and RevenueCat may process information in the United States, the European Union, and other countries under applicable contractual and legal safeguards.

8. Children’s Privacy

TextTrace is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

If you believe a child has provided information through TextTrace, contact us so that we can investigate and delete it where appropriate.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy when the application, service providers, security practices, or legal requirements change.

Material changes will be identified through a revised effective date and, where required, an in-app notice or renewed consent.

10. Contact

For privacy questions or requests:

Email: ataerdal.dev@gmail.com