iPhone privacy policy

Who operates the app

KarmaDisk is developed by Christopher Naas. Questions and privacy requests can be sent to hello@karmadisk.eu. You do not need a KarmaDisk account.

Photos you allow

With your Photos permission, KarmaDisk reads permitted photo and video resources, file names, sizes, format information, dates, identifiers and available metadata. Embedded metadata can include camera information and GPS coordinates. These are processed locally for inventory, compression, verification and preservation when saving a copy. The app does not use GPS metadata to track you or upload it to the developer.

What leaves the phone

Scanning, image compression, video processing, text recognition and Apple Vision best-shot analysis run on the device. KarmaDisk does not upload your photos, videos, folder contents, inventories or face analysis to a developer server or to Google. Optional anonymous savings reports are described below. Versions before build 21 include no third-party advertising SDK. Build 21 and later include optional Google AdMob rewarded ads as described below. Apple Photos, iCloud, Files providers and App Store services can communicate with their own services under their settings and policies. Saving or deleting an item in iCloud Photos can sync that change to other devices.

Folders and Apple Storage screenshots

Folders are accessible only after you select them. The app reads file names, paths, types and sizes to show a summary; security-scoped bookmarks are saved locally so connected folders can be reopened. Imported Apple Storage screenshots are recognized locally. Reviewed app names, sizes and import dates are kept as local reference figures, not live readings. KarmaDisk does not retain a separate imported screenshot image; an existing image in Photos remains under your control.

Receipts and private local records

Compression receipts in private app storage can contain names, dates, original and copy sizes, Photos identifiers, verification results, file hashes and available-storage readings. Connected-folder bookmarks, reviewed screenshot figures and scan-resumption settings are also stored privately. Receipt and inventory directories are marked as excluded from ordinary device backups. A private on-device scan index remembers photo identifiers, basic metadata, file sizes, availability and compression results so unchanged photos do not need to be scanned again. Photos access remains under your control. Face-quality assessments used for similar-photo recommendations are processed on-device and held in memory during review; they are not used to identify people or uploaded.

Optimization allowance in Keychain

The free allowance is maintained in the device Keychain: five saved photos in earlier versions, ten from build 21. From build 22, a completed similar-photo group cleanup also uses one optimization. Previews and browsing do not use the allowance. A completed rewarded ad can add ten more optimizations. Its ledger contains reservation identifiers, hashes derived from a source Photos identifier and file hash, saved-copy or kept-photo Photos identifiers where available, and rewarded-ad response identifiers used to prevent duplicate credits. These values prevent repeated free saves and recover interrupted operations; they are not uploaded to the developer. The entry uses Apple’s ThisDeviceOnly protection, is not an iCloud Keychain sync item, can survive deleting and reinstalling the app, and has no automatic expiry. Deleting ordinary app records does not reset it. There is no remote developer reset service. An interrupted save can retain a reservation if the app cannot establish that no copy was created.

Optional rewarded ads — build 21 and later

Choosing to watch an ad connects to Google AdMob and Google’s consent service. Google may process IP addresses (including approximate location), device identifiers, ad interactions, diagnostics and performance information to deliver and measure advertisements, prevent fraud and meet applicable requirements. No photo contents, filenames, Photos identifiers, scan results or face-analysis results are sent to Google by KarmaDisk.

KarmaDisk requests non-personalized ads, disables publisher first-party identifiers, and does not request Apple’s cross-app tracking permission. Non-personalized ads still involve data processing. Where required, Google presents a consent form before an ad request. Applicable choices can be changed through “Ad privacy choices” in the app. Watching ads is optional; you may instead purchase unlimited optimizations once. Unlimited users do not need ads.

Google controls its own processing and retention under its privacy policy and advertising privacy information. Live ad availability also depends on Google account and app verification.

Purchases

Apple processes payment and purchase restoration through the App Store and StoreKit. The app checks Apple transaction and entitlement information locally. KarmaDisk does not receive your payment-card details or operate a payment server. Apple’s privacy policy applies separately to Apple services.

Your controls and deletion

Change or revoke Photos access in iOS Settings, including Limited Access and Full Access. Disconnect folders to remove their saved connection bookmarks, and use the app’s removal action to clear imported Apple Storage reference figures. Deleting the app normally removes its private app files, but not Photos copies, provider files, Apple purchase history or the Keychain allowance ledger. Losing local receipts can remove the app’s ability to verify or guide original-file removal. Keep the copies and backups you need before deleting records. Recovery depends on Apple Photos, Recently Deleted and any backups; it is not guaranteed.

Originals, copies and iCloud

KarmaDisk keeps the original until you choose a removal action, including the batch option that asks Photos to move verified originals to Recently Deleted. In similar-photo review, you choose the photo to keep and explicitly confirm moving the other selected group members to Recently Deleted. Recommendations are fallible; nothing is deleted automatically. iOS asks for approval when required. Removing an original can also remove it from other devices using iCloud Photos. Recently Deleted may retain the original until you clear it or its retention period expires. Never clear it before checking your compressed copy and backup.

Support and retention

If you choose to email support, we receive the information and attachments you send and use them to answer your request. Please avoid sending private photos or unnecessary identifiers. Support messages remain in the email systems involved; contact hello@karmadisk.eu with a deletion request. Optional anonymous savings reports are aggregated on the developer’s counter as described above. Local records persist until removed through the available controls, app deletion or applicable device-data controls; the Keychain exception is described above.

Website and Apple services

This app policy does not replace the website policy, which covers website hosting by Cloudflare. Apple’s separate privacy policy covers Apple services. Future app-policy changes will be published on this page with an updated date.

Optional anonymous savings total

If you opt in, KarmaDisk sends only verified byte reductions and a random receipt token to the developer’s counter, so the website can show an aggregate total. Reports do not include photos, names, Photos identifiers or a device identifier. The hosting provider may process ordinary network information such as IP addresses. The aggregate cannot later be uncounted. You can stop future sharing in the app.