Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Shadow is an asset library manager for iPhone and iPad. It creates libraries, opens compatible Eagle libraries, connects cloud libraries, and browses, searches, and organizes images, videos, and related metadata.

Shadow does not require a Shadow account, does not show ads, does not perform cross-app or cross-site tracking, and does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information for marketing purposes.

This policy applies to the Shadow app, website, and Shadow-related support services. By using Shadow, you understand the data handling practices described here. If you do not agree, please stop using the related features.

2. Information we do not collect

Shadow currently does not actively collect, store, or transmit the following information to Shadow-owned servers:

• Shadow does not require an account, therefore it does not collect your name, phone number, email address, or any other personal identity information.
• Precise location information.
• Advertising identifiers, cross-app tracking identifiers, or data for advertising profiles.
• Your asset library content, images, videos, tags, notes, colors, or folder structure.
• Product analytics events or behavioral tracking data.

If a future version adds accounts, sync, analytics, or other features requiring data collection, we will update this policy before enabling those features and provide consent or control options where required.

3. Data stored on your device or chosen location

Most Shadow data is controlled by you and stored on your device, external storage, or a cloud location you choose. We cannot access library content you do not choose to share with us.

4. Third-party cloud services

If you connect Baidu Netdisk or Google Drive, Shadow accesses that service within the authorization scope you grant so it can list directories, read library files, download content needed for previews, cache assets, or write changes when you create, import, edit, or synchronize a library.

How Shadow uses Baidu Netdisk and Google Drive data

When you connect Baidu Netdisk or Google Drive, Shadow uses the authorization scope you grant to browse cloud folders, locate and open an existing `.library`, read index and asset files, import assets, create a new library, and synchronize changes made in Shadow back to that library. Shadow uses this access only for library-management actions you initiate. Cloud data is not used for advertising, profiling, or purposes unrelated to asset library features.

Cloud requests and files travel directly between the Shadow app on your device and the selected provider API. Shadow currently operates no server that receives these files, so cloud library content is not uploaded to a Shadow-operated server.

Google Drive data covered by this policy

For Google Drive, Shadow may read or write the library you explicitly select and its descendant files, including file and folder names, file IDs, parent-child relationships, MIME types, sizes, modification times, checksums, thumbnail links, file contents, and Eagle library data such as images, videos, tags, notes, ratings, colors, and other metadata. This data is used only to build the library browser and index, display assets, download previews or originals on demand, import assets, create a library, and synchronize your requested edits back to the same library.

Shadow does not create or use aggregated, anonymized, or profiled data from Google Drive user data. Shadow does not sell, rent, or provide Google Drive data to advertisers, data brokers, or unrelated third parties. Apart from processing by the Google Drive API to complete an operation you request and iOS system sharing or file features you deliberately use, Shadow does not transfer this data to third parties.

Shadow does not use Google Drive data or derived data to develop, improve, or train generalized artificial-intelligence or machine-learning models, and does not provide it to third-party AI/ML services for model training.

Shadow’s use and transfer of information received from Google APIs will adhere to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.

Authorization data

Cloud access tokens are stored in the iOS Keychain and used only to access the cloud service you authorized. They remain there until you remove the connection or sign out in Shadow, or revoke authorization from the third-party service account settings. You can perform any of these actions at any time.

Third-party processing

Cloud account login, authorization, remote file storage, network transfer, and cloud backup are handled by the relevant third-party service under its own privacy policy and terms. Shadow does not control how those services store, transmit, or process your data on their platforms.

Cloud cache

To improve performance, Shadow may cache indexes, sync state, originals, thumbnails, or derived previews from cloud libraries on your device. Cache is used only for app functionality and not for advertising or profiling. It remains until you clear the cache, reset the local index, remove the library, or delete Shadow.

5. System permissions and required APIs

Shadow only accesses locations you choose or authorize. To manage asset libraries, the app may use these system capabilities:

• File access through the iOS/iPadOS file picker, external storage, or security-scoped bookmarks. Security-scoped bookmarks are a system mechanism for restoring file access; Shadow stores the related authorization record so it can reopen the same location later.
• Photo or file import when you actively import selected images, videos, or files.
• UserDefaults for language, recent libraries, view preferences, and cloud cache settings.
• Keychain for third-party cloud authorization tokens.
• File timestamps to determine file status, sync changes, or display file information.
• Disk space information to manage cloud library cache size and prevent unlimited cloud cache growth.

These accesses are used for app functionality, not advertising tracking.

6. Support requests and information you provide

When you contact us by email or another support channel, we may process the email address, issue description, screenshots, logs, device and system version, library source, reproduction steps, and other details you voluntarily provide. This information is used only to diagnose issues, respond to requests, and improve app stability.

Please do not send unnecessary sensitive content. If screenshots or logs are enough, consider hiding private assets, client information, or account information.

7. Data security

We care about your assets and organization data, but local and cloud security also depends on your device, system account, and cloud account security. Shadow reduces risk by:

• Not adding unauthorized remote access paths to the app.
• Storing cloud authorization tokens in the iOS Keychain.
• Using HTTPS/TLS when communicating with Baidu Netdisk and Google Drive APIs.
• Keeping local indexes, thumbnails, and original-file cache copies inside the iOS/iPadOS app sandbox.
• Using iOS/iPadOS file authorization mechanisms for local or external libraries you select.
• Applying cloud cache limits to reduce uncontrolled temporary file growth.
• Continuing to fix issues that may affect data security or stability.

We recommend keeping iOS/iPadOS and Shadow updated, protecting your device with a strong passcode, Face ID, or Touch ID, and managing cloud account authorizations carefully.

8. Backup, retention, and deletion

Backup

Libraries often contain original files and organization work. Keep recoverable backups for important libraries, especially before using external storage, cloud libraries, or Eagle library write-back features.

Deleting the app

Deleting Shadow usually removes local app preferences, cloud library cache, and app data. Libraries stored on external storage, cloud storage, or general system file locations are not automatically deleted.

Deleting cloud data

If a library is stored in a third-party cloud service, you need to delete remote files through that service. Revoking cloud authorization does not automatically delete cloud library files.

Clearing cache

Cache management applies only to cloud libraries. You can clear local data saved for cloud libraries through Shadow's cloud cache management or system storage management. This cache may include local indexes, sync state, mirrored thumbnails, derived previews, and original-file cache copies downloaded to the device for preview or offline access.

When you choose to clear mirrored originals, clear thumbnails, or reset the local index, Shadow may delete these on-device cache copies or mirror directories. This operation should not delete remote source files in the third-party cloud service, nor source files in external storage or local library locations; however, those cached copies are removed from the current device and may need to be downloaded or indexed again later. Resetting the local index also clears this library's on-device sync state and unsynced change records, so confirm that no local edits still need to be published.

9. Children's privacy

Shadow is not directed to children and does not actively identify or collect personal information from minors. Because the content managed by the app is chosen by users, parents or guardians should help minors manage devices, assets, and cloud accounts appropriately.

If you believe a minor has provided personal information to us, please contact us using the information below.

10. International data transfers

Shadow currently does not operate servers that receive asset library content, so we do not actively transfer your library content to Shadow-owned servers or perform international transfers controlled by us.

If you use third-party cloud storage, system backup, email support, or other external services, related data may be stored or transferred by those services in different regions under their own privacy policies.

11. Your rights and controls

Subject to applicable law, you can control data related to Shadow in the following ways:

• Access: view your libraries in Shadow, Files, external storage, or cloud storage.
• Correction: edit inaccurate tags, notes, folders, or asset information in Shadow.
• Deletion: delete libraries or files from Shadow, local files, external storage, or cloud storage.
• Revoke authorization: remove cloud authorization in Shadow or the third-party account settings.
• Portability: copy, move, or export library files where supported by the app and system.
• Limit access: do not select a file location, or revoke related file, photo, or cloud access in iOS/iPadOS settings.

Because most data is stored on your own device or cloud storage, you can usually exercise these controls directly through the app, system settings, or third-party service.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy to reflect feature, technical, legal, or business changes. When we update it, we will revise the “Last updated” date above. If a change materially affects how data is handled, we will provide a more visible notice in the app or on the website.

We recommend reviewing this policy periodically.

13. Contact us

If you have questions about this policy, data handling, or data rights requests, contact us through:

• Email: shadow_support@163.com
• Support page: support.html

We will respond within a reasonable time.