Notch does not collect, transmit, or store any of your data outside your device. There are no accounts, no servers, no analytics, no advertising, no third parties. Everything you record lives in an encrypted database on your iPhone, and only you can unlock it.
If that's all you needed to know, you can stop reading here.
Who this applies to
This policy covers Notch, the iOS app published by an independent developer (referred to here as "we" or "us"). It applies to anyone who installs and uses the app.
What we collect
Nothing. Notch does not have a backend, does not use analytics SDKs, does not include crash reporters that phone home, and does not contain advertising or tracking code. There is no signup flow because there is nothing for you to sign up to.
What stays on your device
You enter the following information yourself, and it remains stored locally in an encrypted SQLite database on your iPhone:
- Weight entries (date, weight, optional note)
- Activities (type, duration, exercise details, optional note)
- Habit check-ins
- Progress photos, after redactions are baked in
- Your unit preference (kg or lb), Face ID lock setting, and similar in-app preferences
The database is encrypted using SQLCipher. The encryption key is stored in the iOS Keychain and unlocked by Face ID or Touch ID (or your device passcode as a fallback). Photo files live in the app's sandboxed Documents directory under iOS Data Protection (set to "Complete" — the strictest class), which means the file contents are encrypted at rest using a key tied to your device passcode and are inaccessible whenever the device is locked.
Permissions and why we ask for them
- Camera. Used only when you tap "Take photo" inside the app, to capture a progress photo for redaction. The image is held in temporary storage just long enough for you to redact it, then it is replaced by the redacted version and the original is deleted.
- Photo library. Used only when you tap "Pick photo" to import an existing photo for redaction. The same temp-and-delete flow applies.
- Face ID / Touch ID. Used only to unlock the app and decrypt your local database. Apple does not share your biometric data with the app, and we don't see it.
Each permission is requested only the first time you use the corresponding feature. You can revoke any of them at any time in iOS Settings → Notch.
Photo redactions
When you redact a photo, the rectangles you draw are permanently composited into the saved image at full resolution. The unredacted original is deleted from temporary storage before the app moves on. EXIF metadata (location, device identifiers, original timestamps) is stripped during save. Once a photo is saved, no copy of the unredacted version exists anywhere — not on disk, not in any backup the app produces.
Data export and deletion
You can export a complete copy of your weight, activity, habit, and photo metadata at any time from Settings → Export. The export is a single JSON file shared via the iOS share sheet. Photo files themselves remain in the app's sandbox under iOS Data Protection; if you want to move them off-device, copy them through the iOS Files app or AirDrop. Where you store the export is up to you — Notch does not see or touch your iCloud, Files, or third-party storage.
To delete your data, delete the app. iOS removes the encrypted database, all photo files, and the keychain entry along with it. We can't delete data from our servers because we don't have any.
Backups
iOS may include the app's encrypted data in your iCloud or local device backup, depending on your iOS settings. Those backups are managed by Apple, not by us, and are encrypted by Apple under the protections of your Apple ID. If you don't want Notch data in those backups, exclude it in Settings → [your name] → iCloud → Manage Storage → Backups, or disable iCloud Backup entirely.
Third parties
None. Notch does not include any third-party SDKs that transmit data. We do not sell, share, rent, or otherwise disclose your data, because we do not have it.
Children
Notch is not directed at children under 13 and we do not knowingly collect any data from anyone (including children, since we do not collect data from anyone). If you are under the age of majority in your jurisdiction, please use the app only with the involvement of a parent or guardian.
Your rights
Privacy laws like the GDPR and CCPA give you rights to access, correct, port, and delete personal data that companies hold about you. Because we do not hold any of your data, there is nothing for us to access, correct, port, or delete on your behalf — your data lives on your device, under your control. Use the in-app export and delete functions to exercise those rights directly.
Changes to this policy
If this policy changes in any meaningful way, we'll update the "Last updated" date at the top, and — because the app may need to disclose changes — surface a notice in the app the next time you open it. Material changes that increase data collection will require a separate App Store update with reviewable release notes.
Contact
Questions, concerns, or anything to flag? Email echo.2dma8a@bumpmail.io.