Last Updated: October 2026
TL;DR: The BuddyBar apps don't collect, store, or transmit any of your data. Everything stays on your device across Chrome, Mac, and Windows. No analytics, no tracking and no accounts in the apps. The Mac and Windows apps only reach buddybar.io to check for updates. The website counts visits, downloads and update checks, and never sees your palettes.
BuddyBar is designed with privacy as a core principle. The Chrome extension, Mac app, and Windows app all operate entirely locally on your device. We don't collect any personal information, usage data, or analytics.
The Chrome extension stores the following data locally in your browser:
This data is stored using Chrome's built-in storage API (chrome.storage.local) and never leaves your device. It is not transmitted to any server or third party.
The Mac app stores the following data locally on your Mac:
This data is stored using macOS UserDefaults and remains entirely on your computer. It is not synced to iCloud or transmitted anywhere.
The Windows app stores the following data locally on your PC:
This data is stored in a local JSON file (%APPDATA%\io.buddybar.desktop\storage.json) and remains entirely on your computer.
When you have the Chrome extension and a desktop app (Mac or Windows) installed on the same computer, your colors sync automatically between them. This sync happens locally via native messaging — no internet connection or cloud service is involved.
Both the Mac and Windows apps include a native messaging host that allows direct communication with the Chrome extension on your local machine. No data is transmitted outside your device.
Cloud sync (via iCloud, OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, or any folder) is optional and entirely user-controlled. When enabled, palette files are stored in a folder you choose — BuddyBar does not operate any sync servers.
The Chrome extension requests the following permissions:
The extension also lets one page talk to it: the shared-palette page at buddybar.io/p/ can ask whether BuddyBar is installed and, when you click Add to BuddyBar, ask it to add that palette. It can't read anything else, and the extension can't read that page.
These permissions are used solely for the functionality of BuddyBar. No data is collected or transmitted to external servers.
The Mac app may request:
The Accessibility permission is only used to listen for the keyboard shortcut. BuddyBar does not read, record, or access any other keyboard input or screen content.
The Windows app does not require any special system permissions. It registers a native messaging host in the Windows Registry to communicate with Chrome, and this registration is automatically removed when the app is uninstalled.
BuddyBar (the Chrome extension, Mac app, and Windows app) does not collect any data. Specifically:
Our website (buddybar.io) uses Google Analytics to understand how visitors use the site. This helps us improve the website experience. Google Analytics collects:
This data is aggregated and anonymous. No personally identifiable information is collected. You can opt out of Google Analytics by using browser extensions like Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
Important: Google Analytics only runs on our website; buddybar.io's own counts are described under "What buddybar.io Counts" below. The BuddyBar Chrome extension, Mac app, and Windows app do not include any analytics or tracking.
The BuddyBar Chrome extension, Mac app, and Windows app do not integrate with any third-party services or APIs. Our website uses the following third-party services:
You can save palettes as .buddybar files and share them with others. These files contain only:
No personal information, device identifiers, or metadata are included in saved files. When you share a .buddybar file, you control how and with whom it is shared.
Share palette makes a link that carries the palette's name, colors and groups in the part of the address after the #. Browsers never send that part to a server, so buddybar.io never receives your palette. Anyone who has the link can see the palette, and a link can't be taken back once you've sent it, so share it the way you'd share the colors themselves.
When someone opens a link, the page counts the visit, and whether they opened it in BuddyBar or saved it as a file. Nothing about the palette is included, and Google Analytics sees only the plain address buddybar.io/p/.
Besides Google Analytics, buddybar.io keeps its own simple counts of three things: downloads, the Mac and Windows apps checking for updates, and visits to shared palette links. For each one it stores a scrambled form of the visitor's address that can't be turned back into it, the country and city, and the browser or app description. The description is erased after 90 days, and update-check and link-visit records are deleted after 400 days. None of it includes your palettes or anything you've made in BuddyBar.
BuddyBar does not knowingly collect any information from children under the age of 13. Because the apps don't collect any data at all, BuddyBar is safe for users of all ages.
Since all data is stored locally on your device and nothing is transmitted to external servers, your data is as secure as your device. We recommend:
.buddybar filesWe may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. Continued use of BuddyBar after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us through the contact form on our support page.
This privacy policy complies with:
Because BuddyBar does not collect any personal data, most privacy regulations do not apply. However, we maintain this policy for transparency and to meet store requirements.