Effective November 9, 2026

Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Docara ("the app") handles your information. In short: your documents are yours, and they stay on your device.

Summary

• The app has no user accounts and does not ask for your name, email or phone number.
• Your documents, scans, recognized text (OCR) and signatures are processed and stored on your device. They are never uploaded, unless you share them yourself.
• The app has no analytics or tracking tools of its own. The free version shows ads from Google AdMob: full-screen ads at some moments, such as before sharing a file or after text recognition, and a rewarded ad when you choose to watch one to unlock premium features for the day. Google collects some data for ads and for its scanner components, as described below.
• The free version connects to the internet for ads, including when the app opens. Other connections happen only when you start an action that needs one, such as downloading a free book.

Information we collect

The developer does not collect or sell personal information and does not run any server that receives your documents, scans or usage data. We have no access to the files you open or create with the app. Google collects some data through ads and its scanner components, as described below.

Documents, scans and files on your device

• Files you open are read directly from your device. Converted previews are kept in the app's private cache, which you can clear in Settings.
• Scans, recognized text, signatures, barcode history and downloaded books are saved in the app's private storage on your device.
• Files you export or save, such as PDFs, images and edited copies of Word and Excel files, go to the Download/Docara or Pictures/Docara folder on your phone. Other apps with access to those folders can read them there.
• Text recognition (OCR) runs entirely on the device.
• Android's automatic cloud backup is turned off for this app, so the data inside it is not copied to Google Drive or moved to another device by the system.
• Uninstalling the app or clearing its data permanently deletes everything stored inside it. Files you exported to other folders or shared with other apps are not affected.

When the app uses the internet

The app connects to the internet in these cases.

• Ads in the free version: when the app opens with a connection, it contacts Google on its own to check whether a consent form is required and to load ads ahead of time. A full-screen ad may then appear after some actions, such as text recognition or saving with certain scan settings, or before sharing a file, at most about once a minute. A rewarded ad loads when you tap “Watch a short ad”. Ads do not appear when the app opens or while you read. Where the law requires it, Google's consent form (User Messaging Platform) lets you choose how your data is used for ads, and you can change your choice later in Settings. AdMob may collect device identifiers such as the advertising ID, your IP address and ad interactions under Google's privacy policy (policies.google.com/technologies/ads). Your documents are never shared with the ad service. With Premium or a day pass, or without a connection, no ads are loaded.
• Free books: when you open or search the free book catalogue, your search words and filters are sent to the Gutendex API (gutendex.com), and catalogue data, books and cover images are downloaded from Project Gutenberg (gutenberg.org).
• Google Docs links: when you open a publicly shared Google Docs, Sheets, Slides or Drive link, the file is downloaded from Google's servers.
• Fonts: when you download a font in the Word editor or the PDF form tools, it comes from Google Fonts (fonts.googleapis.com).
• Text recognition languages: when you download an extra language, the file comes from GitHub (raw.githubusercontent.com). Your documents are not sent.
• Links inside documents open in your browser only when you tap them.

These services receive the technical information that any web request includes, such as your IP address, under their own privacy policies. Documents you read in the app are never allowed to load content from the internet.

Google Play services components

Barcode scanning, text recognition and the optional Google document scanner use Google ML Kit and Google Play services, and run on your device. Google may download these components after the app is installed or the first time you use them. Google states that ML Kit sends it diagnostic and usage data, such as device model, Android version, app name and version, a per-installation identifier, performance figures, image format and size, and error codes. Their use is governed by Google's own terms and privacy policy (policies.google.com). The app does not send your scans or codes to Google. Ads are provided by Google AdMob, as described above; your documents are never shared with the ad service.

Permissions

• Storage / all files access: requested only if you choose to search your phone for documents, and used only to list and open the documents you see. On Android 9 and older, storage access is also requested to save files to the Download folder.
• Camera: used only while a camera screen you opened is on. By default the document scanner uses the app's own camera screen, which also looks for page edges in the preview on your device. Pictures stay on your device, and nothing is recorded in the background. The barcode scanner opens Google's camera screen, as does the document scanner if you choose Google in Settings. In that case, one scan mode opens your phone's camera app.
• Internet: used for the purposes described above.
• Advertising ID: the Google Mobile Ads SDK may read your device's advertising ID to show ads. You can reset or delete it in your phone's settings.
• Biometrics: if you turn on fingerprint or face unlock, Android checks your biometrics; the app never receives your biometric data.

Security

You can protect the app and individual files with a PIN. The PIN is never stored in plain form: only a salted cryptographic hash is kept on the device. Password-protected PDFs you create are encrypted with the password you choose. Keep your device protected with a screen lock as well.

Sharing and exporting

Files leave the app only when you share, export or save them yourself. When you share a file with another app or service, that app's or service's privacy policy applies.

Children

The app is not directed at children under 13 and does not knowingly collect personal information from anyone, including children.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when the app changes, for example if new features use the internet. The effective date at the top shows the latest version. Important changes will be announced in the app.

Contact us

Questions about privacy? Email us at didapphelp@gmail.com.