Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how FileMend: Recover Lost Files ("FileMend," "we," "us," or "our") handles information when you use the FileMend Android application. FileMend is designed to scan, preview, recover, and clean eligible files on your device at your direction.
1. Information FileMend Handles on Your Device
When you grant the permission required for a feature and start that feature, FileMend may access information that the Android system makes available to the app. For recovery, this may include information about eligible system-trashed files in shared storage. For photo and video cleanup, this is limited to media that Android makes available through MediaStore based on the access you grant. The information may include file names, file paths or original locations, file types, sizes, timestamps, thumbnails, media content needed for preview, recycle-bin status, and operation results.
FileMend uses this information on your device to:
find files that the Android system still exposes as recoverable;
display file details and supported previews;
ask Android to restore selected files to their original locations;
identify screenshots, large media, and exact duplicate photos or videos for your review;
remove only the files you select after Android system confirmation; and
create local scan, recovery, and cleanup history.
FileMend does not upload file names, paths, thumbnails, file contents, or local history to us or to Firebase. FileMend does not access other apps' private storage.
2. Information Collected Automatically
FileMend uses the following Google Firebase services:
Firebase Analytics: may collect app interactions, feature events, result status, count and duration ranges, app information, device information, operating-system version, app-instance identifiers, and general technical information. FileMend's custom analytics events do not include file names, paths, thumbnails, file contents, exact file sizes, exact file timestamps, or local history details.
Firebase Crashlytics: may collect crash reports, stack traces, app state, device and operating-system information, and technical diagnostics needed to identify stability problems. FileMend limits its custom diagnostic context to screen or operation stage and error type.
Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM): may generate and process an app-instance registration token and delivery-related technical information.
Google may process technical information such as IP address, device identifiers, app-instance identifiers, and diagnostic information when providing these services. Google's handling of information is governed by its own terms and privacy documentation.
For more information, see Google Firebase Privacy and Security.
If you contact us by email, we receive your email address and any information you include in your message. Please do not send file contents or other sensitive information when contacting support.
3. Permissions
FileMend may request the following Android permissions and special access:
All files access: required only for FileMend's core recovery workflow to find eligible system-trashed files across available shared-storage locations and ask Android to restore the items you select. FileMend does not use this access as the permission basis for photo or video cleanup.
Photos and videos access: requested when you open either media cleanup tool. It allows FileMend to use Android MediaStore to identify screenshots, large media, and exact duplicate photos or videos for your review. The permission request covers both photos and videos, while each cleanup tool continues to process only its own media type. On Android versions that support selected-media access, FileMend processes only the media that Android allows the app to access. This access is not used for recovery.
FileMend does not scan silently in the background. Access occurs only after you initiate the relevant recovery or cleanup action. You can revoke these permissions at any time in Android system settings. Revoking All files access prevents recovery scanning but does not replace or control the media permission used by cleanup. Revoking or limiting photos and videos access prevents or limits media cleanup but does not affect recovery access.
4. How We Use Information
We use the limited information described above to:
provide user-requested file scanning, preview, recovery, cleanup, and local history features;
operate, maintain, troubleshoot, and secure the app;
understand feature performance through aggregated or range-based events;
diagnose crashes, application-not-responding events, and technical errors;
respond to support and privacy inquiries; and
comply with applicable legal obligations.
We do not use file information or file content to train artificial-intelligence models or for purposes unrelated to the features you request.
5. Sharing and Sale of Information
We do not sell your personal information.
Technical and usage information may be processed by Google as our service provider through Firebase Analytics, Firebase Crashlytics, and Firebase Cloud Messaging. We may also disclose information if reasonably necessary to comply with law, protect users, investigate abuse, or protect the security and rights of FileMend and others.
6. Data Storage and Retention
File scan results and temporary preview data are processed locally and may be replaced or removed when you perform a new scan, leave the relevant flow, clear app data, or uninstall FileMend, depending on the data type and Android behavior.
Scan summaries, recovery reports, and cleanup reports are stored locally on your device until you delete an individual report, clear all history, clear the app's data, or uninstall the app.
Firebase retains analytics, crash, diagnostic, and messaging information according to the Firebase configuration used for FileMend and Google's applicable retention controls and terms. Support emails are retained only as long as reasonably necessary to answer the request, maintain appropriate records, resolve disputes, or meet legal obligations.
7. Security
FileMend limits file processing to the device and restricts custom Firebase events and diagnostics from containing file names, paths, thumbnails, file contents, exact file sizes, exact file timestamps, or local history details. We use reasonable administrative and technical safeguards appropriate to the information handled. However, no application, device, network, or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
8. Your Choices and Rights
You can:
decline or revoke All files access through Android settings;
decline, limit, or revoke photos and videos access through Android settings;
delete individual local reports or clear all history inside FileMend;
clear FileMend's local data through Android settings;
uninstall FileMend to remove app-controlled local data; and
contact us to request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information that we control, subject to applicable law.
Because FileMend does not create user accounts and does not upload your files or local history, we generally cannot access or delete files and history stored only on your device. Requests concerning Firebase or support data may require information that allows us to reasonably identify the relevant record. You may also have the right to object, restrict processing, obtain data portability, or complain to a data-protection authority, depending on where you live.
9. International Processing
Google and other infrastructure involved in handling support communications may process information in countries other than the country where you live. Where required, we rely on safeguards made available by the relevant service provider and applicable law. Transfer mechanisms and jurisdiction-specific obligations must be reviewed against the developer's final legal entity and distribution markets before publication.
10. Children's Privacy
FileMend is a general-audience utility and is not directed to children under 13 or the minimum age required by applicable local law. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided personal information to us, contact us so that we can review and delete it where appropriate.
11. Recovery and File-Access Limitations
FileMend can only process files that the device and Android system still make available. It cannot guarantee discovery or recovery of any file and cannot recover permanently deleted or overwritten files, files stored in another app's private storage, cloud-only files, or files no longer exposed by the device. These functional limits do not change how information is handled under this Privacy Policy.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy when FileMend's features, data practices, service providers, or legal requirements change. We will update the effective date and make the revised policy available through the app or its public policy page. If a change materially affects how we handle personal information, we will provide additional notice when required by law.
13. Contact Us
For privacy questions or requests, contact:
Email: [email protected]