GrooveFile Privacy

Mac, iPhone and iPad App Store editions. Updated 22 September 2026.

Your Collection

GrooveFile stores its library and cached images locally in its app container. This includes records, photos, notes, prices, sales, borrowers, listening history, Wantlist entries, boxes and inventory checks. Search and collection statistics run locally. There is no advertising, cross-app tracking or automatic collection analytics. Apple manages app purchases and updates.

Optional iCloud Sync and Recovery

Connecting iCloud in Settings uploads your complete collection, including private notes, photos, prices, sales, loans and storage information, to your Apple account's private CloudKit database. Other connected devices using that account can receive changes and deletions. Installing the app does not enable sync. Apple processes iCloud data under its terms and privacy policy. Provider tokens, unsaved scan queues and local preferences are not synced.

Recovery checkpoints retain earlier collection data, including deleted entries. Pausing or disconnecting does not erase cloud checkpoints or copies on other devices. Read-only recovery access requires consent and does not enable uploads. Sync is not backup: keep a separate exported archive.

Metadata and Artwork

Barcode and release searches send barcodes, artist/title/catalogue search terms or selected release identifiers to MusicBrainz and, when configured, Discogs. Track/credit previews, artist/label browsing and value updates send relevant source identifiers. Opening Tracks & Connections may fetch a preview when no music metadata has been saved. Collection Health previews use the same services; local checks do not. Your private notes, photos, purchase prices, locations and borrowers are not sent to these metadata providers. Artwork requests contact the image host unless cached.

A Discogs personal access token is stored in Keychain and sent to Discogs for authenticated requests. Imports read your chosen collection or Wantlist and can retrieve account names, folder names and custom fields. Import drafts are local; imported fields become collection data. The token is not included in library backups. GrooveFile does not change your Discogs account's collection.

Online services receive your IP address, app User-Agent and requested resource. MusicBrainz/MetaBrainz logs API requests and publishes aggregate traffic statistics; Discogs requests may be associated with your account. Providers control their own retention. Deleting local data does not delete provider logs.

Camera, Photos and Audio CDs

Features vary by platform. Audio CD controls and the Mac-specific tools below apply only to the Mac edition.

Barcode camera frames and text recognition are processed on the device. Frames are not uploaded or saved by barcode scanning; detected barcodes may be used for metadata lookup. Photos you explicitly save become collection data. Extra copy photos are re-encoded without original EXIF/GPS metadata, but their visible content and captions can still be private. Custom covers and copy photos can be included in complete backups and iCloud sync.

Audio CD detection observes mounted volumes locally. Find CD first searches locally; if needed it sends a derived disc identifier to MusicBrainz. GrooveFile does not rip or upload audio. With your macOS Automation permission, CD controls use Apple Music's read/playback scripting groups. While the CD bar is visible, local playback status may be read every two seconds. This status is not saved or uploaded. Apple Music handles playback and its own network requests.

Other Optional Features

Currency conversion downloads public ECB reference rates without sending your amounts or record details. Conversion is calculated locally. Spotlight is off by default; enabling it indexes copy identifiers, artist/title, barcode, format, condition and location locally, not notes, prices or photos. Shortcuts can search or log listening with local device authentication. Information passed to other actions follows the shortcut you choose and Apple's settings. Apple Music search links send the selected artist/title to Apple's service. Native box links contain a box name; opening a web fallback discloses that URL and ordinary request information to the website host.

Export, Deletion and Support

Exports and complete backups can contain private information. Backup archives are not password-protected; choosing a cloud-backed destination can upload them. Checksums detect corruption, not who created the backup. Deleting a record or photo does not erase historical backups, retained artwork or earlier cloud checkpoints. Sale exports include only selected fields/photos and do not post to marketplaces. GrooveFile does not process payments or contact buyers or borrowers.

Contact Support opens your mail app. Only a message you choose to send, its email address and any attachments are shared with the developer and email providers. No collection, log or credential is attached automatically. Support correspondence is retained to handle the request; contact [email protected] for privacy questions or to request access or deletion. Do not include tokens or private collection data unless necessary. Help and privacy webpages receive ordinary web request information.

Provider policies:

These services may process information outside your country. Their policies and your browser, email and Apple settings also apply.

Developer and privacy contact: PX7 Digital, [email protected]. Copyright 2026 PX7 Digital.