Your information

Privacy policy

Effective 24 October 2026

Stow web app

The installable web app requires Google sign-in and paid access. Supabase stores your account identifier, email and access status. PayPal processes your payment; Stow records a payment reference and access status, not your card or bank details. Cloudflare hosts the website and its payment endpoints. Payment confirmation and refunds are checked on the server.

Web app items are stored in this browser, separately for each account. The web app currently has no cloud backup. Clearing browser data can remove saved items. After online activation, a signed receipt enables offline access on this browser. Signing out requires online activation next time. The mobile app features described below apply to the earlier native app and are not all available in the web app.

Who is responsible

This policy covers the Stow mobile app and this information website. Stow's developer operates the app and its Supabase project. For privacy questions, access requests or deletion requests, use the support email shown on Stow’s Google sign-in screen.

Information you save

Stow processes the QR and barcode contents, links, text, names, notes, categories, favourites, photos and files you choose to save. Imported files include their contents, filename and file type. From version 1.0.18, Gallery can browse your phone’s photo library and albums inside Stow with your permission. Limited photo access is respected. Browsing does not copy or back up your library. Only photos you explicitly save are copied into Stow. From version 1.0.19, Android can browse files and folders in shared phone storage when you grant All files access. Android still blocks other apps’ private storage. On iOS, Stow can browse folders you select, subject to the permission provided by iOS. From version 1.0.21, file management actions can create, edit, rename, move or trash files in locations you permit. Trash moves files into a hidden .stow-trash folder and keeps a local restore index. A public Stow folder is available for normal USB file transfer; it is separate from private account storage. Edited photos are saved as copies in your phone library. Camera video is saved in your phone library, with microphone access only when you enable sound. Browsing photos also supports videos. Files you browse stay in their original locations unless you choose a management action; they are copied into Stow for backup only when you explicitly choose Save in Stow. Opening a file in another app can create a temporary preview copy in Stow’s cache. You can also import selected files with the system picker and organise saved copies in Stow folders. Hiding a tab does not delete photos, files or saved items. These are kept in the app's local storage. Saved items are separated by signed-in account. Signing out preserves that account's items on the device and returns to sign-in. Device-only items use a separate workspace. Adding them to an account requires your confirmation and device authentication. The app combines both sets and keeps an account-specific copy of the original device items. Earlier device archives are also retained and can be assigned to one verified account. Signing out does not automatically open device-only items. Camera scans and photo imports are processed on your device; using the scanner does not automatically upload a scan or your photo library to the developer.

Google sign-in

If you connect a Google account, Google and Supabase process the sign-in. Stow requests basic identity permissions: openid, email and profile. These can provide your account identifier, email address and basic profile information such as your name and profile photo. Stow uses your account identifier to associate a cloud backup with you and your email for account display and passcode recovery. When you connect an account while Stow is unlocked, it links that account for passcode recovery on this device.

When you connect Google, Stow also requests drive.appdata permission to access its own hidden app folder. It cannot access your other Drive files. Stow does not request access to your Gmail messages or contacts. Google account information is used to provide sign-in, backup and recovery, not for advertising, sale or training general-purpose AI models.

Google Photos

From version 1.0.19, Google Photos is an optional connection separate from Stow sign-in and backup. It requests photospicker.mediaitems.readonly permission to let you choose photos. It cannot browse your entire Google Photos library automatically. Stow receives only the photos you select and available metadata, such as filename, capture date, original dimensions and camera details. Selected previews and the Photos account email are kept locally in the current Stow workspace. This connection does not switch your Stow account or grant access to your Gmail. Selected previews are not included in Stow backups unless you explicitly save a photo as a Stow item. Your original photos remain in Google Photos.

Optional cloud backup

Connecting Google for the first time enables automatic backup for that account. You can turn it off in Settings or choose Back up now. Stow uploads your saved code contents, notes, photos, imported files and their metadata, categories, order and favourites to its hidden Google Drive app folder. It combines an existing backup with the account’s device items before uploading when the remote copy has changed. Different versions may be kept as separate items. Automatic backup runs while Stow is open and can pause for connectivity, storage limits or expired Google access. It is not continuous two-way synchronisation. Signing out does not delete backups. Older releases may use the developer’s Supabase project for snapshots.

Backups are linked to your signed-in account. For Stow Cloud, database access rules restrict app users to their own backups. Google Drive backups use the permission you grant to your own Google account. They are not end-to-end encrypted: the project operator and its service providers may be able to access the stored data as needed to operate, support or secure the service. Do not treat Stow as storage for payment-card credentials or other highly sensitive secrets.

Passcodes and biometrics

Your app passcode is checked using a verifier and device secret held in platform secure storage. The passcode is not included in a cloud backup. From version 1.0.19, a signed-in account requires a local passcode. Google can verify the linked account for passcode recovery, while a new device sets up its own local lock. Biometric unlock accepts biometrics enrolled on that device; Stow does not receive or identify individual fingerprints. This is an app access lock; it does not encrypt all saved item content. Fingerprint or face authentication is handled by your device's operating system. Stow receives an authentication result, not your fingerprint or facial template.

When your Google account is linked for passcode recovery, the app stores the linked account ID and email in secure storage on the device. Recovery requires a fresh sign-in with that account or successful device biometrics.

Permissions and external links

Camera access is used for scanning codes and taking photos you choose to save. Photo access is used for images you select. Pictures taken in Stow remain in Stow unless you explicitly choose Save to phone gallery. That action requests permission to add a separate picture to your phone’s photo library. Capturing a picture can attach code content detected on your device; recognition does not send the picture to an external scanning service. You can decline permissions and use other input methods. Opening a saved website or loading a remote image contacts the relevant third-party service, whose own privacy policy applies. Stow cannot control the content of scanned links.

Providers and connection information

Google provides account authentication and optional Google Drive storage. Supabase provides account infrastructure and optional Stow Cloud storage. This website is hosted through Cloudflare Pages. Those services may process connection information, IP addresses and operational or security logs when you use them. Provider infrastructure can process data in countries outside your country of residence under the providers' applicable safeguards.

Read the Google privacy policy, Supabase privacy policy and Cloudflare privacy policy for their handling of information. Stow currently includes no advertising or behavioural analytics SDK, and this website adds no analytics scripts or advertising cookies. The website stores a local display preference in your browser so the introductory animation plays only on your first visit.

Purchases and access recovery

Paid access is linked to your signed-in account. Supabase stores the purchase reference and access status. Cloudflare stores an encrypted recovery copy containing the account identifier, payment reference and status. These records do not contain card details, PayPal passwords or your saved files. If an access record is missing, Stow can recheck the original payment with PayPal before restoring access to the same account. Refunded or reversed payments do not qualify. Signing out or clearing local app storage does not remove server purchase records.

Retention and deletion

Local items remain until you delete them or the app's local data is removed. Deleting an item in Stow does not delete the original file you imported or a copy you chose to save to the phone gallery. Deleting a local item does not remove it from a previously uploaded backup. A subsequent backup reflects local deletions when the remote copy has not changed. If the remote copy has changed, combining both sets can bring an item back. If automatic backup is enabled, subsequent backups can also reflect local deletions. Stow keeps up to three previous backup snapshots on the uploading device and up to three device copies before importing a backup. Verified device imports also retain an account-specific original archive. These local recovery copies can still contain previously deleted items. They are removed when the app’s local data is removed. They are not cloud version history.

You can remove Stow’s hidden Google Drive app data through Google Drive’s Manage apps settings. This does not delete local items or a separate Stow Cloud backup. For deletion of your Stow Cloud backup or Stow cloud account, use the support email shown on Stow’s Google sign-in screen, writing from the address you used to sign in and say what you want removed. We may need to verify that the request is yours. Signing out or removing Stow's Google access does not by itself delete existing Supabase data. Provider recovery copies and security records may remain subject to the providers' retention practices and any applicable legal requirements.

Your choices and rights

In older releases beginning with version 1.0.15, Google sign-in was optional. Current paid releases require account sign-in and verified purchase access before first use. Without an account, losing this device or forgetting your Stow passcode can make device-only items unrecoverable. Biometric failure alone does not prevent access if your passcode still works. You can turn automatic backup off, revoke Stow's Google access in your Google account settings, and manage device permissions. Where applicable, you can request access, correction, deletion or a copy of your personal information, object to processing or ask for a restriction. Use the support email shown on Stow’s Google sign-in screen to make a request. You can also raise a concern with your local data-protection authority.

We use the information you choose to save and the identity information needed to provide the features you request. Optional camera, photo, biometric and backup features are controlled by your choices. Security and operational information is used to keep the service functioning and protect it against misuse.

Local file readers

From version 1.0.22, Stow can preview supported documents, books, comic archives, photos, video and audio on your device. It does not upload these files to a document-conversion service. Reader caches can contain thumbnails, rendered PDF pages and selected archive entries. Reading positions and recent browsing lists stay in the current local workspace and are not automatically backed up. Active content and remote resources are blocked in document and ebook previews. Choosing Open with gives the app you select access to that selected file. File management distinguishes recoverable Trash from a confirmed Delete from phone action, which removes the original file. Removing a tab keeps its saved content. From version 1.0.23, Delete from phone in Photos asks the operating system to delete the selected original photo or video. Removing a code from a saved item keeps its image unless you remove that separately. Re-reading a code requires that image to remain. Older backups or phone-library copies are separate.

Policy updates

This page will be updated when Stow's data handling changes. The effective date is shown above.

Subscription access

If you choose a monthly plan, we store its PayPal subscription reference, payment status and paid-through date to verify access. Your device stores a signed access pass and a protected time record for offline use and basic clock-change detection. An encrypted subscription reference is retained separately for access recovery. Payment details are handled by PayPal.