Effective 24 September 2026

Privacy Policy

This policy covers Markdown Scratchpad for macOS, iOS, iPadOS and watchOS, including its widgets, Share Extension, Lock Screen and Control Centre control, and Siri and Shortcuts actions. The app is developed by Jerome Coloma (“we”, “us”).

1. What we collect

Nothing. The app contains no analytics, crash-reporting, advertising or tracking code, and there is no account to create. Your scratches are never sent to us or to any server we run.

2. How your scratches are stored

Each scratch is encrypted with AES-256-GCM before it is written to your device. Titles are derived from the text, so they are encrypted too. The encryption key is stored in your device’s Keychain. The app has no access to your files and opens nothing but its own pad.

3. iCloud sync

Sync is optional. When it is on, the app uses Apple’s CloudKit to keep an encrypted copy of your pad in the private database of your own iCloud account. We cannot access that database. You choose where the encryption key is kept:

• You hold the key (the default). The key is kept in your iCloud Keychain. Apple stores the encrypted scratches but not a key that can open them.
• Apple holds the key. The key is kept in a CloudKit encrypted field, so it can be recovered through your Apple Account if you lose every device.
• Don’t sync. Nothing is uploaded.

In either sync mode, iCloud can see how many scratches you have, roughly how long each one is, when each was created, edited and deleted, and their order. It cannot see their text or titles. Apple’s handling of iCloud data is covered by Apple’s Privacy Policy.

4. The lock, Face ID and Touch ID

The lock is off by default. When you turn it on, Face ID, Touch ID and Optic ID are handled entirely by the operating system; the app only learns whether the check passed. Your passphrase is used to protect the key and is not stored. Your recovery code is shown once and is not stored anywhere in readable form. We cannot recover either of them for you.

5. Apple Watch, widgets, sharing and Shortcuts

These all work on your own devices. Your iPhone sends your paired Apple Watch the titles and edit times of your ten most recent scratches, and sends nothing while the pad is locked. Dictation on the watch uses Apple’s system dictation, which is subject to Apple’s terms and privacy policy. Text you send through the Share Extension or a Shortcuts action goes straight into your pad. The Get Scratch Text action returns a scratch’s text to the shortcut you run, and refuses while the pad is locked.

6. Network connections

The app connects only to Apple’s iCloud, and only when sync is on. Markdown, code highlighting and diagrams are rendered on your device. A link you tap in a rendered scratch opens in your browser, which is then subject to that website’s own policies.

7. Information from Apple

Apple gives developers aggregate App Store figures, such as download counts. If you have chosen to share analytics with app developers in your device settings, Apple may also share crash reports and usage statistics that do not identify you. We use these only to understand how the app is doing and to fix problems.

8. Deleting your data

A deleted scratch moves to Recently Deleted and is removed for good after 30 days, or sooner if you choose Delete Now. To remove the encrypted copy from iCloud, use Remove from iCloud in the app’s settings; your scratches stay on the device you do it from. Deleting the app removes its local store.

9. Children

The app collects no information from anyone, including children.

10. Your rights

We handle personal information in line with the Australian Privacy Principles. Because we hold none of yours, there is nothing for us to give you access to or correct. You are still welcome to contact us with any question or complaint, and you can also contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at oaic.gov.au.

11. Changes

If this policy changes, we will update it here and change the effective date above. If a change would affect how your information is handled, we will say so in the app’s release notes.

12. Contact

Jerome Coloma
[email protected]