Privacy Policy

Shelfy Reader is built to be private by design. It is a local-first ebook reader: your books, highlights, notes, reading statistics, and AI processing live on your own device. We do not run ads, we do not use third-party trackers, and we do not require you to create an account. This policy explains exactly what data the app handles, where it goes, and the choices you control.

1. Who we are

Shelfy Reader ("the app", "we", "us", or "our") is an ebook reading application for Android, distributed under the package name com.shelfyreader.app. For any privacy question you can reach us at support@robomiri.com. This policy applies to the Shelfy Reader mobile app and the website at shelfy.pantiru.com.

2. Data stored on your device

Almost everything Shelfy Reader creates is stored locally on your device and never leaves it unless you explicitly choose to sync, back up, or share it. This includes:

• Your books and documents — the ebook, PDF, comic, and document files you import or open.
• Reading data — reading position, progress, time-left estimates, and reading sessions.
• Annotations — bookmarks, highlights, tags, notes, and floating notes.
• Library organization — collections, smart shelves, series, tags, ratings, reviews, and edited metadata.
• Language learning data — saved vocabulary, flashcards, and spaced-repetition progress.
• Statistics — reading heatmaps, streaks, goals, achievements, and your Year in Review.
• Preferences — themes, typography, reading aids, timers, and app settings.

3. No account required

You can use Shelfy Reader without registering, signing in, or giving us any personal information. We do not operate user accounts and we do not maintain a central database of Shelfy Reader users. Some optional features connect to third-party services that you sign into (for example your own Google Drive or Hardcover account) — those are covered in the sections below.

4. When the app uses the network

Shelfy Reader is fully usable offline. It only makes network requests when you use a feature that inherently needs one. The main cases are:

• Dictionary lookups — when you look up a word, the app may query the Free Dictionary API or Wiktionary. Your selected word is sent to that service to return a definition. Offline device dictionaries and local StarDict files require no network.
• Metadata & cover art — when you enrich a book or fetch a cover, the app sends the relevant title/author query to the metadata provider.
• AI models — downloading on-device AI models fetches the model files. After download, AI runs locally.
• Catalogs & servers you add — OPDS feeds, Calibre-Web servers, RSS feeds, and Read Later requests go to the addresses you configure.
• Website — this site is served as static pages and does not set advertising or tracking cookies.

We do not sell, rent, or share your data with data brokers, and the app contains no third-party advertising SDKs or analytics trackers.

5. AI, translation & speech

Shelfy Reader's AI tools — word explanations, chapter summaries, character tracking, comprehension quizzes, text simplification, and style analysis — are designed to run on your device using models you download. When AI runs locally, the passages you analyze are processed on your phone and are not transmitted to us.

Offline translation uses Google ML Kit language models that run on-device after the language pack is downloaded. Text-to-speech uses the speech engine installed on your device. If you choose to configure an external or cloud AI/translation provider, the text you submit is sent to that provider under their privacy terms — please review them before enabling such an option.

6. Cloud sync & backups

Cloud sync and backup are optional and off by default. If you enable them, your data is stored in an account you control:

• Google Drive, Dropbox, or WebDAV — used to sync or back up your library data to your own storage. We do not have access to these accounts or their contents.
• Encrypted backups — full backups can be created and restored with one tap; keep your backup files and any passphrase safe, as they contain your reading data.

7. Third-party services

Depending on the features you use, the app may interact with the following independent services, each governed by its own privacy policy:

• Google Play — app distribution and updates.
• Free Dictionary API / Wiktionary — word definitions.
• Google ML Kit — on-device translation models.
• Google Fonts — optional fonts for reading typography.
• Google Drive / Dropbox / WebDAV — sync and backup destinations you connect.
• Calibre-Web / OPDS catalogs / RSS sources — servers you add.
• Hardcover — optional sync of reading status, ratings, and progress if you connect your account.

We do not control these services and are not responsible for their data practices; please consult their policies.

8. Device permissions

Shelfy Reader requests only the permissions it needs for the features you use, for example:

• Storage / file access — to open and import your books and to watch folders you select.
• Internet — for the optional network features described above.
• Biometrics — if you enable App Lock (fingerprint/face/PIN); biometric data is handled by Android and never leaves your device.
• Notifications — for reading reminders, timers, and background tasks such as conversions or downloads.

9. Children's privacy

Shelfy Reader is a general-audience reading app and is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. Because reading data stays on the device, parents and guardians control what content is added and which optional online features are enabled.

10. Security

We take reasonable measures to protect the data on your device, including optional App Lock with biometric or PIN protection and encrypted backups. No method of storage or transmission is completely secure, but because Shelfy Reader keeps your data local by default, your exposure surface is minimal.

11. Your rights & choices

You remain in full control of your data at all times. You can:

• Use the app entirely offline and decline every optional online feature.
• Delete individual books, annotations, statistics, or your entire library from within the app.
• Disconnect any linked cloud or third-party account at any time.
• Remove all app data by clearing storage or uninstalling the app.
• Export your annotations to PDF, JSON, Markdown, or CSV to take them elsewhere.

If you are in a region with data-protection laws such as the GDPR or CCPA, note that we do not hold a central copy of your personal data to access, correct, or erase — it is on your device and under your control. For any request or question, contact us at support@robomiri.com.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect new features or legal requirements. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date above and, for significant changes, provide notice within the app or on this page. Continued use of the app after an update means you accept the revised policy.

13. Contact us

Questions about this policy or your data? Email us at support@robomiri.com or use our support form. We're happy to help.