In short: ordinary note content stays on your device unless you choose to export it, back it up somewhere else, send it to an AI provider, or share it with support. Fold does not sell personal information or use advertising cookies.
Who we are and what this policy covers
This Privacy Policy applies to the Fold iPhone app, hellofold.app, the Fold private beta, and messages you send to Fold. In this policy, “Fold,” “we,” and “us” mean the operator of the Fold app and website.
Fold is responsible for the personal information it directly handles through the website, beta requests, support, and any Fold-operated service. Much of the information you create in the app is stored only on your device and is not received by Fold.
Apple, Google, Cloudflare, Sentry, and any AI provider or storage location you choose may handle information under their own privacy policies. They act independently or as service providers depending on the feature. This policy describes Fold's practices; it does not replace the policies of those other services.
The short version
- You can use Fold locally without creating a Fold cloud account.
- Notes, folders, fields, images, checklists, reminders, settings, and note history are stored on your device unless you choose a feature that moves them elsewhere.
- Fold does not currently operate cloud sync for your note library.
- Backups and exports are created at your request. You choose where they are saved and who can access them.
- AI is optional. On-device Apple Intelligence stays on the device when available. If you connect a cloud AI provider, the text needed for your request goes directly from your device to that provider.
- The optional Help improve Fold setting sends only limited diagnostic and performance information. It is off by default and never sends note content, folder or field names, searches, screenshots, account identity, or backups.
- The website uses first-party analytics without advertising cookies. The custom analytics dataset does not store your direct IP address and is kept for three months.
- Fold does not sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising.
Information involved
Information stored by the app on your device
Fold stores the material you create and the settings needed to run the app. This can include notes, folder names and groups, field labels and values, open writing, images, checklists, reminders, tags, formatting, note history, Recently Deleted items, folder artwork, sort choices, onboarding answers, appearance settings, backup settings, and export choices. Fold does not receive this material merely because you save it in the app.
Sign-in information
If you use Sign in with Apple or Google, the provider may give the app an account identifier and, depending on your choices and the provider, a name, email address, or profile image URL. The current app stores its sign-in session in the iPhone Keychain and does not use sign-in to upload your note library to Fold. Apple and Google process sign-in information under their own policies.
Subscription information
If Fold offers a paid subscription, Apple handles payment through the App Store. Fold may receive information needed to check access, such as product, transaction, subscription, and entitlement status. Fold does not receive your full payment-card number from Apple.
AI requests
If you use a cloud AI provider, the app sends the prompt, selected text, or other note context needed for that request to the provider you chose. The app may store a local cache of the response. API keys you add are stored in the iPhone Keychain and are sent only as needed to authenticate requests with that provider. Do not send API keys to Fold support.
Backups and exports
Fold creates backups and exports on your device. A backup or export can contain note text, fields, images, formatting, tags, activity, and note-history information, depending on the format and options you choose. Fold does not receive a backup merely because you create one. The file is handled by the storage location, app, or person you choose after export.
Photos, camera, and reminders
If you grant permission, Fold can use the camera, the photos you select or allow, and local notifications. These permissions are controlled in iOS Settings. Reminder content is scheduled as a local notification on your device. Fold does not use these permissions for advertising.
Website use
The website's first-party analytics can record the page and section viewed, link or button used, a short interface label, the destination path, browser-window size, light or dark theme, referring hostname, and time of the event. The analytics code does not set an identifier cookie, create an advertising profile, or write your direct IP address to Fold's custom analytics dataset. It does not send events when the browser reports Global Privacy Control or Do Not Track.
Cloudflare and other infrastructure providers necessarily receive technical request information, which may include an IP address, browser or device information, requested URL, and time, to deliver and protect the website. Their handling is governed by their own terms and Fold's service arrangements.
If you turn on Help improve Fold in Profile, Fold sends limited diagnostics to Sentry and daily aggregate MetricKit performance measurements to a private Cloudflare performance dataset. Sentry may receive the app version and build, iOS version, generic device class, safe feature and error codes, and Apple crash or hang diagnostics. Cloudflare receives only the aggregate metric name and value, app version, and iOS version for launch time, CPU time, peak memory, scroll-hitch ratio, and logical disk writes. Fold does not send note content, names, search queries, schema values, emails, identifiers, paths, tokens, keys, URL query values, screenshots, raw console logs, or a device identifier through these flows. Turning the setting off stops future diagnostics and performance uploads.
When you choose Report a problem, Fold opens your device's Mail composer when available, or the system share sheet otherwise. Your typed description stays in that handoff. You may choose to attach a one-time redacted JSON diagnostic file containing only app/build, generic device class, iOS version, consent state, current safe screen, safe breadcrumbs, and a Sentry correlation ID when diagnostics are enabled.
Beta and support messages
When you email Fold, we receive your email address, message, and anything you attach. A support message may contain device type, iOS version, Fold build number, screenshots, or logs. Please do not include private note text, passwords, API keys, or backup recovery keys unless Fold specifically asks for a redacted example through an appropriate channel.
Sensitive information
A notes app can hold very sensitive material. Fold is not a healthcare provider, bank, law firm, or service designed to meet specialized recordkeeping rules such as HIPAA. Think carefully before storing regulated records, credentials, financial account numbers, government identifiers, or information that could create serious harm if exposed.
Where information comes from
Information comes from you when you write, configure the app, request beta access, contact support, create a backup or export, or choose an AI action. It also comes from your device and browser when they provide technical information, from Apple or Google when you choose sign-in, and from Apple when it reports App Store purchase or entitlement status.
How information is used
Fold uses information only as reasonably needed to:
- provide the app, website, beta, support, sign-in, purchase, backup, export, reminder, and AI features you choose;
- remember settings and keep the app working on your device;
- answer questions, investigate problems, prevent abuse, and protect Fold and its users;
- understand which website pages and controls are useful;
- meet legal, tax, accounting, security, and App Store obligations; and
- improve and communicate about Fold.
Fold does not sell personal information. Fold does not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. Fold does not use note content for advertising or to train a Fold advertising profile. Fold does not make legal, employment, credit, housing, insurance, or similarly significant decisions about you using automated processing.
Legal reasons for processing
Where a law requires a legal basis, Fold relies on the reason that fits the situation:
- Contract, when information is needed to provide the app, beta, support, or a feature you request.
- Consent, when you choose an optional permission or connected service and consent is the appropriate basis. You can withdraw consent for future processing through the app, iOS settings, the connected provider, or by contacting Fold, depending on the feature.
- Legitimate interests, when Fold needs limited information to secure, maintain, understand, and improve the website and service, answer support requests, and prevent abuse. Fold balances those interests against your rights.
- Legal obligation, when information must be handled to comply with law, tax, accounting, App Store, or legal-process requirements.
Fold does not rely on consent when another legal basis is more appropriate, and withdrawing consent does not undo processing that was lawful before withdrawal.
Local storage, deletion, backups, and exports
The current app stores your library locally. Items moved to Recently Deleted remain on the device for up to 30 days unless you restore or permanently delete them sooner. Using Erase Local Data or Delete Account removes Fold's local database, sign-in session, AI keys and cache, backup recovery key, temporary exports, reminders, and covered settings from that device. It does not delete copies already saved in iCloud device backups, Files, another storage provider, email, an AI provider, or another person's possession.
Deleting the app can remove local data that has not been backed up or exported. Your operating system or device backup may retain a copy outside Fold's control.
Fold backup bundles can be encrypted. You are responsible for keeping the recovery key and backup file safe. Fold cannot recover an encrypted backup if the required key is lost. Exports may not be encrypted after they leave Fold. Anyone with access to an exported file may be able to read its contents.
Fold does not currently provide cloud sync for the note library. If Fold introduces a hosted sync or storage service, this policy will be updated before that service begins collecting note content.
AI services
AI features are optional. Apple Intelligence runs on the device when the feature and model are available. Cloud AI features require a provider you choose, currently Anthropic, Google Gemini, or OpenAI. For a cloud request, Fold sends the prompt, selected writing, or note context needed to complete that action directly to the chosen provider.
Cloud providers may keep prompts and responses, review them for safety, or use them to improve services depending on the provider, account type, and settings. Fold does not control those practices. Read the provider's current privacy policy and data controls before sending confidential or regulated information.
AI output may be wrong, incomplete, biased, or unsuitable. Review it before applying it to a note or relying on it.
How long information is kept
- Cloudflare stores the website analytics data for three months.
- Sentry diagnostic events follow Fold's configured project retention period. Fold reviews that setting before launch and keeps it no longer than needed to investigate and improve reliability.
- Beta and support emails are kept while a request is active and for a reasonable period afterward so Fold can follow up, recognize repeat problems, and keep appropriate business records. They may be deleted sooner or kept longer when required for security, legal, tax, or dispute reasons.
- Local app content remains on your device until you delete it, erase Fold's local data, or remove the app. Recently Deleted items are kept locally for up to 30 days.
- Local sign-in sessions, API keys, and recovery keys remain in the device Keychain until you remove them, sign out where applicable, erase local data, or delete the account from the app.
- Backups and exports remain wherever you save or send them until you or that storage provider deletes them.
- Apple, Google, AI providers, email providers, and storage providers follow their own retention rules.
- Records needed for fraud prevention, security, legal claims, accounting, tax, or compliance may be kept for the period reasonably required by those obligations.
Fold aims to keep each category only as long as needed for the purpose described, taking account of sensitivity, risk, legal duties, and whether the information can be deleted or de-identified.
Your choices and privacy rights
In the app, you can use local mode, keep Help improve Fold off or turn it off later, decline optional permissions, remove cloud AI keys, export data, create or restore a backup, permanently delete individual items, and erase Fold's local data. You can also manage Photos, Camera, and Notifications in iOS Settings and manage Apple, Google, App Store, AI-provider, and storage-provider data through those services.
Depending on where you live and whether a law applies to Fold, you may have the right to ask what personal information Fold holds about you, receive a copy, correct it, delete it, restrict or object to processing, withdraw consent, or obtain portable information. You may also have the right to appeal a denied request, use an authorized agent, complain to a privacy regulator, and receive equal service and pricing when you exercise a privacy right.
Send a request to privacy@hellofold.app. Describe the right you want to exercise and the email address or interaction involved. Fold may ask for information reasonably needed to verify your identity and protect against fraudulent requests. Fold will respond within the time required by applicable law. If Fold denies a request, the response will explain why and, where required, how to appeal.
Fold cannot retrieve or delete local note content it never received. You must use the controls on your device to manage that content. Requests sent to Fold also do not automatically reach Apple, Google, an AI provider, a storage provider, or someone with whom you shared an export.
Children
Fold is a general-audience app and is not directed to children under 13. Fold does not knowingly collect personal information from a child under 13. If you believe a child has sent personal information to Fold, contact privacy@hellofold.app so we can investigate and delete eligible information.
If you are under the age of legal majority where you live, use Fold only with permission from a parent or guardian. A parent or guardian should review any connected AI, sign-in, backup, export, or subscription feature before a minor uses it.
Security and data loss
Fold uses safeguards appropriate to the information it handles. Current examples include local iOS storage, device-only Keychain storage for supported secrets, encrypted backup options, limited first-party analytics, and restricted support access. No app, device, network, provider, or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure.
Protect your device passcode, recovery keys, provider accounts, API keys, backups, and exports. Keep an independent backup of important information and test that it can be restored. Contact privacy support promptly if you believe information handled by Fold has been exposed.
Changes to this policy
Fold may update this policy when the product, providers, or law changes. The updated policy will be posted here with a new effective date. If a change materially affects how Fold uses information already collected, Fold will provide additional notice in the app, on the website, or by email when required and will ask for consent when the law requires it.
Contact
Privacy questions and requests can be sent to privacy@hellofold.app.
If you are in the European Economic Area or United Kingdom, you may also complain to the data-protection authority where you live or work.
Effective date: July 26, 2026.