TL;DR — The Short Version
- Your messages stay on your device and your chosen cloud storage — never on our servers
- We do not read, sell, or share your messages or call logs with anyone
- Backups are encrypted with AES-256-GCM — only you hold the key
- We collect no analytics on your messages or conversations
- You can delete all your data at any time by deleting your backup files
1. Who We Are
ChatVault is developed and published by Links Groups. We can be reached at info@linksgroups.com.
This Privacy Policy applies to the ChatVault Android application and the ChatVault website (including the web viewer at this domain).
2. What Data ChatVault Accesses
ChatVault requests access to the following data on your device. This data is used only to perform the backup and restore functions you explicitly request.
| Data Type | Why We Access It | Where It Goes | Shared with Anyone? |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMS messages | To include in your backup | Your device / your chosen cloud | No |
| MMS messages (photos, videos, audio) | To include in your backup | Your device / your chosen cloud | No |
| Call logs | To include in your backup | Your device / your chosen cloud | No |
| Contacts (name lookup only) | To display contact names in backups | Your device only | No |
| Calendar events (optional) | If you choose to back up calendar | Your device / your chosen cloud | No |
We do not access: your location, camera, microphone, financial information, or any other data not listed above.
3. Where Your Backups Are Stored
Your backup files are stored exclusively in locations you choose:
- Local storage or SD card — remains entirely on your device
- Google Drive — stored in your personal Google account; governed by Google's privacy policy
- Dropbox — stored in your personal Dropbox account; governed by Dropbox's privacy policy
- OneDrive — stored in your personal Microsoft account; governed by Microsoft's privacy policy
- WebDAV server — stored on a server you configure and control
- Email — sent to an email address you specify
ChatVault does not operate any cloud servers. No backup data ever touches our infrastructure.
4. Encryption
When you enable encryption in ChatVault Pro:
- Your backup files are encrypted on your device before being uploaded anywhere
- Encryption uses AES-256-GCM, an industry-standard algorithm used by banks and governments
- Your password is never stored or transmitted — only you know it
- If you lose your password, we cannot recover your data. There is no backdoor.
5. Analytics and Tracking
ChatVault does not include:
- Google Analytics or Firebase Analytics
- Crash reporting SDKs that transmit message content
- Advertising SDKs that read or transmit your messages
- Any SDK that reads or transmits your messages, contacts, or call logs for analytics purposes
The app may collect anonymous, non-personal crash reports (stack traces with no message content) to help us fix bugs. This contains no personal data.
6. Permissions Explained
| Permission | Why It's Needed |
|---|---|
| READ_SMS / WRITE_SMS | To read your messages for backup, and write them back during restore |
| READ_CALL_LOG / WRITE_CALL_LOG | To back up and restore your call history |
| READ_CONTACTS | To look up contact names to display in the backup viewer |
| RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED | To schedule automatic backups after the phone restarts |
| POST_NOTIFICATIONS | To notify you when a backup completes or fails |
| INTERNET | To upload backups to cloud services you choose |
| FOREGROUND_SERVICE | To run backups reliably in the background without being interrupted |
7. Third-Party Services
When you connect ChatVault to a cloud service, you authenticate directly with that service. ChatVault uses their official APIs with OAuth 2.0 — we never see your cloud account password.
- Google Privacy Policy (Google Drive, Google Sign-In)
- Dropbox Privacy Policy
- Microsoft Privacy Policy (OneDrive)
8. In-App Purchases
ChatVault Pro is purchased through Google Play. All payment processing is handled by Google. We do not receive or store your payment card information. See Google Payments Privacy Notice.
9. Children's Privacy
ChatVault is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has used the app, contact us at info@linksgroups.com and we will assist.
10. Data Retention and Deletion
We do not store your backup data. Your backup files exist only where you put them — on your device or in your personal cloud accounts.
To delete your data:
- Delete backup files from within the ChatVault app
- Delete backup files directly from your cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.)
- Uninstall the app to remove all app data from your device
11. Your Rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights under GDPR, UK GDPR, or other privacy laws, including:
- Access — request a copy of any data we hold about you
- Correction — request correction of inaccurate data
- Deletion — request deletion of your data (your backup files are under your full control)
- Objection — object to processing of your data
Since we do not store your messages or personal data on our servers, most of these rights are exercised directly through your device and cloud accounts. For anything else, contact info@linksgroups.com.
12. Security
We design ChatVault with security as the primary requirement. Measures include:
- AES-256-GCM encryption for all backup files (Pro)
- HTTPS for all cloud API communications
- No storage of user credentials — OAuth tokens are stored in Android's encrypted credential store
- No backup is deleted until successful upload is confirmed
13. Changes to This Policy
If we make material changes to this policy, we will notify you via an in-app notification and update the "Effective date" at the top of this page. Continued use of the app after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
14. Contact Us
For any privacy questions or requests:
- Email: info@linksgroups.com
- General support: info@linksgroups.com
We aim to respond to all privacy requests within 30 days.