Redact Shield privacy policy
Redact Shield is designed as a local-first photo privacy tool. The app does not require an account, does not use advertising SDKs, does not use analytics SDKs, and does not track users across apps or websites. Detection, redaction, metadata removal, and export all run on your device.
Information processed by the app
When you choose or capture a photo, Redact Shield processes that image on your device so you can blur, pixelate, or cover sensitive regions. The app may use Apple on-device frameworks to detect faces, readable text, and barcodes when you tap Auto.
On-device PII detection
When you tap Auto, Redact Shield uses Apple Vision on device to read text, then applies offline pattern matchers to classify common kinds of personal information (for example email addresses, phone numbers, payment-card numbers, bank account numbers, government identifiers, addresses, license plates, dates, and IP addresses). This classification happens entirely on your device. Redact Shield does not build a profile, does not perform identity verification, and does not transmit recognized text or its classification anywhere. Detected regions are used only to suggest masks that you can keep, undo, clear, or edit before export.
Face data and automatic detection
When you tap Auto, Redact Shield uses Apple Vision on device to detect face rectangles in the selected, captured, pasted, or demo image. The app uses those rectangles only to suggest redaction masks that you can keep, undo, clear, or edit before export.
Redact Shield does not identify people, verify identity, recognize individuals, create faceprints, create biometric templates, collect facial landmarks for identification, train machine-learning models, or use face data for analytics, advertising, profiling, or tracking. Adding PII classifiers does not change this: no profiles, no identity verification, and no biometric templates are created.
Photo metadata (EXIF, GPS, device)
Photos can embed hidden metadata such as GPS coordinates, capture timestamp, and device and camera details. On import, Redact Shield reads this metadata only to show you a local summary of what the photo reveals; that summary is never sent anywhere. When you export or save a redacted copy, Redact Shield re-encodes a clean image and removes EXIF, GPS, and device metadata from the exported file by design. Removing metadata is a local image operation and does not transmit any data.
Photos and camera access
Redact Shield asks for Photos access only when you choose an image or save a redacted copy. It asks for Camera access only when you choose to capture a new photo. You control which image is selected, captured, saved, or shared.
Where data is stored
Selected images, detected face rectangles, text-detection rectangles, recognized text and its classification, barcode regions, redaction edits, and generated exports are handled locally on your device using Apple system frameworks. Redact Shield does not operate a customer database and does not upload your photos, recognized text, or detection results to a developer-run server.
Retention
Detection results and edit data are kept only in the active editing session and are discarded when you close the editor or the app session ends. Redact Shield does not retain face data or recognized text after editing. A redacted export is retained only if you choose to save it to your photo library or share it through the Apple system share sheet, and that destination is controlled by you.
Tracking, analytics, and advertising
Redact Shield does not use third-party analytics, advertising SDKs, fingerprinting, cross-app tracking, or data brokers. The app does not collect data for tracking.
Data sharing
Redact Shield does not sell, rent, disclose, or share personal data, photos, face data, detected face rectangles, recognized text, or redaction edits with third parties. If you export an image, sharing is performed only through saving to your photo library or the Apple system share sheet to the destination you choose.
Children's privacy
Redact Shield is a photo utility and is not directed to children under 13.
Contact
For support or privacy questions, email the App Store product page.