DOC_REF // PRIV-2026-V2

Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 27, 2026. The short version: your images never reach us, we use Google Analytics and Google AdSense only as described below, and we do not sell anything about you to anyone. The long version is below. We wrote it so a normal person can actually read and understand it.
THE ACTUALLY SHORT VERSION
Do we see your images?
No. They process locally in your browser. We never receive them.
Do we store your files?
No. Nothing is uploaded. Nothing is stored. Nothing to delete.
Do we sell your data?
No. We do not sell, rent, or trade any information about you.
Do we use cookies?
Only Google Analytics and Google AdSense set cookies, and only after you accept the banner. Your theme and banner choice stay in your browser.
Do we collect personal info?
No account, no sign up. We only get a name or email if you choose to send us a message.
What do we collect?
Page view statistics and any message you send us. Google collects ad data, explained below.
SECTIONS

1. Who We Are§ 1.0

FreeImageTools.org is an independent website that provides free, browser-based image processing tools. It is operated by Outline Technologies LLC, a company registered in Wyoming, United States, whose postal address is 30 N Gould St, Ste R, Sheridan, WY 82801, United States. Outline Technologies LLC decides how the small amount of personal data described in this policy is handled, which makes it the data controller in GDPR terms.

There is no account signup. No shareholder meeting where your data gets discussed. Just a website with tools that respect your privacy because that is how the site was built, not because of a legal requirement.

For any data-related questions, contact us at [email protected].

/// HUMAN TRANSLATION

A small independent company runs this site. Not Google, not Adobe. One site, 50 tools, and no investors pushing us to make money from your data.

2. Your Images: Read This Part§ 2.0

This is the most important section. Read it.

When you use any tool on FreeImageTools, your image file is loaded into your browser's memory from your local device. Our JavaScript code processes it there, on your machine, using your CPU and your RAM. The processed output is generated in your browser and offered as a download.

At no point does your image file travel over the internet to our servers. We do not have a server-side image processing pipeline. We do not receive uploads. We do not store files. We do not have a database of processed images.

This is not a marketing claim. It is an architectural fact. You can verify it yourself by opening your browser's developer tools, going to the Network tab, and watching what requests are made when you process an image. You will see no upload of your file.

What this means practically:

  • We cannot see your images. Not even if we wanted to.
  • We cannot recover a file you forgot to download. It was never on our side.
  • No one can compel us to produce your images in a legal proceeding, because we do not have them.
  • Your GDPR / CCPA rights around image data are not implicated here, because we do not process that data at all.
  • Processing a confidential document or sensitive photo here carries no data exposure risk on our side. The risk, if any, is on your device.
/// HUMAN TRANSLATION

Your photos never leave your computer. This is the main thing. Compress your boss's confidential presentation screenshots, your own medical images, photos you'd rather not have on a random company's server. All fine here. We literally cannot see any of it. The processing is happening in your browser tabs.

3. What We Actually Collect§ 3.0

Since we do not have user accounts and do not receive your images, our data collection is minimal. Here is what we do collect.

Website Analytics (Google Analytics)
What: Page views, which tool pages are visited, approximate country, device type (desktop vs mobile), browser type, referral source (where you came from)
Why: To understand how many people use the site, which tools are popular, and where to focus improvements. We see this data as aggregate reports and cannot identify individual visitors from it.
Kept for: No longer than 14 months, the Google Analytics maximum
Technical Data
What: IP address, browser version, operating system, the page requested
Why: Our hosting provider, Vercel, records requests in its logs for security monitoring and debugging. Standard for any website.
Kept for: The standard log retention period of our hosting provider
Cookies
What: Google Analytics cookies and Google AdSense advertising cookies. Your light or dark theme and your cookie choice are saved in your browser's local storage, which is never sent to us.
Why: See Section 5 for the full breakdown. Analytics and advertising cookies are only set after you accept the consent banner.
Kept for: Set by Google: analytics cookies up to 2 years, advertising cookies up to 13 months in the EEA and UK.
Messages You Send
What: If you use the contact form or the feedback box on the homepage, we receive what you type. The contact form also asks for your name and email so we can reply. Both forms are delivered to our inbox by Formspree, a form processing service.
Why: To read bug reports, feature suggestions, and questions, and to reply to them.
Kept for: In our inbox and Formspree's submission archive until we delete them. We do not build profiles from messages.
/// HUMAN TRANSLATION

We collect page view statistics through Google Analytics, the request logs every web host keeps, the cookies Google uses for analytics and ads once you accept them, and any message you choose to send us. That's the complete list. We never ask for payment details or a home address, and we only get a name or email if you write to us.

4. Why We Collect It§ 4.0

Analytics data helps us understand whether the site is working. If the compress tool page has a 95% bounce rate and nobody downloads anything, something is wrong and we should fix it. If color palette is getting 10x the traffic we expected, maybe we should write more content about it. That's the use case.

Server logs exist because that is what servers do. They record requests so that when something breaks we can figure out why.

Feedback form data exists to read it and respond to it. We don't run it through a CRM. We don't build profiles. Someone sends a bug report, we read it, we fix the bug.

We do not build behavioral profiles ourselves and we do not run retargeting campaigns or sell anything. The one advertising relationship on this site is Google AdSense, which serves the display ads that keep the tools free. Google may use its own cookies for that, and Section 5 explains exactly how to control it.

5. Cookies§ 5.0

We use cookies. Here is exactly what each one does.

Consent Choice (local storage)
ESSENTIAL
Remembers whether you accepted or declined cookies, so the banner does not reappear on every page. It is saved in your browser's local storage, not in a cookie, and is never sent to us.
Opt out: Clearing your site data removes it and the banner shows again  |  Expires: Until you clear it
Theme Preference (local storage)
FUNCTIONAL
Remembers your dark mode or light mode choice across visits. Also saved in local storage on your device only.
Opt out: Yes. Clear your site data and the site returns to light mode  |  Expires: Until you clear it
Google Analytics Cookies (_ga, _ga_*)
ANALYTICS
Count visits and page views and show us which tools people use. They hold a random identifier, not your name. Only set after you accept the banner.
Opt out: Yes. Decline in the banner or use Cookie Settings in the footer  |  Expires: Up to 2 years
Google AdSense Cookies
ADVERTISING
This site displays ads served by Google AdSense. With your consent, Google may use cookies to show ads based on your prior visits to this site or other sites. You can also opt out of personalized advertising in Google's Ad Settings.
Opt out: Yes. Decline in the banner or visit g.co/adsettings  |  Expires: 13 months in the EEA and UK, up to 24 months elsewhere

This site uses Google AdSense to display ads. Google AdSense may use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this site or other websites. You can opt out of personalized ads by visiting g.co/adsettings. We do not use Facebook Pixel, remarketing tags, or affiliate tracking cookies beyond what AdSense requires.

If you decline, the Google tags on the page are told that consent was refused. Google Analytics then sets no cookies and only receives basic cookieless signals, such as a page having been viewed, and AdSense shows ads that are not personalized.

/// HUMAN TRANSLATION

Two small settings live only in your browser: your theme and your cookie choice. Actual cookies come from Google, for analytics and ads, and only after you click Accept. You can change your mind any time with Cookie Settings in the footer.

6. Who Sees Your Data§ 6.0

This is the sharing question. Here is the complete list of who sees what.

Our Hosting Provider (Vercel)
Sees: Request logs and technical data
Why: Vercel hosts the website and serves every page. Its servers process requests, which include your IP address.
Contractually bound: Yes. Vercel's data processing terms apply
Content Delivery (IMG.LY and cdnjs)
Sees: Requests for code the tools download: the background removal model from IMG.LY, and the PDF reader for the PDF to Image tool from cdnjs, a Cloudflare service
Why: These files are too large to bundle into every page, so they load the first time you use those tools. Your image and PDF files are never sent to them.
Contractually bound: Yes. Their standard service terms apply
Google Analytics
Sees: Page views, device type, approximate country, and a random visitor identifier if you accept cookies
Why: To count traffic and understand which tools people use.
Contractually bound: Yes. Google's data processing terms apply
Google AdSense
Sees: Cookie data and ad interaction data for serving and measuring ads
Why: This site shows display ads via Google AdSense to keep the service free. Google uses cookies to serve relevant ads. Your image files are never shared with Google through AdSense.
Contractually bound: Yes. Google's data processing terms apply
Formspree
Sees: Messages sent through the contact form or the homepage feedback box, with your name and email if you give them
Why: Formspree receives form submissions and forwards them to our inbox.
Contractually bound: Yes. Formspree's terms and privacy policy apply
Law Enforcement
Sees: Server logs if legally required by valid court order or legal process
Why: If we receive a valid legal order compelling disclosure, we comply with the law. We would push back on overreaching requests.
Contractually bound: Not applicable. This is a legal requirement
// WE DO NOT SELL YOUR DATA

We do not sell, rent, trade, or give away your personal data to data brokers or marketing companies. The site is funded by Google AdSense display ads. AdSense may use cookies for ad personalization, but we do not share your image files or personal information with advertisers. You can opt out of personalized ads at any time via Google Ad Settings.

7. How Long We Keep It§ 7.0

We keep data for as short a time as makes sense for the purpose it was collected.

Request logs
Host default
Kept by Vercel under its standard log retention, for debugging and security
Analytics data
Up to 14 months
The Google Analytics limit, after which data is deleted or kept only as aggregate reports
Theme and cookie choice
On your device
Stored in your browser until you clear your site data
Messages you send
Until deleted
Kept in our inbox and Formspree's archive until we delete them
/// HUMAN TRANSLATION

Nothing we collect is meant to stick around. Request logs expire on our host's schedule, analytics data is capped at 14 months, and your theme and cookie choice never leave your device. We're not building an archive of who visited what page when.

8. Your Rights§ 8.0

Even with minimal data collection, you still have rights over what little data we do hold.

Right to Know
You can ask what data we hold about you. Given we hold so little, and analytics reaches us only as aggregate reports, the answer is usually 'very little, and here's the breakdown.'
Right to Delete
You can ask us to delete what we have, such as a message you sent. Analytics data is not linked to your name, so there may be nothing identifiable to delete. We will tell you honestly.
Right to Object
You can object to analytics and ad cookies by declining them. Click 'Cookie Settings' in the footer to bring the consent banner back at any time and change your choice.
Right to Portability
If we somehow hold data about you in an identifiable form (like a feedback submission), you can ask for a copy of it.
Right to Correct
If you've submitted feedback with incorrect information, let us know and we'll update or delete it.
Right to Complain
If you think we're mishandling your data, you can complain to your local data protection authority. EU users go to their national DPA. UK users go to the ICO at ico.org.uk.

To exercise any of these rights, email [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days. Because we collect so little personal data, most requests are straightforward to fulfill.

/// HUMAN TRANSLATION

You have the right to know, delete, and control your data. The slightly funny thing is that we collect so little about you that most data rights requests resolve in about two sentences. But the rights are real and we will honor them.

9. Children§ 9.0

FreeImageTools is not directed at children under 13 (or under 16 in the EU). We do not knowingly collect any personal information from children.

If you are a parent and you think your child has used this site and somehow submitted personal information, contact us at [email protected] and we will address it.

10. Third-Party Services§ 10.0

Some components of FreeImageTools use third-party libraries and services. The background removal tool downloads its AI model from IMG.LY's servers, and the PDF to Image tool loads its PDF reader from cdnjs. Analytics is handled by Google Analytics, and the contact and feedback forms are delivered by Formspree. Fonts are served from our own domain.

This site is monetized with Google AdSense display advertising. Google AdSense may place cookies on your browser to serve and measure personalized ads. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your visit to this site and other sites on the internet. You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting g.co/adsettings. For more information about how Google uses data, see How Google uses information from sites that use our services.

These third parties handle only technical and ad-related data, not your image files. Our blog may link to external sites. Once you leave FreeImageTools and land on another site, their privacy policy applies. We are not responsible for third-party privacy practices.

The open-source libraries powering our tools (browser-image-compression, heic2any, UTIF.js, jsPDF, JSZip, qrcode, react-easy-crop, react-dropzone, @imgly/background-removal, and others) run locally in your browser and have no server-side data collection of their own in our implementation.

11. Security§ 11.0

The best security for image data on our platform is the fact that we never receive it. There is no image database to breach because there is no image database.

For the data we do handle (server logs, analytics, feedback), we use standard security measures: encrypted connections (HTTPS everywhere), access controls on server infrastructure, and reputable hosting and service providers.

If you discover a security vulnerability in our site, please report it to [email protected] before disclosing it publicly. We will acknowledge your report within 48 hours and work to fix real vulnerabilities promptly.

/// HUMAN TRANSLATION

Your images are safe because they never leave your device in the first place. That's the strongest possible security guarantee. For everything else we handle, we use standard web security practices. And if you find a bug, please tell us before tweeting about it.

12. GDPR and CCPA§ 12.0

If you are in the EU or UK, GDPR applies to the personal data we process, and Outline Technologies LLC is the controller. We rely on your consent for analytics and advertising cookies, which you give or refuse in the banner and can withdraw at any time through Cookie Settings in the footer. We rely on our legitimate interest in running a secure website for request logs, and on your request when we answer a message you sent us.

Google, Vercel and Formspree are based in the United States, so data they process may be transferred there. Each of them offers standard contractual safeguards for data coming from the EU and UK.

If you are a California resident, CCPA gives you additional rights. We do not sell personal information. We do not discriminate against users who exercise privacy rights. To submit a CCPA request, email [email protected] with "California Privacy Request" in the subject line.

If your jurisdiction has specific data protection laws we have not mentioned here, email us. We will tell you honestly how our practices relate to those laws. Our general approach is that we collect the minimum necessary data and respect user rights. That aligns with most privacy regulations worldwide.

13. Policy Changes§ 13.0

We can update this policy when our practices change. We will update the "Last updated" date at the top. For significant changes, we will post a notice on the site.

Since there is no account system, we cannot email you directly about policy changes. Check the date at the top if you want to know whether the policy has changed since you last read it. We keep previous versions archived and will share them on request.

14. Contact§ 14.0

Privacy questions get real answers here. Here is who to contact.

PRIVACY QUESTIONS
Any question about this policy or how we handle data. Response within 5 business days.
DATA RIGHTS REQUESTS
Access, deletion, correction requests. Include 'Data Rights Request' in the subject line.
SECURITY CONCERNS
Vulnerabilities, suspicious activity. We read this one fast.
EVERYTHING ELSE
General questions, feedback, tool suggestions. We're friendly.

By post: Outline Technologies LLC, 30 N Gould St, Ste R, Sheridan, WY 82801, United States. Email is much faster.

[END OF PRIVACY POLICY]
FreeImageTools.org · Version PRIV-2026-V2 · Effective September 27, 2026