PenShot is built with your privacy as the top priority. We
believe your data belongs to you, and you alone.
Zero data collection
No user tracking
No external servers
No analytics
100% local processing
No sign-up required
1. Introduction
This Privacy Policy explains how PenShot ("we", "our", or "the extension") handles your information.
PenShot is a Chrome extension that allows users to draw, annotate, and capture screenshots on any
webpage.
Our Core Principle: Your privacy is fundamental. PenShot operates entirely within your
browser with zero external data transmission.
2. Data Collection
Simple Answer: We collect ZERO personal data.
PenShot does NOT collect, store, transmit, or process any of the following:
Personal information (name, email, address, phone number)
The following preferences are stored locally in your browser using Chrome's storage API.
This data NEVER leaves your device:
Drawing Opacity - Your preferred opacity setting (0.1-1.0)
Line Width - Your preferred line width (1-10px)
Notification Preference - Whether to show info messages (true/false)
Walkthrough Status - Whether you've completed the first-time tutorial (true/false)
These settings can be cleared at any time by uninstalling the extension or clearing your browser data.
3. How PenShot Works
100% Local Processing
All PenShot functionality operates entirely within your browser:
Drawing & Annotations - Created and stored in browser memory only (not saved to
disk)
Screenshots - Generated locally using Chrome's built-in capture API
Image Processing - All compositing (webpage + drawings + watermark) happens in your
browser
Element Scanning - Analyzes DOM locally without external requests
Font Inspection - Reads computed styles from your browser, no external lookups
No External Servers
PenShot does NOT:
Send any data to external servers
Make API calls to third-party services
Upload screenshots or drawings anywhere
Communicate with our servers (we don't have any!)
Use cloud storage or sync services
4. Chrome Extension Permissions
PenShot requests minimal permissions required for core functionality. Here's exactly why each permission
is needed:
Permission
Why We Need It
What We DON'T Do
activeTab
Inject drawing canvas on the current tab you're viewing
We DON'T access other tabs or browsing history
storage
Save your preferences (opacity, line width, settings) locally
We DON'T store personal data or user content
scripting
Inject our drawing tools into webpages
We DON'T execute remote code or modify websites permanently
downloads
Save screenshots to your Downloads folder
We DON'T upload files anywhere or access other downloads
clipboardWrite
Copy screenshots to clipboard when you request it
We DON'T read your clipboard or monitor copy/paste activity
Important: PenShot only activates when you explicitly click the extension icon. It
does not run in the background or monitor your browsing.
5. Data Retention & Deletion
Temporary Data (In-Memory Only)
The following data exists ONLY while you're actively using PenShot and is automatically deleted when you:
Close the sidebar
Navigate to a different page
Refresh the page
Close the browser tab
Temporary data includes:
All drawings and annotations
Selected shapes and edit history (max 10 undo states)
Element scan overlays
Font inspector overlays
Persistent Data (Preferences Only)
Only your preferences are stored persistently in Chrome's local storage. To delete all data:
Option 1: Uninstall PenShot extension
Option 2: Clear browser data (chrome://settings/clearBrowserData)
Option 3: Reset Chrome settings
Screenshots & Downloads: Any screenshots you save are stored on YOUR device in YOUR
Downloads folder. PenShot has no access to them after they're saved.
6. Third-Party Services
PenShot does NOT use any third-party services:
No analytics services (Google Analytics, Mixpanel, etc.)
No error tracking (Sentry, Rollbar, etc.)
No advertising networks
No social media integrations (except optional share buttons that YOU control)
No CDN-hosted resources (all code is bundled)
No external fonts or assets (except Google Fonts for UI typography)
Social Sharing (Optional & User-Initiated)
PenShot includes optional share buttons (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Email) that:
Only activate when YOU click them
Open in new windows controlled by YOU
Do NOT automatically post or share anything
Do NOT track whether you use them
7. Security
While we don't collect data, we still prioritize security in our code:
No Remote Code Execution - All code is bundled and reviewed by Chrome Web Store
No eval() - We never use eval() or other unsafe JavaScript practices
Input Sanitization - User text inputs are sanitized to prevent injection attacks
Minimal Permissions - We only request permissions absolutely necessary
Manifest V3 - Built on Chrome's latest, most secure extension platform
8. Children's Privacy
PenShot does not collect any personal information from anyone, including children under 13. Because we
collect ZERO data, there is no risk to children's privacy.
Parents and guardians can safely allow children to use PenShot knowing that:
No personal information is collected
No accounts or sign-ups are required
No data leaves their device
No tracking or profiling occurs
9. Your Privacy Rights
Because PenShot collects zero data, many traditional privacy rights don't apply. However, you have
complete control:
Right to Access - All your data (preferences) is stored locally in your browser.
You can view it via Chrome DevTools.
Right to Delete - Uninstall the extension at any time to remove all data.
Right to Data Portability - Not applicable (we don't store your data).
Right to Object - Not applicable (we don't process your data).
Right to Withdraw Consent - Uninstall the extension or disable it at any time.
10. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be:
Posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date
Announced via extension update notes (if material changes)
Effective immediately upon posting
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of PenShot after changes
constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Our Commitment: We will NEVER introduce data collection, tracking, or external
servers. If we ever change this fundamental privacy promise, we will notify all users prominently
and provide ample time to uninstall.
11. International Users
PenShot is available worldwide. Because all processing happens locally in your browser:
GDPR (EU) - Compliant (no personal data processing)
CCPA (California) - Compliant (no personal data sale or sharing)
PIPEDA (Canada) - Compliant (no personal information collection)
Other Jurisdictions - Generally compliant due to zero data collection
No data crosses borders because no data leaves your device.
12. Transparency & Open Development
We believe in complete transparency:
Open Source - Our code is available for review (link in extension)
No Obfuscation - All code is readable and documented
Chrome Web Store Review - Every update is reviewed by Google
Public Issue Tracker - Report issues or ask questions on GitHub
You can verify our privacy claims by:
Reading our source code
Using browser DevTools to monitor network activity (you'll see ZERO external requests)
Reviewing Chrome extension permissions
Checking our Chrome Web Store listing
Questions About Privacy?
We're committed to transparency and happy to answer any privacy questions you may have.