Backsies Privacy Policy

TheDogBowl Studio · Last updated 8 October 2026

This policy explains what information the Backsies app for Android (“the app”) uses, why, and the choices you have. Backsies is made by TheDogBowl Studio (“we”, “us”).

In short: the app has no accounts, no ads and no analytics, and we don’t collect any personal information. Your purchases and receipt photos stay on your device. The app doesn’t even have permission to use the internet, so it can’t send your information to us or to anyone else.

  1. Information stored on your device

The app saves the following on your device only, so it can remind you before return windows and warranties run out:

  • your purchases: item name, store, purchase date, total, return window, warranty length, and whether you’ve marked the item as returned
  • receipt photos you scan or choose from your gallery (the app keeps its own copy; the original in your gallery isn’t changed)
  • your settings, such as the time of day you’d like reminders
  • a record of which reminders have already been shown, so you don’t get the same one twice

We never receive this information. The app is set up so that it is not included in Android’s backup of your device to your Google account, and it isn’t copied to a new phone during device-to-device transfer. You can delete it at any time: delete a purchase in the app (its receipt photo is deleted too), clear the app’s storage (Settings → Apps → Backsies → Storage → Clear storage), or uninstall the app.

  1. Scanning and reading receipts
  • Reading the text: the store name, date and total are read from your receipt on your device, using Google’s ML Kit text recognition, which is built into the app. Receipt images and the text read from them are never uploaded. Usage statistics that ML Kit can normally send to Google are switched off in the app.
  • The document scanner: the “Scan” button uses a scanner provided by Google Play services on your device. It opens the camera, finds the edges of the receipt and hands the image back to the app. The app itself never gets access to your camera. Google Play services is part of Android and acts under Google’s Privacy Policy.
  • Choosing from your gallery: the “Gallery” button uses Android’s photo picker, which only gives the app the single photo you choose, not access to all your photos.
  1. Reminders and your choices
  • Reminders are worked out on your device once a day and shown as notifications: 3 days before the last day to return an item, on the last day itself, and 30 days before a warranty ends. Nothing is sent to a server to do this.
  • Notifications: on Android 13 and later, the app asks for permission to show notifications. You can say no, and you can turn them on or off at any time in your device settings (Settings → Apps → Backsies → Notifications).
  • Reminder time: you can choose roughly what time of day reminders arrive in the app’s Settings.
  • Returned items: marking an item as returned, or deleting it, stops its reminders.
  1. No advertising, analytics or tracking

The app contains no ads, no analytics and no crash-reporting services, and it doesn’t use your device’s advertising ID. Because the app has no internet permission, Android itself prevents it from sending data anywhere. As we don’t receive or process any personal information about you, there is nothing for us to rely on a legal basis for under UK or EU data protection law: everything the app stores stays under your control on your device.

  1. Permissions the app uses
  • Notifications: to remind you before a return window or warranty ends
  • Run at startup: to set your reminder schedule up again after your device restarts
  • Prevent the device from sleeping (briefly): so the daily reminder check can finish

The app does not ask for internet access, or access to your contacts, all your photos, microphone, camera or location.

  1. Children

Backsies is intended for people aged 13 and over and is not directed at children under 13. The app doesn’t collect personal information from anyone, so we don’t knowingly collect information from children. If you have any concerns, please contact us and we’ll help.

  1. How long information is kept

Information stored on your device stays there until you delete it in the app, clear the app’s storage or uninstall the app. We don’t keep a copy of anything.

  1. Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct or delete personal information, to object to or restrict its use, and to withdraw consent. Because the app keeps everything on your device and we don’t hold any personal information about you, you can see, change and delete all of your information directly in the app. We’re happy to help with any question: contact us using the details below.

If you’re in the UK, you can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ico.org.uk). In the EU, you can complain to your local data protection authority.

  1. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy, for example if the app gains new features. The “last updated” date at the top shows when it last changed. Significant changes will also be noted in the app’s Google Play listing.

  1. Contact

TheDogBowl Studio
Email: admin@thedogbowl.co.uk