ShotWho we are
Shotfold is a Chrome extension built and maintained by an independent solo developer ("we," "us"). It captures full-page screenshots entirely inside your browser. This policy describes how Shotfold handles information — which, in short, is that it doesn't collect any.
Data we collect
None. Shotfold does not collect, store, transmit, sell, or share any personal information or usage data. Specifically:
- We do not record the pages you capture, their URLs, their contents, or their titles.
- We do not use analytics, telemetry, crash reporting, or any tracking of any kind.
- We do not create a profile of you, and there is no account to identify you by.
- We do not use cookies or any advertising or fingerprinting technology.
Your screenshots are generated on your device and handed to you (as a download or a clipboard copy). They are never uploaded anywhere.
Network requests
The Shotfold extension itself makes no network requests. There is no Shotfold server; there is no backend to talk to. The extension has no host permissions and cannot reach any website on its own.
This is verifiable, not just a promise. The extension contains no code capable of talking to the internet, and every release is automatically checked to keep it that way. You can see it for yourself: turn off your internet connection, and every part of Shotfold keeps working.
One exception to be transparent about: the uninstall page
When you install Shotfold, it registers a URL with Chrome using the standard chrome.runtime.setUninstallURL API. If you later remove the extension through Chrome's own extension manager, Chrome may open shotfold.com/goodbye.html — a short page that asks what went wrong so we can improve.
To be precise about what happens: the extension itself never makes a network request. Registering the URL is just storing a string inside Chrome. It is Chrome's own browser navigation — not any Shotfold code — that opens the page when you uninstall. The same thing happens when you follow any link. The goodbye page does not load any tracking scripts, use cookies, or collect any personal information beyond the optional feedback you choose to send.
Permissions, explained one by one
Chrome requires an extension to declare the capabilities it uses. Here is every permission Shotfold requests and precisely what it does in our code. Shotfold requests no host permissions — it can only act on a tab when you actively trigger it there.
| Permission | What it does in Shotfold |
|---|---|
activeTab |
Grants temporary access to the tab you're on only when you click the Shotfold button or press the shortcut. This is what lets Shotfold measure and scroll that page to capture it. It expires as soon as you navigate away and grants no standing access to your browsing. |
scripting |
Lets Shotfold do its work inside the tab you're capturing: measure the page height, scroll through it section by section, and hide fixed headers between frames. Chrome requires this permission for an extension to act inside a page. It happens only on the tab where you start a capture, and nothing is sent anywhere. |
downloads |
Lets Shotfold save your capture to disk when you click Download PNG, JPG, or PDF. Without it, the extension couldn't hand you the finished file. |
storage |
Stores your preferences (image format, JPG quality, and similar settings) locally. See "Where your data lives" below for exactly which storage areas are used. |
contextMenus |
Adds a single right-click menu item, "Capture full page with Shotfold," so you can start a capture without opening the popup. |
Where your data lives
Shotfold uses only your browser's own local storage — never a remote database:
- Settings (your chosen format and quality) are saved to
chrome.storage.sync. If you're signed into Chrome, Chrome may sync these small preferences across your own devices; Shotfold never sees or transmits them itself. - The in-progress capture is held briefly in
chrome.storage.session, which lives in memory only and is cleared when the browser session ends. It is never written to disk by Shotfold.
You can clear everything at any time by removing the extension, or from your browser's extension storage controls.
Third parties
There are none. Shotfold contains no third-party analytics, advertising, or tracking components. It does not share data with anyone, because it has no data to share and no way to send it.
Children's privacy
Shotfold is a general-purpose utility that collects no personal information from anyone, including children. It requires no account and asks for no personal details.
Changes to this policy
If this policy ever changes, we'll update the effective date above and describe the change in the extension's release notes. Since Shotfold's design goal is to collect nothing, any future change would only ever be to clarify — never to start collecting data without a clearly announced update.
Contact
Questions about privacy or anything else? Email support@shotfold.com and a human will reply.