Privacy Policy

CatRec – Screen Recorder · Last updated: October 25, 2026

This policy explains how CatRec – Screen Recorder (the "App"), published by ibbie ("we", "us"), handles information. We don't run servers, the App has no accounts, and we don't sell your data.

Your recordings stay on your phone

The App captures your screen only after you start a recording or screenshot and approve Android's screen-capture prompt. Android shows that capture is active for as long as it runs. Microphone audio, internal app audio and the face-cam picture are captured only when you turn those options on.

Everything the App creates is saved on your device:

• videos in Movies/CatRec (or a folder you choose),
• screenshots in Pictures/CatRec/Screenshots and GIFs in Pictures/CatRec/GIFs,
• separate microphone tracks, if you turn them on, in Music/CatRec or Recordings/CatRec.

The App never uploads these files. They leave your phone only if you share them yourself. Because they are saved in your phone's shared storage, they stay there if you uninstall the App; delete them from the App or your gallery.

Settings and app data on your device

The App keeps your settings (for example resolution, frame rate, audio sources, overlay options, theme and language), your favourite recordings and folder names, your Do Not Disturb setting while a recording temporarily changes it, whether you have CatRec Pro (and whether it comes from a subscription, a lifetime purchase or the earlier Remove Ads purchase, and the subscription's state, such as active, cancelled or on hold), when a temporary Pro unlock expires, and a random install ID used only for crash reports and statistics. This stays on your device and is deleted when you uninstall the App or clear its data.

Game mic helper (optional accessibility service)

CatRec includes an optional Android accessibility service called CatRec game mic helper. CatRec is not an accessibility tool, and you don't need this service to record. On supported devices it lets CatRec keep recording your microphone while a game or chat app is also using it, so your teammates can still hear you.

You turn it on yourself in Android's Accessibility settings, after reading an in-app explanation and choosing to continue, and you can turn it off there at any time. The service:

• cannot read what is on your screen or inspect other apps (canRetrieveWindowContent is off),
• cannot tap, type, scroll or control your phone (canPerformGestures is off),
• asks Android for no events at all, so it receives no information about your screen or the apps you use,
• does not record audio. Your microphone is recorded by CatRec's recorder, with the Microphone permission, only during a recording you started with the microphone on.

No personal or sensitive data is collected or shared through the accessibility service.

Advertising

The free version shows ads through Google AdMob: banner ads, native ads styled like the App (for example on the Recording saved screen and in the Recordings list), an occasional full-screen ad after an editing tool finishes, an ad when you open the App, and reward videos that you choose to watch for a temporary Pro unlock. AdMob may fill some of these ads from partner ad networks, currently Unity Ads. To show and measure ads, AdMob and these partners may collect:

• your device's advertising ID,
• device and app information (model, Android version, language, app version),
• approximate location from your IP address,
• ad interactions (which ads were shown or tapped).

Google uses this data as described in How Google uses information from sites or apps that use its services; Unity as described in the Unity Privacy Policy.

In the EEA, the UK and Switzerland, the App asks for your consent through Google's consent form before personalized ads are shown, and in US states with privacy laws it offers an opt-out of the sale or sharing of your data for advertising. You can change these choices at any time under Settings → Privacy choices. You can also turn off Personalized ads in the App's Settings, after which the App asks only for non-personalized ads. You can also reset or delete your advertising ID in your phone's settings. Having CatRec Pro (or the earlier Remove Ads purchase) stops all ads.

Crash reports and usage statistics

The App uses Firebase Crashlytics and Firebase Analytics (Google) to find crashes and see which features are used. They receive:

• crash reports and diagnostic logs, including recording settings such as resolution and encoder,
• app version, device model and Android version,
• events such as "recording started", "screenshot taken" or "Pro offer shown",
• the random install ID described above.

They never receive your recordings, screenshots, audio or anything shown on your screen. This is on by default; turn off Usage analytics in Settings to stop both and clear the install ID. Google keeps Crashlytics crash data for 90 days. See the Google Privacy Policy and Privacy and Security in Firebase.

Live streaming

If you go live, the App sends your screen and the sound you picked (app sound, microphone, both or none) directly to the streaming server of the destination you chose: YouTube, Twitch, Kick, Facebook or any RTMP server you enter. That service's operator (for example Google for YouTube, Twitch Interactive for Twitch, Meta for Facebook) handles the stream under its own privacy policy. CatRec doesn't send the stream anywhere else.

• Stream keys and server addresses are stored only on your phone. Stream keys are encrypted with a key kept in your phone's Android Keystore.
• Logo, banner and "Be right back" image (CatRec Pro) are copied into the App's own storage on your phone and drawn into the stream, so viewers see them.
• Save a copy (CatRec Pro) saves the stream as a video in your Movies/CatRec folder on your phone.
• Twitch chat bubble: if you turn it on and enter your channel name, the App connects to Twitch's chat servers without signing in (as an anonymous, read-only viewer) to show your channel's public chat. Only the channel name is sent; you can't post messages from CatRec.
• Check my connection only opens a connection to the streaming server to measure how long it takes and reads Android's estimate of your upload speed. Nothing is uploaded and your stream key isn't sent.

Whatever is on your screen while you're live, including notifications, can be seen by your viewers. "Hide CatRec from viewers" covers the stream while CatRec itself is open, and "Be right back" covers it and mutes the sound until you return.

Auto captions

When you use Auto captions in the video editor, the speech in that video is turned into text by Android's on-device speech recognizer. The audio and the text stay on your phone; CatRec doesn't send them anywhere. If no speech model is installed, Android may offer to download one from Google.

Purchases

CatRec Pro subscriptions and the lifetime purchase are processed by Google Play. We never see your payment details. Google tells the App only which CatRec products your Google account owns and, for a subscription, whether it is active, set to renew, or on hold, so the App can unlock what you paid for. The App records anonymous usage events about the Pro offer (for example that the offer screen was shown, which plan was tapped, and that a purchase was started or completed) in Firebase Analytics, which you can turn off under Settings → Usage analytics.

Ratings

The App may occasionally show Google Play's built-in rating prompt. Google handles it, and we don't learn whether you rated the App or what you wrote.

Emailing us

If you contact us from the App, your email app opens with a message you can edit before sending. The App adds the app version, your device model and your Android version to help us fix problems, and you can add screenshots or recordings. We receive only what you send, use it only to answer you, and delete it when it is no longer needed.

Who we share data with

Only the services named above: Google (AdMob, Firebase and Google Play) and the ad networks AdMob works with for us (currently Unity Ads), which process data under their own policies. We don't sell your data or share it with anyone else. Where US state law treats ad sharing as a "sale" or "sharing", you can opt out under Settings → Privacy choices.

Children

The App is not directed at children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect personal information from children. If you think a child has sent us personal information, email us and we'll delete it.

Your choices and rights

• Turn off Usage analytics or Personalized ads in the App's Settings, or change your ad consent under Privacy choices (shown where the law requires it).
• Reset or delete your advertising ID in your phone's settings.
• Turn off the game mic helper in Android's Accessibility settings, or remove any permission in the App's system settings.
• Delete your recordings at any time, and uninstall the App to delete its settings.

Depending on where you live (for example the EEA, the UK or California), you may have the right to access, correct or delete personal data about you, or to object to how it is used. We don't hold your name or contact details unless you email us, and data held by Google services isn't linked to your identity, so we usually can't single it out. Email us and we'll help as far as we can. You can also contact Google about data its services hold.

Changes

If we change this policy, we'll update the date at the top of this page.

Contact

Email ibbisdead@proton.me.