PhotoBGround — Privacy Policy & Support

1. Overview

PhotoBGround removes the background from a photo and lets you replace it with a solid color or another image. All editing happens on your device.

        The short version: your photos are never uploaded to our servers.
        There is no account, no cloud storage, and no sign-in. The only data that leaves your
        device is what Google AdMob needs to serve ads.
      

2. Data We Collect

Photos

Photos you choose from your library or capture with the camera are read into the app for editing
They are processed entirely on your device and are not transmitted to us or to any third party
We do not keep a copy. When you close the editor, the working image is discarded from memory

App Settings

Your preferences (export format, last-used background, UI options) are stored locally on the device

Advertising Identifiers

Google AdMob may access your advertising identifier (GAID on Android, IDFA on iOS) and standard ad-request data such as device model, OS version, coarse region, and IP address
This is handled by the AdMob SDK. See section 5

We Do NOT Collect

Your photos, or any copy or derivative of them
Name, email address, phone number, or any account credentials — the app has no sign-in
Precise location, contacts, calendar, or microphone data
Payment information — the app does not sell anything in-app

3. How Your Photos Are Handled

Background separation runs through a machine learning model bundled inside the app. The model executes locally using your device’s own processor. No network request is made at any point in the editing pipeline — cutout, background replacement, preview, and export all work with the device in airplane mode.

Your original photo is never modified. Saving produces a new file in your photo library or in the folder you pick; the source image stays exactly as it was.

Because nothing is uploaded, we have no ability to view, recover, restore, or delete your images. They exist only on your device, under your control.

4. Permissions We Request

Photo Library (read)

To let you pick the photo you want to edit. On iOS you may grant access to selected photos only — the app works fine that way.

Photo Library / Storage (write)

To save the edited result back to your device.

Camera (optional)

Only if you choose to shoot a new photo instead of picking an existing one. Decline it and the rest of the app still works.

Internet / Network State

Used to load ads. Editing itself does not need a connection.

5. Advertising

PhotoBGround is free and supported by Google AdMob. Ads appear as banners and occasional interstitials, never overlaid on the editing canvas while you are working.

AdMob may use advertising identifiers to limit repeat ads, measure performance, and — where permitted — personalize what you see. You can reset or restrict the identifier at any time in your OS settings (Android: Settings › Privacy › Ads; iOS: Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking).

iOS: if the app asks for App Tracking Transparency permission and you decline, you will still see ads, but non-personalized ones.
EEA, UK, and Switzerland: Google’s consent form appears on first launch. Your choice there controls whether personalized ads are served, and it can be changed later from the app’s settings.

AdMob privacy: policies.google.com/technologies/ads

6. Analytics

We do not run a separate analytics SDK. The only aggregate numbers we see are the ones Google provides in the AdMob and app store consoles — install counts, ad impressions, crash reports, and similar. These are aggregated and cannot identify you individually.

7. Third-Party Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or share user data with third parties for marketing. The app integrates exactly one external service:

Google AdMob — advertising for all users

Apple and Google also receive standard distribution and crash data through the App Store and Google Play, governed by their own policies rather than ours.

8. Data Retention & Deletion

Photos and edits: stored only where you saved them. Delete them from your photo library or file manager like any other image.
App settings: removed when you uninstall the app or clear its data.
Server-side data: none. We hold no account and no database record tied to you, so there is nothing on our side to request deletion of.
Advertising identifier: reset or opt out through your OS settings as described in section 5.

If you still want written confirmation that we hold nothing about you, email us and we will respond within 5 business days.

9. Children’s Privacy

PhotoBGround is intended for users 13 years and older. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, contact us and we will delete it.

10. Changes to This Policy

We will update the Effective Date above when this policy changes. Material changes will be announced via in-app notice. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.

11. Contact

orangeai.shoedog@gmail.com
SHOEDOG LTD (d/b/a OrangeAI), Seoul, South Korea

How Can We Help?

Below are common questions, troubleshooting steps, and direct contact options.

📧 Email Support

For bug reports, cutout quality issues, or anything else, email us at orangeai.shoedog@gmail.com

Typical response time: within 2 business days (KST).

Frequently Asked Questions

Are my photos uploaded to a server?

No. Background removal runs on your device with a model bundled in the app. You can turn on airplane mode and edit normally — only the ads will stop loading. We never receive your images.

Does the app work offline?

Yes, completely. Picking, cutting out, replacing the background, and exporting all work without a connection. The internet is used only to fetch ads.

The cutout edge looks rough around hair or fur.

Fine strands are the hardest case for any segmentation model. Three things help: use a photo where the subject contrasts with the background, avoid heavy backlighting, and start from the highest resolution original rather than a screenshot or a messenger-compressed copy. You can also refine the edge manually with the brush tool before exporting.

My transparent background turned white after saving.

You exported as JPG. JPG has no transparency channel and fills it with white. Choose PNG in the export options to keep the background transparent.

Where does the edited photo get saved?

To your device’s photo library by default. On Android you can also pick a folder at export time. The original photo is left untouched — the result is always written as a new file.

The app cannot see my photos.

Photo library permission was denied or limited. On iOS, go to Settings › PhotoBGround › Photos and choose "All Photos" or "Selected Photos". On Android, Settings › Apps › PhotoBGround › Permissions › Photos and videos › Allow.

Can I remove the ads?

Not yet. Every feature is free right now and ads are what pay for the app. We may add an optional ad-free tier later; there is no in-app purchase today.

How do I stop seeing personalized ads?

On Android: Settings › Privacy › Ads › Delete advertising ID. On iOS: Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking › turn off "Allow Apps to Request to Track". In the EEA, UK, and Switzerland you can also reopen the consent form from the app’s settings.

How do I delete my data?

There is nothing on our side to delete — no account, no server storage. Uninstalling the app removes its settings, and your saved images are deleted from your photo library the same way as any other photo.

The app is slow or crashes on large photos.

Very large images (50 MP and above) need a lot of memory during segmentation. Close other apps and try again. If it still crashes, email us with your device model and OS version.