Quick Access for Google Photos — Privacy Policy

DISCLAIMER

Quick Access for Google Photos ("App") is independent software published by Shield Apps. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced by Google LLC. "Google Photos," "Google," and related trademarks belong to Google LLC.

This Privacy Policy explains how Shield Apps ("we", "us", or "our") treats information in connection with the App. It applies to everyone who installs or uses the App.

Developer information
Shield Apps
Email: shieldapps.feedback@gmail.com

1. Summary

• You sign in with Google using OAuth. We do not operate a cloud backend that stores your Google Photos library for our own purposes.
• Quick access path: The App embeds the Google Photos website (photos.google.com). Your interaction with that site follows Google’s practices while you are signed in there.
• Quick upload path: When you use native upload shortcuts (Dock drag-and-drop, Share extension, Finder Services, menu bar picker, etc.), photo/video bytes and related API requests are sent directly between your Mac and Google’s services using the official Google Photos Library API.
• OAuth tokens and account metadata are stored locally in the macOS Keychain. Additional on-device data may include web session data, upload queue state, and optional in-app purchase state from Apple.

2. Google permissions (OAuth scopes)

The App requests the minimum Google OAuth scopes needed for the current feature set, including:

• https://www.googleapis.com/auth/photoslibrary.appendonly — add new media to your Google Photos library through the Google Photos Library API (native “quick upload” flows initiated by you).
• OpenID-style profile & email scopes (for example, email and profile as presented in Google’s consent screen) — used to identify the signed-in account and display basic account information in the user interface.

We do not request full Google Drive access for this product. Browsing, editing, and other actions you perform inside the embedded Google Photos website are handled by Google’s web application under Google’s terms and policies.

3. What is processed and why

• Account identification: Email address and profile details returned by Google are used only to show which account is active and to power multi-account switching.
• Authentication secrets: OAuth access tokens, refresh tokens (when issued), and related credentials are stored in the macOS Keychain on your device.
• Embedded web experience: Cookies, local storage, cache, and similar website data for photos.google.com may be stored using Apple’s WebKit website data stores on your Mac so the embedded site can function while signed in.
• Native uploads: Files you explicitly select or hand to the App (via Dock, Share, Services, drag-and-drop, or file picker) are read locally and transmitted to Google when you start an upload. Upload progress, batching metadata, and resumable upload state may be persisted under your user’s Application Support folder so uploads can resume after relaunch.
• Share extension handoff: The optional Share extension may temporarily stage shared items in an Apple App Group container on your device so the main application can pick them up. These staging files are not sent to Shield Apps servers.
• Subscriptions: If you purchase a subscription or non-consumable upgrade through the Mac App Store, Apple processes payment. We do not receive your full payment card number. Apple may provide us limited transaction identifiers needed to validate entitlements on-device.
• Diagnostics you send us: If you email support or use an in-app feedback flow, you may voluntarily share device/app version text. Do not include secrets or highly sensitive personal content unless you choose to.

4. What we do not do

• We do not sell your personal information.
• We do not run our own photo-sync cloud that mirrors your Google Photos library.
• We do not use Google user data for third-party advertising.

5. Service providers & infrastructure

The App is designed to communicate directly with Google (OAuth, Google Photos Library API, and the Google Photos website). Apple provides macOS, the Mac App Store, and Keychain storage. We may host this policy page on a static website; hosting a static policy page does not give us access to your Google account.

6. Retention & deletion

• Remove Google access: visit https://myaccount.google.com/permissions and revoke the App.
• Clear on-device secrets: sign out inside the App or uninstall the App (uninstall removes most local containers; residual files may remain until manually deleted).
• Uploaded content that has already reached your Google Photos library remains under your Google Account until you delete it in Google Photos.

7. Security

• HTTPS is used for calls to Google’s APIs.
• OAuth tokens are stored in the macOS Keychain.
• Keep your macOS user account secure; anyone with access to your unlocked Mac could use an already signed-in session.

8. Google API Services User Data Policy

The App’s use of information received from Google APIs complies with the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.

9. Children’s privacy

The App is intended for users who meet Google’s eligibility requirements for a Google Account. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through our own servers.

10. Your choices

• You can stop using the App at any time and revoke OAuth access.
• You can manage or delete photos and videos in Google Photos using Google’s tools.

11. International users

Google processes data according to Google’s policies. By using Google Photos you acknowledge that data may be processed on Google’s global infrastructure.

12. Changes

We may update this Privacy Policy by posting a new version on this page. The "Last updated" date below will change. Continued use after changes means you accept the updated policy.

13. Contact

Questions about this policy: shieldapps.feedback@gmail.com

By using Quick Access for Google Photos, you acknowledge that you have read this Privacy Policy.

Last updated: May 11, 2026