FolderNotes runs entirely on your computer. It does not collect, transmit, or share any of your data. There are no accounts, no servers, no telemetry, and no analytics. We never see your notes, your folders, or anything else.

The short version

We are the developer, Nir Nagar. We do not operate any server for the App and we receive no data from it. Because we hold no information about you, there is nothing for us to sell, share, mine, or lose. Everything the App saves is stored locally on your device and is under your control.

What the app stores, and where

Everything FolderNotes saves stays on your device:

• Folder notes: the text, status, importance (stars), due date, pinned files, and "hidden" flag you set for a folder are saved in a hidden file named .foldernote.json inside that folder.
• App data in %APPDATA%\FolderNotes:
  • index.json, a list of folders you marked important.
  • time.json, how much time you spent viewing each folder, and when you last opened it.
  • tasks.json, the to-do tasks you add in the Tasks panel.
  • settings.json, your feature on/off preferences.
  • config.json, a salted, one-way hash of your privacy-curtain passphrase.

We never receive any of these files. They are read and written only on your machine.

What the app reads (but does not store or send)

To show useful information on a note, FolderNotes reads, on your device only:

• the name and modification date of files in a folder you are viewing, to display the most recently edited file;
• which folder is open in the active File Explorer window, so it can show the right note.

This information is used only to render the note on screen. It is never stored by the app (beyond the data listed above) and never transmitted anywhere.

Your privacy-curtain passphrase

The passphrase is stored only as a salted PBKDF2 hash. It is never stored in plain text and never transmitted anywhere. Because it is one-way hashed, it cannot be recovered. If you forget it you can reset it by deleting config.json.

Windows Hello

If you turn on Windows Hello unlocking, FolderNotes asks Windows to confirm it is you using the face, fingerprint, or PIN you already set up on this PC. The check is performed entirely by Windows; the app receives only a yes-or-no result. Your biometric data is never seen, stored, or transmitted by FolderNotes, and nothing leaves your device.

The privacy curtain is a privacy screen, not security

The "hide folder" / curtain feature is a visual privacy screen that works only while FolderNotes is running. It is not encryption or access control. Anyone who closes the app, uses another file manager, or accesses the files directly can still see the folder's contents. Do not rely on it to protect truly sensitive data.

One thing worth knowing: Windows keeps its own list of recently opened files and shows it in File Explorer's Quick access. That list is controlled by Windows, not by FolderNotes, so it can still mention files from a folder you have hidden. As a Microsoft Store app, FolderNotes runs in a protected sandbox and cannot change this Windows list for you. To turn it off, open File Explorer, go to ... > Options > General, and under Privacy uncheck "Show recently used files in Quick access" and click "Clear". You can also reach this screen from FolderNotes Settings with the "Open Folder Options" button.

Network use

FolderNotes makes no network connections. It does not send crash reports, usage statistics, or any other information off your device.

Start with Windows

If you enable "Start with Windows," FolderNotes registers a standard Windows startup task so it can launch at login. Turning the option off removes it, and you can also manage it from the Startup tab in Task Manager. No data is involved.

Children's privacy

FolderNotes does not collect any personal information from anyone, including children, and is not directed at children.

GDPR, UK GDPR, and other privacy laws

The App is designed for data minimization: it processes data only locally on your device, under your control, and we (the developer) act as neither a controller nor a processor of any personal data on your behalf, because no personal data ever reaches us. As we hold no data about you, requests to access, correct, port, restrict, object to, or erase data held by us have nothing to act on; you can exercise full control by editing or deleting the local files described above. Where local data you create happens to contain personal information, you remain in control of it on your own device.

California (CCPA/CPRA)

We do not collect, sell, or share personal information, and we have no personal information to disclose. "Sell" and "share" are used here as defined by California law. There is nothing to opt out of because no data is collected.

Your control over your data

• Delete a folder's note by clearing its contents, or delete the .foldernote.json file.
• Use Settings > Delete all notes to remove every note from every folder at once.
• Delete the %APPDATA%\FolderNotes folder to remove the index, time data, tasks, settings, and passphrase hash.
• Uninstalling FolderNotes stops all of its activity. Note files already written inside your folders are left in place; remove them manually if you wish.

If you contact us

If you choose to email us (for support, feedback, or a bug report), we receive your email address and whatever you include in your message. We use them only to respond to you and to fix the issue, we do not add you to any mailing list, and we do not share them with anyone. You may ask us to delete the correspondence at any time.

Changes to this policy

If this policy changes, the updated version will be posted at this address with a new "Last updated" date. Because the App collects no data, changes will generally be clarifications rather than new data practices.

Contact

Questions about this policy: iam@nirnagar.com
Developer: Nir Nagar