Privacy policy

This policy covers Syed Ali, trading as PIXL Foundation (“PIXL Foundation”, “we”, “us”), who decides how the data described here is used (the “controller”), our apps (Pixl Playroom and Space Pixl) and our websites under pixlfoundation.com. Space Pixl, which sends nothing but update checks, also has its own shorter policy at space.pixlfoundation.com/legal/privacy.

The short version

• Your photos stay on your computer. Editing, previews, conversions and AI upscaling all run locally. We never see your photos, your edits or your folder names.
• Crash reports are off until you say yes. The first launch asks; you can change your answer any time in Settings.
• We don’t sell data, and we don’t run ads.

In the apps

Update checks

Pixl Playroom checks for updates at launch and every few hours by downloading small files from updates.pixlfoundation.com, served by Cloudflare: the update feed, and a release policy that can require an update (for example, to fix a bug that could lose edits). It also checks for lens-correction data updates on models.pixlfoundation.com, and downloads an AI model from there only when you ask for it. Space Pixl’s update checks go to GitHub, where its releases are published (see GitHub’s privacy statement). As with any web request, these servers see your IP address and the app version asking.

Crash reports (only if you opt in)

If you turn on crash reports, the app sends us a report when it crashes or hits an error:

• what went wrong: the error message and where in our code it happened;
• for a native crash, a technical snapshot of the app’s state at that moment (a “minidump”), which can include fragments of memory;
• the app version, your operating system and processor type.

Before an error report is sent, your home folder is removed from it, so folder names under it (which often include your name) don’t leave your computer. Reports go to our server at pixlfoundation.com, hosted by Cloudflare, are stored in Cloudflare’s R2 storage, and are used only to find and fix bugs. They are deleted automatically after [90 days].

Problem reports (only when you send one)

Settings → Report a problem sends us what you write, the app version, your operating system and processor type, and, if you leave it ticked, the recent part of the app’s log (which names the files it worked on, with your home folder removed as above). If you give an email address, we use it only to reply about that report. Problem reports are stored the same way as crash reports and deleted automatically after [one year]; email us to have one deleted sooner.

Your PIXL account

You need a PIXL account to join a beta, start a trial or buy a licence. It’s one account for every PIXL app, and it holds:

• your email address, and a name if you give one (or Google or Apple shares one when you sign in with them);
• what the account holds for each app (beta access, a trial, a licence, add-ons) and the terms you accepted;
• the devices you use each app on: a name for each (such as “Studio (macOS)”), the operating system, the app version, when it was last seen, and a one-way hash of the computer’s identifier. We never receive the identifier itself;
• the apps you signed in to with it;
• whether you want emails about new products and releases (off unless you turn it on).

Signed in, an app checks what your account holds when it starts and about once a day, so it can work offline in between. Like any web request, that check shows our server your IP address.

Sign-in codes are emailed through Resend. Cloudflare Turnstile checks that the sign-in form is used by a person. Accounts are stored with Supabase in Canada [confirm the region in the final text].

You can see all of this, change it and delete your account on your account page. When you delete it, everything above goes with it, except one thing: if a device had a free trial, we keep the hashed identifier of that device and the app it was for, so the trial can’t be started again there. We keep that for [period to be decided].

Purchases (when they launch)

When you buy a licence, our payment provider, Lemon Squeezy, acts as the merchant of record. It handles your payment details and sales tax, and shares your name, email address and order with us, which we attach to your PIXL account.

What the apps don’t do

No analytics or tracking in the apps, and nothing leaves your computer about the photos you open, the edits you make or the files you convert.

On our websites

Our websites are static pages hosted by Cloudflare. Cloudflare processes your IP address and request details to deliver and protect the sites. We may use Cloudflare Web Analytics, which counts page views without cookies and without identifying you. If you email us, we use your message only to reply.

Your rights

Depending on where you live (for example, under the GDPR or the CCPA), you may have the right to access, correct or delete personal data we hold about you, and to object to how we use it. Email us and we’ll help. You can also complain to your local data protection authority.

Changes

If we change this policy, we’ll update the date above, and for significant changes we’ll say so in the apps’ release notes.

Who we are

“PIXL Foundation” is the trading name of Syed Ali (xuckless on GitHub), an independent developer in Ontario, Canada, who designed and built the PIXL engine, Pixl Playroom, Space Pixl and our websites. Despite the word “Foundation”, PIXL Foundation is a for-profit business: not a charity, a non-profit or a registered foundation. It is not yet registered as a company; Syed intends to register one soon. When that happens, this document, your PIXL account and any beta access, trial or licence carry over to the company, and our legal name may change, as may the names PIXL, PIXL Foundation, Pixl Playroom and Space Pixl (a rebrand). We will tell you about any such change.

Contact

Syed Ali, trading as PIXL Foundation, Ontario, Canada [postal address]. Email: hello@pixlfoundation.com; for data requests or rights concerns, support@pixlfoundation.com.