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Privacy Policy

Effective Date: September 2026

Thank you for using Flow Search (the "App"), provided by Androxus ("we," "us," or "our"). This Privacy Policy explains what the App collects, what it does not, and what you can switch off.


Overview

Flow Search shows ads and uses Firebase to understand purchases and crashes. It does not collect what you search for.

The short version:

  • Your searches are not collected. No search query, result or history is ever sent to us
  • Analytics is off until you consent, and it records only 8 events, all about purchases and rating prompts
  • Ads never appear in the widget or the search overlay. Only inside the app's own screens
  • Ads are off entirely for Pro users
  • No accounts, no sign in, and we operate no server of our own
  • Your settings, widget layouts and search history stay on your device

What leaves your device

There are four things, and three of them you control.

What When Where it goes Can you stop it
Partial search text As you type, for autocomplete Google Suggest Yes, Settings → Search Suggestions
Advertising and device data Only if you consent to ads Google AdMob Yes, decline consent, or buy Pro
8 purchase and rating events Only if you consent to analytics Firebase Analytics Yes, decline consent
Crash reports When the app crashes Firebase Crashlytics No, see below

Nothing on this list is your search query itself, other than the autocomplete text you can switch off.


Your searches

When you type, the App requests autocomplete suggestions from Google Suggest (suggestqueries.google.com). Your partial query goes to Google to produce those suggestions. This is the same service the stock Android search bar uses, and Settings → Search Suggestions turns it off completely.

When you run a search, the App hands the query to your chosen engine or app by opening it. From that moment you are using that provider and their privacy policy applies. The App does not proxy, log or copy the query.

Search history is stored only on your device and you can clear it from Settings at any time. It is never uploaded.


Advertising

The App shows ads from Google AdMob in four places: an app open ad, a home screen banner, an exit banner and an interstitial.

Where ads never appear:

  • In the search bar widget
  • In the search overlay
  • Anywhere, for Pro users
  • Before you have finished onboarding
  • Before you have given consent

That is enforced in one place in the code, so every ad surface obeys it.

Consent. On first launch the App presents Google's User Messaging Platform (UMP) consent form where required. Until consent allows it, the Mobile Ads SDK is not even initialised. You can review or change this later at About → Privacy choices.

When you consent, AdMob may receive your advertising ID, IP address, device information and your interactions with ads, and may use them to personalise advertising. See the Google Privacy Policy and how Google uses data from partner apps.

Buying Pro removes ads entirely.


Analytics

The App uses Firebase Analytics, and it is switched off by default. It becomes active only if you grant consent, and the App applies your decision through Firebase Consent Mode across analytics storage, ad storage and ad user data.

When granted, the App records these events and nothing else:

Event Meaning
paywall_shown The Pro screen was displayed
purchase_started A purchase was begun
purchase_success A purchase completed
purchase_failed A purchase did not complete
pro_restored An existing purchase was restored
pro_revoked Play reported the entitlement had ended
rating_shown The rating prompt was displayed
rating_submitted You responded to the rating prompt

That is the complete list. There is no event for searching, for opening the app, for which buttons you use, or for anything you type. Firebase also derives standard information such as an app instance identifier, device model, operating system version and approximate country from your IP address.


Crash reporting

The App uses Firebase Crashlytics in release builds to record crashes and handled errors. A crash report contains the stack trace, device model, operating system version and app state at the time. It does not contain your searches.

Crash reporting is not currently exposed as a user-facing toggle. If you would prefer not to send crash reports, contact us.


Remote configuration

The App uses Firebase Remote Config to fetch a small number of feature flags, currently one, which selects how the rating prompt is shown. It is fetched about twice a day and sends no personal information.


Purchases

If you buy Flow Search Pro, the transaction is handled entirely by Google Play. We never see or receive your payment details. The App verifies your entitlement with Play on launch. See the Google Play Privacy Policy.


Permissions

Android requires a permission for each capability. Flow Search requests one only when you add the button that needs it. If you never add the Screen Record button, the App never asks for screen capture.

Permission Which feature needs it What happens to the data
Internet Suggestions, ads, Firebase See the table at the top
Query all packages App suggestions, App and Speed Dial buttons, search into apps The installed app list is read on device. Never transmitted
Read contacts Contact search, Speed Dial Read on device to match what you type. Never transmitted
Storage and media File and folder search, widget background image File names and paths read on device. Never transmitted
Camera Camera button, Scan QR Used live, not recorded or sent. QR decoding runs on device
Microphone Voice search, Recorder button Recordings are saved on your device only
Media projection Screen Record button The recording is written to your device. Never uploaded
Modify system settings Brightness, Auto-Rotate, Screen Timeout buttons Changes the setting. No data is read
Notification policy access Do Not Disturb button Changes the DND state. No notification content is read
Phone Speed Dial button Places the call you configured
Notifications Status notification while recording No data collected
Set alarm Timer button Creates a timer in your clock app
Notification listener Media controls Reads the active media session. See below
Accessibility service Lock Screen, Power Menu, Recents, Notifications, Quick Settings, Screenshot See below

Notification listener access

The Media buttons need to know what is playing in order to show the track and send play, pause and skip commands.

The App reads the active media session for this: track title, artist and playback state. It does not read the text of your notifications, and it does not store or transmit any of it. If you do not add a media button, you do not need to grant this.


Accessibility service access

Several buttons perform actions Android only allows through an accessibility service. Lock Screen, Power Menu, Recents, Notifications, Quick Settings and Screenshot all work this way. There is no other API for them.

We want to be precise here, because accessibility access is powerful and you deserve the exact picture rather than a reassuring summary.

What it does:

  • Calls performGlobalAction() to trigger the system action you tapped
  • Takes a screenshot when you tap the Screenshot button, saved to your device

What the service configuration declares:

  • canRetrieveWindowContent and canTakeScreenshot are both declared as true, because Android requires the screenshot capability for the Screenshot button

What it does not do:

  • The onAccessibilityEvent handler is empty. The App does not process accessibility events, does not read the content of your screen, does not read text from other apps, and does not log, store or transmit anything the service can see
  • No screen content is sent anywhere

You can revoke accessibility access at any time in Android Settings. The buttons that depend on it stop working; nothing else changes.


Searching inside other apps

When you send a query into another app, such as searching a shopping app from the widget, the App opens that app with your query. The query goes to that app, and that app's privacy policy applies to it. We do not see it, record it or route it through any server of ours.


Data we do not collect

To be explicit, Flow Search does not collect, store off device, or transmit to us:

  • Your searches, search results or search history
  • Your contacts
  • Your files, photos or documents
  • Your installed app list
  • Precise location
  • Screen content, screenshots or recordings
  • Notification content
  • Your name, email address or any account identity

Third-party services

Service Purpose Policy
Google AdMob Advertising, consent gated Google Privacy Policy
Google User Messaging Platform Ad consent form Google Privacy Policy
Firebase Analytics 8 purchase and rating events, consent gated Firebase Privacy
Firebase Crashlytics Crash reports Firebase Privacy
Firebase Remote Config Feature flags Firebase Privacy
Google Play Billing Pro purchases Google Play Privacy Policy
Google Suggest Search autocomplete, switchable Google Privacy Policy
ML Kit Barcode Scanning Scan QR, decoded on device Google Privacy Policy

Search engines you select are opened in your browser or their app and are governed by their own policies.


Your choices

What Where
Turn off search autocomplete Settings → Search Suggestions
Clear search history Settings → Search History
Review or change ad consent About → Privacy choices
Remove ads entirely Buy Flow Search Pro
Revoke any permission Android Settings → Apps → Flow Search
Delete everything Uninstall, or clear app data in Android Settings

Because we hold no account and run no server, there is no profile of you for us to export or erase. Data held by Google as a result of ads, analytics or crash reporting is subject to Google's own controls.


Children's Privacy

Flow Search is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us.


Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy. Significant changes will be reflected here and in the release notes on Google Play. The effective date at the top shows when it was last revised.


Contact Us


Summary

Question Answer
Are my searches collected? No
Does the App show ads? Yes, in the app's own screens only, never in the widget or search overlay
Can I remove ads? Yes, buy Pro, or decline ad consent
Is analytics on by default? No, it is off until you consent
What does analytics record? 8 events about purchases and rating prompts. Nothing about searching
Does the App use crash reporting? Yes, Firebase Crashlytics in release builds
Do I need an account? No
Does Androxus run a server? No
Is my search history on a server? No, only on your device
Does the accessibility service read my screen? No, the event handler is empty
Can I delete my data? Yes, clear history in Settings or uninstall

Last updated: September 2026

Google, Android, Material You, Google Play, AdMob and Firebase are trademarks of Google LLC. Flow Search is an independent app and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Google LLC or by any search provider named above.