Privacy Policy¶
Effective Date: September 2026
Thank you for using Playback (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¶
Playback is a browser that keeps audio and video playing in the background. It shows ads to Free users, uses Firebase for analytics and crash reporting, and can optionally back up your favorites, history and settings to your own Google Drive.
The short version:
- Your browsing and search stay on your device, unless you choose to back them up to your own Google Drive
- Once you open a site, that site's own privacy policy applies to whatever it collects there
- Ads are shown to Free users only, never inside the page you're browsing or the floating window, and Pro removes them
- Analytics covers how you use the App's own screens and buttons - not what you browse or search for
- No accounts, no sign-in of our own. Google Drive backup, if you turn it on, goes straight to your own Google account
What leaves your device¶
| What | When | Where it goes | Can you stop it |
|---|---|---|---|
| The address or search you enter | When you open a site or run a search | The site itself, or your chosen search platform | This is how browsing works; pick your search platform in Settings |
| The domain of the page playing, or a YouTube video's ID | While something is playing, to show an icon in the notification | Google's favicon service, or YouTube's thumbnail service | No dedicated switch; only happens while something plays |
| Your device manufacturer group (for example "samsung") | Automatically during setup, before you reach the permission screen (skipped if the floating-window permission is already granted), and possibly again if you open a tutorial before that download has finished | Androxus's own server | No; it happens automatically during setup |
| Advertising and device data | If you're shown an ad (Free users) | Google AdMob and its ad partners, including Meta Audience Network | Yes, buy Pro |
| App usage events (which buttons and screens, purchase and ad outcomes) | While you use the App | Firebase Analytics | No dedicated switch |
| Crash and error reports | If the App crashes or hits a handled error | Firebase Crashlytics | No |
| Your favorites, history and a few settings | Only if you turn on Google Drive backup | Your own Google Drive (private app storage) | Yes, turn off backup in Settings |
None of this includes the content of pages you browse or what you type into them, beyond the address itself.
Browsing¶
Playback opens whatever web address you type, the same as any browser. When you type a plain search instead of an address, it's sent to your chosen search platform (Settings → Search Platform: Google, Bing, YouTube, Reddit, Yahoo, Twitch or DuckDuckGo), exactly as if you'd typed it into that site yourself.
Once you open a site, you are using that site, and its own privacy policy and terms apply to whatever it collects there - cookies, its own analytics, accounts, and so on. We don't see, log or copy what you type into a site or the pages you view there, beyond the address and page title Playback stores on your device for your own Favorites and History (see What's stored on your device).
On every page, Playback runs a small script that unmutes video that starts muted, though a site can override this. On youtube.com specifically, it also dismisses YouTube's own "Video paused. Continue watching?" prompt so background playback isn't interrupted. These scripts run entirely inside the page in your device's browser engine and don't send anything anywhere.
Opening a local video file from your device (Files on the home screen) never leaves your device - it's read directly through Android's own file picker to play it, and is never uploaded.
Advertising¶
The App shows ads from Google AdMob to Free users: an app-open ad, a home-screen banner, an exit banner, and an interstitial ad when you launch the App. AdMob may use mediation, including Meta Audience Network, to fill an ad.
Ads never appear:
- Inside the page you're browsing or watching
- In the Floating video window
- For Pro users
Consent. Where Google determines it's required for your region (for example under GDPR), the App shows Google's User Messaging Platform (UMP) consent form so you can choose whether ads are personalised. The Mobile Ads SDK starts when the App starts, and on the Free version an ad can load before you've responded to that form.
AdMob and any mediation partner it uses may receive your advertising ID, IP address, device and app information, and your interactions with ads, and may use them to personalise advertising. See the Google Privacy Policy, how Google uses data from partner apps, and the Meta Privacy Policy.
Buying Pro removes ads entirely.
Analytics¶
The App uses Firebase Analytics to understand how the App's own screens and buttons are used: which menu options and shortcuts you tap, when prompts like the upgrade screen are shown, the outcome of purchases and ads (for example, whether an ad loaded, or a purchase succeeded), and technical events such as the browser engine recovering from a crash.
Analytics does not include the web pages you visit, what you type into the search bar or into a site, or the contents of your Favorites or History.
Firebase also derives standard information such as an app instance identifier, device model, operating system version and approximate country from your IP address. Analytics runs in released versions of the App and is separate from the advertising consent described above.
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 the pages you were browsing.
Remote configuration¶
The App uses Firebase Remote Config to fetch a small number of settings: whether to show a reminder notification, a list of suggested sites shown on the home screen, and whether to use Google Play's own in-app review prompt instead of the App's. It sends no personal information.
Purchases¶
If you buy Playback Pro, the transaction is handled entirely by Google Play. We never see or receive your payment details. The App verifies your entitlement with Play when it opens. See the Google Play Privacy Policy.
Backup to Google Drive¶
Backup is off unless you turn it on, in Settings → Backup & Restore.
When you connect, Android's own account picker shows the Google accounts on your device. Playback requests access only to a private, app-only area of your Google Drive that isn't visible in the Drive app itself and that only Playback can read - we never see or receive this data; it goes directly from your device to your Google Drive.
The backup is a single file containing your favorites, history and a small set of app settings, such as theme, language and default search platform. It does not include your Pro purchase status, which is always verified fresh with Google Play rather than stored. If you turn on automatic backup, this file is refreshed daily or weekly, over Wi-Fi only by default.
You can disconnect at any time from the same screen, which stops future backups. It does not delete a backup already in your Drive; you can remove that yourself through your Google Account's storage management.
Playback's use and transfer of information received from Google APIs adheres to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements: this data is used only to provide the backup feature described above, never for advertising, and is never shared with anyone else.
Permission tutorial videos¶
The App downloads the "how to enable this" video for the floating-window permission from Androxus's own server, automatically during setup and before you reach the permission screen - chosen using your device's manufacturer group (for example, "samsung") so the instructions match your phone. This is skipped if the permission is already granted. Opening a tutorial later plays the saved clip, fetching any part that hadn't finished downloading from the same address; if nothing was saved, it plays a generic video that doesn't name your manufacturer.
Permissions¶
Android requires a permission for each capability. Playback requests one only when you use the feature that needs it.
| Permission | Used for | What happens to the data |
|---|---|---|
| Notifications | Playback controls while something is playing, and occasional reminder notifications | No data collected |
| Display over other apps | The Floating video window | Shows your own page in a small window; doesn't grant access to other apps |
| Microphone | Passed through only to a website that requests it during your visit (for example, a site's own voice input) | Handled by that website in your browser session; the App itself doesn't record or access it |
| Modify audio settings | Managing playback volume | No data collected |
| Internet | Browsing, ads, analytics, backup and the tutorial videos above | See the sections above |
| Foreground service / media playback | Keeps audio and video playing with the screen off or another app open | No data collected |
| Keep device awake | Prevents playback from stopping while the screen is off | No data collected |
| Receive at device startup | Reschedules reminder notifications after your device restarts | No data collected |
| Install shortcuts | Pinning a platform, address or app-section shortcut to your home screen, on older Android versions | No data collected |
| Billing | Processing Pro purchases through Google Play | See Purchases |
The App also checks, without any special permission, whether Androxus's other apps - Night Screen and Equalizer - are installed on your device, so Settings can offer a link to open or install them. This doesn't give either app access to the other's data.
What's stored on your device¶
- Your Favorites and History (page titles and addresses) - not local video files you've opened
- App settings, such as theme, language, default search platform and whether automatic backup is on
- Cached tutorial videos and site data such as images, so pages you revisit load faster
What we don't collect¶
Playback does not collect, or send to us:
- The content of pages you browse, or what you type into them
- Your search queries, beyond sending them to the search platform you've chosen, the same as typing them there yourself
- Files on your device, other than a local video file you deliberately open, which is read on your device to play it and is never uploaded
- Your favorites and history, beyond an optional backup that goes straight to your own Google Drive, never to us
- Your contacts, precise location, camera, or the content of your notifications
- Your name, email address, or any account identity of our own
Third-party services¶
| Service | Purpose | Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Google AdMob | Advertising | Google Privacy Policy |
| Meta Audience Network | Ad mediation partner | Meta Privacy Policy |
| Google User Messaging Platform | Ad consent form | Google Privacy Policy |
| Firebase Analytics | App usage events | 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 Drive | Optional backup, to your own account | Google Privacy Policy |
| Google Play In-App Review | The Play Store rating prompt | Google Play Privacy Policy |
Websites you open in Playback, and the search platform you've chosen, are governed by their own privacy policies.
Your choices¶
| What | Where |
|---|---|
| Clear browsing history | History screen |
| Change your default search platform | Settings → Search Platform |
| Turn off Google Drive backup | Settings → Backup & Restore |
| Remove ads entirely | Buy Playback Pro |
| Manage ad personalisation for your device | Android Settings → Google → Ads |
| Revoke any permission | Android Settings → Apps → Playback |
| Delete everything | Uninstall, or clear app data in Android Settings |
We hold no account of our own, so there's no profile of you for us to export or erase beyond what's described above. Data held by Google or Meta as a result of ads, analytics, crash reporting or backup is subject to their own controls.
Children's Privacy¶
Playback 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¶
- Email: support@androxus.com
- Website: androxus.com
Summary¶
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Does Playback collect what I search for or browse? | No, not by us - it goes to the site or search platform you chose, the same as typing it there yourself |
| Does the App show ads? | Yes, to Free users only; never inside the page you're watching or the floating window |
| Can I remove ads? | Yes, buy Pro |
| Does the App use analytics? | Yes, about how you use the App's own screens - not what you browse |
| Does the App use crash reporting? | Yes, Firebase Crashlytics in release builds |
| Do I need an account? | No |
| Does Androxus run a server? | Yes, only to serve the right permission-tutorial video for your device |
| Is my history on a server? | No, only on your device, unless you turn on Google Drive backup - and then it's on your own Drive, not ours |
| Can I delete my data? | Yes, clear history in the App, or uninstall |
Last updated: September 2026
Google, Android, YouTube, Google Play, Google Drive and AdMob are trademarks of Google LLC. Meta and Audience Network are trademarks of Meta Platforms, Inc. Playback is an independent app and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Google LLC, Meta Platforms, Inc., or any website or platform named above.