Privacy policy

Last updated 6 November 2026

Imadeo is self-hosted. Your photos, videos, account details and generated library data go to the Imadeo server you choose — not to the Imadeo project. The project has no hosted media service and cannot see your library.

Who is responsible for your data

The person or organisation running the Imadeo server is the server operator. They control the server, its storage, user accounts, backups, network access and any optional integrations. Contact that operator for access, correction, export or deletion requests relating to your account or library.

The open-source Imadeo project publishes the software and mobile apps. It does not operate the server you connect to and does not receive your account details or media through normal use of the software.

Information Imadeo processes

Depending on the features you use, your chosen server may store:

Account information, including your name, email address, password hash, sessions and registered devices.
Photos and videos you upload or back up, including filenames and embedded metadata such as capture time, camera details and location coordinates.
Library information, including folders, albums, favourites, descriptions, shares, trash and Locked items.
Generated media data, including thumbnails, video previews, search embeddings, face and pet detections, groupings and names you assign.
Operational information, such as upload state and technical logs kept by the server operator.

Passwords are stored as password hashes. The mobile app stores the server address and authentication credentials in the device's protected storage. The web app uses authentication cookies issued by your server.

Device permissions

Photo and video library

The mobile app requests library access so it can show your local media, compare it with your server, upload the items you choose and save media back to your device. Uploads start when you request a backup or enable automatic backup. Automatic backup may run when the app opens and when the operating system schedules background activity. Limited-library access is supported where the operating system offers it.

Location

Imadeo may request location-related permission to read and display place information associated with your media. It does not use this permission for advertising or continuous background tracking. Location metadata in an uploaded file may be stored on your chosen server with that file. Location permission may also be needed to read your current Wi-Fi network name so the app can choose your server's local address. Saved Wi-Fi names and server-address preferences are stored on your device.

Where processing happens

Media storage, thumbnails, search analysis, face recognition and pet recognition run on the self-hosted server and machine-learning service selected by the server operator. Imadeo does not send media to a hosted Imadeo cloud or sell it to third parties.

Self-hosted does not automatically mean encrypted. Original media is stored as files on the server. Locked hides items from normal library views but is not encryption. Server operators should use appropriate disk encryption, access controls, HTTPS or a trusted VPN, and protected backups for their environment.

Optional external services

Maps

Opening Places in the mobile app loads map styles and map tiles directly from OpenFreeMap by default. The web app uses CARTO map tiles by default. Your device connects to the map provider, which receives its IP address, standard request information and the map areas and zoom levels requested. Those requests can reveal the areas shown on the map, including areas near your photo locations. Your photos, Imadeo password and Imadeo authentication tokens are not included in these map requests.

OpenFreeMap says its normal access logs omit IP addresses. Error logs may include an IP address and requested URL for up to 7 days; security-incident IP logs may be kept for up to 30 days. Its CDN providers may also process requests. See the OpenFreeMap privacy policy for details. A custom build or deployment can use a different map provider; that provider's policy then applies.

Server integrations

A server operator can choose to configure services that receive limited data:

Reverse geocoding can send media coordinates to the configured geocoding provider to obtain place names. It can be disabled or pointed at a self-hosted provider.
Google or Apple sign-in sends authentication information through the selected identity provider when configured and used.
Email delivery sends recipient addresses and invitation content through the SMTP provider configured by the server operator.

Those providers process data under their own terms and privacy policies. The server operator decides whether to enable them and which providers to use.

Sharing

Photos, albums and folders are private to an account unless a user shares them. Shared items and their metadata become visible to the selected recipients, or to anyone who has a public link when public-link sharing is used. Users should only share content they are authorised to share.

Retention and deletion

Data remains on the chosen server until a user or server operator deletes it. Items in Trash can remain recoverable for the server's retention period. Copies may remain in operator-managed backups until those backups expire or are replaced.

To delete your account, choose Delete account on the mobile app's Account screen. This immediately removes sign-in access, API keys, public share links and the account's outgoing sharing permissions. The account and its associated server media are scheduled for permanent removal after 30 days. The server must be running to complete removal; an offline server can finish the deletion later. Original files in external libraries remain under the server operator's control and are not removed by this request. Copies in operator-managed backups may remain until those backups expire or are replaced.

Deleting the mobile app removes its local app data but does not delete media or an account from the server. Use Imadeo's deletion controls or contact the server operator to remove server data.

Security and network transport

Imadeo supports local-network deployments over HTTP. HTTP does not encrypt traffic. For access across an untrusted network or the public internet, the server operator should provide HTTPS through a reverse proxy or require a trusted VPN. The security of the host, storage, database, credentials and backups remains the operator's responsibility.

Tracking, advertising and sale of data

The Imadeo project does not include advertising, cross-app tracking or a project-operated analytics service, and it does not sell personal data. A server operator may independently add infrastructure monitoring or logging; questions about that deployment should be directed to them.

Children

Imadeo is not directed to children. Account creation is controlled by the server operator, who is responsible for obtaining any consent required in their jurisdiction when the server contains information about children.

Changes and questions

This policy may change as Imadeo changes. The latest version and its date will remain on this page. For questions about a particular server or its data, contact its operator. For questions about the open-source project or this policy, use the support page. Public support requests must not include private information.