Your task deserves privacy.

1. What Kindling processes

2. Data stored on your device

Kindling stores task titles, generated first steps, task status, session duration and outcome, settings, and limited AI request logs. An AI request log contains the provider, request time, latency, and success status. It has no field for the prompt or response text.

This data is stored with SwiftData in an App Group container shared with the Kindling Live Activity extension. It is not synced to a Kindling account because Kindling has no account system.

Local data is included in your device backup by default. You can turn on Exclude my data from device backups in Kindling Settings. Apple controls the storage and retention of device backups.

3. Optional smarter first steps

Smarter first steps are off by default. Local templates always work offline and do not transmit task text.

When smarter steps are enabled, Kindling first tries on-device Apple Intelligence on eligible devices. That processing stays on the iPhone. If on-device generation is unavailable and hosted AI is configured, Kindling presents a separate consent choice before any cloud fallback can be used.

If you allow cloud fallback, Kindling sends only the task title and a retry count over HTTPS to a Kindling-operated Cloudflare Worker. The Worker forwards the request to OpenAI and returns a first step. It does not receive step history, session history, local task identifiers, purchase information, or the TelemetryDeck installation identifier.

The Worker does not log or store task text. It logs content-free operational information such as success or error category, timing, and retry count. It uses the request IP transiently for rate limiting through Cloudflare. The OpenAI request sets storage off, but OpenAI may retain API content in abuse-monitoring logs for up to 30 days, and longer if legally required. OpenAI states that API data is not used to train its models unless the API customer opts in.

You can decline cloud fallback and still use on-device generation where available and local templates everywhere.

4. App analytics

Kindling release builds use TelemetryDeck to understand whether the starting flow works and where it needs improvement. The app sends fixed event names for onboarding, task entry, step display or regeneration, session start and outcome, attempts to add another task, paywall display, completed upgrades, notification permission, and notification opens.

Event properties are limited to fixed categories such as two or five minute duration, outcome, generation origin, paywall source, and monthly, annual, or lifetime purchase period. Kindling does not send task text, step text, task IDs, SwiftData IDs, email addresses, purchase receipts, or free-form error messages to TelemetryDeck.

The TelemetryDeck SDK supplies an app-installation identifier and standard device metadata such as app version, operating system version, device type, language, and whether the build came from the App Store or TestFlight. Kindling does not set a custom user identifier. TelemetryDeck says it hashes identifiers on the device and does not store IP addresses.

Kindling does not use analytics for advertising, profiling, or decisions about an individual. We use a three-month live query window for routine product analysis and keep analytics events for no more than 12 months in total. TelemetryDeck may move events outside the live query window into cold storage rather than delete them automatically, so we delete or request deletion of those events when the 12-month limit is reached.

Kindling does not currently include an analytics opt-out. Because TelemetryDeck anonymizes identifiers before ingestion, we generally cannot identify and delete events belonging to one person. You can still contact us with a privacy question or objection.

5. Purchases and Apple

Kindling Plus purchases use Apple's StoreKit. Apple processes payment, Apple Account, billing, tax, refund, subscription, and transaction information under Apple's policies. Kindling asks StoreKit for available products and current entitlements so it can show purchase choices, unlock Plus, restore purchases, and respond to renewals, refunds, or revocations.

Kindling does not operate a purchase server and does not receive your payment card number. A fixed analytics event can record that an upgrade completed and whether it was monthly, annual, or lifetime, but it does not include a receipt, price, or Apple Account.

6. Notifications and Live Activities

Notifications are optional and require iOS permission. Kindling can schedule a local alert when a timer ends while the app is not in front. The alert uses fixed text and does not include the task title.

A Live Activity can show a fixed session headline and countdown on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island. Its payload includes the timer date range and fixed headline only. It does not contain task or step text. Apple processes notification permissions, delivery, and Live Activity behavior as part of iOS.

7. Diagnostics

The app code does not include a separate crash-reporting SDK or a feature that uploads diagnostic logs to Kindling. If you choose to share iPhone analytics with app developers in iOS Settings, Apple may provide crash and performance information under Apple's settings and privacy terms. Support requests are user initiated. Email only the details needed to investigate your issue and do not send task text.

8. Website data

This website does not set cookies, use client-side analytics, run advertising trackers, or collect task text. The hosting provider, currently Vercel, may process standard request information such as IP address, browser details, requested URL, and time of request to deliver and secure the site under its own terms and retention practices.

If you email support, your email provider and ours process the message and related delivery information. We use it only to answer your request, investigate the issue, protect the service, and meet legal obligations. Support messages are kept only as long as reasonably needed for those purposes.

9. Sharing and third-party services

Kindling does not sell personal information or use it for cross-app advertising. Data is shared only as described here for app functionality, analytics, billing, hosting, security, and user-requested support.

• Apple: StoreKit purchases, device backups, notifications, Live Activities, and optional on-device intelligence.
• TelemetryDeck: limited product interaction analytics.
• Cloudflare: hosted AI request routing, rate limiting, and content-free operational logs.
• OpenAI: optional hosted first-step generation after consent.
• Vercel: static website hosting and security logs. Vercel Web Analytics is not installed on this site.

10. Retention, deletion, and your choices

• Use Kindling without an account and keep smarter steps off.
• Decline hosted AI consent while keeping local templates and eligible on-device generation.
• Turn notification access or Live Activities off in iPhone Settings.
• Delete an active or parked task from Your tasks. This also removes its saved steps, sessions, and AI request logs.
• Clear all finished and discarded tasks in Kindling Settings. This removes their related data too.
• Delete the app to remove all Kindling data from the iPhone. Apple backups may retain an earlier copy under Apple's backup controls.
• Use the backup exclusion setting to keep the local Kindling store out of future device backups.

Tasks are not deleted automatically. You can remove active and parked tasks individually while keeping Kindling installed, clear finished and discarded tasks together, or delete the app to remove the entire local store from the iPhone.

11. Children and international processing

Kindling is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect their personal information. You must be at least 13 to use Kindling. If you are under the age of legal majority where you live, a parent or legal guardian must permit your use.

TelemetryDeck hosts its service in the European Union. Cloudflare, OpenAI, Apple, Vercel, and email providers may process data in countries other than your own. Where required, we rely on applicable provider terms and lawful contractual or other transfer safeguards. Privacy protections and government access rules can differ by country.

12. Changes and contact

Material changes to this policy will be posted here with a new effective date. A new hosted AI processor or retention practice should also require a new consent choice in the app where appropriate.

Kindling is provided by Aftaab Siddiqui and published under the name Gentleloop Labs. For privacy questions, requests, or complaints, email hello@maskedsyntax.com.