1Permissions and what they are used for
Android asks you to approve access before an app can use certain features. Here is every permission Local Lens uses, why, and what we do not do with it.
Contacts
READ_CONTACTSWhy: Search your contact list as you type a name.
Our safeguard: Local Lens does not read call logs, and never uploads, tracks or shares your contacts.
Phone calls
CALL_PHONEWhy: Start a call when you tap a contact's call button in the dialer or in search results.
Our safeguard: Only acts when you tap. Nothing is dialled in the background.
Calendar
READ_CALENDARWhy: Show upcoming events in the dashboard calendar widget and in search results.
Our safeguard: Events are read on-device and not transmitted.
Files & media
READ_MEDIA_IMAGES, READ_MEDIA_VIDEO, READ_MEDIA_AUDIO, READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGEWhy: Search local documents, photos, videos, music, ZIP archives and APK files, and show previews such as album art and thumbnails.
Our safeguard: Files open through Android's standard view intent. They are never indexed remotely or sent off your phone.
Usage statistics
PACKAGE_USAGE_STATSWhy: Work out screen time and your most used apps for the Screen Time widget.
Our safeguard: Read from Android system APIs; never stored, tracked or transmitted.
Storage insights
StatFsWhy: Show total, used and free internal storage, including the arc gauge.
Our safeguard: Calculated live from system APIs.
Alarms & notifications
POST_NOTIFICATIONS, SET_ALARMWhy: Schedule alarms and show local alerts for your reminders.
Our safeguard: Notifications are generated on-device.
2Device and hardware information
The About Device section displays live RAM usage, battery level and charging state, processor details, screen resolution, refresh rate and system uptime. All of it is read from standard Android APIs in real time and is never recorded or shared.
3Web and AI search shortcuts
Local Lens has a search bar with quick shortcuts to services such as Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity, YouTube, DuckDuckGo, Reddit, Wikipedia, Google Maps, the Play Store and Bing.
When you tap one, or type a prefix shortcut such as cgpt python, Local Lens simply hands your query to your default browser or the installed app using Android's standard intent system. Local Lens does not log, store or track your web searches or your choice of search engine.
4App and system commands
Commands such as "open youtube", "open settings", "open wifi" or "open camera" are resolved locally using Android's PackageManager, which opens the app or settings screen directly. Parsing of keywords like show, call, set and open also happens entirely on your phone.
5On-device storage
Your quick memos, custom reminders and favourite apps are kept in a private, encrypted local SQLite (Room) database that other apps cannot access.
6Third-party services and SDKs
- No analytics. We do not track how often you open the app, what you search for or how you use features.
- No advertising. No ad SDKs, tracking pixels or data brokers.
- Coil is an open-source image library used to display contact photos and app icons on-device. It does not send data anywhere.
7Data retention and deletion
Because nothing is stored on remote servers, you are in control. You can edit or delete notes, reminders and recent search history inside the app at any time. If you uninstall Local Lens, Android removes its local database, preferences and all associated data.
8Google Play policy compliance
Local Lens requests only the permissions needed for its core, user-facing features (search, launcher, dialer and dashboard), in line with Google Play's Developer Content Policies.
9Children's privacy
Local Lens does not ask for or collect names, email addresses, phone numbers or personal profiles, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone, including children under 13.
10Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time to reflect new features, changes to Android's permission model or system improvements. When we do, we will change the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.
11Contact
Questions, feedback or privacy concerns about Local Lens? Contact the developer directly.