Privacy Policy
Applies to: Candle Timer · Last updated: October 10, 2026
This page is the privacy policy for the Android app "Candle Timer" (package name app.minimalab.candletimer, "the App"). A separate general privacy policy for minimalab is also available, but for matters specific to the App, the contents of this page take precedence.
1. Information We Collect
The App does not collect personally identifiable information such as your name, email address, phone number, or location.
To the extent required for advertising, the following information may be handled by our advertising SDK:
- Google Advertising ID
- Device information (OS version, device model, language, screen size, and similar general attributes)
- Anonymous statistics related to ad impressions and interactions
This data is processed directly by the advertising SDK (Google AdMob); it is not transmitted to or stored on minimalab's servers. See "3. Third-Party Services" below for details.
For users in the EU/EEA, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and California (CCPA jurisdictions), a consent dialog is shown on first launch via the Google User Messaging Platform (UMP). Personalized vs. non-personalized ads are served according to the consent provided.
2. Data Stored on Your Device
The following data is stored on your device and is never transmitted to minimalab's servers (for how Android's standard backup handles it, see "5. Android Auto Backup").
| App settings | Timer duration, the selected candle, flags recording that the first-time hints and the explanation of Repeat have been shown, and the number of times a Support purchase has arrived |
|---|---|
| Candles | The names you give your candles, their colors, holders, background designs, ambient sounds and sound levels, Drift (Approximate mode), Sleep mode, Repeat (including rest length and count) and show-time-while-burning on/off, the last duration used, their order, and when a candle was put away |
| Session history | Date and time of each timer run, configured duration, actual burn time, whether the candle burned out or was put out early, and the candle that was lit (for sessions of a deleted candle, the name and color it had when it was deleted) |
| Running timer | Start time, scheduled end time, configured duration, the progress of Repeat (which candle of the series, whether resting) and similar values. Used to notify you and record the session exactly once even when the App is closed, and erased once you leave the screen shown after the candle burns out |
| Premium status | Local cache of the purchase state retrieved from Google Play Billing |
Candle names and session history are used solely within the App (on the candle list and records screens) and are not shared externally. Uninstalling the App removes all of this data from your device.
When you use "Share this app" in the menu, the App hands only a short introduction and the Google Play store URL to your device's share sheet. Candle names and records are not included. You choose where it goes, and nothing is sent to minimalab.
3. Third-Party Services
The App uses the following third-party services. For details on how Google handles data, please refer to the Google Privacy Policy.
- Google Play Billing — Used to process the Premium Unlock (one-time purchase) and to verify purchase status. It is also used to process Support purchases (a product you can buy as many times as you like, which unlocks no features). Payment processing and receipt management are handled by Google Play.
- Google AdMob — Used to display a banner ad at the bottom of the screen for free users. Users who have purchased Premium Unlock see no ads, and the App does not load (request) any ads for them. However, the ads SDK is initialized when the App starts regardless of purchase status, so it may communicate with Google's servers to the extent needed for its own operation.
- Google User Messaging Platform (UMP) — Used to present the consent UI required to comply with privacy regulations such as GDPR and CCPA. Whether consent is required is checked when the App starts, regardless of purchase status.
- Google Play In-App Review — Used to let Google Play show a rating prompt inside the App. The App decides when to ask; the rating and any review are handled by Google Play and are not sent to minimalab.
The App does not integrate Google Analytics for Firebase, Crashlytics, or any other analytics or crash-reporting SDK.
4. App Permissions
The App requests the following Android permissions, each used only to the extent required to provide the corresponding feature.
| Internet | Required for ad delivery and purchase processingINTERNET |
|---|---|
| Notifications | To show the time left and to let you know when the candle burns outPOST_NOTIFICATIONS |
| Vibration | To vibrate when the timer finishesVIBRATE |
| Exact alarms | To end the timer at the set time even while the App is closedUSE_EXACT_ALARM / SCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARM |
| Full-screen notifications | So you notice the timer ending while the screen is locked or another app is in useUSE_FULL_SCREEN_INTENT |
| Billing | To process Premium Unlock and Support purchasescom.android.vending.BILLING |
In addition, the ads SDK (Google Mobile Ads) adds the following permissions for its own operation: network state (ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE), advertising ID (AD_ID and related), keeping the device awake (WAKE_LOCK) and foreground service (FOREGROUND_SERVICE). The App itself does not use them.
Notification permission is requested via an in-app dialog the first time you ignite the candle. The App's core functionality remains available even if you decline, and you can allow notifications later from the App's settings screen or your device settings.
5. Android Auto Backup
Android's standard cloud backup and device transfer (Auto Backup) is enabled by default. Depending on your device settings, app settings, candles and session history may be saved to the backup storage of your Google account. That storage is managed by Google, and minimalab cannot see its contents.
However, purchase-related data, including Premium status, is explicitly excluded from backup. This is to prevent Premium features from being acquired without payment by restoring a backup on another device. The state of a running timer is also excluded, so that restoring on another device does not produce sessions or notifications you did not trigger. The number of times a Support purchase has arrived does not affect any feature, so it may be backed up together with the app settings.
To re-enable Premium on a new device, use the "Restore purchase" link inside the App to re-fetch the purchase state via Google Play. As long as the same Google account is used, no additional charge will apply.
6. Children's Privacy
The App is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.
7. Changes to This Policy
This policy may be updated without prior notice in response to changes in features or applicable law. When a material change is made, the "Last updated" date at the top of this page will be revised.