Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how the operator of Katachi ("the App", "we", or "us") handles information in the App.
The App has no accounts, and we never receive your name, email address, or similar details. Your creations are stored only on your device.
1. Information the App Handles
We do not send your information, such as your creations, to our servers or store it there. The table below lists the information the App handles and where it goes.
| Information | How it is handled |
|---|---|
| Creations, settings, and puzzle completion records | Stored only on your device and never sent to us (Section 2) |
| Photos | The App only adds images of your creations to the Photos app. It never reads your photos (Section 3) |
| Purchase records | Handled by Apple. The App only checks on your device whether Premium has been purchased (Section 4) |
| Device information for ads (free version only) | Received by Google, which delivers the ads. If you allow tracking, this includes the advertising identifier (Sections 5 and 7) |
| How you use the App, and crash records | Received by Google (Firebase) (Sections 6 and 7) |
| Crash reports and usage statistics from Apple | Received from Apple only if you allow it (Section 8) |
| Name, email address, phone number, address, precise location, contacts, camera, microphone, and the contents of your creations | Not collected |
2. Information Stored Only on Your Device
The following information is stored only on your device and is never sent to us:
- Your creations (the shapes and colors of pieces, and when each creation was made and last changed) and their thumbnail images
- Settings (whether sound effects and vibration are on)
- Puzzle completion records, your choice of puzzle mode, and whether you have seen the hints
If you use iPhone or iPad backups (such as iCloud Backup), this information may be included in them. Backups are stored by Apple's systems, and we cannot see their contents.
3. Saving to Photos
When you save a creation to the Photos app as an image, the App asks for permission to add photos only. The App never reads the photos in your Photos app or sends them anywhere. You can change this permission at any time in your device's Settings app.
4. In-App Purchases
The App offers Premium as a one-time in-app purchase. Purchases and payments are made through Apple's App Store, and neither the App nor we receive your payment details, such as credit card information.
To check whether Premium has been purchased, the App receives purchase records from Apple and uses them only on your device. The same applies when a family member purchases Premium through Family Sharing. Purchase information is handled under Apple's Privacy Policy.
5. Advertising
In the free version, the App shows ads from Google AdMob, an ad service of Google LLC, at the bottom of the home screen and the puzzle list. If you purchase Premium, the App neither shows nor loads ads.
The App may ask for permission to track you (once, when you return to the home screen after making your first creation). If you allow it, Google and its advertising partners use your device's advertising identifier (IDFA) to show ads based on your interests and to measure ad performance. If you don't allow it, ads are still shown, but the advertising identifier is not used and ads are not based on your interests. You can change this at any time in Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking.
Ad content is limited to material suitable for parental guidance (PG). Apple's SKAdNetwork is also used to measure ad results.
The information Google receives is listed in Section 7. For how Google handles this information, see:
6. Usage Measurement and Crash Records
To make the App easier to use and to fix problems, we use Firebase from Google LLC (Google Analytics for Firebase and Firebase Crashlytics). The information sent is listed in Section 7. The contents of your creations and any text you enter are never sent.
Google AdMob and Firebase are linked so we can see ad revenue alongside how the App is used. Usage records are used for advertising only if you allow tracking.
This information is stored by Google's systems. To improve the App, we view it as aggregate statistics and as records exported to Google BigQuery (usage records tied to the identifier for each app installation). We never link it to names or contact details. For how Google handles it, see the Google pages in Section 5 and Firebase Privacy and Security.
7. Information Sent to Other Companies
The App sends the following information to other companies.
| Recipient | Information sent | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Google AdMob (Google LLC; free version only) | Device type and OS version, IP address and the approximate region derived from it, records of ads shown or tapped, and the advertising identifier (only if you allow tracking) | Showing ads, preventing fraud, and measuring ad performance |
| Google Analytics for Firebase (Google LLC) | Records of actions in the App (such as the number of pieces placed, puzzles started or completed, opening the purchase screen, and the results of purchases and restores), app and device information (app version, device model, OS version, language, and approximate region), and an identifier for the app installation | Analyzing and improving how the App is used |
| Firebase Crashlytics (Google LLC) | Records of when the App closes unexpectedly (technical details such as where it stopped), app and device information (app version, device model, and OS version), and an identifier for the app installation | Investigating and fixing problems |
8. Information from Apple
If you turn on "Share with App Developers" in Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements, we may receive crash reports and usage statistics for the App from Apple. This information arrives in a form that does not identify you, and we use it only to fix and improve the App.
9. Children's Information
The App is made to be enjoyed by people of all ages. We do not collect personal information, such as names or contact details, from any user, including children.
Parents and guardians can use Screen Time on iPhone and iPad to prevent apps from asking to track. In that case, the advertising identifier is not used and ads are not based on interests. In-app purchases are made through the App Store. With Family Sharing's Ask to Buy, a parent or guardian must approve purchases.
If you are a parent or guardian and have questions about your child's information, please contact us using the contact form in Section 12.
10. Transfers to Other Countries
Google LLC, described in Sections 5 to 7, is based in the United States. Information Google receives may be stored and processed in the United States and other countries.
11. No Sale of Information, and Deleting Information
Apart from what you send us through the contact form, we do not hold personal information such as your name or contact details, and we never sell your information to third parties. Information received by Apple and Google is handled under their own privacy policies, as described in the sections above.
You can delete creations one at a time in the App. Deleting the App from your device also removes all creations and settings on the device. To remove images saved to the Photos app, delete them in the Photos app.
12. Contact
For questions about the App or this Privacy Policy, please use our contact form (Google Forms). The form asks for the type of inquiry and your message. The form is in Japanese, but you can write in English. If you would like a reply, please include your email address in your message. We use your email address only to reply to your inquiry. Form responses are stored by Google's systems.
13. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy when the App or applicable laws change. If we do, we will post the update on this page.
Effective October 26, 2026