1Permissions and what they are used for
Android asks you to approve access before an app can use certain features. Here is every permission Ezhil uses, why, and what we do not do with it.
Installed apps list
QUERY_ALL_PACKAGESWhy: As your launcher, Ezhil has to see and organise every app on your device — including work-profile and Private Space apps — and to find the right app for default dock icons (phone, browser, camera) and for icon packs.
Our safeguard: Google Play grants this permission specifically for launchers. The list is read on-device to build your home screen and drawer, and is never uploaded.
Uninstall apps
REQUEST_DELETE_PACKAGESWhy: Lets you uninstall an app from its long-press menu, the same as from the home screen of any launcher.
Our safeguard: Only opens Android's own uninstall confirmation when you choose it. Ezhil cannot remove an app silently or without that system dialog.
Lock Private Space & work profile
MODIFY_QUIET_MODEWhy: Lets you lock and unlock your Private Space or work profile from the drawer, the way the built-in launcher does.
Our safeguard: Android grants this only to whichever app you have set as your default home app. It is never prompted separately, and Ezhil cannot see inside a locked profile.
Calendar
READ_CALENDARWhy: Shows your next event in the at-a-glance widget, the feed screen and calendar search results.
Our safeguard: Requested only the first time you use one of those features. Events are read on-device and are never transmitted.
Contacts
READ_CONTACTSWhy: Lets you search your contacts by name from the drawer or feed, and call or message them directly.
Our safeguard: Requested only the first time you tap “Enable” in search or the feed. Your contacts are never uploaded, tracked or shared, and call logs are not read.
Files & media
READ_MEDIA_IMAGES, READ_MEDIA_VIDEO, READ_MEDIA_AUDIO, READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGEWhy: Lets you search for and open local photos, videos, music and documents from the drawer and the feed’s recent-files list.
Our safeguard: Requested only the first time you enable file search. Files open through Android's standard view intent and are never indexed remotely.
Usage access
PACKAGE_USAGE_STATSWhy: Powers daily app timers, screen-time insights, and better drawer suggestions based on which apps you actually use.
Our safeguard: Optional special access you turn on yourself in Android Settings. Usage data is read from the system and processed on-device; it is never sent anywhere.
Notification access
NotificationListenerServiceWhy: Powers icon badges, notification previews and media playback controls.
Our safeguard: Optional special access you grant in Android Settings. Notification content is processed on-device in real time and is never stored or transmitted.
Accessibility service
AccessibilityService APIWhy: Triggers system actions behind launcher gestures — opening the notification shade, quick settings, recents or the lock screen when you swipe or tap a shortcut.
Our safeguard: It declares no access to window content: Ezhil cannot read your screen, keystrokes or notifications through this service. You see an in-app explanation before Android sends you to enable it, and you can turn it off at any time. On Android 8/8.1 only, an optional device-admin fallback provides the lock-screen gesture where the accessibility action is unavailable.
Approximate location
ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATIONWhy: Only for the optional Edge-style Weather panel, to fetch a local forecast.
Our safeguard: Asked only when you open the Weather panel and tap Allow. Your location, rounded to about 1 km, is sent to the free Open-Meteo weather service at most every 30 minutes, with no account or key attached, and Ezhil never stores it. Deny it and the rest of the launcher works exactly the same.
Legacy layout import
com.android.launcher.permission.READ_SETTINGSWhy: A best-effort attempt to copy your home screen layout from certain older launchers during setup.
Our safeguard: Modern Android usually refuses this permission outright, and it is never prompted to you directly. It is only ever used during onboarding, if at all.
Biometric unlock
USE_BIOMETRICWhy: Lets you use your fingerprint or face unlock to open hidden apps or app-locked apps.
Our safeguard: Handled entirely by Android’s own biometric system; Ezhil never sees or stores your fingerprint or face data.
2What can leave your device
Nothing, unless you turn one of these on yourself in Settings › Search:
- Web suggestions: text you type in search is sent to the search engine you choose (Google, DuckDuckGo, Bing, Brave or Ecosia) to get suggestions as you type. Off by default.
- Exchange-rate updates: downloads a public currency-rates table for the converter. No personal data is sent.
Tapping a web result, or “Search the web”, opens your browser, which is then governed by that service's own privacy policy. The Weather panel's location request is covered separately in the permissions above.
3What is stored on your device
- Your home screen layout, folders, widgets and settings.
- How often and when you open apps from the launcher (used to sort the drawer and suggest apps).
- Recent searches, if you use search — you can clear them at any time.
- Notes and to-dos you type into the note widget or feed screen.
- Local backups of the above (the last five kept automatically), and any backup file you choose to export.
4Android Auto Backup
If Android's own Auto Backup is enabled on your device, the layout database and settings file may be included in your Google account backup, according to your device's own backup settings. You can turn Ezhil's automatic local backups off in Settings › Backup and restore, and disable Android's Auto Backup for Ezhil in your device's system settings.
5On-device storage
Your layout, folders, widgets, app-usage counters and settings are kept in a local Room database and a JSON settings file inside Ezhil's private app storage. There are no cloud servers behind any of it — search, indexing, suggestions and the widgets on the “-1” feed screen are all computed on your phone.
6Third-party services and SDKs
- No analytics. Ezhil does not track how you use the launcher or report that back to us.
- No advertising. No ad SDKs, tracking pixels or data brokers.
- No crash reporting service. Ezhil currently ships with no third-party crash or telemetry SDK of any kind.
- Open-Meteo (api.open-meteo.com) is used only for the optional Weather panel described above, and only with your permission.
7Data retention and deletion
Because nothing is stored on remote servers, you are in control. You can clear recent searches, reset your layout or remove notes at any time in the app. Uninstalling Ezhil removes its local database, preferences and all associated data from your device — including anything Android's Auto Backup may otherwise have kept, once that backup is next overwritten or cleared.
8Children's privacy
Ezhil 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.
9Changes 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.
10Contact
Questions, feedback or privacy concerns about Ezhil? Contact the developer directly.