Privacy Policy
Last updated: June 28, 2026What we collect
Cloaki collects no personal information and does not create user accounts. There are no analytics, crash reporters, or third-party SDKs in the app.
What stays on your device
The following data is stored only on your device, in an encrypted database:
- Search history
- Watch history and playback position
- Channel subscriptions
- Favorites, and any notes you add to them
- Saved playlists
This data is never transmitted to Cloaki's servers or to any third party.
By default, this database is excluded from iCloud backup. You can opt in to iCloud backup in Settings → Backup. When enabled, this data is included in your device's iCloud backup, stored on Apple's servers and subject to Apple's privacy policy. Backups are encrypted with Apple-held keys by default; end-to-end encryption requires Advanced Data Protection to be enabled on your Apple ID.
The backup preference itself is not backed up. If you restore to a new device, your data will be restored but the backup setting will be off — you will need to re-enable it in Settings if you want to continue backing up.
Cloaki also keeps a temporary cache of thumbnail images for videos you have played or saved to favorites, so they don't have to be downloaded again every time you open the app. These image files are stored in the app's cache, encrypted at rest by iOS, and are never included in iCloud or device backups. They expire automatically after 7 days, may be removed by the system when storage is low, and are deleted immediately when you clear your search and watch history, favorites, subscriptions, or saved playlists in Settings. Thumbnails for videos you only browse — for example in search results or channel listings — are not cached.
How the proxy works
To protect your privacy from Google, Cloaki routes all YouTube search and channel requests through its proxy server by default, rather than sending them directly from your device to the YouTube API. The proxy server does not store identifiable information about what you search or watch, and does not associate requests with your identity. Operational logs are anonymized — they record only request timing and error information, never your IP address, your search terms, or the videos you request — and are kept for no more than 7 days.
Thumbnail images are also served from Cloaki's proxy to prevent your IP address from being exposed to Google's content delivery network.
You can turn the proxy off in Settings (the "Enable Proxy" toggle). When it is disabled, search and channel requests go directly from your device to the YouTube Data API, and thumbnail images load directly from Google's content delivery network — so Google can see your IP address and what you search for. The app warns you before you disable the proxy.
YouTube API
Cloaki uses the YouTube Data API v3, subject to Google's Privacy Policy: policies.google.com/privacy.
Video playback
Videos play via YouTube's privacy-enhanced embedded player (youtube-nocookie.com) in an ephemeral session with no persistent cookies, and, when Privacy Protection is enabled, Cloaki blocks YouTube's ad and analytics requests in the player. Note that the video stream is delivered directly from Google's servers to your device, so Google can still see your IP address and which video you played; this part of playback is not proxied unless you are using a separate VPN and connected to that VPN when playback occurs, in which case Google sees your VPN provider's IP address rather than your own.
In-app purchases
Purchases are handled entirely by Apple. Cloaki does not process payments and does not receive your payment information.
Bring your own API key
The optional "bring your own key" feature in Settings lets you enter a Google API key (how to get one). When you provide one, your searches and channel requests count against that key's Google account quota, and Google can associate those requests with that account. With the proxy enabled, your key is forwarded by Cloaki's proxy server, so your IP address remains hidden from Google even though the requests can be tied to your account. With the proxy disabled, your key is sent directly to Google along with your IP address. This is disclosed in the app at the point of entry.