Privacy Policy
Last updated: June 3, 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
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.
How the proxy works
To protect your privacy from Google, all YouTube search and channel requests are routed through Cloaki's proxy server rather than sent directly from your device to the YouTube API. The proxy server does not log your requests, does not store identifiable information about what you search or watch, and does not associate requests with your identity.
Thumbnail images are also served from Cloaki's proxy to prevent your IP address from being exposed to Google's content delivery network.
YouTube API
Cloaki uses the YouTube Data API v3, subject to Google's Privacy Policy: policies.google.com/privacy.
Video playback
Videos play via the YouTube embedded player. Cloaki enables privacy-enhanced mode (youtube-nocookie.com) and blocks third-party trackers in the player. Using youtube-nocookie.com means Google does not store information about visitors unless they play a video.
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. If you do this, your searches and channel requests will be sent under that Google account's quota and will be associated with that account, removing the privacy benefit of the proxy. This is disclosed in the app at the point of entry.