Privacy Policy
Summary
Overview
TabWatch ("the Extension") is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy covers both the Extension and this website (tab-watch.com).
The short version: the Extension collects nothing and sends nothing. Everything stays on your device. This website uses standard analytics, described below.
The Extension
What we store locally
The Extension stores a small set of data on your device using Chrome's
chrome.storage APIs. None of this data is ever transmitted to any server.
- Tab timestamps — when each tab was opened, stored in local storage and removed when the tab is closed or navigated away
- Visit counts — how many times you've activated each tab, with the most recent timestamp
- Domain time — active foreground time per domain per day (e.g. 45 minutes on github.com today)
- Daily tab counters — how many tabs you opened and closed each day
- Kept tabs — URLs you've explicitly marked to keep
- Preferences — theme, sort order, badge mode, warning thresholds, and other settings (synced across your devices via Chrome Sync)
- Install timestamp — when you first installed the Extension (used to calculate usage duration if you later uninstall)
What we do not collect
- Personal information (name, email, address)
- Browsing history beyond tab age and visit counts
- Page content, form data, or passwords
- IP addresses or device identifiers
- Analytics, telemetry, or usage statistics
- Cookies or cross-site tracking data
Data retention
Tab timestamps are stored locally and removed when the tab is closed. Orphaned entries from crashed or force-closed tabs are cleaned up automatically on browser startup. Visit counts older than 90 days and domain time entries older than 180 days are automatically removed. Visit counts are capped at 1,000 entries. Daily counters are removed after 14 days.
Permissions explained
tabs — Reads tab titles, URLs, and favicons so the popup can display your open tabs with their ages. Does not record browsing history.
storage — Saves tab timestamps, visit counts, domain time, and your preferences locally on your device.
windows — Detects window focus changes to track active time per domain and to switch to the correct window when you click a tab in the popup.
tabGroups (optional) — If granted, shows tab group names and colors in the popup. Not required for core functionality.
Third-party services in the Extension
The Extension uses no third-party services, analytics, advertising networks, crash reporters, or external APIs of any kind.
This Website
Analytics
This website (tab-watch.com) uses the following services to understand how visitors find and use the site. These services run only on this website, never inside the Extension.
- Google Analytics — collects anonymized page views, referral sources, and general device/browser information. Governed by Google's Privacy Policy.
- PostHog — product analytics. Records page views, referral source, and browser/device type across the site. On the landing, welcome and farewell pages only, it also records a session replay, but only if you click OK on the recording prompt; if you click “No thanks” or ignore it, nothing is recorded. Everything you type is masked in a replay, so it is never recorded. If you land on the welcome or farewell page after installing or removing Tab Watch, it also records which version you had and roughly how many days you used it. Processed in the United States. Governed by PostHog's Privacy Policy.
Both set cookies to recognise a returning visitor, and both can be blocked with your browser's tracking protection or an ad blocker — the site works exactly the same either way.
If you clicked OK on the recording prompt and want to withdraw, use the button below. It stops session replay from starting on this browser.
Farewell feedback
If you uninstall the Extension, you may be shown a voluntary feedback form. If you choose to submit it, the following is sent to a form endpoint we operate ourselves (hosted on Cloudflare) and emailed to our support inbox through Resend:
- Your selected reason for uninstalling
- Any comments you choose to write
- Extension version, browser platform, and usage duration
- Your email address, only if you enter one to ask for a reply
The form asks for nothing that identifies you unless you choose to add your email address, which we use only to reply. You can close the page without submitting anything.
Email updates
If you enter your email address in the "Know when something new ships" form on this site, it is sent to a signup endpoint we operate ourselves (hosted on Cloudflare) and stored in our mailing list at Resend. We use it only to send occasional Whiteboard Works product updates. It is not linked to the Extension, which never sees it. Every message has an unsubscribe link, and you can also email us to be removed.
Children's privacy
The Extension collects no data from anyone, including children under 13. It is safe for users of all ages.
Changes to this policy
If this policy changes, the update will be noted here and the "Last updated" date above will be revised.
Contact
Questions? Email [email protected].