Privacy Policy

Last updated: January 5, 2026

Introduction

AnkiLock ("we", "our", or "us") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application, Anki desktop add-on, and website (collectively, the "Service").

Information We Collect

Personal Information

When you register for an account to sync your progress, we verify and collect:

Email address
Password (encrypted)
Study preference and goal settings (e.g., daily card targets, notification times)

Study and Usage Data

To provide the core blocking and tracking functionality, we collect and sync:

Anki Statistics: Review counts, pending cards, and the names of the decks you choose to track.
Goal Progress: Your completion status towards your daily study targets.
App Usage: We rely on Apple's Screen Time API for app blocking. The specific apps you select to block are processed locally on your device. We do not transmit a list of your installed apps to our servers.
Mobile Study Verification: When you use AnkiMobile to unlock apps, we use Apple's DeviceActivity framework to detect when you reach your study time target. We receive only a pass/fail threshold signal—we do not access your broader app usage data. When you successfully complete verification, we record the timestamp to your account.
Achievements & Gamification: We store data related to your earned badges, streaks, and milestones to sync your achievements across devices.
Analytics: Basic data about app performance and feature usage to help us improve AnkiLock.

Social & Interaction Data

If you choose to use the social features (Friends, Leaderboards, Cheers), we collect:

Friend List: The list of users you have connected with via Friend Codes.
Cheers: Records of the cheers (emojis and messages) you send and receive.
Push Notification Token: Your device's Apple Push Notification service (APNs) token, which is required to deliver real-time alerts for friend requests and cheers.

How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information to:

Sync Your Progress: Ensure your study stats are up-to-date across your computer and iPhone.
Enforce App Blocking: Verify if you have met your Anki goals to unlock your distracting apps.
Send Reminders: Notify you when it's time to study based on your preferences.
Visualize Data: Generate heatmaps and charts of your study history.
Provide Support: Respond to your inquiries and troubleshoot issues.
Social Features: Enable you to share progress, compete on leaderboards, and exchange cheers.
Push Notifications: Deliver alerts for new friend requests and received cheers.

Sharing with Other Users

When you use the social features, certain information is visible to your connected friends:

Leaderboards: Your connected friends can see your Nickname, Daily Goal Status, Review Count, and Stripe/Study Streak.
Cheers: Your friends see your Nickname when you send them a cheer.
Control: You can remove a friend at any time from the "Friends" tab. Once removed, they will no longer have access to your data, and you will not see theirs.

Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal data. We may share information only in the following limited circumstances:

Service Providers: With trusted third parties who assist in operating our Service (e.g., cloud hosting, database management), subject to confidentiality obligations.
Legal Compliance: If required by law or to protect our rights and the safety of our users.

Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data, including encryption of data in transit and at rest. Your password is hashed and salt-protected. However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you.
Request correction of inaccurate data.
Request deletion of your account and all associated data.

To exercise these rights, please contact us at support@ankilock.com. You can also delete your account directly within the mobile app settings.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at support@ankilock.com.