Privacy Policy
Last updated 2026-09-24
Summary
Hootnote does not run servers that store your data. Your notes live only in your browser and in your own Google Drive.
What Hootnote stores and where
- In your browser (IndexedDB and extension storage): your notes, their sync state, your settings, and a short-lived Google access token.
- In your Google Drive: one Markdown file per note and a small
.hootnote.jsonindex file, inside the folderHootnote (Chrome Extension).
Google account access
When you choose to sign in, Hootnote requests only the https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.file scope. It reads your account's email address from Google Drive to know which account your notes belong to, and the link to your Google profile photo to show it as your avatar in Hootnote. Both stay on your device; the photo is loaded directly from Google.
drive.file only lets Hootnote see and change files that Hootnote itself created. It cannot read any other file in your Drive.
What Hootnote does not do
- No analytics, tracking, or advertising.
- Your data is never sold, and never transferred to anyone other than Google Drive (at your request, to sync your notes).
- Your data is not used to determine creditworthiness or for lending purposes.
- Hootnote does not read the web pages you visit.
Limited Use
Hootnote's use and transfer of information received from Google APIs adheres to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.
Deleting your data
Uninstalling Hootnote removes everything stored in your browser. Your note files remain in your Google Drive until you delete them. You can revoke Hootnote's access at any time at myaccount.google.com/permissions.