Privacy Policy

This policy explains how AlignerDiary (also known as 齿间时光) handles information. The app is provided by an independent developer, who is responsible for this policy. Privacy questions can be sent to daniel.ding117@gmail.com.

1. Information you add

AlignerDiary lets you record aligner plans and tray schedules, wear intervals, targets, daily feelings and notes, appointments with locations and notes you enter, reminders, photo records, and app preferences. The app uses this information to provide your diary, comparisons, reminders, statistics, and related features.

2. Local storage and developer access

Your records are stored locally on your device unless you choose a backup option. AlignerDiary does not require a developer account and does not send your diary to a developer-controlled backend. The current app does not include advertising, cross-app tracking, or third-party behavioral analytics. The developer does not receive your records simply because you use the app.

3. Photos, permissions, reminders, and widgets

The app requests camera access only when you choose Take Photo. Choosing an existing image uses Apple's system photo picker. AlignerDiary saves and may re-encode its own copy; it does not alter or delete the original in Photos. Notification permission is optional and is used for reminders; the app's core record-keeping features remain available if you decline it.

If you add an AlignerDiary widget, limited wear, tray, and appointment information is shared with the widget and may be visible on your Home Screen. Diary notes, photos, and purchase records are not shown in the widget.

4. Manual backups

You can export a backup containing your diary, photos, and preferences through Settings → Backup and restore → Export backup. Backup files do not have an additional app password or app-provided encryption layer. You choose where to share or store them, so the privacy and retention practices of that destination apply. Purchase records are not included.

You can restore a backup through Restore from backup. A restore replaces, rather than merges with, the current diary, settings, and photos. The app keeps a local recovery point so you can use Undo restore; doing so discards edits made after the restore. Restored wear status is set to unknown, and you should confirm your current status.

5. Optional iCloud backups

Automatic iCloud backup is off by default. If you turn it on, snapshots containing your diary, photos, and preferences are stored in your private Apple iCloud/CloudKit database. This is a backup feature, not two-way synchronization. Backups are attempted while you use the app in the foreground and are not guaranteed to complete while the app is closed.

The app keeps your backup preference and an identifier for the current iCloud account locally so it can detect account changes and avoid uploading under the wrong account. An iCloud account change pauses future backups. Turning the feature off, clearing local data, or restoring a backup also pauses future uploads, although an upload already in progress may finish. Existing cloud copies are not automatically pruned; the app displays the latest 50 and lets you delete individual copies separately. Apple's handling of iCloud data is described in the Apple Privacy Policy.

6. Tips and purchase information

Optional coffee-themed tips are processed by Apple through the App Store. AlignerDiary keeps verified purchase identifiers, product, date, and processing status locally so it can record the transaction. The developer does not receive or store your payment card details. Tips do not change access to app features.

7. Retention and deletion

Local information remains until you remove records, delete the app, or use Clear all data. Clear all data removes the local diary, app-managed photo copies, restore recovery point, and local purchase record. It does not delete original images in Photos, iCloud backups, exported backup files, device backups maintained by the operating system, or Apple purchase records. Those copies must be managed in their respective locations.

Deleting a photo record removes the current app-managed copy when it is no longer needed, but a copy may remain in an undo or restore recovery point or in an existing backup until that recovery point or backup is removed.

8. Your choices

You can edit or delete individual records, decline camera or notification access, leave automatic iCloud backup off, turn it off later, delete individual cloud copies, export your data, restore a chosen backup, or clear local app data. You can change system permissions in iOS Settings. Withdrawing a permission may limit the related feature but does not prevent use of unrelated core features.

9. Changes to this policy

This policy may be updated when AlignerDiary's features or information practices change. The updated date at the top identifies the current version.

10. Contact

For privacy questions or requests concerning AlignerDiary, contact the independent developer at daniel.ding117@gmail.com. When you contact us, we receive your email address, message, and any attachments you choose to send. This correspondence is used to answer your support or privacy request and is retained only while needed to handle the request and meet applicable legal obligations. You can request deletion of the correspondence through the same email address.

Never send passwords. Only share a backup file or sensitive photo if it is necessary to resolve your request and you are comfortable doing so. The developer cannot remotely access or delete diary data stored on your device or in your private iCloud backups.