Privacy Policy — Pounce

Last updated: July 12, 2026

Short version: Pounce has no custom backend and includes no analytics or telemetry. Browser data used for Pounce's built-in results is processed locally. Chrome may sync saved URLs and preferences, user-triggered web searches are sent by Chrome to your configured search provider, and Chrome may retrieve favicons according to browser behavior.

1. What Pounce Does

Pounce is an open-source Chrome extension that lets you search across your open tabs, bookmarks, browser history, and top sites from a keyboard-triggered overlay (⌘K / Alt+K). Pounce builds and ranks those in-extension results on your device.

2. Browser Permissions and Data Access

Pounce requests the following ten permissions declared in its manifest:

Permission	Purpose
`storage`	Read and save your URL list, theme, language, and search preferences with `chrome.storage.sync`.
`tabs`	Read open-tab titles, URLs, and available icon metadata; switch, create, duplicate, update, or close tabs for Pounce actions.
`notifications`	Show installation, success, and error notifications for extension actions.
`bookmarks`	Search your bookmark titles and URLs.
`history`	Include browser history in results and remove Pounce's temporary bridge-page entry from browser history.
`topSites`	Suggest frequently visited sites.
`scripting`	Inject Pounce's scripts and search overlay into the current page after you trigger it.
`activeTab`	Access the active tab after a user-triggered Pounce action.
`search`	Submit a web search you explicitly trigger through Chrome to the browser's configured search provider.
`favicon`	Display site icons through Chrome's browser-provided favicon endpoint.

3. What Pounce Does Not Operate or Include

Pounce does not operate a custom backend that receives your tabs, bookmarks, history, top sites, saved URLs, preferences, or in-extension search results.
Pounce does not include analytics, telemetry, advertising, or crash-reporting services.
Pounce does not create advertising profiles or sell browser data.

These statements do not mean that all browser activity is offline. Chrome Sync, user-triggered web searches, favicon retrieval, extension installation, and extension updates can involve Chrome, your configured provider, or websites as described below.

4. Storage and Chrome Sync

Pounce stores your saved URL list and preferences, including theme, language, search settings, and result limits, with chrome.storage.sync. Chrome may synchronize this data across browsers signed in to the same Google account when Chrome Sync is enabled. Sync transport, account storage, retention, and security are controlled by Chrome and your Google account settings, not by a Pounce-operated server.

Open tabs, bookmarks, history, and top-site data are read from browser APIs to build results. Pounce does not upload that result index to a custom backend.

5. User-Triggered Searches and Favicons

Web searches

When you choose Pounce's web-search action, Pounce passes the query to chrome.search. Chrome then sends the query to the search provider configured in your browser. The provider may receive the query and ordinary request information under its own privacy policy. Pounce does not send a web-search query until you trigger that action.

Favicons

Pounce asks Chrome to display site icons through the browser-provided _favicon endpoint. Chrome may use cached icon data or may retrieve favicon resources according to its implementation and cache state. Any browser request to a website or browser service is governed by that browser or site's behavior; it is not sent to a Pounce-operated backend.

Chrome services

Pounce relies on Chrome Extension APIs, Chrome Sync when enabled, and Chrome Web Store infrastructure for installation and updates. Those browser services are governed by Chrome and Google account settings and policies.

6. Data Retention

Pounce does not retain a server-side copy of your browser data because it has no custom backend. Saved URLs and preferences remain in Chrome storage until you change or clear them, or until Chrome removes them. Synchronized copies and their deletion are controlled by Chrome Sync and your Google account settings. Search providers and websites may retain information they receive according to their own policies.

7. Your Controls

You can view and edit saved URLs and preferences in Pounce's settings. Chrome's settings control Chrome Sync, the default search provider, extension permissions, site data, and removal of the extension. Requests concerning data held by a search provider, website, Chrome, or a Google account should be directed to that service.

8. Open Source and Verifiability

Pounce is MIT-licensed and open source. You can review the extension's implementation at github.com/TuYv/pounce.

9. Changes to This Policy

If this policy changes, the updated version will be published at this URL and the "Last updated" date above will be revised.

10. Contact

For privacy questions or concrete problems, use GitHub Issues. For general questions or early discussion, use GitHub Discussions. Do not include private browsing data, credentials, or other sensitive information in public posts. Report suspected security vulnerabilities privately by following the repository's Security Policy.