Prewind — Privacy Policy
Prewind is built so there is almost nothing to say here. There are no accounts, no servers of our own, no analytics, and no third-party SDKs beyond Apple's own. Prewind never uploads what the camera records: footage stays on your device, and the clips you capture go to your own photo library — unless you share them yourself.
This policy covers the Prewind app. For visits to this website, see Goodfield Studio's privacy policy.
What we collect
Almost nothing. Prewind has no backend of its own and no analytics. The only personal data it sends off your device is your precise location (along with your device's IP address, which every internet request carries), and only if you switch on a location, weather or season overlay (see Location below). It is used only to provide that feature, is not linked to you, and is never used for tracking.
Camera and microphone
Prewind continuously buffers video — and audio, if you leave it on — into temporary storage on your device so it can save the seconds before you press the button. This footage never leaves your device. When you leave the app, buffering stops. The footage already buffered is normally kept so you can pick up where you left off, but it may be deleted if you are away for more than about five minutes; new footage replaces it once buffering resumes. Whatever is left is deleted the next time Prewind is launched afresh, for example after you close it completely. If Prewind closed unexpectedly while buffering or saving a clip, it instead offers to save that footage to Photos or discard it; until you choose, the footage stays on your device and you are asked again at the next launch.
You can turn audio recording off in Settings; if a REC is running, the change takes effect when it stops.
Photo library
When you capture a clip or save a still frame, Prewind writes it to your photo library. Prewind requests add-only access, so it cannot browse, read or delete your existing photos; the only photo it ever opens is one you pick yourself as an overlay logo, and Prewind keeps a copy of that logo.
Prewind keeps no library of its own. It holds on to a single review copy of your most recent clip, normally up to about 750 MB, kept in the app's temporary storage so you can replay it in the app; a newer review copy replaces it. Larger clips, such as long recordings, go straight to Photos without one. If saving to Photos is refused or fails, Prewind keeps the clip in this copy, whatever its size, so you can play and share it from the app until a newer review copy replaces it.
Location
Location is used only if you switch on a location, weather, or season overlay. If you leave those off, Prewind never requests your location or sends it anywhere. Its only network use is then to Apple's own services, such as the App Store for your Prewind Pro purchase and the Apple Weather credit shown in Settings.
When you do switch one on:
- Coordinates shown as text, and the season, are worked out on the device. Whenever one of these overlays is using your location, though, your coordinates are also sent to Apple's geocoding service, which returns a place name (such as a city, venue or area) — even if you don't show one. Apple's handling is covered by Apple's own privacy policy.
- For weather, your coordinates are sent to Apple WeatherKit to retrieve the conditions at your location. Apple's handling is covered by Apple's own privacy policy. Where WeatherKit is unavailable, coordinates may instead be sent to Open-Meteo, a free weather service that also sees your device's IP address, as any web service does; its handling is covered by its own privacy policy.
- Prewind does not keep a history of where you have been, never associates your location with an identity, and never uses it for tracking or advertising. Any location text you choose to show is part of the clip you save, like any other overlay.
Purchases
Prewind Pro is a one-time purchase handled entirely by Apple. We never see your payment details, and we receive no personal information from the transaction.
Children
Prewind is not directed at children under 13 and does not knowingly collect information from them.
Retention and deletion
Everything Prewind stores lives on your device. Deleting the app removes the buffer, the review copy, your overlay logo and all Prewind settings (settings and the logo may remain in your device backups). Clips you saved remain in your photo library, where you control them.
Your rights
Depending on where you live, laws such as the GDPR, the Australian Privacy Act and the CCPA may give you rights to access, correct, delete or obtain a copy of your personal data. Prewind has no accounts or servers of its own and holds no personal data about you, so there is nothing for us to retrieve or delete. What the app stores stays on your device and under your control; location sent to Apple or Open-Meteo for an overlay is handled under their own privacy policies.
Changes
Material changes will be reflected here with a new effective date.