The short version
Shelf does not collect, upload, or share your data. It holds pointers to files you drag onto it, keeps its settings on your Mac, and talks to the internet only to ask whether a newer version exists.
There is no account, no tracking, no analytics, and no crash reports sent anywhere.
Your files
When you drop a file on the shelf, Shelf keeps a reference to that file. It does not copy the file, move it, read its contents, or send it anywhere. When you drag the file off the shelf into another app, that app receives the original file from where it already lives on your disk.
Clearing the shelf removes the reference. Your file is untouched.
What lives on your Mac
Shelf stores a small amount of data locally so it can behave the way you set it up:
- Settings such as your hotkey, notch mode, auto‑hide delay, and keep‑or‑clear‑on‑drop choice.
- The current shelf contents as file references, so what you parked is still there after a restart.
This data stays in the app’s own folder on your Mac. It never leaves your machine, and deleting Shelf deletes it.
What goes over the network
Shelf makes one kind of network request: an update check. It asks whether a newer version is available and, if you choose, downloads it. That request carries the version of Shelf you are running and nothing else.
Shelf does not run analytics, does not send crash reports, and does not contact any other server. If you block it from the internet, every feature still works.
Permissions
macOS may ask you to grant Shelf a system permission, such as Accessibility, so it can notice when you start dragging and respond to the ⌥ Space hotkey. Shelf uses that access only to show and hide itself. It does not read what you type, watch what is on your screen, or record anything.
You can remove the permission at any time in System Settings. Shelf will still work when you summon it by hand.
Payment
Shelf is a one‑time purchase. Checkout is run by Paddle.com, which is the merchant of record for every order. We never see your card number. Paddle passes along your email address and order number. We keep those with your license key so we can find your purchase when you ask for help, a refund, or a lost key. We use them for nothing else. Paddle’s own handling of your payment data is described in its privacy policy.
This website
This site is a set of static pages. It sets no cookies, runs no analytics, and has no accounts or forms. The demo runs entirely in your browser and does not send anything back.
Like every website, the service that hosts it may keep short‑lived server logs, such as the IP address that requested a page, to keep the site running and safe.
Children
Shelf is a general utility and collects no personal information, from anyone of any age.
Changes to this policy
If Shelf ever starts collecting anything new, this page will say so before that version ships, and the date at the top will change. We will not quietly widen what Shelf does with your data.
Contact
Questions about privacy go straight to the person who wrote the app. Open an issue on GitHub or Facebook, or head to the support page.