Privacy questions about free online tools are reasonable. When a product is free, the natural question is “what are you getting from me instead of money?” This article provides a direct, non-legal-jargon answer about what ScreenTimer does and does not do with your data. No marketing spin, no buried disclosures, just the technical truth.
What ScreenTimer Does NOT Collect
ScreenTimer does not collect your name, email address, phone number, location, or any personally identifiable information. There is no account system, no login, no registration form, and no user profile. You cannot create an account on ScreenTimer because accounts do not exist.
ScreenTimer does not track what timers you set, how long your Pomodoro sessions last, which alarm sounds you choose, what cities you add to your world clock, or what events you count down to. None of this information is sent anywhere. It exists only on your device.
ScreenTimer does not sell data because there is no data to sell. We do not have a database of user information, usage patterns, or behavioral profiles.
Where Your Settings Are Stored
When you set an alarm, add a world clock city, save an event countdown, or change your color theme, that data is stored in your browser’s localStorage. This is a small storage area on your own device that websites can use to remember preferences. The key facts about localStorage:
It lives on YOUR device, not on any server. ScreenTimer’s servers never see this data. If you clear your browser data, your saved settings are erased because they only existed locally. If you use a different browser or a different device, your settings are not there because they were stored in the first browser on the first device. Incognito or private browsing mode does not save localStorage, so settings created in private mode disappear when you close the window.
What About Cookies
ScreenTimer itself does not set any cookies. However, ScreenTimer displays advertisements through Google AdSense, and Google’s ad network uses cookies to serve relevant advertisements. These are Google’s cookies, governed by Google’s privacy policies, not ScreenTimer’s. If you use an ad blocker, no third-party cookies are set at all. You can also manage Google’s ad personalization settings at Google’s Ad Settings page.
Is It Safe to Leave Running on My Work Computer
Yes. ScreenTimer is a static HTML page with JavaScript that runs entirely in your browser tab. It does not access your file system, your camera, your microphone, your clipboard (except when you explicitly click a Copy button), or any other browser API beyond what is needed for timer and audio functionality. It cannot read data from other tabs or other websites. Leaving it open in a pinned tab consumes minimal resources and poses no security risk beyond any other website you might visit.
If your workplace has IT policies about approved websites, ScreenTimer is a standard HTTPS website with no executable downloads, no browser extensions, and no software installation of any kind.
The Business Model
ScreenTimer is free because it is supported by advertising through Google AdSense. Ads are displayed on the website and Google pays ScreenTimer based on ad impressions and clicks. This is the same business model used by virtually every free content website on the internet. The tools themselves have no premium tier, no subscription, no in-app purchases, and no feature gates.
In the future, some blog articles may contain affiliate links to products discussed in reviews and comparisons. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, ScreenTimer may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships are disclosed in our Disclaimer page. Affiliate links never influence which tools we build or recommend on the timer pages themselves.
The Bottom Line
ScreenTimer knows nothing about you. No accounts, no tracking, no user data, no analytics profiles, no behavioral data. Your timers, alarms, world clocks, and preferences live on your device and never leave it. The only third-party service involved is Google AdSense for advertising, which operates under Google’s own privacy policies. If you have additional questions, reach out at contact@screentimer.net.
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