This Privacy Policy explains how our browser extension ("the Extension") handles your data. Privacy is a core design principle of Highlite: your annotations never leave your device, and the only data we collect is anonymous usage analytics that help us improve the product.
1. Your Annotations Stay on Your Device
All annotations you create — sticky notes, text boxes, highlights, drawings, arrows, and shapes — are stored exclusively in your browser, on your local device. This means:
Your content never leaves your browser — the text, drawings, and highlights you create are never sent to our servers or any third party.
We cannot read your annotations — they never reach us, so we have no way to access them.
We do not track the pages you visit — the URLs and content of the websites you annotate are never collected or transmitted.
You stay in control — your data remains on your device under your control.
2. Anonymous Usage Analytics
To understand which features are useful and where to focus our work, the Extension collects a small amount of anonymous, aggregated usage data. This analytics is currently active on the Chrome version only; the Firefox version collects nothing.
Specifically, we record anonymous events such as:
Which type of annotation was created or deleted (for example "sticky note" or "highlight") — never its content.
Which features are used (laser pointer, screenshot, undo, redo, reset, onboarding completed).
Lifecycle events: when the Extension is installed, updated, or a session starts.
The week you first installed the Extension (a coarse cohort bucket, e.g. "2026-W22"), so we can measure how the product evolves over time.
We never collect: the content of your annotations, the URLs or content of pages you visit, cursor positions or coordinates, or any personal information such as your name, email, or IP address.
3. Third-Party Analytics Provider
We use Aptabase, a privacy-first, open-source analytics service, to process the anonymous usage data described above. Aptabase is designed for privacy:
It does not use cookies.
It does not create persistent user or device identifiers.
It does not track you across websites.
It does not store your IP address.
Because no persistent identifier is used, this data cannot be tied back to you as an individual. We do not sell your data, and the Extension contains no advertising.
4. Updates to this Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update this page and revise the effective date above. Material changes may also be communicated via email where appropriate.
5. Contact
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, feel free to contact us.
By using Highlite, you agree to the terms outlined in this Privacy Policy.