Your Stops & Stories memories are stored on your device, with no account and no advertising or behavioral analytics SDKs. Maps, place search, external navigation, and sharing or file services you choose have their own network processing, described below.
1. What stays on your device
Stops & Stories helps you save places and record your life. Places you create, check-in dates, writing, moods, tags, photos, videos, Live Photos, later thoughts, trips, people profiles, avatars, badges, drafts, and template settings are stored in the app’s storage on your device.
The current app has no account system, developer-run cloud sync, or cloud hosting for your memories. It does not integrate advertising or behavioral analytics SDKs. People’s names and descriptions are entered by you; the app does not read your system contacts.
iOS device backups, iCloud Photos, and file-storage services you choose are managed by the system or their respective providers. They are separate from the app and do not mean that Stops & Stories provides cloud sync.
2. Location and maps
The app may request foreground location access to show your current position, nearby places, distance filters, and location suggestions while making an entry. Opening a map or an entry screen may attempt to obtain your location. The first access requires system permission; after permission has been granted, location may be obtained automatically rather than only after each manual tap. The app does not request Always location permission or record a background location trail.
If you decline location access, you can still browse saved memories, write text, and, where available, use place search or select a point on a map. Features that depend on your current position or distance will be limited. You can change permission in iOS Settings.
The app keeps the most recent device-location coordinates, timestamp, and accuracy locally so it can display the map and distances before refreshing in the foreground. After five minutes, or if an update fails, it marks the location as the last known position. This cache is cleared when location is requested again after permission has been revoked, or when all app data is cleared. Manually selected map points, search results, and a custom starting point for the wheel are not written to this device-location cache. The cache contains no travel history and is not included in memory backups or sharing.
Saved place names, aliases, place identifiers, and applicable coordinates from manual selection or location access support your local entries. Apple place identifiers may be resolved through MapKit when needed for display or navigation. Maps, place search, and location-name lookups use Apple system services. Requests may include search terms, the search area, or location information; these features may need a network connection and are subject to the relevant service’s privacy practices. Keeping memories locally does not mean that every app feature stays offline.
3. Photos, videos, and camera
You can use the system media picker to actively select photos, videos, and Live Photos for memories, avatars, place images, trip covers, and stickers. Selected content is copied into the app’s own storage. Ordinary photos may be compressed on import. Removing an attachment in the app does not delete its source in your photo library, and deleting the source does not replace deletion inside the app.
Camera access is used to take photos for memories and scan group check-in QR codes. A photo you confirm is saved inside the app and is not automatically added to your system photo library. Canceling a photo does not add an attachment. Saving a generated share image to your photo library requests permission to add photos. Declining these permissions does not prevent text entries or viewing existing content that does not depend on them.
4. Nearby group check-ins
A host creates a temporary invitation. Participants view it by scanning a QR code or using a nearby tap interaction and join only after actively choosing to join and confirm the check-in. Nearby devices connect through encrypted local-network services provided by the system. The app requests local-network permission when needed.
After the host confirms the group and chooses a place, each person edits and actively submits their nickname for the session, writing, selected photos, videos or Live Photos, and mood. The session shares those contributions, the selected place’s name, identifier and coordinates, the time, participant list, and save receipts. The memory title always remains private and is not included in the transfer protocol. Local people profiles, historical memories, and continuous live location are not sent through this protocol.
The host can complete the check-in only when all listed participants are connected and ready, and all media has transferred. Each person saves an independent copy, with their own writing followed by the other participants’ contributions. Later edits, additions, and deletions affect only that person’s copy; they are not synced and do not notify others. Deleting your copy does not delete content already saved by someone else.
Disconnecting does not automatically remove a participant. Current edits remain available, and the session can continue after reconnecting nearby. The host must keep the session open. A local session lasts up to one hour. There is no cloud delivery after the session closes or long-term cross-device sync through this feature.
5. External services you choose to use
Navigation: at your request, the app opens Apple Maps, Google Maps, Amap, or Baidu Maps and passes the destination information required by the selected provider, such as coordinates or a place name. Apple place identifiers may first be resolved through MapKit. Once you leave the app, the chosen map service handles navigation under its own practices.
Checking for updates: when you choose to check for updates, the app sends its application identifier and a region parameter to Apple’s software lookup service to find the store version. The request does not include your memories, photos, or nickname.
Links in place notes: opening a link passes the address to the system. The destination website is responsible for its own content and data processing.
Sharing and file export: only when you take the relevant action, the app hands content to the system share sheet, photo library, or file picker. Recipients, file services, or other apps process content according to the destination you choose. Network providers may also process information needed to establish connections.
6. Exporting, restoring, and deleting
In Me → Backup & Export, you can create a full .stopsandstories backup, restore from a backup, or export a memory package with an HTML reading page. The memory package is for reading in a desktop browser and does not replace a full backup for restoring the app. Restoring replaces existing local app data and requires confirmation.
Exported files may contain private writing, companion names, people profiles, avatars, locations, and media. Media files may retain their own metadata. Keep these files secure and review their contents before sharing them.
You can delete memories, attachments, and related information in the app, or clear local app data. Previously saved backups, memory packages, share images in the photo library, and content sent to other people do not disappear when local app data is deleted; remove them separately from the relevant locations. Uninstalling the app may cause local data loss. Keep regular backups outside your device.
7. This website and email support
This website presents the app and provides support and privacy information. It has no signup, payment form, advertising, embedded behavioral analytics, or website database for your memories. It does not request access to the memories stored in the iOS app.
Loading a website sends ordinary request information to its hosting and network infrastructure, including an IP address, the requested URL, browser information, and the request time. Hosting providers may process or retain technical request records for delivery, security, and operating the service. This is separate from the local storage of your app memories.
The website language is selected through the URL. Its language routing is configured not to set a locale-preference cookie. The site does not intentionally add analytics or advertising cookies.
If you choose an email link, your email app opens. Sending a message shares your email address and whatever you include with the developer and the email services involved. Support correspondence is used to respond to and investigate your request. Do not send a full backup or private media unless you intend to share it. You can ask about your support correspondence using the contact address below.
8. Contact and policy changes
The developer’s public name is MianQXY. For questions about privacy, exports, deletion, or support correspondence, contact mianqxy@gmail.com. A developer username does not replace this contact address.
This policy describes the current iOS app and this website. It will be updated if data handling changes. Features needing additional permissions use the system’s permission process. Last updated: October 18, 2026.