Privacy Policy — ReMuse Contacts
Overview
ReMuse Contacts is a private contacts application for iPhone and Mac. Your address book is yours. The app is designed to keep your contact data under your control at all times — stored locally on your device and synced, if you choose, to a Nextcloud server that you own or control.
We do not collect, transmit, sell, or share your personal data with any third party. We do not have servers of our own. We do not use analytics, advertising networks, or crash reporting services.
What Data the App Stores
On Your Device
| Data | Where Stored | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Contact records (names, phones, emails, addresses, notes) | SwiftData local database | Your contacts |
| Social profiles and messaging handles | SwiftData local database | Your contacts |
| Contact relationships, birthdays, anniversaries | SwiftData local database | Your contacts |
| Contact photos | SwiftData local database (external storage) | Your contacts |
| Groups and favourites | SwiftData local database | Your organisation |
| Nextcloud server URL | UserDefaults (on-device) | Sync connection |
| Nextcloud username | UserDefaults (on-device) | Sync authentication |
| Selected address book path | UserDefaults (on-device) | Sync configuration |
| Nextcloud app password | System Keychain (on-device, encrypted) | Sync authentication |
| Biometric lock preference and timeout | UserDefaults (on-device) | App security |
All of the above is stored only on your device. Nothing is sent to any server operated by us.
On Your Nextcloud Server (Optional)
If you connect to Nextcloud, your contacts are synced to your Nextcloud server as standard vCard (.vcf) files via the CardDAV protocol. This sync is entirely between your device and your own server. We have no access to your Nextcloud instance and no ability to read, modify, or delete files stored there.
What Data We Do Not Collect
- We do not collect your name, email address, or any contact information.
- We do not collect analytics, usage statistics, or crash reports.
- We do not collect device identifiers or advertising identifiers.
- We do not use third-party analytics SDKs, advertising networks, or tracking frameworks.
- We do not access your device’s system Contacts database.
- We do not access your camera, microphone, or location.
- We do not track you across other apps or websites.
System Contacts Database
ReMuse Contacts does not read from or write to the system Contacts database managed by iOS or macOS. The app does not request Contacts permission. Your contacts in ReMuse are stored in the app’s own SwiftData database and synced to your Nextcloud server — they are completely separate from the system address book.
Contact Photos
When you add or change a contact photo, the app presents Apple’s photo picker. This picker does not require access to your full photo library — iOS provides only the specific image you select to the app. The selected image is stored locally in the app’s SwiftData database and synced to your Nextcloud server as part of the contact’s vCard record.
Birthday Reminders
The birthday reminder feature is entirely opt-in and configured per contact. If you enable it, the app uses Apple’s EventKit framework to create an annual recurring calendar event on your device in a dedicated “ReMuse Contacts Birthdays” calendar. Enabling this feature requires granting calendar access to the app.
Birthday reminder events are created locally on your device. They are not transmitted to any server operated by us. If you have a CalDAV calendar app configured on the same device, those events may sync to your own CalDAV server according to that app’s behaviour — this is outside ReMuse Contacts’ control.
You can disable birthday reminders at any time in the contact’s edit view. Disabling a reminder removes the corresponding calendar event from your device.
Spotlight Search
ReMuse Contacts indexes your contacts with iOS and macOS Spotlight to enable system-wide search. The index includes contact names, organisations, phone numbers, and email addresses. This index is stored locally on your device and managed by the operating system. It is not transmitted to any external server, including servers operated by Recalcitrant Muse Software.
Handoff
ReMuse Contacts supports Handoff to allow you to resume viewing a contact on another Apple device. The app advertises only the internal identifier (UID) of the contact being viewed — no contact data is included in the Handoff activity. Handoff is routed through Apple’s infrastructure according to Apple’s privacy policy.
Background Sync (iPhone)
On iPhone, the app registers a background refresh task with iOS to keep your contacts up to date. When the background task runs, the app connects only to your own Nextcloud server. No data passes through any server operated by us.
Biometric Authentication
If you enable Face ID or Touch ID lock, the app uses Apple’s Local Authentication framework to verify your identity before showing contact data. The lock supports a configurable inactivity timeout (immediately, after 1 minute, after 5 minutes, or after 15 minutes). Biometric data is processed entirely by Apple’s secure enclave on your device. ReMuse Contacts never sees, stores, or transmits your biometric data.
Network Access
The app accesses the network only to communicate with the Nextcloud server address you configure. It does not make any other network requests. The Nextcloud connection uses standard HTTPS (CardDAV protocol). No data passes through any server operated by us.
Children’s Privacy
ReMuse Contacts does not knowingly collect any data from children under 13. The app contains no features designed for children and no mechanisms to identify a user’s age.
Data Deletion
Your data is entirely in your control:
- Delete a contact — delete it in the app. The change syncs to your Nextcloud server on the next sync.
- Delete all app data — delete the app from your device. This removes all local SwiftData storage and Keychain credentials.
- Delete synced data — remove contacts from your Nextcloud server via the Nextcloud web interface or any CardDAV client.
- Remove birthday reminders — disable the birthday reminder for each contact in the edit view, or delete the “ReMuse Contacts Birthdays” calendar directly from your Calendar app.
Changes to This Policy
If we change this privacy policy in a material way, we will update the “Last Updated” date above and note the change in the app’s release notes. Continued use of the app after a policy change constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact
If you have questions about this privacy policy or how the app handles data, please contact:
Support: support@recalcitrantmuse.com
Developer: J.C. Wilson
ReMuse Contacts does not share your data with anyone. Your address book is private.