Tile Pad
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Privacy Policy

Last updated: April 11, 2026

Tile Pad is a Chrome extension that replaces the new tab page with a customizable bookmark speed dial. This policy explains what data the extension handles and how.

Summary

Tile Pad does not collect, transmit, or sell any personal data. All information you save in Tile Pad (bookmarks, folders, settings, wallpapers, custom icons, link previews) is stored locally in your browser. No account is required. No analytics, tracking, or telemetry is used.

Data stored locally

Tile Pad stores the following data using Chrome's built-in storage APIs (chrome.storage.local and IndexedDB) on your device:

  • Bookmarks and folders you create (URL, title, position)
  • Link preview images and favicons fetched from the sites you bookmark
  • User settings (theme, layout, font, search provider, wallpaper choice)
  • Custom wallpapers you upload
  • Custom tile icons

This data never leaves your device unless you explicitly enable the optional Chrome Sync feature (see below).

Optional: Chrome Sync

Tile Pad offers an optional setting to synchronize your bookmarks and settings across your Chrome installations using the browser's native Chrome Sync service. When enabled:

  • Data is synced through your Google Account's Chrome Sync, governed by Google's Chrome Sync Privacy Notice.
  • Tile Pad does not operate its own servers, accounts, or databases. We never see your data.
  • You can disable sync at any time in Tile Pad's settings.

Network requests

To generate link previews for your bookmarks, Tile Pad fetches publicly available metadata from the websites you bookmark. Specifically:

  • The page's HTML <head> section (to find Open Graph images, icons, and titles)
  • Favicons and web app manifest icons
  • Thumbnail images referenced by the site

These requests are made:

  • Only for URLs you bookmark
  • Without sending cookies (credentials: "omit")
  • With strict size and timeout limits
  • Never to Tile Pad servers (we don't have any)

No personally identifiable information is sent with these requests beyond what your browser normally reveals when visiting any website.

Tab screenshots

When you explicitly add a bookmark to Tile Pad — by clicking the right-click context menu entry, pressing the Cmd/Ctrl+B keyboard shortcut, or invoking the "Add to Tile Pad" action — the extension captures a JPEG screenshot of the currently active tab using Chrome's chrome.tabs.captureVisibleTab API.

  • Screenshots are only taken in direct response to these explicit user actions. Tile Pad never captures your screen in the background.
  • The screenshot is used as the preview image for the newly created tile.
  • It is stored locally in IndexedDB on your device and is never transmitted anywhere.
  • You can delete the screenshot at any time by removing the bookmark or by uploading a custom icon to replace it.

Permissions

Tile Pad requests the following Chrome permissions:

Permission Why it's needed
storage, unlimitedStorage Save bookmarks, folders, wallpapers, previews locally
tabs, activeTab Read the current tab's URL and title when adding a bookmark, capture a screenshot of the active tab via chrome.tabs.captureVisibleTab for use as the tile preview, and open bookmarks when clicked.
contextMenus Provide the right-click "Add to Tile Pad" option
favicon Access Chrome's built-in favicon cache to retrieve site icons for bookmarked URLs.
management Detect whether the extension is installed from the Chrome Web Store (affects Chrome Sync availability).
<all_urls> host permission Fetch publicly available preview images and metadata from the sites you bookmark.

Data we do NOT collect

Tile Pad does not collect, store, or transmit any of the following:

  • Personally identifiable information (name, email, address, phone)
  • Authentication credentials
  • Browsing history beyond the bookmarks you explicitly save
  • Location data
  • Health, financial, or communications data
  • Analytics, usage metrics, or crash reports

Children's privacy

Tile Pad is not directed at children under 13 and does not knowingly collect any data from them.

Changes to this policy

If this policy is updated, the "Last updated" date at the top will change. Material changes will be communicated through the extension's store listing.

Contact

Questions about this policy: info@tilepad.org