Privacy Policy

Effective date: October 11, 2026.

Overview

GentleReturn is built so that all processing happens on your device. There is no backend, no user account, and no advertising identifier. The only network activity is Apple's own purchase verification for the one-time Pro unlock; it does not transmit anything about your sessions.

What GentleReturn Does Not Collect

• No user account, sign-up, or login
• No email, name, phone number, or contacts
• No advertising identifier (IDFA) or tracking SDKs
• No third-party analytics SDKs (no Firebase, no Amplitude, no Segment)
• No location data
• No audio recording. Breath rhythm is read live and is never recorded or stored
• No crash reports sent without your consent

Microphone & Breath Rhythm

With your permission, GentleReturn listens through your iPhone's built-in microphone to read your breath rhythm only while a meditation session is active. On Pro, this can instead read through your AirPods microphone, depending on sound mode. This is used live, in memory, to detect your breathing pattern and notice sighs, coughs, or speech that could affect detection. Audio is processed entirely on-device, is never recorded, and is never stored or transmitted anywhere.

Motion

GentleReturn reads motion from your iPhone to detect when your attention has drifted. On Pro, it also reads head motion from your AirPods and wrist motion, heart rate, and HRV from your Apple Watch, as additional corroborating signals. These samples are processed on-device and are not stored beyond the current session.

Apple Health (Read)

With your permission, GentleReturn reads heart rate, resting heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), sleep, your mindful session history, and date of birth. These reads happen on-device and are used only to set your personal baseline for that session. None of this data leaves your device.

Apple Health (Write): Mindful Minutes

GentleReturn can optionally log a completed session's duration to Apple Health as a Mindful Minutes entry. This is off by default and only happens if you turn it on in Settings. The underlying workout session GentleReturn starts so it can read your live heart rate is always discarded and is never saved to Apple Health, regardless of this setting.

Diagnostics (Opt-In)

GentleReturn includes an optional diagnostics recording feature for troubleshooting. It is off by default. When turned on, it stays on your device and is only shared if you manually export and send it yourself. It is never uploaded automatically, because GentleReturn has no server to upload it to.

Accounts, Analytics & Third-Party SDKs

GentleReturn has no accounts, no analytics of any kind, and no third-party SDKs. Nothing about your use of the app is tracked.

Purchases

The one-time Pro unlock is handled entirely by Apple through the App Store and charged to your Apple ID. GentleReturn does not process or see your payment details.

Children

GentleReturn is intended for adults. It is not directed at children under 13 and does not knowingly collect information from them.

Changes to This Policy

If this policy changes, the updated version will appear on this page with a revised effective date. Material changes that expand data collection will require a clear in-app notice before they take effect.