1. Who we are and scope
This policy explains how the Tarjuman app for Android (“the app”, “we”) handles information when you use it. The app is a tool for translating text shown inside other apps, such as Facebook, X, or your browser, without copying it or taking a screenshot yourself.
2. Use of the Accessibility Service
The app uses the Android AccessibilityService API because it is the only way to provide its core feature: reading the text shown in other apps and displaying its translation over it. Before the service can be turned on, the app shows a disclosure screen explaining this, and it works only after your explicit consent. Through this service the app can:
- Read window content: the text on screen and its position, to translate it and draw the translation in the right place.
- Take a screenshot: to extract text that is inside images and videos, or inside an area you select.
- Change the text of an input field: to put the translation of what you typed in its place, only when you tap “Replace text”.
- Know which app is in front: its name only, if you chose apps in which the bubble hides.
- Perform a swipe gesture: to pass the swipe you made on to the app you are using when you leave “tap any text” mode.
- Display windows over other apps: the floating bubble and the translation card.
The app does not use this service for any other purpose, does not read passwords, and performs no actions on your behalf other than those listed above.
3. Information the app handles, and when
| Information | When | Where it is processed |
|---|---|---|
| Text shown on screen and its position (may include personal content such as messages, posts, and names) | When you tap the bubble and pick a text, or while you have Page Translation mode on; in that mode the screen is re-read when you scroll so the translation stays current, until you stop it. | On your phone; only the text to be translated is sent for translation (see section 5). |
| A screenshot | When you choose “From image” or “Select area”, or automatically when the text you asked for cannot be read directly (for example, text inside an image). In “Live area translation”, a screenshot of the area you selected about once a second until you stop it. | On your phone only, deleted immediately after the text is extracted. Never sent anywhere. |
| Text you select or share with “Translate now”, or type in “Translate text or a photo” | When you ask for it to be translated. | Sent for translation (see section 5). |
| A photo you pick or take in “Translate text or a photo” | Only when you tap “Photo” or “Camera” yourself. The app asks for no camera or photo-library permission: you pick the photo yourself, or take it with your camera app. | Read on your phone only and never sent anywhere; a photo taken with the camera is deleted right after it is read. The text read from it is sent for translation (see section 5) like any text you type. |
| The text of the input field you are typing in | Only when you tap “Translate what I typed” or tap that field in tap mode; it is replaced with the translation only when you tap “Replace text”. | Sent for translation (see section 5). Never added to the history. |
| The name (not the content) of the app in front | Only if you chose apps in which the bubble hides. | On your phone only; not stored or sent. |
| Translation history and saved words | If you turn on “Keep a translation history” (off by default), or tap “☆ Save” on a translation. | On your phone only, excluded from backups. |
| Your settings (languages, engine, bubble position and size, apps where it hides, disclosure consent) and your Anthropic API key if you enter one | When you change them. | Stored on your phone only; the key is excluded from backups. |
The app does not collect personal identifiers, device information, or location, and does not require an account.
4. How we use information
The information above is used for one purpose only: to provide and display the translation you asked for. It is not used for advertising, marketing, profiling, or any other purpose.
5. Sharing with third parties
- Google Translate (when the “Google” engine is selected, the default): only the text to be translated is sent to Google’s translation service (translate.googleapis.com) over an encrypted connection (HTTPS), and the translation is returned to your phone; if that is temporarily unavailable, Google’s alternate address (clients5.google.com) is used. When you translate a single word, its meanings and examples are looked up in Google’s dictionary the same way. Screenshots and personal identifiers are never sent. Google’s handling of this text is governed by the Google Privacy Policy.
- Anthropic’s Claude (only when the “AI” engine is selected and you entered your key): the text to translate, or that you tap “✨ Explain” on, is sent to api.anthropic.com over an encrypted connection (HTTPS) using your own API key, and usage is billed to your account. Anthropic’s handling of this text is governed by the Anthropic Privacy Policy and your account terms. If Claude cannot be reached, Google Translate is used.
- On-device translation (when the “On-device” engine is selected): translation happens entirely on your phone and no text is sent. This requires downloading language packs from Google’s servers once.
- Google ML Kit: used for recognizing text in images, and for identifying the language of a text and translating it on the device. The Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Devanagari readers are downloaded through Google Play services the first time you choose them. This library may send Google technical information about its performance, usage, and device compatibility, and may contact Google servers to receive updates. This information does not include your screen content, text, or images. See the ML Kit terms for details.
- Read aloud 🔊: uses the text-to-speech engine installed on your phone; some engines may process text online depending on their settings.
We do not sell any information or share it with advertisers or data brokers. The app contains no ads, analytics, or tracking tools.
6. Storage and retention
- The app never saves screenshots, and we have no servers your data is uploaded to.
- Text is saved only by your choice: with “Keep a translation history” on, the texts you tap or select are saved with their translation (the last 500), and words you save with ☆ are kept until you delete them. Whole-page translations and what you type are never saved. This data stays on your phone only and is excluded from backups.
- Translations are kept temporarily in the phone’s memory only to speed things up, and are cleared when the app stops or the phone restarts.
- Settings remain on your phone until you clear the app’s data or uninstall it.
7. Security
All internet connections use encrypted channels (HTTPS), and screenshots are processed only on your phone. However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure.
8. Your choices and rights
- Withdraw consent at any time inside the app (“Privacy & withdraw consent”); the app immediately stops reading the screen.
- Turn the service off in your phone’s settings: Settings → Accessibility → Tarjuman.
- Choose the “On-device” engine so that no text leaves your phone.
- Hide the floating bubble in the app’s settings or with the Quick Settings tile, or choose apps in which it hides.
- Turn the history off, or delete any translation or the whole history from the “History and saved words” screen.
- Remove your Anthropic API key by clearing it in the settings.
- Delete all local data by uninstalling the app. Because we keep no data on servers, there is no other data to delete.
9. Children
The app is a general-purpose tool not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone.
10. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy when the app’s features change. The updated version will be posted on this page with a new effective date, and if the use of accessibility data changes materially, we will ask for your consent again inside the app.
11. Contact us
For any question about this policy or your privacy: translator@sdcore.site