Cookie & Local Storage Policy Disclosures

1. What Are Cookies & Web Storage Technologies

Cookies are small text strings placed on your computer, tablet, or mobile device by websites you visit. In modern web applications, browsers also provide alternative client-side storage mechanisms—including localStorage, sessionStorage, and the CacheStorage API—to enhance speed, remember interface preferences, and support offline functionality.

This policy explains clearly and truthfully which storage technologies are used by FileToolz and how third-party advertising partners may employ cookies.

2. Essential Browser Storage (First-Party)

FileToolz does not require user accounts, passwords, or logins. Consequently, we do not issue first-party authentication session cookies. We use client storage solely for functional operation:

Temporary Memory (RAM)

Files you select for conversion, compression, or calculation exist in ephemeral browser heap memory (Blob objects and Object URLs). When you close the browser tab or refresh the page, this data is permanently discarded.

Local Storage (localStorage)

May be used to store lightweight interface preferences (such as dismissing an update banner or recording PWA installation prompt dismissals) so you are not repeatedly interrupted. No personal files are ever saved in localStorage.

3. PWA Service Worker & Cache Storage (Separate from Cookies)

FileToolz features Progressive Web App (PWA) capabilities enabled by a Service Worker (sw.js).

What is Cached: Only static application code files—including hashed JavaScript bundles, CSS stylesheets, iconography, and the offline fallback page (offline.html)—are cached locally in your browser's CacheStorage container.
What is NEVER Cached: User-uploaded documents, confidential PDFs, processed output images, and temporary file blobs are explicitly excluded from the Service Worker cache.
Purpose: To allow FileToolz to load instantly upon repeat visits and remain partially functional even when your internet connection is intermittent.

4. Third-Party Advertising Cookies (Google AdSense)

To maintain infrastructure, fund domain hosting, and keep all FileToolz utilities free for everyone without subscription paywalls, FileToolz may display third-party advertisements served by Google AdSense and its certified advertising partners. The website does not currently feature an independent on-site cookie management widget; users can manage their cookie and personalized ad preferences at any time through Google Ad Settings, industry opt-out portals (such as aboutads.info and networkadvertising.org), or their browser privacy settings. For visitors in the EEA, UK, and Switzerland, Google AdSense requires publishers to configure a Google-certified Consent Management Platform (CMP) message in the AdSense console to display required consent prompts.

How Advertising Cookies Work:

Google and its third-party ad networks use cookies, web beacons, or unique device identifiers to serve ads based on your prior visits to FileToolz and other websites across the web.:
These cookies allow Google and its partners to serve personalized or non-personalized advertisements, measure advertising performance, and prevent fraudulent ad clicks.:
Third-party cookies are governed by the respective privacy policies of those third-party ad vendors.:

Manage Google advertising settings directly via Google Ad Settings.
Opt out of interest-based advertising from participating industry networks via the Digital Advertising Alliance at aboutads.info/choices or the Network Advertising Initiative at networkadvertising.org/choices.
Learn how Google uses data across its partner network by visiting How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services.

5. Web Analytics & Measurement Cookies

FileToolz utilizes privacy-conscious measurement tools to monitor website health, aggregate traffic patterns, and tool popularity:

Vercel Web Analytics

Monitors aggregate performance metrics (such as page load times and country-level geographic aggregates). Vercel Analytics does not use tracking cookies, does not track users across domains, and anonymizes client IP addresses.

Google Analytics 4 (gtag.js)

FileToolz includes Google Analytics 4 (Measurement ID G-DBNCFKYCB9) to measure general audience trends and interface engagement. File streams and processing buffers are strictly local and are never accessible to analytics services.

Cookie	Purpose	Default Retention
_ga	Used to distinguish unique website visitors via a pseudonymous identifier.	Up to 2 years
_ga_*	Used by GA4 to persist session state and calculate campaign/traffic metrics.	Up to 2 years

Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on →

6. Managing, Disabling & Clearing Cookies in Your Browser

Most web browsers automatically accept cookies by default, but you can alter your browser settings to block third-party cookies, alert you when a cookie is placed, or delete stored cookies entirely:

Google Chrome Settings → Privacy and Security → Third-Party Cookies.

Mozilla Firefox Settings → Privacy & Security → Enhanced Tracking Protection.

Apple Safari Settings → Safari → Advanced → Privacy → Block All Cookies.

Microsoft Edge Settings → Cookies and Site Permissions → Manage and delete cookies.

7. Questions & Contact Information

If you have questions regarding our use of cookies, client-side storage, or data protection practices, please contact us via our dedicated Contact & Feedback Page or review our complete Privacy Policy.