Privacy Policy

Last updated 2026-05-28.

This is IceBox’s full privacy policy. It is shorter than most because IceBox collects almost no data.

The short version

IceBox does not collect, transmit, or store personal data on servers operated by Bourbon Bro LLC (“we”). We do not run servers.

Your AWS access keys are stored in the macOS Keychain on your own Mac. The folders you archive are uploaded directly from your Mac to your own AWS S3 bucket. None of it ever passes through, or is visible to, IceBox.

What IceBox stores on your Mac

  • Your AWS Access Key ID, Secret Access Key, bucket name, and region — in the macOS Keychain, accessible only to IceBox.
  • Local thumbnails generated from photos you’ve archived, in the IceBox app container at ~/Library/Containers/com.bourbonbro.icebox.IceBox/.
  • Per-archive metadata files (the manifest) cached locally for fast browsing.
  • A small bookmark file named <Folder>.iceboxed where a reclaimed folder used to live (only if you ran “Reclaim Local Space” and granted save access to that location).

What IceBox sends, and to whom

Only one destination: the AWS API endpoints required to interact with your own bucket. Specifically:

  • S3 (*.amazonaws.com) — to upload and manage your archives.
  • Glacier-related S3 endpoints — for restore requests and downloads.
  • SNS endpoints (only if you enable email-on-restore-ready) — to subscribe your email to your own notification topic in your own account.

All requests are authenticated with the credentials you provided. We do not see them.

What IceBox does NOT collect

  • No analytics or usage telemetry.
  • No crash reporting service (Sentry, Bugsnag, etc.).
  • No first-party servers receiving any data.
  • No advertising IDs.
  • No location data.
  • No third-party SDKs other than the AWS SDK for Swift (Amazon Web Services, Inc., Apache 2.0).

App Store and TestFlight

If you install IceBox via the Mac App Store or TestFlight, Apple collects standard installation and crash data per Apple’s own privacy policy. We have no control over this. Apple does not share your AWS credentials, the content of your archives, or any of your personal data with us.

The Emergency Kit PDF

The Settings → Family Access feature generates a PDF containing your AWS credentials and a manifest of your archives. This PDF is saved only to a location you choose. It does not leave your Mac unless you choose to send it somewhere. Treat it like a backup of an AWS root password.

What happens if you stop using IceBox

Your archives live in your AWS bucket, billed to your AWS account. They are not affected by uninstalling IceBox. To delete them, you can empty the bucket via the AWS console or any S3-compatible tool.

Children’s privacy

IceBox is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone.

Contact

If you have a question about this policy or how IceBox uses data, email [email protected].

This policy may be updated as IceBox evolves. Substantive changes will be noted in the Changelog.