Where Helperbird Stores Your Data

Overview

Helperbird does not host student data on external servers. All user settings and preferences are stored locally on the device using the browser's built-in storage. There is no Helperbird database that holds student information, browsing activity, or page content.

This page explains exactly what is stored, where it is stored, and what happens when data is sent over the network.

What Is Stored on the Device

The following data is stored locally on the device using chrome.storage.local:

Font Preferences

Font family, size, and weight settings chosen by the user.

Color Settings

Background color, text color, and link color preferences.

Feature Toggles

Settings for features like reading ruler, overlay, line focus, and other tools.

Accessibility Profiles

Saved profiles that bundle multiple settings together.

Theme Preferences

Any theme or display preferences the user has configured.

Custom Settings

Any other settings the user has configured in Helperbird.

This data never leaves the device unless the user explicitly turns on sync (see below). It is stored in the browser's extension storage area, which is separate from website cookies and local storage.

What Is Not Stored Anywhere

Helperbird does not collect, store, or transmit:

• Page content or browsing history
• Text that is read aloud, translated, or simplified
• Voice recordings from speech-to-text
• Student names, dates of birth, or student IDs
• Health information or special education designations
• Screenshots or images from web pages

These items are processed locally in the browser or through encrypted API calls that do not retain content after processing.

What Is Sent Over the Network

A small number of Helperbird features require an internet connection to work. When these features are used, data is sent over encrypted HTTPS connections and is not stored after processing:

Translation

Text is sent to Google Translate and is not stored after the result is returned.

AI Text Simplification

Text is sent to the AI service and is not stored after the result is returned.

Text-to-speech, voice typing, word prediction, and OCR all run locally in the browser. No data is sent to external servers for these features.

Any of these features can be disabled by your school admin through Google Admin Console using managed JSON policy. For details, see How to Disable Helperbird Features Using JSON Policy.

All other Helperbird features (fonts, colors, rulers, overlays, line focus, zoom, profiles) run entirely on the device with no network calls.

Admin-Managed Settings

When a school admin deploys Helperbird through the Google Admin Console or Microsoft Intune, the subscription key and feature policies are delivered through chrome.storage.managed. This is a read-only storage area controlled by the admin.

The data in this area is pushed from Google Admin or Intune to the device, stays on the device, and is not sent back to Helperbird servers. It includes the subscription key, admin control flag, disabled features list, excluded domains list, and floating button setting.

For details on setting up managed policies, see How to Set Helperbird JSON Policy in Google Admin.

Sync Settings

If a user turns on the Sync Helperbird toggle in settings, their preferences are synced across devices using Chrome's built-in chrome.storage.sync. This uses the user's own Google account sync infrastructure. Helperbird does not operate its own sync server.

When sync is off (the default), all settings stay on the current device only.

For more details, see Sync or Store Data Locally in Helperbird.

Data Deletion

• Uninstalling Helperbird removes all local extension storage from the device.
• Clearing browser data in Chrome settings can also remove extension storage.
• Admin-managed settings are removed when the admin removes the policy from Google Admin or Intune.
• If your organization needs a formal data deletion confirmation, contact Helperbird support.

Related Guides

• Sync or Store Data Locally in Helperbird
• Helperbird PHIPA and MFIPPA Compliance
• How to Use Helperbird Offline
• How to Deploy Helperbird to Your School or Business
• How to Set Helperbird JSON Policy in Google Admin

Need Additional Help?

If you have any questions about data hosting, privacy, or storage, please contact the Helperbird support team. You can reach us at Helperbird support. We are happy to provide additional documentation as needed.