Privacy

Privacy policy

Last updated: 8 November 2026

PocketKode ("we") runs pocketkode.com and makes the apps offered on it. This page explains what information is collected when you visit the site or use the apps, and what you can do about it. Questions: feedback@pocketkode.com.

Anonymous download counter

When you download an app, we count it so we can see how many people use each version. We store the app, the version, the day, the country and the city (from your connection) and a one-way code made from your IP address and browser together with a secret that changes every day. That code can't be turned back into your IP address, and it can't link your downloads across days. It only makes repeat downloads on the same day count once. We don't store IP addresses, and link-preview bots aren't counted.

Rating a guide

Rating a blog post with stars doesn't need an account. Your stars count toward the guide's rating shown on it; if you add a comment, only PocketKode admins read it and it isn't shown on the site. We store the guide, your stars and comment, the time, and one-way codes made from your IP address and browser with a secret (so the same visitor changes their rating instead of adding another, and to limit spam). We don't store your IP address, name or email.

Before November 2026 blog posts had 👍 / 👎 buttons instead, which didn't need an account either. A vote is stored with the guide, the day and the same kind of daily-changing anonymous code as the download counter, so you can vote once per guide per day; no IP address is stored. If you write what was missing, that text is stored without any name.

Hosting

The site is hosted by Cloudflare, which handles every request to the site. Like any web host, Cloudflare processes technical data such as your IP address and browser to deliver pages, protect the site from attacks and keep short-lived error logs.

Ads and cookies

This site may show ads from Google AdSense. When it does, Google and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to show ads, to measure them and, if you allow it, to base them on your interests and your visits to this and other websites.

• How Google uses this information: How Google uses information from sites or apps that use its services.
• You can turn off personalised ads in Google's Ad Settings, or turn off many third-party ad companies' cookies at aboutads.info.
• In the European Economic Area, the UK and Switzerland, you're asked for your consent before cookies are used for personalised ads, and you can change your choice at any time.

What the apps send. PocketKode apps never read or send your files, games, saves or screenshots, and they contain no ads, analytics or tracking. To pocketkode.com they send only an anonymous game console ID (a one-way code made on the game console, not its serial number), the game console model and the app version: for activation, the subscription's automatic renewal and the update check. Game Manager and PocketKode Radio, from version 1.3.0, send nothing to pocketkode.com: to check for updates they read the latest release on GitHub, and they send nothing about you or the game console. (Game Manager and PocketKode Radio 1.2.0 and earlier, until updated, also send pocketkode.com the details above for activation and the update check.) Game Manager, PocketKode Radio and Wi-Fi Transfer, from version 2.0.0, download an update you choose to install from pocketkode.com; that request carries nothing about you and is counted like an anonymous download. Some apps also connect to other services to do their job:

Those services have their own privacy policies. Like any website, they see the game console's internet address when it connects to them.

Records of changes: we keep a log of changes to accounts and subscriptions (for example an app activated, moved or removed, an account created or closed, and what PocketKode admins changed), with the time and who made the change. It's used for support and to prevent misuse, contains no IP addresses and no report contents, and entries are deleted after 2 years. If you ask for your account to be erased, the log keeps only an anonymous account number.

Update check: when the game console is online, PocketKode apps ask pocketkode.com whether there's a new version (Game Manager and PocketKode Radio ask GitHub instead, see above). They send only the app's name and version and the game console model, not linked to your account (you can switch the check off in each app). Downloading an update is counted like an anonymous download.

Apart from ads, pocketkode.com only sets a sign-in cookie when you sign in to your account (plus short-lived cookies during the sign-in itself: two for Google, one for an email code), and alanguage cookie (pk-lang) that remembers the language you read the site in, so pages such as sign-in and My account use it too. It doesn't use analytics or tracking tools.

Your PocketKode account

PocketKode apps are free, and you activate them with a free account (Game Manager and PocketKode Radio need no account). You sign in withGoogle (we receive only your Google account ID, name and email address) or with acode we email you (we store only your email address). Google and an email code open the same account for the same address. To send the code, your email address is passed to our email delivery service,Resend (resend.com), which uses it only to deliver that email. We keep a one-way code of each sign-in code for up to two days, to limit how many codes can be asked for. We also store which version of our terms you accepted and when, and whether you want emails about new apps and updates (off unless you tick the box).

• Activations: for each app you activate we store the app, its version, an anonymous device ID (a one-way hash made on the game console, not its serial number), and when it was activated and last checked in.
• We use this only to run activations, to show your devices on My account, to count how many people use each app, and (if you opted in) to email you about new apps. We never sell or share it.
• Downloads: downloading an app doesn't need an account (unless the app's page says it does). Every download is counted by the anonymous counter above. When you're signed in, we also record which app and version, when, and the country your connection comes from, linked to your account. You can see your own downloads on My account; only PocketKode sees the full list, to count usage and help with support.
• Device reports: Device Checkup 2.0.0 and later need no account. If you choose Send report to email, the game console makes a report of its tests, locks it in a ZIP file with a password you choose there (AES-256) and sends it with the email address you type, the game console model, the app version and its anonymous device ID. The password never leaves the game console, so PocketKode can't open your reports. pocketkode.com passes the report to our email delivery service, Resend, which delivers it to that address; we don't keep the report or the address. To limit how many reports are sent, we keep for one day only one-way codes of the address and of your internet address, the anonymous device ID and the time. Reports sent to an account with Device Checkup 1.3.0 and earlier (Send report to my account) stay on My account, where only you can download or delete them; PocketKode admins don't see them.
• Reviews: if you rate an app while signed in, your stars and review are shown publicly on the app's page with your first name and last initial (never your email). You can change or delete them at any time.Without an account, you can also rate an app and send a comment: your stars count toward the app's public rating, and your comment is private feedback that only PocketKode admins read; it isn't shown on the site. We store the app, your stars and comment, the time, and one-way codes made from your IP address and browser with a secret (so the same visitor changes their rating instead of adding another, and to limit spam). We don't store your IP address, name or email, so we can't reply; to get an answer, emailfeedback@pocketkode.com.
• On My account you can remove a game console, turn emails off, or close your account. Closing signs you out, removes your game consoles and hides your reviews. We keep the account's records (your email and name, downloads, activations and reviews) for our records and to prevent misuse; signing in again with the same Google account or email address reopens it. To have everything erased, emailsupport@pocketkode.com from the account's email address and we'll erase it. (If an account was blocked, we keep only one-way codes of its Google account id and email address, so it stays blocked.)

Email

If you email us, we use your address and message only to reply and to fix the problem you reported. We don't add you to a mailing list or share your email.

The apps

PocketKode apps don't contain ads or analytics. Apps that need activation contact pocketkode.com only to activate (the app, its version, the anonymous device ID and the game console model, e.g. "rg40xx-h") and, when online, to check now and then that the activation is still valid (sending the same details, so you and we can see which game consoles and versions are in use). Nothing else about you or your files is sent. Wi-Fi Transfer 1.3.0 and 1.4.0 need activation only for PRO (the full SD card backup); when the game console has no internet, their open transfer page sends PRO's activation and checks (the same details) to pocketkode.com from your browser. Wi-Fi Transfer 2.0.0 has no PRO and needs no activation.

• Game Manager needs no account or activation. It contacts pocketkode.com only to download an update you choose to install. Otherwise it connects only to the services you browse (Homebrew Hub, itch.io, PortMaster, GitHub for PortMaster files, and the libretro thumbnail library for box art), and to GitHub to check for updates. Your itch.io API key, if you add one, stays on your game console and is sent only to itch.io.
• Wi-Fi Transfer needs no account or activation from version 2.0.0. It runs only on your home network, while it's open or running in the background. Your files and backups go directly between your game console and your own phone or PC, never through PocketKode. It contacts GitHub to check for updates, and pocketkode.com only to download an update you choose to install.
• PocketKode Radio needs no account or activation. It contacts pocketkode.com only to download an update you choose to install. Otherwise it connects only to the services in the table above.

Children

The site isn't aimed at children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect their personal information.

Changes

If this policy changes, we'll update this page and the date at the top.