Essentials Privacy Policy
Your privacy is our priority. Essentials is designed to be a local-first, privacy-respecting utility for Android power users.
Effective date: May 6, 2026
Local-First Approach
Important: Essentials is a local-first utility. All data processing, including automation logic, device stats, and customization, occurs entirely on your device. No personal data, location history, or device information is ever uploaded to our servers or shared with third parties.
Essentials does not:
- Collect personal identifying information.
- Store your location history on any server.
- Use tracking or advertising SDKs.
- Mirror your data to any cloud service.
Permissions & Usage
Due to the nature of Essentials as a system utility and automation tool, it requires several Android permissions to function. Below is a detailed breakdown of how we use them.
Device State & Communication
| Permission | Purpose |
|---|---|
READ_PHONE_STATE | Used for the Smart Data feature to detect network types and forCall Vibrations to trigger haptic feedback during call state changes. |
READ_CALENDAR | Required for WearOS Calendar Sync to display upcoming events on your watch complications. |
POST_NOTIFICATIONS | Used to show status indicators, automation alerts, and active service notifications. |
Location & Automation
| Permission | Purpose |
|---|---|
ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION, ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION | Required for the Are we there yet? (Location Reached) feature to calculate distance to your destination. |
ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION | Allows the Location Reached service to monitor your progress while the app is in the background or the screen is off. |
SCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARM | Used by the Automation engine to trigger tasks at precise times. |
System & Power User Tools
| Permission | Purpose |
|---|---|
BIND_ACCESSIBILITY_SERVICE | Used for features like Screen Off logic, Auto-locking, and Button Remapping. This service only monitors the specific actions you configure. |
PACKAGE_USAGE_STATS | Required for App Detection to trigger automations when specific apps are opened or closed. |
SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW | Used to display overlays like Edge Lighting or Music Glance. |
WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS | Enables advanced system modifications (usually via Shizuku or Root) such asStatus Bar customization and Animation scales. |
QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES | Allows you to select apps for features like App Freezing or App Lock. |
Connectivity & Utilities
| Permission | Purpose |
|---|---|
BLUETOOTH_CONNECT, BLUETOOTH_SCAN | Used for Battery Mirroring and connectivity features between your phone and WearOS devices. |
INTERNET, ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE | Used for App Updates checking and WearOS Syncover the local network. |
WAKE_LOCK | Prevents the device from sleeping during active tasks like Caffeinateor location tracking. |
VIBRATE | Provides haptic feedback for UI interactions and call alerts. |
Security
Any data transferred between your devices (e.g., Phone to WearOS) is sent oversecure local channels. We use standard Android security protocols to ensure that your configuration and state remains private to your local hardware.
Contact
If you have questions about our privacy practices, please contact:
Sameera Sandakelum
Email: mail@sameerasw.com
Website: sameerasw.com