The short version
Shelf does not collect, upload, or share your data. It holds pointers to files you drag onto it, keeps its settings on your Mac, and talks to the internet only to ask whether a newer version exists.
There is no account, no tracking, no analytics, and no crash reports sent anywhere.
Your files
When you drop a file on the shelf, Shelf keeps a reference to that file. It does not copy the file, move it, read its contents, or send it anywhere. When you drag the file off the shelf into another app, that app receives the original file from where it already lives on your disk.
Clearing the shelf removes the reference. Your file is untouched.
What lives on your Mac
Shelf stores a small amount of data locally so it can behave the way you set it up:
- Settings such as where the panel appears, the colour of the notch, the auto‑hide delay, and whether dragging a file out moves or copies it.
- Your license — the key, the signed activation token, and an identifier for this Mac, so Shelf does not have to activate again on every launch.
This data stays in the app’s own folder on your Mac. It never leaves your machine, and deleting Shelf deletes it. The shelf itself is not saved: quitting Shelf empties it, and it starts empty next time.
What goes over the network
Shelf makes one kind of network request: a license check. When you activate it, and once in a while afterwards, it asks the license server whether your key is still good. That request carries your key and an identifier for this Mac — plus, the first time you activate, the name your Mac calls itself, so you can tell your devices apart. Nothing else.
Shelf does not run analytics, does not send crash reports, and does not contact any other server. Your files are never uploaded — the shelf only ever holds a reference to where they sit on your disk.
Permissions
Shelf needs no Accessibility permission. It notices drags and the ⌥ Space shortcut without one, and it does not read what you type, watch what is on your screen, or record anything.
There is exactly one prompt you may see: Automation for Finder. It appears the first time you ⌥-click a file. Option-click ships switched on, so if you would rather never be asked, turn it off in Settings before you try it. macOS puts it plainly: “Shelf reads which files you selected in Finder when you Option-click them.” That is all it is used for. Say no, or remove it later in System Settings, and every other part of Shelf still works.
Payment
Shelf is a one‑time purchase. Checkout is run by Paddle.com, which is the merchant of record for every order. We never see your card number. Paddle passes along your email address and order number. We keep those with your license key so we can find your purchase when you ask for help, a refund, or a lost key. We use them for nothing else. Paddle’s own handling of your payment data is described in its privacy policy.
This website
This site is a set of static pages. It sets no cookies, runs no analytics, and has no accounts or forms. The demo runs entirely in your browser and does not send anything back.
Like every website, the service that hosts it may keep short‑lived server logs, such as the IP address that requested a page, to keep the site running and safe.
Children
Shelf is a general utility and collects no personal information, from anyone of any age.
Changes to this policy
If Shelf ever starts collecting anything new, this page will say so before that version ships, and the date at the top will change. We will not quietly widen what Shelf does with your data.
Contact
Questions about privacy go straight to the person who wrote the app. Open an issue on GitHub or Facebook, or head to the support page.