Data the Extension Handles
To make and read QR codes, the extension has to work with some data on your device. The table lists every kind of data it touches, when, why, and where it is kept. None of it is sent to peartools or to anyone else.
| Data | When | Used for | Where it is kept |
|---|---|---|---|
| Address (URL) of the current tab | When you open the extension, or pick a “QR code for…” menu item. In the side panel, also when you switch tabs if you allowed Follow active tab. | Fills in the URL field so you can make a QR code for the page. | Saved as your unfinished code in local storage until you change it. |
| Picture of the visible part of the tab | Only when you click Scan this page, or pick Scan QR codes on this page or Scan this QR code. | Finds and reads the QR codes shown on screen. | Held in memory while the result is shown, then discarded. Never saved or sent. |
| Images you paste, drop, or choose | Only when you give the extension an image to scan. | Finds and reads the QR codes in the image. | Held in memory while the result is shown, then discarded. Never saved or sent. |
| Position of an image you right-clicked | Only when you pick Scan this QR code on an image. | Scans just that image instead of the whole page. | Used once, then discarded. |
| Link, image address, or selected text from the right-click menu | Only when you pick a “QR code for…” menu item. | Passes what you right-clicked to the popup or side panel. | In session storage until the extension loads it (usually straight away), then removed. Session storage is also cleared when the browser closes. |
| What you type into a code (links, text, Wi-Fi name and password, email address, subject, message) | When you create a code. | Builds the QR code and keeps your unfinished code if you close the popup. | Local storage, until you change it or remove the extension. |
| History of created and scanned codes | Each time you create or scan a code, if Save history is on (it is on by default). | Lets you find and reuse a code later. | Local storage, up to 100 entries. Delete entries, clear the list, or turn history off at any time. |
| Preferences (size, colors, style, border, error correction, popup or side panel, theme) | When you change a setting. | Keeps your settings the next time you open the extension. | Local storage (the theme is kept in the extension's own page storage), until you reset them or remove the extension. |
“Local storage” and “session storage” here mean the browser's own extension storage (storage.local and storage.session) on your computer. The extension does not use browser sync, so this data is not copied to your other devices.
What We Do Not Collect
The extension does not collect, receive, or transmit:
- Personal information such as your name, email address, or location
- Your browsing history or the pages you visit
- The content of web pages
- The QR codes you create or scan, or the images you scan
- Passwords, payment details, health, or financial information
- Usage statistics, crash reports, or analytics of any kind
The extension has no account, sets no cookies, shows no ads, and does not use any tracking or fingerprinting. All of its code, including the WebAssembly QR reader (ZXing), is bundled inside the extension. It does not load or run remote code.
Network Requests
The extension makes no requests to peartools servers or to any analytics or advertising service. It only uses the network in these cases, each started by you:
- Scanning an image that is not on screen. If you right-click an image and pick Scan this QR code, but the image is not visible (for example, it is inside a frame), the extension downloads that image from the address it is already loaded from, in the same way your browser loaded it for the page. The image is read on your device and not sent anywhere else.
- Opening a link from a scan result. Clicking Open link opens the scanned address in a new tab. For a location code, Open map opens the spot on OpenStreetMap, whose own privacy policy then applies.
- Opening the full web generator. The Need more options? link opens the peartools QR Code Generator website in a new tab. The website is covered by the peartools website privacy policy, not this one.
Permissions and How They Are Used
Each permission is used only for the feature described. The extension does not use any permission to collect data. Chrome and Edge ask for the same permissions. Firefox asks for the same ones except sidePanel, and may describe them in different words when you install the extension or turn on an optional feature.
storage- Keeps your preferences, unfinished code, and history in your browser's local storage, and briefly passes right-click content to the extension through session storage.
contextMenus- Adds the “QR code for…” and “Scan…” items to the right-click menu.
activeTab- Gives temporary access to the current tab only after you click the extension or one of its menu items. Used to read the tab's address and capture its visible area for scanning.
scripting- Only for Scan this QR code. Runs a short function in the page that returns where the right-clicked image is on screen. It does not read or change anything else on the page.
sidePanel (Chrome and Edge)- Lets the extension open in the browser side panel. Firefox does not have this permission. There the extension opens in the Firefox sidebar, which needs no permission.
tabs (optional)- Asked for only when you turn on Follow active tab in the side panel. Lets the URL field update as you switch tabs. If you decline, everything else still works.
Access to all sites (optional)- Asked for only when you scan a tab from the side panel after switching away from the tab you opened it on. Used only to capture that tab's visible area for scanning. The extension does not read page content.
Chrome, Edge, and Firefox Store Policies
The extension works the same way, and handles data the same way, in every browser. Any data it handles is used only for its single purpose: creating and reading QR codes.
- Chrome Web Store: the use of information by this extension complies with the Chrome Web Store User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.
- Microsoft Edge Add-ons: the extension follows the Microsoft Edge Add-ons developer policies. It does not collect personal information, so it has nothing to disclose to Microsoft or to you beyond this policy.
- Firefox Add-ons: the extension follows the Mozilla Add-on Policies. The Firefox version states in its manifest that it collects no data, and Firefox shows this when you install it. If a future version ever needs data, Firefox will ask for your consent before it is collected.
Google, Microsoft, and Mozilla run their stores under their own privacy policies. They may record things like installs and updates of the extension. We only see the total counts they show to developers, never who you are.
Storage, Retention, and Deletion
Everything the extension keeps is stored in your browser on your device, and you control it:
- Delete one history entry: open the History tab and remove it. You can undo right after.
- Delete all history: open the History tab and clear the list.
- Stop saving history: untick Save history in the History tab. New codes are no longer saved.
- Reset settings: open Customize in the Create tab and click Reset.
- Delete everything: remove the extension from your browser. The browser deletes all of its stored data.
Tab captures and images you scan are never stored. They are held in memory only while the result is on screen.
Security
Since your data never leaves your device, it is protected by your browser and your operating system account. Keep in mind that history can include Wi-Fi passwords from codes you created or scanned. Anyone who can use your browser profile can open the extension and see them. On a shared computer, turn off Save history or clear it when you are done.
The extension only asks for access to a tab when you act on it, and it warns you when a scanned link does not use HTTPS, uses look-alike characters, or hides a login in the address.
Children's Privacy
The extension is not directed at children under 13, and it does not knowingly collect personal information from anyone, including children.
Your Rights
Data protection laws such as the GDPR in the EU and UK and the CCPA in California give you rights to access, correct, delete, and export your personal data. Because peartools does not receive any data from this extension, we hold nothing about you to access or delete. You can view and delete everything the extension stores yourself, as described under Storage, Retention, and Deletion.
If you have a question about your rights, email us at privacy@peartools.com.
Changes to This Policy
If the extension changes how it handles data, we will update this page and the “Last updated” date at the top before the new version is released. If a future version ever needs to collect data, it will ask for your consent first, and this policy will say exactly what is collected and why.
Contact Us
Questions about this policy or the extension? Email privacy@peartools.com and put “QR extension privacy” in the subject line.
Learn more about the extension on the QR Code Generator and Scanner extension page.