Last updated: 23 October 2026
Not Long Now doesn't collect, transmit or sell any data about you. There are no accounts, no analytics, no advertising, no tracking and no servers. The only time the app goes online is to talk to Apple's App Store when you buy or restore Pro.
| What | Why |
|---|---|
| Your countdowns: titles, dates, icons, themes and repeat settings | So the app and its widgets can show them |
| Photos you choose as a countdown background | Resized and copied into the app so widgets can display them |
| Small preferences (units, reminders, Live Activities on/off, whether Pro is active) | So the app remembers how you like it |
This is kept in storage shared only between the app and its own widgets. None of it is uploaded to us or anyone else, and we have no way to see it. Delete a countdown in the app, or delete the app to remove everything (except any copy in your own device backup).
If you're signed in to iCloud, your countdowns (including any photos on them) sync between your own iPhone and iPad through your private iCloud account, using Apple's CloudKit. That data sits in your iCloud, not with us, and we have no access to it. Turn off iCloud for the app in the Settings app to keep everything on one device.
If you tap From Calendar, the app asks for access to your calendars so it can list your upcoming events. Events are read on your device only, to fill in a new countdown. They're never stored by the app or sent anywhere.
Countdown names are made available to Siri, Shortcuts and Spotlight search on your device so you can ask "how long until…" or search for them. This is handled by iOS on your device.
When you add a photo, you pick it with Apple's photo picker. The app only receives the single photo you choose and never has access to the rest of your library.
Reminders are scheduled locally by iOS on your iPhone. Live Activities are started on your device. Nothing is sent to us, and we don't use push notifications.
Pro (yearly subscription or lifetime unlock) is processed entirely by Apple. Payment and Apple Account details go to Apple, not to us. Apple tells the app only whether Pro is active. Apple's own privacy policy covers the purchase itself.
Sending a countdown to a friend. The countdown's title, date, icon and theme are written into the link itself, after the # sign. Browsers never send that part of a link to a web server, so our site never receives it: the page your friend opens reads it on their own phone. Anyone you give the link to can read those details.
Countdowns with a photo. A link can't carry a photo, so the app also attaches a small countdown file containing the photo. It's sent directly by the app you choose (such as Messages, WhatsApp or AirDrop) and never passes through us.
Sharing as an image. The app creates an image on your device and hands it to the standard iOS share sheet. What happens next depends on the app you choose to share it with.
Not Long Now is suitable for all ages and doesn't knowingly collect information from anyone, including children.
If this policy changes, the date above will change with it. Questions? Email general@atlasstudiosuk.com.