In short
Your game files, saves, settings and library details stay on your device, and the app does not upload them to our servers. There is no account or sign-in. The app shows ads through Google AdMob, which is a third-party service and may process some device and usage data as described below. The app does not use Firebase Analytics or Crashlytics.
What the app stores on your device
- Library details for each game you add: file name, system (GB, GBC or GBA), size, date added, last played, play time, whether it's a favorite, and a checksum used to recognise the game.
- Game files. Files you choose are copied into the app's private storage so they can be played.
- Saves: the game's own save file, your Quick Save, the automatic session save, preview thumbnails, and backups made before an import or restore.
- Your settings: cheats you enter, touch-control layouts, display, sound and controller settings, and per-game settings.
This data is kept in the app's private storage under Android's app sandbox. It never leaves your device unless you export it yourself.
Files you choose
The app has no storage permission. You add games, folders and save files through Android's system file picker, and the app reads only what you select. If you add a folder, the app keeps read access to it and scans it for .gba, .gbc and .gb files until you remove the folder in Settings → Game library. When you export a save, it is written to the location you pick, and the app doesn't track it afterwards.
Data sent off your device
The app does not send your ROMs, save files, save states, settings or library contents to our servers, and we operate no server that receives them. Playing games works without an Internet connection. The app uses the Internet only to show ads, as described in the next section.
The Share with friends feature opens Android's share sheet with a short fixed message, a link to gbaemulator.app and an image card showing the app logo. It contains nothing about your games or library. You choose which app receives it, and that app's own privacy practices apply from then on.
Advertising (Google AdMob)
The app shows ads using Google AdMob and the Google Mobile Ads SDK. AdMob is operated by Google, an independent third party. The ad formats are banner, native, interstitial, rewarded, rewarded interstitial and app-open ads. When the app requests or shows an ad, the Google Mobile Ads SDK may collect and process, where applicable:
- device and advertising identifiers, such as the Android advertising ID;
- your IP address and approximate location derived from it;
- app interactions, such as ad impressions and clicks;
- diagnostic and performance information, such as crash logs and load or latency data;
- basic device and app information, such as device model, operating system version and the app's package name.
Google uses this data to deliver, measure and personalise ads, for analytics related to advertising, and for fraud prevention, security and compliance. Google may combine it with data from other apps and services under its own privacy policy: see policies.google.com/privacy and how Google uses data from partner apps. We don't control how Google handles that data.
Your game files, saves and library contents are not shared with Google or any advertiser by the app.
Consent and privacy choices
Where the law requires it, for example in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, the app shows Google's consent form (Google's User Messaging Platform) before requesting ads. In those regions, ads are not requested until the consent state allows it. Where such a choice is required, you can reopen it at any time in the app under Settings → Ads → Privacy choices. On Android you can also reset your advertising ID or opt out of ads personalisation in your device's Google settings.
You can also watch an optional rewarded ad to remove regular ads for a short time. That ad-free period is stored only on your device.
Analytics and identifiers
- The app does not use Firebase Analytics, Crashlytics or any other analytics or crash-reporting service of ours. The only third-party service that receives data from the app is Google's advertising SDK described above.
- The app does not use location permissions, contacts, camera, microphone or notifications.
Diagnostic logs
Like most Android apps, it writes technical messages to Android's system log, for example the detected game system or playback speed. They stay on your device and aren't sent anywhere by the app.
Backups, removal and retention
The app opts out of Android's automatic backup, so its data isn't copied to your cloud backups. Removing a game deletes its library entry and the stored copy of the file. Uninstalling the app removes all of its data. We keep no server-side copy of your games, saves or settings, because we never receive them. Data that Google receives for advertising is handled by Google under its own policies and retention practices.
This website
The website has no analytics, advertising or tracking scripts, and no forms. It doesn't load anything from third-party services: its fonts, images and scripts are all served from the site itself. Our hosting provider may process standard request data such as your IP address in its server logs.
Children
GBA Emulator is a general-audience app and is not directed to children. Advertising data is handled by Google as described above.
App stores
Any app store you use to install the app has its own privacy practices, which we don't control.
Changes and questions
If the app's data practices change, we will update this page and its date. Contact information is on the Contact page.