Privacy and local data

Updated 23 September 2026 · notice version 2026-09-23. This describes the current ad-free reader.

readbooks.in processes your reading files on your device. Visiting the site still sends website requests to our host, and emailing us sends your message to our email provider. These are separate activities.

Open privacy & data controls to choose whether to save reading history, download a backup or erase local reading data.

Your text and files

Pasted text, PDFs, images and EPUB files are processed in your browser for extraction, OCR, correction and reading. readbooks.in has no document-upload endpoint and does not send document contents to an AI service. Original file bytes and PDF passwords are not included in saved readings or backups. Unsaved text, corrections and unsubmitted practice answers stay in the current tab and are lost when it closes or reloads.

The site requests its application files, locally hosted fonts, extraction engines, OCR language models and any included shelf book you choose. These requests do not contain your imported document. Do not put reading text or passwords in the address bar. Find queries and pasted text are not added to URLs.

What this browser remembers

• Saved library: when you choose Save to Library, extracted text, original extraction, corrections, titles, position, elapsed time and bookmarks are kept in IndexedDB so you can resume. Progress then saves automatically for that saved reading.
• Reading history: off until you enable it in privacy controls. New readings started while it is on can save their title, session ID, timing, pace, reading mode and submitted practice answers for local statistics and pace suggestions. Turning it off stops new history saves; earlier records remain until removed. A session begun with history off is not later saved just because you enable the choice. Current reading and practice results still work with history off.
• Preferences: theme, text size, pace, mode, shortcut settings and your history choice use localStorage. An upgrade to this version keeps previously saved library/history records but requires you to enable future history recording.
• Optional offline copy: a service worker caches public app files after you enable offline reading. Saved personal text remains in the library database.

Local data stays in this browser profile and site origin until you remove it, the browser clears it or storage becomes unavailable. It does not automatically move between devices, browsers or domains. Someone using the same browser profile may be able to read it; the app does not add a password or separate encryption to saved text.

Access, correct and erase local data

Use Library to open, rename, correct or remove saved readings. Use Statistics to review or remove saved sessions. Backup & restore downloads committed library/history records as readable JSON; keep those files private. Backup files exclude original PDF/EPUB/image bytes, passwords, preferences and unsaved work.

Individual removals offer temporary Undo in the current tab. History removal also retains a small session ID/revision marker to stop stale writes. For a full local reset, use erase browser data: it closes the current reading, clears saved text, history including those markers, preferences and the optional offline copy. Close other readbooks.in tabs, particularly older versions. If a step fails, the page explains how to retry and does not report complete erasure.

After reset, only a local safety counter remains to prevent old tabs restoring erased data. It contains no reading information, session ID or timestamp and is not sent to us. New history is off. Your browser's own clear-site-data setting can remove that counter too after you close the site's tabs. Downloaded backups, original files, other devices and browser/operating-system backups are outside the site's reset control.

Website requests and hosting

Cloudflare hosts and protects the site. Requests can include your IP address, URL, time, user agent/browser information and security/traffic metadata. The operator can access some hosting and security analytics to maintain the site and investigate traffic. This is separate from the local Reading Statistics feature. Provider records may be processed outside India; the public site does not promise India-only hosting. See Cloudflare's privacy policy.

Following an external source link makes a request to that website, whose privacy practices apply there. We use a no-referrer policy to limit referral information from our pages.

Support emails and retention

If you email us, your address, name if supplied, message, attachments and mail metadata reach the published Gmail inbox and Google's service. They are used to respond to your request and handle related support, privacy, security or legal matters. See Google's privacy policy. Please send the minimum needed; avoid passwords, complete books, identity documents and sensitive personal details.

Browser erasure does not delete emails, owner-held correspondence or provider logs. Their handling depends on the request, applicable retention obligations and the provider's arrangements. Ask the privacy contact for information or erasure. A record that must be retained for a legal obligation or an active legal matter cannot be promised immediate deletion; the response should explain the applicable limits.

Privacy contact and requests

Site operator and privacy contact: Shakti Prasad Ram.

shaktiram.coc@gmail.com

You can request information about operator-held data and its recipients, ask for correction or completion, request erasure or withdrawal where applicable, or raise a privacy grievance. For local books, use the controls above: we cannot remotely read, recover or delete a library on your device.

• Ask about data or recipients
• Request a correction
• Request erasure or withdrawal
• Raise a privacy grievance
• Ask about nomination or assistance as a guardian

These links open your email app; they do not submit a website form. State the request and the address used for earlier correspondence. We may need proportionate information to verify that we are responding to the right person; do not attach identity documents unless a specific need and safe method have been explained. A nominee or lawful guardian can contact us for the applicable procedure, including nomination for rights on death or incapacity. This does not give the site access to someone else's device-only books.

For a grievance, contact the privacy address first so the issue can be considered. Where the DPDP complaint provisions apply, the Act provides a subsequent route to the Data Protection Board after the fiduciary's grievance process has been exhausted. Current official information is available from MeitY. Availability and scope of legal rights depend on the applicable law and its commencement.

Children and people needing assistance

The reader has no account signup and does not ask for your name, date of birth or identity documents to read. It does not serve targeted advertising. If you are under 18, involve a parent or guardian before sending us personal information. A parent or legally authorised guardian can use the privacy contact for help with a child's data or a person they lawfully represent.

Advertising, analytics and changes

This build does not load AdSense, Google Analytics or a marketing tracker. History choices control local reading records, not advertising consent. There is no advertising consent banner in this ad-free build. New advertising, cloud sync, visitor-document AI or other processing would require updated information and any applicable choices before activation.

The date and version above identify this notice. You may contact us for help understanding it or to request an explanation in your preferred language.