Privacy Policy
What happens to your files and data when you use OptimizeGIF, in plain language.
The short version: files you upload are used only to produce your result. Originals are deleted right after processing and results within 12 hours. We don't need an account and we don't sell personal data. Ads shown on the site are provided by Google and may use cookies, which you can control.
Who we are
OptimizeGIF.com ("OptimizeGIF", "we", "us") provides free online tools for working with GIF images. For any privacy question or request, use our contact form and choose "Privacy or data request".
Files you upload
When you use a tool that processes files on our server, your file is sent over an encrypted connection (HTTPS) and stored in a private folder that cannot be reached from the web.
- The original upload is deleted as soon as your result has been created.
- The result stays available for download for up to 12 hours, then it is deleted automatically.
- Files are given random names, are not indexed by search engines, and are only reachable through the link shown to you.
- We do not look at, copy, share or use your files for any other purpose, including training software.
The GIF Metadata Viewer works entirely in your browser. Files opened there are never uploaded.
Information we collect
Information collected automatically
Like most websites, our server and our network provider record basic technical data for each request: IP address, browser and device type, the page requested, the time and the referring page. We use this to keep the service running, to prevent abuse and to understand which tools are used.
To stop automated abuse, we keep a short-lived counter of recent requests per visitor. It stores a one-way hash of the IP address, not the address itself, and is deleted within 24 hours.
Information you give us
If you use the contact form, we store your name, email address, message and the page you came from so we can reply. Messages are kept only as long as needed to handle your request, and no longer than 12 months.
Cookies and local storage
| Name | Set by | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
theme (local storage) | OptimizeGIF | Remembers if you chose dark mode. Stays on your device. | Until you clear it |
PHPSESSID | OptimizeGIF | Protects the contact form against spam. Only set on the contact page. | Browser session |
__cf_bm, cf_clearance | Cloudflare | Security: distinguishes people from bots. | Up to 30 minutes / 1 year |
| Advertising cookies | Google and partners | Showing and measuring ads, if you consent. | See Google's policies |
Advertising (Google AdSense)
OptimizeGIF is free because it shows ads. Ads are served by Google AdSense.
- Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this website or other websites.
- Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visits to this site and/or other sites on the Internet.
- You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google's My Ad Center. You can also opt out of some third-party vendors' use of cookies for personalized advertising at aboutads.info.
Learn more about how Google uses information from sites that use its services.
Visitors in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom and Switzerland are asked for consent through a Google-certified consent message before personalized ads or advertising cookies are used. You can change your choice at any time using the privacy settings link shown by that message.
Service providers
We rely on a small number of providers to run the site:
- Hosting - our web server, located in the European Union, stores uploads temporarily and runs the tools.
- Cloudflare - network delivery and protection against attacks.
- Google - advertising (AdSense). Fonts and icons are hosted on our own server, so loading a page does not contact Google unless ads are shown.
These providers process data on our behalf or as independent controllers under their own privacy policies. Some of them may transfer data outside the EU under safeguards such as the EU Standard Contractual Clauses.
Legal bases (GDPR)
- Performing the service you request - processing your uploaded files.
- Legitimate interests - security, preventing abuse and keeping basic usage statistics.
- Consent - personalized advertising and advertising cookies, and storing your contact message.
Your rights
If you are in the EU, UK or a region with similar laws, you can ask us to access, correct, delete or export your personal data, to restrict or object to its use, and to withdraw consent at any time. You can also complain to your local data protection authority.
To make a request, use the contact form. We answer within 30 days. Because we don't use accounts, we may ask for details that help us find your data, such as the email you wrote from.
Children
OptimizeGIF is not directed at children under 16, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from them. If you believe a child has sent us personal data, contact us and we will delete it.
Security
All traffic uses HTTPS. Uploaded files and contact messages are stored outside the public web folder, and processing runs with strict size and time limits. No system is perfectly secure, so avoid uploading GIFs that contain highly sensitive information.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy when the service changes. The date at the top shows the latest version. Significant changes will be highlighted on this page.