Last updated: July 31, 2026
Browser Time is a browser extension that tracks how much active time you spend on each website and shows it back to you. This policy explains exactly what data the extension handles and — just as importantly — what it does not do.
Summary
– All data stays on your device. The extension makes no network requests and has no analytics, tracking pixels, or third-party services of any kind.
– Nothing is ever sold, shared, or transmitted anywhere.
– You can inspect, export, or delete all of your data at any time from the extension’s stats page.
What data is collected
While a browser window is focused, its active tab is not a background tab, and you have not been idle, the extension records:
– The domain name of the active tab (e.g. `github.com`) — not the full URL, not page content, not query strings or search terms, not page titles.
– The number of seconds spent on that domain, aggregated per calendar day.
– Category labels — either the extension’s built-in default category for a domain (e.g. `github.com` → “Development”), or a category you’ve assigned yourself, including any custom categories you’ve created.
– Your settings, such as how long you’d like to be idle before tracking pauses.
The extension does not collect your name, email address, IP address, precise location, browsing history beyond domain + time-spent, page content, form inputs, passwords, or any other personal identifiers.
Where this data is stored
Everything above is stored using the browser’s built-in `chrome.storage.local` and `chrome.storage.session` APIs, entirely on your device. `chrome.storage.session` data (used only to keep track of the current tracking session) is cleared automatically when the browser closes. None of it is synced to a server, an account, or any location outside your own browser profile.
To keep storage bounded, day-level records older than 120 days are automatically pruned.
Permissions this extension uses, and why
| Permission | Why it’s needed |
| `tabs` | To read the active tab’s URL so time can be attributed to a domain. The extension only ever reads the hostname — it does not read tab content. |
| `idle` | To detect when you’ve stepped away from the keyboard, so that idle time isn’t counted as active browsing time. |
| `alarms` | To periodically save tracked time to storage in the background. |
| `storage` | To persist your tracked time, category settings, and preferences locally. |
| `favicon` | To display each site’s icon next to its entry in the popup and stats page. This uses Chrome’s built-in favicon cache and does not involve any network request initiated by this extension. |
No `host_permissions` are requested, and the extension cannot read or modify the content of any web page you visit.
Exporting and importing your data
The stats page lets you export your data to a JSON file saved to your own computer, and later import it back in. Both actions happen entirely locally — the export file is generated and downloaded directly in your browser, and nothing is uploaded anywhere as part of either process.
Data retention and deletion
You can delete your data at any time by:
– Using the “Reset all domain overrides” / delete-category controls on the stats page for specific settings, or
– Uninstalling the extension, which removes all of its stored data immediately, since nothing exists outside your browser.
Children’s privacy
Browser Time does not knowingly collect information from anyone, and is not directed at children. Since no personal data is collected from any user, none is collected from children either.
Changes to this policy
If this policy changes, the “Last updated” date above will be revised and the updated policy will be included with the extension’s listing.
Contact
Questions about this policy or the extension can be directed to me.