Privacy Policy
Effective date: May 1, 2026
helm runs on your device. Your tabs, Spaces, and settings are stored locally and never sold or shared — nothing leaves your device unless you ask it to.
What data helm stores
helm uses Chrome's local storage API (chrome.storage.local) to save your preferences and data. This includes:
- Tab renames and aliases you create
- Saved Spaces (tab URLs, titles, and any tab-group structure)
- Extension settings (theme, shortcuts, preferences)
This data is stored locally on your device. helm doesn't send it anywhere unless you ask it to.
What helm does NOT collect
- Browsing history, page content, or URLs you visit
- Personal information (name, email, location)
- Cookies or authentication tokens
- Keystroke or input data
- Data from other extensions
Permissions explained
helm requests several browser permissions. Some sound broad — that's how Chrome describes whole categories of access — but each one powers a specific feature, and helm does its work on your device. Here's what each is for, and what helm does not do with it:
- tabs — List, search, switch, rename, and manage your open tabs from the palette.
- storage — Save your renames, Spaces, aliases, and settings on your device.
- scripting — Draw the command palette over the page when you press the shortcut.
- sessions — Reopen recently closed tabs.
- tabGroups — Create and manage tab groups.
- bookmarks — Show matching bookmarks in palette search; results stay on your device.
- history — Show matching pages in palette search; results stay on your device.
- downloads — Search and manage downloads from the palette.
- clipboardWrite — Copy URLs and content to your clipboard.
- debugger — Used only to stitch together a full-page screenshot (beyond the viewport), then released immediately.
- offscreen — Convert pages to Markdown in the background.
- host access (<all_urls>) — Lets the palette open on any page and keeps your custom tab names in place. helm reads a page's content only when you run Export to Markdown or Extract Images, on your device.
One permission is optional and only requested if you use the feature that needs it:
- downloads.open — Open downloaded files directly from the palette
Third-party services
helm does not integrate with or send data to any third-party services, advertising networks, or tracking platforms.
Data security
All data is stored through Chrome's built-in storage APIs, which sandbox it to the extension under your browser's security model and keep it on your device.
Children's privacy
helm does not knowingly collect any information from children under 13. The extension does not collect personal information from any user.
Changes to this policy
If this policy is updated, the changes will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. Significant changes will be noted in the extension's changelog.
Contact
If you have questions about this privacy policy or the extension, please open an issue on our feedback repository or email support@helmext.com.