Watcher privacy

Last updated: October 23, 2026.

Watcher is an app by Federico Cardinali for accessing the library you select in Plex, Jellyfin, or a compatible server. It does not require a separate Watcher account. This policy describes data handling by the app and watcher.show. Servers and services you connect also have their own policies.

Data stored on your devices

The app stores your library address and type, connection identifiers, playback and language settings, My List, watched titles, viewing progress, and cached catalog information and images. This lets it remember your setup, resume a video, and display previously loaded content. The visible history keeps up to 100 playback entries. The app or operating system may remove cached files.

The main Plex, Jellyfin, and Trakt sessions are stored in the system Keychain. The Jellyfin password you enter is sent to your chosen server to obtain a session and is not saved as an app preference. Authorized playback links may contain service credentials and may be included in local download tasks and files.

On iPhone, iPad, and Mac, downloaded videos and the information required to manage them remain in the app's storage until you remove them. On Apple TV, the app and its Top Shelf extension share presentation data and images in their app group container; session tokens are not shared in that container.

Connecting your library

Plex receives requests required to link your account using a code and find your servers. Jellyfin receives the username and password you enter to authenticate. The app generates a random installation identifier that these services use to identify the client. It does not use the advertising identifier.

Your chosen server receives search, catalog, artwork, media file, and watched-status requests as needed for your actions. Playback connects to that server or to media addresses authorized by the service. Operators may receive your IP address and technical request information and keep their own logs. Plex and Jellyfin display the selected library without adding titles from the custom catalog.

In custom-server mode, you enter the address explicitly. Catalog and playback requests go to that server. Depending on its available provider, resolving a source may contact other video services and proxies. The catalog may include third-party metadata and artwork; anime searches use AniList. Content availability and authorization depend on the server and its operator.

Trakt and iCloud

In custom-server mode, you can optionally link Trakt. Watcher then accesses your account and synchronizes lists, history, watched status, progress, and recommendations. Pending actions are stored locally and may be retried when connectivity returns. This synchronization does not apply to Plex or Jellyfin libraries in the current version.

When iCloud is available to the app and you have a compatible session, Trakt credentials may synchronize between your devices in a private CloudKit database record using encrypted fields. These credentials are not stored in a public database. Availability depends on your iCloud account and the operating system. This feature synchronizes the Trakt session; it is not a general backup of settings or downloaded videos.

Disconnecting Trakt in the app stops using that session and propagates a signed-out state through iCloud when available. Your local progress is retained. This does not delete your Trakt account or data already stored by Trakt. Use the service's account controls to revoke authorization or delete its data.

Subtitles, trailers, and episodes

External subtitle searches contact Cinemeta and Stremio's OpenSubtitles v3 service with a title or content identifier and, for shows, a season and episode. Selecting a subtitle downloads it from the address supplied by that service. Automatic-subtitle settings control selection; searches may still occur when automatic selection is disabled.

For shows with supported identifiers, the next-episode feature requests IntroDB markers using the title identifier, season, episode, and file duration. Custom-catalog previews may be obtained from Moviefone and its video hosts. Personal libraries do not use those catalog previews. Artwork and video providers receive requests needed to serve their files.

Advertising and technical logs

The Watcher app contains no third-party advertising or analytics SDKs, does not access the advertising identifier, and contains no code to combine your activity across apps for advertising purposes. This does not change the policies of external services you choose to use.

The app uses operating-system logs to investigate connection, playback, and synchronization failures. Logs may include error codes and title names, but the code does not deliberately log passwords or session tokens. System reports and Apple services are also governed by your Apple diagnostic settings.

Controlling and deleting data

You can remove titles from My List, remove recent entries, change watched status, and delete downloads using app controls. An action synchronized to a connected service may also change the data in that account. Changing libraries does not delete those accounts or revoke every earlier session.

To stop server access, revoke the device or session through Plex or ask your Jellyfin administrator. To delete information stored by those services, use their privacy controls. Apple's iCloud settings let you manage app data where that option is available. Removing the app removes its local container according to operating-system rules; it does not automatically delete external accounts, iCloud data, or every Keychain entry.

For help accessing, correcting, or deleting data related to Watcher, use the privacy contact below. Do not send passwords, tokens, active linking codes, or private videos.

Website language

The website automatically selects Spanish or English using the language preferences communicated by your browser through navigator.languages or the Accept-Language header. You can also open the language version you prefer directly. Language selection does not use cookies or store a preference in browser storage.

Website hosting and operation

watcher.show is hosted on Cloudflare. To deliver pages and protect the website, Cloudflare may process technical request information such as IP address, requested URL, date and time, and browser headers. This website processing is separate from the app’s features. This policy does not specify a retention period for the hosting provider’s logs; the provider’s practices and service configuration apply.

See Cloudflare’s privacy policy for more information about the hosting provider.

Website visit and performance measurement

The website uses Cloudflare Web Analytics to measure visits, pages viewed, referral sources, and page load performance. A website script sends these measurements to Cloudflare, which presents aggregate statistics by page, referring site, country, browser, or device type. According to Cloudflare’s documentation, Web Analytics does not use cookies or local storage for this measurement. This analytics service applies to the website; the Watcher app does not integrate it.

Learn more: Cloudflare Web Analytics and metrics and dimensions.

Support messages and privacy requests

If you email support@gethomepad.com about Watcher, the developer receives your email address, message, and attachments to answer and follow up on your request. Email providers also process that information to deliver and host the messages. Messages are retained to handle the request and related follow-up; this policy does not specify one fixed period for all requests. You may request deletion of information held by the developer using the same contact, subject to applicable obligations. Do not send passwords, tokens, active linking codes, private videos, or information unnecessary for your request.

Contact

Developer: Federico Cardinali. Privacy contact: support@gethomepad.com. Official website: watcher.show.

Updates to this policy will appear on this page with a revised date.