Privacy policy
In short: HelmTV has no account, no analytics, no ads and no tracking, and it sends nothing about you to the HelmTV developer. Everything the app stores stays on your device. The app only connects to the provider you configure yourself, or, if you choose “Use public streams”, to a server run by the developer that lists free public streams.
1. Who is responsible
“The HelmTV developer” is the individual who makes the HelmTV app and this website. Contact: support@helmtv.app.
HelmTV is a media player. It does not provide, host, sell or link to any TV channels, movies or series. You add your own Xtream-compatible provider (a name, a server address, a username and a password) the first time you run the app.
2. What the developer collects
Nothing about you. The app has no user accounts, contains no analytics, crash-reporting, advertising or tracking software, and does not send any data about you to the developer. The developer does not receive your provider details, viewing history or favorites, and cannot see them. The one exception is the optional public streams feature described in section 4: if you choose “Use public streams”, your device connects to a server run by the developer, which sees your IP address like any website (see section 4).
3. What is stored on your device
The app stores the following only on your device, in its private app storage:
| Data | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Provider connection: a display name, server address, username and password | To log in to your provider. The address, username and password are encrypted with a key held in the Android Keystore before they are saved. |
| A cached copy of your provider's catalog: categories, channels, movies, series and program guide data | So browsing, search and the guide work quickly. It is refreshed from your provider when you open the app. |
| Favorites and watch progress (what you watched and how far) | Favorites and “continue watching”. |
| Your recent searches: the last ten things you searched for in the app | To show them as suggestions in Search. You can clear them at any time with “Clear history” in Search. They are also removed when you clear the app's storage or uninstall the app. |
| Preferences: for example last watched channel, recently used and hidden categories, grouping, and keyboard layout | To remember how you like the app set up. |
The app keeps a short list of your recent searches (up to ten) only on your device, so Search can show them again. You can clear the list with “Clear history” in Search. It is removed when you clear the app's storage or uninstall the app, and it never leaves your device.
4. Network connections
The app uses the Android internet permission and the permission to check network state. It makes network requests only for these purposes:
- Your provider. The app contacts the server address you entered to log in, download the catalog and program guide, and play streams. Your username and password are sent to your provider as part of these requests, as the Xtream protocol requires. A provider may redirect a stream to another server of its own, such as a content delivery host.
- Images. Posters and channel logos are loaded from the image addresses that your provider's catalog contains. Those addresses can point to servers that are not run by your provider, and such a server can see your IP address and which image was requested.
- Public streams (optional, only if you choose it). “Use public streams” connects the app to a server run by the developer. Its catalog lists a few free public streams, and the server redirects playback to the broadcasters' or stream providers' own servers. No username or password of yours is involved. Like any server, the developer's server and those hosts can see your IP address and which stream you requested. The developer does not use this to identify you, and keeps no account or profile of you. If you never choose public streams, the app never contacts it.
The app makes no other network requests. What your provider and any image server do with the information they receive is governed by their own privacy policies, not this one.
Plain HTTP connections
Many providers only offer plain HTTP, and some of their streams are served over HTTP from other hosts. To make those providers work, the app allows unencrypted HTTP connections. If you enter a server address without http:// or https://, the app assumes http://. Over plain HTTP, other parties on the network path, such as your network operator, can potentially see your provider credentials and what you watch. Using HTTPS, where your provider supports it, and choosing a provider and network you trust is your responsibility.
5. Backups
The app allows Android's standard system backup. Depending on your device and Google account settings, Android may include app data in a backup under Google's own terms and privacy policy. Provider credentials are encrypted with a key kept in the Android Keystore. Depending on your device, a restored backup may therefore not include working credentials, and you may need to enter your provider details again.
6. Deleting your data
Uninstalling the app removes all data it stored on your device. You can also clear the app's storage in Android's settings. Because the developer holds no data about you, there is nothing to delete on the developer's side.
7. Google Play
If you install HelmTV through Google Play, Google may collect standard installation, usage and crash information (for example in Android vitals) under Google's own privacy policy. The developer sees only aggregated statistics that Google makes available in its developer console.
8. Children
HelmTV is not directed at children, and the developer does not knowingly collect personal data from anyone, including children. The app ships no content of its own; what you can watch is determined entirely by the provider you choose.
9. This website
This website is static. It uses no cookies, analytics, advertising, fonts or scripts from third parties. Its hosting provider may keep ordinary server logs (such as IP addresses) as part of operating the service, under its own policy. If you email the developer, your message and address are used only to reply.
10. Your rights
The developer does not process personal data about you through the app, so there is generally nothing to access, correct or erase. If you believe otherwise, or have any question about this policy, write to support@helmtv.app.
11. Changes
If this policy changes, the new version will be published on this page with an updated date at the top.