Privacy policy

Last changed 17 October 2026.

Voicaw is run by The Voicaw Team. This page says what Voicaw keeps about you, what it can't see at all, and who else is involved. Questions, or a request about your data: voicaw@proton.me.

The short version

What's end-to-end encrypted

In direct messages, group chats and your notes: the text of messages, files, pictures and voice messages, which emoji you react with, polls, link previews, a group's name and picture, and calls (voice, camera and screen sharing). Your spellcheck dictionary and which emoji you use most (and your skin tone) are encrypted too. Your device locks these with keys only you and the people in the conversation have.

The server still has to know some things to deliver them: who sent a message to whom, and when, which message it replies to, whether it was edited or pinned, its size (and whether it has link previews, and theirs), who reacted to which message, who's in a group and when people were added or removed, whether a group has a picture (and its size) and when it was changed, and when someone is typing. A call's record in the chat (whether it was answered, how long it lasted, who joined) isn't encrypted.

When a message is edited, its earlier versions are kept, and everyone who can see the message can see them (the "edited" beside it opens them). In direct messages and group chats they stay end-to-end encrypted like the message, and the server keeps when each was written. Deleting the message deletes all its versions. Editing doesn't remove earlier text, so to take something back, delete the message (a file an edit takes out is deleted, though).

Searching a direct message, group chat or your notes happens on your device: the server is never told what you search for or what was found. The first search of a chat downloads its history (still encrypted) to read it, and the server only sees that history being read, and how many messages there are in parts of it, which it already knows. Your device keeps what it read so later searches are quick, locked with a key that is made on that device and never leaves it. Logging out deletes this copy, and you can turn it off in Settings → Privacy → Storage on this device (then nothing is kept, and each search downloads the history again).

So you can read them without a connection, your device also keeps the direct messages, group chats and notes it has shown you (their text, reactions and who wrote them; no pictures or files), locked the same way with a key made on that device that never leaves it, along with the lists the app needs to open them (your conversations and groups). Nothing about this is sent anywhere. Logging out deletes it, and you can turn it off or clear it in Settings → Privacy → Storage on this device.

Your private keys are kept on your devices. So you can log in on a new device, the server also keeps a copy locked with your password (and, if you made one, a copy locked with your recovery code). It can't open either: it never has your password or your recovery code.

If you turn on two-factor authentication (it's off unless you do), the server keeps the key your authenticator app makes its codes from (it needs it to check them; it isn't encrypted), and your unused backup codes, only as one-way hashes. Both are deleted when you turn it off or delete your account.

What isn't encrypted

Your account and devices

Logging in uses OPAQUE, a way of checking a password without the server ever receiving it. For each device you're logged in on, Voicaw keeps when you logged in, when the device was last used, its internet (IP) address and a description of the browser or app (shown to you in Settings → Devices). A device unused for 30 days is logged out and forgotten. Logging out, or logging a device out from Settings → Devices, forgets it at once. Voicaw also keeps which version of the terms of use you agreed to, and when.

If new accounts need an admin's approval, the admins see your username, display name and when you signed up while you wait; nobody else sees your account until it's approved. If they decline it, or you withdraw your request, the account is deleted completely, name included. If you sign up with an invite, Voicaw only counts that the invite was used, not who used it.

Some settings are kept with your account so they follow you: muted and pinned conversations, muted guilds and channels, notification levels, which reactions to your messages you're told about, favourite GIFs, which of your profile's tabs others see, whether pictures in NSFW channels are blurred, and whether you have said you are 18 or over (only that answer: never your date of birth or age). Most others (theme, language, privacy choices, unsent drafts) stay on the device.

Files

Files and pictures are kept in Voicaw's file store. Files in direct messages and group chats are encrypted before they leave your device, so the store only has scrambled data. Files in guilds, profile pictures, profile banners and custom emoji aren't encrypted, and can be opened by anyone who has their (long, unguessable) link. Files no message uses any more (a deleted message's, or one never sent) are deleted, normally within a day.

Who else is involved

Voicaw's server, file store and voice servers are its own. There can be more than one voice server, in different places (voice regions): a guild chooses which one each of its voice channels uses, and calls use the default one. Guild voice goes through the chosen server without end-to-end encryption; calls are end-to-end encrypted, so no voice server can hear them. Some things involve other services:

Friends

Voicaw keeps who your friends are (and since when) and the friend requests you've sent and received (and when), until you remove the friend, the request is answered or cancelled, either of you blocks the other, or either account is deleted. These aren't end-to-end encrypted: the server needs them to show your lists. Admins can see a list of every account, as everyone could before friends existed; the app doesn't show them who your friends are. Someone who opens your profile sees the friends you both have, unless you turn off "Show mutual friends" in Settings → Privacy.

Blocking, reports and suspensions

Voicaw keeps who you've blocked (and when) until you unblock them or either account is deleted. The person you blocked isn't told. You can also block a guild's webhook (an automated poster): Voicaw keeps that you did, when, which guild it's in and the name it had, until you unblock it, your account is deleted or the guild is deleted (it stays if the webhook is deleted, since its messages do). Nobody is told.

A report keeps who sent it, who it's about, the reason and any note, and where it happened. For a guild message, the report keeps a copy of the message as it was, so deleting it doesn't remove the evidence. For a message in a direct message or group chat, which Voicaw can't read, the report only says who sent it to whom and when, unless the person reporting ticks "Let moderators see this message": then the text they see goes with the report, and nothing else from the chat. Reports are seen only by Voicaw's moderators (its admins), never by the person reported, and are deleted a year after they're dealt with. Deleting an account doesn't delete reports about or by it until then.

If an account is suspended, Voicaw keeps when, and the reason the moderator gave (shown to its owner when they try to log in), until the suspension is lifted.

Logs

Voicaw's web servers log each request's IP address, address and browser, kept for 14 days. The server's error log, kept until it's cleared, records the address of a request that went wrong (without your IP address). These are only used to keep Voicaw working and safe from abuse. Attempts to log in or register are counted per IP address and username, in memory, for up to an hour, to stop password guessing; asking to join the Android test is counted per IP address the same way, to stop spam.

On your phone

The Android app keeps your login and keys inside the app, never in Android's backups. It asks for the microphone (for calls, voice and voice messages), the camera (only when you turn yours on in a call or voice channel), notifications, showing incoming calls over the lock screen, your photos and videos (only if you allow it from the message box's + panel, to show your recent ones there to pick from; they're listed and shown only on your phone, and only one you pick and send leaves it, encrypted in DMs and group DMs like any attachment), and, on Android 8 and 9 only, storage (to save files you download into Downloads). It keeps a list of the last 20 notifications it got and what happened to each (only times and kinds, no text), so you can see in Settings → Android App why one didn't show.

Joining the Android test

The Android app is a closed test on Google Play for now. Asking to join it on voicaw.com's home page sends Voicaw the email address you give (your Google account's), and, if you add them, a name and a note. No account is needed, and it isn't linked to one. Only Voicaw's admins see it. They add the email address to the test's list of testers in Google's Play Console, which gives it to Google, and Google then lets that Google account install the app. Voicaw keeps the request until an admin deletes it; to have it deleted sooner, or taken off the test's list, ask at voicaw@proton.me. Asking again with the same email address replaces the name and note.

Deleting your account

You can delete your account in Settings → Account (how, and exactly what goes). Your profile (with the record of the games you played), password data, key copies, devices, notes, settings and memberships go at once. Messages you sent stay in the conversations and guilds they're in, shown as from "Deleted User", as they are part of other people's chats.

Your rights

You can see most of what Voicaw keeps about you in the app itself, change your profile at any time, and delete your account. To ask for a copy of your data, a correction, or anything else about how it's handled, write to voicaw@proton.me. Voicaw can't give anyone your encrypted messages: it can't read them.

Children

Voicaw isn't for children: you must be at least 13 to use it (see the terms of use).

Changes

If this policy changes, this page changes with it, with the date at the top.