Cookie Policy
Last updated: July 21, 2026
Our approach to cookies
EditPhotosForFree takes a minimal approach to cookies. We believe your browsing data belongs to you. We use only the cookies and local storage that are strictly necessary for the site to function, along with advertising cookies set by Google AdSense as disclosed below.
Cookies and storage we use
| Name | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| theme | localStorage | Remembers your light/dark theme preference | Persistent until cleared |
| _ga, _ga_* | HTTP Cookie (1st-party) | Google Analytics — anonymized page view counting | 2 years |
| _gid | HTTP Cookie (1st-party) | Google Analytics — session tracking | 24 hours |
| NID | HTTP Cookie (3rd-party) | Google AdSense — stores advertising preferences and personalization | 6 months |
| IDE | HTTP Cookie (3rd-party) | Google DoubleClick — ad delivery and targeting | 13 months |
| test_cookie | HTTP Cookie (3rd-party) | Google — checks if browser supports cookies | 15 minutes |
| _gcl_au | HTTP Cookie (1st-party) | Google AdSense — conversion tracking | 90 days |
Strictly necessary storage
The theme item in localStorage is used to persist your color scheme preference (light or dark) across visits. It is set only when you manually toggle the theme switcher. No theme data is transmitted to any server. You can clear it at any time by clearing your browser's site data.
Analytics (Google Analytics)
We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with the site — which pages are most popular, how users navigate between tools, and what devices they use. This helps us improve the site and prioritize features.
Google Analytics sets first-party cookies (_ga, _gid) that generate anonymized, pseudonymous identifiers. No personally identifiable information is collected. You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on.
Advertising (Google AdSense)
We use Google AdSense to display advertisements on our site. Google AdSense uses cookies and similar technologies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this website and other websites across the internet.
How AdSense works: Google uses advertising cookies to determine which ads to show, how often to show them, and how to measure the effectiveness of ad campaigns. These cookies may be set by Google (third-party cookies) or by our site (first-party cookies).
Personalized advertising: If you have allowed personalized advertising in your Google account, ads may be tailored to your interests. If personalized advertising is not enabled, you may still see ads, but they won't be based on your browsing history.
Opt-out options: You can opt out of personalized advertising by:
- Visiting Google Ads Settings
- Installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on
- Visiting Digital Advertising Alliance Opt-Out
- Visiting Your Online Choices (EU)
How we respect your privacy
- We use Google AdSense for advertising, which may set third-party cookies as disclosed in this policy.
- We do not use Facebook Pixel, TikTok Pixel, or any social media trackers.
- We do not use cookie consent banners because Google AdSense is configured to respect user consent via Google's built-in consent mode.
- Your images are never transmitted to any server — all processing happens in your browser.
Third-party services
Some third-party services we use may set their own cookies:
- Google AdSense — displays advertisements and may use cookies for interest-based advertising, ad measurement, and fraud prevention. See Google's Advertising Policy.
- Google Analytics — website analytics using first-party cookies for anonymized usage statistics.
- Google Fonts — may log IP addresses for CDN delivery. We self-host fonts where possible; CDN-loaded fonts are used as a fallback.
- Font Awesome — CDN delivery of icon fonts. Standard CDN caching applies.
These services are considered data processors under GDPR. We have ensured they operate under appropriate data processing agreements.
Managing cookies
Most browsers allow you to control cookies through your settings:
If you disable cookies, some features of the site may not function as intended (specifically, the theme preference will not persist across visits).
Changes to this policy
If we change how we use cookies, we will update this page and note the change date at the top. Material changes will be announced on our homepage.
Contact
Questions about this Cookie Policy? Email editphotosforfree@gmail.com or visit our Contact page.