Privacy Policy

What This Policy Covers

This policy explains how ReelToText handles information when you use our public short-video transcription tool. ReelToText supports public Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and TikTok videos up to three minutes for signed-in free accounts, and up to ten minutes for active Pro and Max members.

Video Links and Media Processing

When you submit a supported public video URL, Apify processes the link and provides either timed captions or temporary audio needed for transcription. For Instagram and TikTok, ReelToText downloads extracted audio into temporary server memory and submits it to OpenRouter. For YouTube Shorts, ReelToText uses the timed caption transcript returned by the configured extraction provider and does not send YouTube media to OpenRouter.

ReelToText does not write source media to its application database or build a searchable media library. Any in-memory audio buffer is discarded when the request completes or fails. Extraction providers may temporarily retain request results under their own retention policies.

The generated transcript is returned to your browser and may be stored temporarily in a shared database cache so the same public video does not need to be processed again. Cached transcripts are not presented as a searchable public media library.

Information We Process

We may process the following limited information:

• The public Instagram, YouTube or TikTok URL you submit.
• Your IP address or a derived identifier for security, abuse prevention and request rate limits.
• Your account identifier for managing welcome or paid credits, transcript jobs and duplicate-result reuse.
• Your account name and email address when a signed-in user submits a transcription request.
• Standard request information such as browser type, timestamps and error logs when server logging is enabled.
• Account and billing identifiers when you use a paid monthly plan. Payment credentials are handled by the payment provider and are not stored by ReelToText.
• Your name, email address, selected topic and message when you use the Contact form.

Chrome Extension

The ReelToText Chrome extension reads the current tab URL only when you click its toolbar icon. It checks locally whether the URL looks like a supported Instagram Reel, YouTube Short or TikTok video. The URL is sent to ReelToText only after you press Generate transcript.

Connecting an account opens the ReelToText website so you can use the existing sign-in flow. The extension never receives your password or Instagram, YouTube or TikTok cookies. After you approve the connection, a short-lived, single-use ticket is exchanged for a signed ReelToText session token. Chrome local storage holds that token and a limited account summary so your membership and Credits continue to work after Chrome restarts. Session storage holds temporary connection state and the last toolbar-click capture. Local storage may also hold the active ReelToText job URL so an interrupted side panel can restore your own job without creating a duplicate charge. Disconnecting removes the extension's account token without signing you out of the website.

The extension does not inject scripts into social-media pages, read page content, collect browsing history, sell browsing activity or use it for advertising. It requests access only to the ReelToText service and the temporary active-tab access granted by your toolbar click.

Transcript jobs use the internal account identifier and record status, cost category, credit settlement and timestamps so charges can be explained and recovered safely after an interruption. Security controls may use a hashed network identifier rather than storing a raw IP address in quota records.

Service Providers

ReelToText uses service providers to operate the transcript workflow:

• Apify receives the submitted public video URL and extracts temporary media or metadata needed for transcription.
• OpenRouter receives extracted Instagram or TikTok audio to create the transcript and timestamps. YouTube Shorts do not use OpenRouter in the current workflow.
• Resend delivers an operational notification to the ReelToText owner when a visitor submits a Generate Transcript form, including submissions that are empty, invalid, cached or later blocked. It may also deliver a separate result notification for provider-backed attempts. These emails may contain the entered public URL, page and placement context, referrer, transcript or error, timestamps, hashed IP, browser user agent and signed-in account details.
• Hosting, analytics or error-monitoring providers may process standard technical request data if those services are enabled.

Each provider handles data under its own terms and privacy policy.

Cookies, Analytics and Advertising

The transcript form does not require advertising cookies. The site may use necessary cookies for theme preferences, security and optional account features. Analytics runs only when it is configured by the site operator.

When enabled, ReelToText uses a self-hosted Umami instance for page views and product events such as transcript-form views, submissions, limit-dialog actions and transcript outcomes. For signed-in users, events may be associated with an opaque internal account ID so return usage can be measured; we do not send submitted video URLs, transcript text, account names or email addresses to Umami. The operator may also keep the existing Plausible or Google Analytics integrations enabled.

ReelToText may use Google AdSense after the site and account have been approved. Google and its partners may place or read cookies, use web beacons, collect IP addresses or use other device identifiers to select, deliver and measure ads. Advertising remains disabled until a valid Publisher ID, a manual ad slot and required consent controls are configured.

Where required for visitors in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, ReelToText will use a Google-certified consent management platform before requesting personalized or non-personalized Google ads. The consent interface will provide the available choices and a way to revisit them. You can also manage browser cookies through your browser settings. Learn how Google uses information from sites that use its services at Google's partner-sites page.

Data Retention

Audio downloaded by ReelToText is held only in server memory while it is transcribed and is not written to ReelToText application storage. Extraction providers may retain request results under their own policies. Regular cached transcripts and timed exports expire after 72 hours. ReelToText retains one designated public demo transcript without expiry so visitors can try the complete flow without sign-in or repeated third-party processing cost. Operational notification emails, hosting logs and security logs may be retained by the relevant providers under their retention settings.

Public Content Only

ReelToText only supports publicly accessible content. Do not submit private content, links obtained by bypassing access controls or material you are not permitted to process.

Your Choices

You can avoid media processing by not submitting a link. Contact-form submissions are sent to the site operator through the configured email provider and retained only as needed to answer the request, maintain support records or meet legal obligations.

If you have a privacy question or deletion request concerning information controlled by ReelToText, use the Contact page and choose Privacy request.

Changes

We may update this policy when the product, providers or legal requirements change. The current revision date appears at the top of this page.