Effective October 23, 2026
BracketMerge is a photo utility developed by Allen J. Blodgett ("the developer"). It merges your bracketed exposures into HDR photos on your iPhone or iPad. It has no accounts of its own and no servers, so it does not collect your data. This policy explains what that means in practice, including when you connect your own cloud storage.
The short version
- BracketMerge does not collect, sell or share personal information.
- It contains no analytics, advertising or tracking code, and it does not track you across apps or websites.
- Your photos only leave your device when you export, share or save them somewhere yourself.
- The developer runs no servers that BracketMerge talks to. If you connect a cloud source, BracketMerge talks directly to that service, never to the developer.
Your photos
Photos you import are processed on your device. BracketMerge works on temporary copies in its own storage and never modifies your original files. The copies are deleted when you start over, and when you next open the app.
BracketMerge only accesses photos in the ways you choose:
- Photos library. You pick exposures with Apple's photo picker, which gives BracketMerge only the photos you select.
- Files. You open exposures through the Files app, which gives BracketMerge only the files you choose. These can come from your device, an SD card or drive, a network share or a cloud storage provider. Any transfer from a cloud provider is between your device and that provider, under that provider's privacy policy.
- Cloud sources. If you connect an oCIS server or Dropbox account (see below), BracketMerge can show the photos stored there and download the ones you pick.
- Saving to Photos. If you save an export to your Photos library, BracketMerge asks for permission to add photos. That permission only lets it add photos. It can't read or change your library.
Photo metadata. Exported files keep the camera metadata of the exposure they're based on, so your exports carry the same details as your originals. That includes exposure settings, the date taken and, if your camera recorded it, the location. Check this before you share a photo publicly if location matters to you.
Cloud sources
BracketMerge Pro can connect to storage you already use, in Settings › Cloud Sources. Connecting is optional, and nothing is sent anywhere until you do. BracketMerge talks directly to your oCIS server or to Dropbox. Nothing passes through the developer, and the developer can't see your files, your file list or your sign-in.
Signing in. You sign in on your server's own page or on Dropbox's own page, in a secure browser window provided by iOS. BracketMerge never sees your password. The sign-in tokens it receives are stored in your device's Keychain. They're kept on this device only and aren't synced to iCloud.
What BracketMerge stores about a connected source, on your device only:
- for an oCIS server: the server's address, and your user ID, username and display name on that server;
- for Dropbox: your Dropbox account ID, name and email address, which Dropbox shares when you allow access, so Settings can show which account is connected;
- any name you give the source in BracketMerge.
What BracketMerge reads. To show your library, BracketMerge reads a list of your photo files: their names, folders, sizes and dates. On oCIS this comes from the photo index that the oCIS Gallery server app publishes. On Dropbox, BracketMerge lists the files in your Dropbox and keeps only the photo formats it can merge. To show thumbnails, it downloads thumbnails made by your server or by Dropbox, or the small preview image embedded in a RAW file. It downloads a full original only when you pick it to merge.
Dropbox access. BracketMerge asks Dropbox for permission to read your account details, list and read your files, and save new files. It needs access to your whole Dropbox because photographers keep brackets wherever their imports put them, and because BracketMerge saves each merge next to its originals. BracketMerge only writes when you choose Export › Save to Dropbox, and then only adds a new file. It never changes, moves, overwrites or deletes anything in your Dropbox. The same goes for Save to an oCIS server.
What BracketMerge keeps on your device:
- the file list and thumbnails, cached so your library opens quickly next time;
- originals you've downloaded, kept in the app's cache (up to 10 GB, oldest removed first) so reopening a set doesn't download it again. iOS may also clear this cache when space runs low;
- a merge you've chosen to save to a cloud source, until the upload is confirmed. It's kept in the app's own storage, excluded from device backups, and deleted as soon as the server or Dropbox confirms it has the whole file.
Disconnecting. Disconnecting a source in Settings deletes its sign-in tokens and saved file list from your device. Thumbnails and downloaded originals stay in the app's cache until iOS clears it or you delete the app. Disconnecting doesn't change anything on your server or in your Dropbox. To also remove BracketMerge's access on Dropbox's side, go to dropbox.com › Settings › Apps and remove BracketMerge.
Your files on a cloud source are covered by that service's own privacy policy: your oCIS server's operator, or Dropbox's privacy policy.
Purchases
BracketMerge Pro is sold through Apple's App Store. Apple processes the payment, and the developer receives no payment details, name, email address or Apple Account information. BracketMerge checks your Pro status with Apple's StoreKit on your device.
The free-export count
The free version allows a set number of exports in a rolling 7-day window. To count them, BracketMerge stores the times of your recent exports:
- in your device's Keychain, so the count survives reinstalling the app, and
- in your iCloud key-value storage, so it's shared across your devices signed in to the same Apple Account.
These timestamps never leave your devices and your iCloud account, and the developer can't see them.
Settings
Your preferences, such as the default tone curve and export format, are stored on your device.
Crash reports
If you've chosen to share analytics with app developers in your device's settings, Apple may send the developer anonymous crash reports and usage statistics. Apple controls this and you can turn it off at any time: on iPhone or iPad, go to Settings › Privacy & Security › Analytics & Improvements and turn off Share With App Developers. These reports don't include your photos.
Children
BracketMerge is not directed at children and collects no personal information from anyone, including children.
Changes to this policy
If BracketMerge's handling of data changes, this page will be updated with a new effective date before the change ships.
Trademarks
Dropbox is a trademark of Dropbox, Inc. ownCloud and oCIS are trademarks of ownCloud GmbH. BracketMerge is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by either company.
Contact
Questions about this policy: hello@allenjblodgett.com