App Permissions
Every permission the VidBlaze Android app declares, and why. Version 1.0.2.
The Short Version
VidBlaze asks for storage, notification and background-service permissions so it can save videos to the Download/VidBlaze folder and keep downloading when you leave the app. It does not ask for your location, camera, microphone, contacts, SMS or call logs. The app uses Google's Firebase Analytics and Crashlytics to measure downloads and report crashes. On Windows, VidBlaze needs no special permissions; see below.
VidBlaze on Windows
The Windows app does not use Android-style permissions. It runs as your normal Windows user and the installer is set up to install for your user account only (not for all users).
- Where it installs:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\VidBlazeby default. You can pick another folder in the setup wizard. - What it does not do: no start with Windows, no services, no scheduled tasks, no change to PATH or file associations, no antivirus exclusion, no Windows Defender or firewall change. The only registry entry is the usual per-user uninstall entry.
- What it runs:
yt-dlp.exe,ffmpeg.exeandnode.exe(downloaded on first start into%APPDATA%\com.vidblaze\vidblaze\tools), plus Windows' owncertutil.exe(to check file checksums) andtaskkill.exe(to end its own helper programs when you close it). They end when VidBlaze closes. - What it reads: the clipboard only when you press Paste.
- What it opens: a downloaded video with your default player when you choose Open file; your browser when you click an update or help link.
- Network: see the list in the Privacy Policy.
- Code signing: the installer and
vidblaze.exeare not code-signed. See the Windows install guide.
Which Permissions Android Asks You About
Android only shows a prompt for a few of them: storage or media access (depending on your Android version) and notifications on Android 13 and newer. The others are granted when the app is installed, as they are for every app, and don't give access to your personal files or data. You can review or remove VidBlaze's permissions at any time in Settings › Apps › VidBlaze › Permissions.
Every Permission, Explained
| Permission | Why VidBlaze needs it |
|---|---|
android.permission.INTERNET | Fetches video details and downloads the video file. Also loads the app settings and the update notice. |
android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE | Checks whether your phone is online before and during a download. |
android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE | Reads the Download/VidBlaze folder so your finished downloads can be listed and played. |
android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE | Saves downloaded videos to the Download/VidBlaze folder. |
android.permission.READ_MEDIA_VIDEO | Reads the video files VidBlaze saved, so they show up in the app. It replaces the storage permission above on newer Android. |
android.permission.READ_MEDIA_AUDIO | Reads the audio files VidBlaze saved, so they show up in the app. |
android.permission.POST_NOTIFICATIONS | Shows the download progress notification. |
android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE | Keeps a download running in the background while its notification is showing. |
android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_DATA_SYNC | The type of background service Android requires for transferring data such as a download. |
android.permission.WAKE_LOCK | Keeps the download going when the screen turns off. |
android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED | Declared by the background-download library VidBlaze uses. VidBlaze has the library's start-on-boot option switched off, so it does not start when your phone restarts. |
com.google.android.gms.permission.AD_ID | Added by Google's Firebase Analytics SDK (see "Analytics and crash reports" below). VidBlaze does not show ads. |
android.permission.ACCESS_ADSERVICES_ATTRIBUTION | Added by the Firebase Analytics SDK, part of Android's Privacy Sandbox for measurement. |
android.permission.ACCESS_ADSERVICES_AD_ID | Added by the Firebase Analytics SDK, part of Android's Privacy Sandbox for measurement. |
com.google.android.finsky.permission.BIND_GET_INSTALL_REFERRER_SERVICE | Added by the Firebase Analytics SDK. It reports how an app was installed from Google Play; VidBlaze is installed from an APK. |
com.vidblaze.vidblaze.DYNAMIC_RECEIVER_NOT_EXPORTED_PERMISSION | An internal permission added by Android's AndroidX library. Only VidBlaze itself can hold it; it keeps the app's internal messages private from other apps. |
Analytics and Crash Reports
The app uses Firebase Analytics and Firebase Crashlytics, both provided by Google.
- Analytics records app events such as a download starting, finishing or failing, with details like the chosen quality, file size, download time and a short error description when something goes wrong.
- Crash reports are sent when the app crashes or hits an error. They include technical details and a log of what the app was doing just before, which can include the title of the video being downloaded and technical output from the video converter, so we can find and fix the problem.
Neither is linked to a name, email or account, because VidBlaze doesn't have accounts.
Advertising ID. In version 1.0.2, Firebase Analytics adds the advertising-ID permissions in the list above and can read your advertising ID. The next update switches advertising-ID collection off and removes those four permissions. Until then, you can reset or delete your advertising ID in your phone's Settings › Privacy › Ads (or Settings › Google › Ads). Google handles this data under Google's Privacy Policy.
What VidBlaze Does NOT Do
- No ads. The app contains no advertising SDK and shows no ads.
- No account. There is no sign-up or login, and the app never asks for your name, email or phone number.
- No location, camera, microphone, contacts, SMS or call logs. None of these permissions are in the app.
- No photos or documents on Android 13 and newer. There, VidBlaze's media permissions cover video and audio only. It has no permission for your photos, documents or other files.
- No start on boot. VidBlaze doesn't run in the background after your phone restarts.
- No app-data backups. The app opts out of Android's automatic cloud backup of app data.
Check It Yourself
Android lists the permissions before you install, and in Settings › Apps › VidBlaze afterwards. You can also confirm your APK is the original file by comparing its SHA-256 checksum with the one on the changelog, or by opening its VirusTotal report.
More About Your Privacy
See the Privacy Policy for how this website handles data, and the Terms of Use. Questions? Email contact@vidblaze.app.