Privacy & permissions
No VargGPS account is required. Position, saved tracks and settings are handled on your device. Map downloads, Android backup and apps you choose to open can involve third-party services. Optional permissions are explained below.
What this notice covers
This notice covers the VargGPS beta website, main Android app and separate Auto-enlarge companion. It does not replace the policies of Google Maps, Stark, VargPilot, your Android provider or map-download providers.
Location, maps and saved data
Location permission lets VargGPS show your position and, when you start recording, save your route. Recordings may contain precise coordinates and times. Downloaded regions, saved places, imported tracks, recordings and settings are stored on the device. Stop recording when finished. You can revoke location access in Android Settings; offline map browsing remains available without it.
Map and update requests connect to CoMaps distribution servers and mirrors. Those services receive network information such as your IP address and the requested file or region. A region request may suggest an area of interest; it is not the same as uploading a GPS recording. Internet access is also used when you deliberately open online links or third-party features.
The inherited OpenStreetMap editing feature, if used, can send edits and account authorisation to OpenStreetMap. That is optional and separate from a VargGPS account. Review OpenStreetMap’s privacy policy before signing in or contributing.
Permissions and your choices
| Access | Purpose and control |
|---|---|
| Location | Position and route recording. Grant only if you want those features; revoke it in Android’s app permissions. |
| Picture-in-Picture | Keeps a map visible over the dashboard. Android controls this setting separately for VargGPS and Google Maps. |
| Display over other apps | Optional floating Varg App button over Google Maps. It draws the control; it does not itself read the other app’s screen. |
| Usage Access | Optional detection of foreground-app changes so the button appears over Maps and hides over the dashboard. Android grants broader access to app-usage information; the return-button implementation uses recent app events locally. |
| Files and notifications | Selected files support track import/export. Android may show ongoing recording or service notifications. Sharing a file sends it to the app or recipient you choose. |
| Install unknown apps | A setting for the browser or file manager installing the APK, not a VargGPS data permission. You can turn it off again after installation. |
You can review or revoke permissions in Android Settings → Apps → Varg GPS Test. Special access is listed separately on some devices. Revoking access may stop the relevant feature. USB debugging and developer mode are not required.
Optional Auto-enlarge companion
The main app does not declare an Accessibility service. Auto-enlarge requires a separate app and an explicit Accessibility grant. Android describes this as broad access to windows and gestures; enable it only if you want automatic PiP resizing.
The current helper checks window identity and size briefly after an explicit dashboard handoff, and can send one double-tap when Google Maps PiP is small. It does not extract map text or record screen images. It keeps a small in-memory diagnostic history of operation states. It has no internet permission and disables Android backup. Turn it off in Android Accessibility or uninstall the companion to remove this access. Manual double-tap resizing remains available without it.
Google Maps and other apps
When you open Google Maps, the request may include a destination or search you selected. Google Maps uses its own account, location permissions, network services and privacy policy. Returning to Stark or VargPilot launches that app; its bike connection, account and data handling remain under its control. VargGPS’s return button does not read bike telemetry.
Backup, deletion and diagnostics
The main app enables Android backup for saved bookmarks and settings. Your Android configuration and backup provider determine whether eligible data is backed up or transferred to another device. Check the device’s backup settings if you do not want this. Exported tracks and files shared to other apps can also leave the device.
Delete saved items in the app or use Android’s Clear storage/uninstall controls to remove app-local data. Exported files, provider backups and copies held by other apps may remain; delete those separately. Back up important tracks before clearing data. Local data remains until you delete it or the device removes it; third-party retention follows the relevant provider’s policy.
The app and Android may keep technical logs to diagnose failures. A support or bug-report action can prepare logs for sharing through another app. Review both the recipient and attachment before sending: logs can contain device, file or location-related details. Some inherited help links may still point to CoMaps; CoMaps is not the operator of VargGPS. Do not send VargGPS reports or personal data to upstream contacts expecting VargGPS support.
Website and APK downloads
This static website has no VargGPS login, advertising tracker, analytics script or application cookie. Cloudflare serves the site, and GitHub hosts the APK downloads. These providers process request information, such as IP addresses, browser information and requested URLs, to deliver and secure their services. Their processing may involve servers outside your country and follows their own policies and retention practices: Cloudflare privacy and GitHub privacy.
External links take you to services with their own policies. Published product screenshots use a simulated location near Sibiu, Romania, and simulated bike data.
Your controls and applicable rights
You can decline optional access, stop recordings, delete local data, review backup settings and choose what to share. Depending on applicable law, you may also have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict or object to processing, request portability, withdraw consent where consent applies, or complain to a competent data-protection authority. Device settings are not a substitute for those rights. For data held by an independent provider, consult its privacy contact and controls.
This notice will be updated when the described practices change. Read it alongside the beta terms and disclaimer.