Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Last Updated: March 19, 2026

Your privacy is our top priority at 21K Tools. The vast majority of our tools run 100% in your browser — your files and data never leave your device. Two tools — the URL Shortener and the QR Code Generator (file upload) — require server-side processing and storage, which is explained in full below. This policy is transparent about exactly how every part of the site works.

1. How Our Tools Work

a) Browser-Based Tools (Most Tools)

The following tools process everything locally in your browser using JavaScript and WebAssembly — no data is ever sent to a server:

• Image Resizer, Image Converter, and all image tools
• PDF Tools (merge, split, compress, convert)
• QR Code Generator (text/URL input only) & QR Scanner
• File Converter
• Age Calculator, Interest Calculator, Time Calculator, Unit Converter, and all calculators

For these tools: your files never leave your device, nothing is stored or transmitted, and all data is cleared when you close or refresh the tab.

b) URL Shortener

When you shorten a URL using our URL Shortener tool, the original URL and its generated short code are stored in our database. This is necessary so that when anyone visits the short link, they can be redirected to the correct destination.

• The URL you submit is stored on our servers
• We do not associate your URL with any personal identity, account, or IP address
• Links may be retained indefinitely to keep short URLs functional
• Do not shorten URLs containing sensitive or private information

c) QR Code Generator (File Upload)

If you use the QR Code Generator with a file upload (e.g., to generate a QR code that links to a file), the uploaded file is stored on Cloudinary, a third-party cloud media platform, to produce a publicly accessible URL for the QR code.

• Uploaded files are stored on Cloudinary's servers and are accessible via the generated URL
• Anyone with the QR code or its URL can access the file
• We do not link the upload to any personal identity or account
• Do not upload files containing sensitive, confidential, or personal information
• Cloudinary's own privacy policy governs how they handle stored files: cloudinary.com/privacy

2. Information We Do Not Collect

We want to be explicit about what we do not do:

• We do not collect your name, email address, or any personal identifier for tool usage
• We do not track or log IP addresses for user profiling
• We do not use tracking pixels, fingerprinting, or behavioral profiling
• We do not sell or share your data with third parties for advertising purposes
• We do not require account creation or login of any kind

3. Other Information We May Collect

a) Contact Queries

If you contact us via email (contact@21k.tools) or the Help Center, we will receive and store your message in order to respond to you. This information is used solely for addressing your query and is never shared with third parties.

b) Site Analytics (Google Analytics)

We use Google Analytics to collect anonymized data about how visitors use our site. This helps us understand which tools are popular, how users navigate the site, and where we can improve. Google Analytics may collect:

• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• Referring website or search query that brought you here
• General geographic region (country/city level), browser type, and device type
• Interactions such as clicks and scroll depth

This data is aggregated and anonymized — it is not linked to any personal identity. We have IP anonymization enabled, so your full IP address is never stored by Google Analytics. Google processes this data in accordance with its own Privacy Policy. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking across all websites by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

c) Essential Browser Functionality

Like all websites, basic technical data may be captured in standard server access logs. These logs are used only for security monitoring, diagnosing errors, and preventing abuse — not for tracking individuals. They are routinely purged.

4. Cookies

We use cookies in the following limited ways:

a) Essential Cookies

Strictly necessary cookies for basic site functionality (e.g., maintaining state within a session). These are deleted when you close your browser and are never used for tracking or profiling.

b) Analytics Cookies (Google Analytics)

Google Analytics places cookies (such as _ga and _gid) to distinguish users and track session data in an anonymized, aggregated form. These cookies do not identify you personally. You can disable them via your browser settings or the Google Analytics Opt-out Add-on.

We do not use advertising cookies, social media tracking cookies, or any other third-party cookies beyond Google Analytics.

5. Advertising (Future / Optional)

21K Tools currently displays no advertisements. The site is completely ad-free and tracking-free today.

We may enable Google AdSense in the future to help keep all tools free. If and when we do, we will update this policy clearly before enabling ads. At that point:

• Ads will be served solely by Google through its AdSense platform
• Google may use its own cookies for ad personalization, in line with its standard practices
• We will share no user data, files, or browsing history with Google or any advertiser
• You will be able to manage ad preferences via Google's Ad Settings

Until ads are enabled, none of the above applies.

6. Data Security

We take appropriate measures to protect data handled by our site:

• Our site uses SSL/TLS encryption (HTTPS) for all connections
• For browser-based tools, no data is ever transmitted to our servers — there is nothing to breach on our end
• For the URL Shortener and QR Code file upload, data is stored on secured infrastructure (our database and Cloudinary respectively)
• We do not associate stored URLs or files with any personal identity
• We conduct regular reviews of our site's security posture

No method of internet transmission or storage is 100% secure. We encourage you not to submit sensitive or confidential information through the URL Shortener or QR Code file upload tool.

7. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external websites or resources not operated by 21K Tools. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. We recommend reviewing the privacy policy of any third-party site you visit.

8. Children's Privacy

21K Tools is not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect any personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has submitted personal information to us, please contact us at contact@21k.tools and we will promptly address the concern.

9. International Users

21K Tools is accessible worldwide. Anonymized analytics data collected via Google Analytics may be processed on Google's servers, which may be located outside your country. Google complies with applicable data transfer frameworks including the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. We handle all other personal data (such as contact queries) in accordance with applicable privacy regulations including GDPR.

10. Your Rights

For the vast majority of tools (browser-based), we hold no data linked to you — there is nothing to access, correct, or delete. For the two tools that involve server storage:

• URL Shortener: We store the URLs you shorten, but with no identity attached. If you know your short link, you may contact us to request its removal
• QR Code file upload: Files are stored on Cloudinary. You may contact us to request deletion, and we will make reasonable efforts to remove them
• Contact queries: You may request deletion of any email correspondence at any time

For any privacy-related requests, email us at contact@21k.tools.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time — for example, if we introduce Google AdSense or any new feature that affects data handling. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions about this Privacy Policy, please get in touch:

• Email: contact@21k.tools
• Help Center: https://21k.tools/help

We respond to all privacy-related inquiries promptly and transparently.

We built 21K Tools because we hate sketchy, tracking-filled tools. This policy reflects exactly how the site actually works.

Last Updated: March 19, 2026