Privacy Policy
Arkhe for iPhone & iPad · Last updated: October 11, 2026
Arkhe ("the app") is an IRC client. It connects to IRC servers and bouncers that you choose. There are no Arkhe accounts, no analytics, no advertising SDKs and no telemetry of any kind.
Short version: we do not collect, store, sell or share your personal data. Your settings and recent history stay on your device, and your conversations go directly to the servers you configure. The one service we run, the optional push relay, only ever sees encrypted notifications it cannot read.
What stays on your device
The app stores the following locally, in its own sandbox and in the iOS Keychain:
| Item | Where |
|---|---|
| Server and bouncer settings, nicknames and app preferences | App storage |
| Passwords, SASL credentials, client-certificate passphrases and an optional uploader token | iOS Keychain (encrypted) |
| Recent conversation history (the last 500 lines per conversation), so chats open instantly. You can turn this off in Settings, which deletes it | App storage |
| The encryption keys used to decrypt push notifications | iOS Keychain, shared with the app’s notification extension |
All of this is removed when you delete the app.
What the app connects to
The IRC servers and bouncers you configure. Your nickname, messages and connection details go directly to them. They are run by third parties (or by you) and are governed by their own policies, not this one. We have no access to those connections.
File uploads, only when you attach something. If your server offers a file host, the file is uploaded there, signed in with your server login. Otherwise it goes to the custom uploader you configured. We do not operate either and never receive your files.
Images and link previews. When Load images & link previews is on (Settings → Media), the app fetches images and page previews for links posted in your conversations. Like opening any link, this reveals your IP address to the site hosting them. Turn it off to only fetch content when you tap a link.
Push notifications, optional and off by default. If you turn on
Push when app is closed, your bouncer encrypts each notification for your device
(Web Push, RFC 8291) and sends it to our relay at push.arkhe.priet.us, which forwards it to
Apple’s Push Notification service. The relay sees only the encrypted payload, your device’s
push token and the address of your bouncer. It cannot read the notifications, keeps no
access logs and stores nothing. Delivery through Apple is governed by Apple’s privacy policy.
You can point the app at a relay you run yourself.
The app contacts no other services: no analytics, no crash reporting, no advertising networks.
Data sharing
We do not sell, share or disclose your data, because we do not collect it.
Children’s privacy
Arkhe is not directed at children and does not collect personal information from anyone.
Changes to this policy
If the app’s data practices change, we will update this page and the date above.
Contact
Questions about privacy? Write to support@priet.us.