Privacy Policy for BusyFiles

Effective date: 16 September 2026

BusyFiles is a Linux desktop file manager developed by BusyStack.

This Privacy Policy explains how BusyFiles handles information when you use the app, including local files, GIO/GVfs locations, Google Drive, Nextcloud, cloud file operations, offline files, synchronization, and optional cloud filesystem mounting.

Information BusyFiles accesses

BusyFiles may access information on your device and information made available by cloud services that you explicitly connect.

Local files and folders

BusyFiles is a file manager and may access local filesystem information necessary to provide file-management features.

This may include:

  • File and folder names.
  • File paths and file URIs.
  • File types and MIME types.
  • File sizes.
  • Creation and modification information where available.
  • Filesystem identifiers.
  • Permissions and ownership information.
  • Symbolic-link information.
  • Mounted volumes and available locations.
  • File contents when you open, preview, copy, move, archive, extract, search content where supported, or otherwise perform an operation requiring the contents.
  • Metadata required for trash, restore, rename, permission changes, operation history, and conflict handling.

BusyFiles can also maintain local bookmarks, saved searches, and recent-file information.

BusyFiles respects the desktop's recent-file privacy configuration. If the desktop disables recent-file history, BusyFiles does not expose or add its own recent-file entries under that configuration. BusyFiles also provides a way to clear its recent-file history together with supported desktop recent history.

GIO and GVfs locations

BusyFiles can browse locations exposed through Linux GIO/GVfs.

Supported network-location handling may include protocols such as SMB, SFTP, FTP, FTPS, WebDAV, secure WebDAV, AFP, and NFS where the operating system and installed GIO/GVfs components support them.

When you connect to a network location, the connection is handled through the Linux desktop's native GIO/GVfs and GTK mount infrastructure.

BusyFiles rejects network URIs containing embedded usernames or passwords. Interactive authentication responses are handled by the native GTK/GIO mount operation and are not passed through BusyFiles' Flutter method channel.

The remote server and the Linux desktop services involved in the connection may receive the information required to authenticate and perform the file operations you request.

Google Drive information

BusyFiles uses the Google Drive API and requests the following Google authorization scope:

https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive

This scope allows BusyFiles to access Google Drive files and folders that your Google account can access so that BusyFiles can operate as a full file manager rather than only managing files created by BusyFiles.

When you connect Google Drive, BusyFiles may access:

  • Your Google Drive account identifier.
  • Your Google Drive display name and email address.
  • Storage quota and usage information.
  • Files and folders in My Drive.
  • Shared drives.
  • Items shared with you.
  • Trashed items.
  • File and folder names.
  • Google Drive file identifiers and parent relationships.
  • MIME types.
  • File sizes.
  • Creation, modification, viewing, and sharing timestamps where supplied by Google.
  • Checksums and revision identifiers.
  • Owners and owner display information.
  • Starred and trashed state.
  • Sharing state.
  • File capabilities and restrictions.
  • Download restrictions.
  • Shortcut information.
  • Export formats and links for Google-native documents.
  • Preview or thumbnail information supplied by Google.
  • Change information used to keep cached metadata current.
  • File revisions and revision metadata.
  • Sharing permissions, including permission type, role, recipient information, domain information, expiration information, and related permission settings.

BusyFiles may access file contents when required for an operation you initiate or enable, including opening, previewing, downloading, copying, synchronizing, making a file available offline, mounting cloud storage, exporting a Google-native document, or transferring content.

BusyFiles can also create, upload, rename, move, copy, replace, trash, restore, and permanently delete Google Drive items when you invoke the corresponding operation and the Google account permits it.

BusyFiles can read and modify Google Drive sharing permissions when you use its sharing features.

Google Drive search terms and filters may be sent to Google when BusyFiles performs provider-side cloud searches.

BusyFiles’s use and transfer of information received from Google APIs will adhere to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.

Nextcloud information

When you connect a Nextcloud account, BusyFiles may access:

  • The Nextcloud server address you enter.
  • Your Nextcloud user identifier.
  • Login name.
  • Display name.
  • Email address where supplied by the server.
  • Storage quota and usage information.
  • Language and locale information where supplied by the server.
  • Server capabilities needed to determine which file-management features are supported.
  • Files and folders available through the connected account.
  • File and folder paths and identifiers.
  • File names and DAV display names.
  • MIME or content types.
  • File sizes.
  • Modification times.
  • ETags, checksums, and related version identifiers.
  • File ownership information.
  • File permissions and capabilities.
  • Favorite state.
  • Preview availability.
  • Mount information supplied by Nextcloud.
  • Trash information, including original file name, original location, and deletion time where provided.
  • File version information.
  • Sharing information, including share type, recipient, permissions, public-link address, expiration, and download restrictions.

BusyFiles may access file contents when required for operations such as opening, previewing, downloading, uploading, copying, synchronizing, making content available offline, mounting cloud storage, or restoring a version.

BusyFiles can create, upload, rename, move, copy, replace, trash, restore, permanently delete, favorite, and otherwise manage Nextcloud files when you invoke the relevant operation and the server permits it.

BusyFiles can read, create, update, and remove supported Nextcloud shares. When you create or modify a share, information you provide, such as a recipient, permissions, expiration date, public-link password, or download restriction, is sent to the Nextcloud server.

Nextcloud search terms and filters may be sent to the Nextcloud server when BusyFiles performs server-side searches.

BusyFiles detects Nextcloud end-to-end-encrypted content where the server exposes that state. The current implementation does not treat unsupported end-to-end-encrypted content as ordinary readable or synchronizable content.

Account authorization

Google

Google Drive authentication uses OAuth 2.0 Authorization Code flow with PKCE using the S256 challenge method.

BusyFiles opens Google authorization in your default system browser.

The authorization callback uses a temporary listener bound to the IPv4 loopback interface on your own device.

Each authorization attempt uses a cryptographically generated state value and PKCE verifier. BusyFiles validates the returned state before completing authentication.

BusyFiles requests offline access so that its background daemon can synchronize and perform authorized operations without requiring you to sign in again every time.

Google OAuth access tokens and refresh tokens remain in the BusyFiles background service and are not sent to the BusyFiles file-manager window.

BusyFiles does not require your Google account password.

Nextcloud

BusyFiles uses Nextcloud Login Flow v2.

You provide the server address, after which BusyFiles opens the Nextcloud login page in your default browser.

Authentication occurs through the Nextcloud server. When authentication succeeds, Nextcloud provides BusyFiles with a login name and app password for the authorized account.

BusyFiles does not require your main Nextcloud account password to be entered into the BusyFiles interface.

Normal Nextcloud account connections must use HTTPS.

BusyFiles verifies that authentication URLs returned by Nextcloud remain on the trusted server origin and rejects unexpected redirects during authentication.

How BusyFiles uses information

BusyFiles uses local and connected-provider information to provide file-management functionality, including:

  • Browse local and cloud files and folders.
  • Display file and folder metadata.
  • Search files.
  • Open files.
  • Preview supported files.
  • Create files and folders.
  • Rename files and folders.
  • Copy and move items.
  • Upload and download files.
  • Delete, trash, restore, and permanently delete items where supported.
  • Manage favorites or starred items.
  • View and restore supported file versions.
  • Manage supported sharing permissions.
  • Generate or cache thumbnails and previews.
  • Maintain bookmarks and recent-file history.
  • Maintain durable file operations and operation history.
  • Detect and resolve transfer or synchronization conflicts.
  • Make selected cloud content available offline.
  • Synchronize explicitly selected cloud folders with explicitly selected local folders.
  • Expose connected cloud storage through the optional BusyFiles FUSE filesystem.

The BusyFiles source does not include advertising, marketing analytics, behavioral profiling, application telemetry, or a BusyStack-hosted cloud file service.

Normal file access and cloud synchronization occur directly between BusyFiles and the local filesystem, Linux desktop services, Google, the Nextcloud server you authorized, or another network filesystem that you explicitly mount.

Cloud browsing and local copies

BusyFiles distinguishes cloud browsing from content synchronization.

Browsing

Browsing cloud storage fetches metadata. Merely navigating a cloud folder does not mean that BusyFiles downloads every file in that folder.

Opening a cloud file

When you open supported cloud content, BusyFiles may create a private managed working copy on your device.

The working copy can be monitored so that BusyFiles can determine whether the file was changed locally.

Where the provider and item permissions support safe replacement, BusyFiles can upload saved changes back to the provider.

If safe write-back is not supported, BusyFiles can require read-only opening or offer an independent download instead.

Downloads

A normal Download operation creates an ordinary local copy at the destination you select.

That downloaded copy is independent of BusyFiles' private cache and is governed by the filesystem permissions and security of the location where you saved it.

Make available offline

When you explicitly choose to make cloud content available offline, BusyFiles stores a private local cached copy.

Offline-pinned content is treated separately from ordinary evictable cache content.

Folder synchronization

Folder synchronization is optional and is not enabled merely by connecting an account or browsing a cloud folder.

When you explicitly configure synchronization, BusyFiles creates a two-way relationship between one selected cloud folder and one selected ordinary local directory.

Files may then be downloaded from the cloud provider to that local directory and uploaded from that directory to the cloud provider as required by synchronization.

Optional cloud filesystem mount

BusyFiles can expose supported cloud accounts through an optional FUSE filesystem.

When the FUSE mount is enabled, applications may access cloud files through the mounted filesystem.

BusyFiles may retrieve file content on demand and maintain private read-block or full-content caches to serve filesystem operations.

The optional mount is separate from selected-folder synchronization.

Local storage

BusyFiles stores application data locally using Linux XDG application directories for configuration, state, data, cache, and runtime files.

BusyFiles creates its private application directories with permissions restricted to the current user.

The main BusyFiles metadata database is stored locally as SQLite data and is restricted to the current user through filesystem permissions.

The current implementation does not apply BusyFiles-specific database encryption to that SQLite database.

Local metadata may include:

  • Connected-account records.
  • Provider identifiers and server addresses.
  • Account display names and email addresses.
  • Provider roots.
  • File and folder metadata.
  • Cloud identifiers and paths.
  • File names.
  • MIME types.
  • File sizes and timestamps.
  • Owner information.
  • Checksums, ETags, revisions, and remote versions.
  • File capabilities and restriction information.
  • Cached folder relationships.
  • Provider change cursors and reconciliation state.
  • Transfer jobs and transfer state.
  • Pending mutations.
  • Operation history.
  • Managed-working-copy metadata.
  • Offline-pin metadata.
  • Synchronization roots and synchronization entries.
  • Synchronization tombstones.
  • Conflict and conflict-resolution state.
  • FUSE mount metadata.
  • Bookmarks.
  • Recent-file metadata.
  • Saved searches.
  • Application settings.

Private file storage

BusyFiles may also keep private file content under its application data or cache directories.

Depending on the features you use, this can include:

  • Managed cloud working copies.
  • Transfer staging files.
  • Explicit offline copies.
  • Evictable content cache data.
  • FUSE read-block cache data.
  • Provider-export cache data.
  • Thumbnails.
  • Drag-and-drop materializations.
  • Conflict-recovery copies.

BusyFiles creates these private directories with user-only permissions and creates sensitive private file copies with restrictive file permissions.

The current implementation does not apply BusyFiles-specific content encryption to these cached or working-copy files. Their protection therefore depends on the Linux user account, filesystem permissions, device security, disk encryption if enabled by the user or operating system, and any device-level backups.

Credential storage

Cloud credentials are kept separately from BusyFiles' ordinary metadata database.

BusyFiles uses the Linux Secret Service through libsecret.

For Google Drive, this secure credential storage may contain:

  • OAuth access token.
  • OAuth refresh token.
  • Token expiration information.
  • Token type.
  • Authorized scopes.

For Nextcloud, it may contain:

  • Canonical server address.
  • Login name.
  • Nextcloud app password.

BusyFiles can also use narrowly scoped Secret Service records for temporary sensitive values required by particular durable provider operations.

The BusyFiles UI is designed not to receive the stored cloud credentials. Credential handling belongs to the per-user BusyFiles background daemon and the Linux Secret Service.

If secure credential storage is unavailable, BusyFiles reports that the system keyring must be unlocked or made available rather than silently storing credentials in ordinary application files.

Sharing

BusyFiles supports provider-native file sharing where implemented by the connected service.

For Google Drive, BusyFiles may read or modify sharing permissions through Google Drive APIs.

For Nextcloud, BusyFiles may read, create, modify, and remove supported user, group, federated, or public-link shares where the server permits them.

Information required for a share is sent to the corresponding provider. This can include the selected file or folder, recipient information, permissions, expiration information, and provider-specific sharing settings.

A Nextcloud public-link password is sent to the authorized Nextcloud server when you explicitly configure that password.

BusyFiles does not operate a BusyStack file-sharing service.

External applications and websites

BusyFiles can open files using applications registered with the Linux desktop.

For a cloud file opened through a managed working copy, the external application receives access to that local working-copy file.

When you explicitly choose to open a supported cloud item on the provider's website, BusyFiles may pass the provider-supplied HTTPS web address to the system's registered browser or application.

For example, Google-native Workspace documents can be opened through the web address supplied by Google.

The external application or website then operates under its own privacy practices.

Data sharing

BusyFiles does not automatically send local files or connected cloud files to BusyStack servers.

Data is transmitted as required by the storage service or operation you choose.

Google

BusyFiles communicates directly with Google authorization services and Google Drive APIs.

Depending on the action you perform, Google may receive:

  • OAuth authorization information.
  • File and folder queries.
  • Search terms.
  • File metadata.
  • File contents being uploaded.
  • File-operation requests.
  • Sharing changes.
  • Revision requests.
  • Download and export requests.

Google sends authorized Drive metadata and file content back to BusyFiles as required for the requested operation.

Nextcloud

BusyFiles communicates directly with the HTTPS Nextcloud server you authorize using Nextcloud Login Flow, WebDAV, OCS APIs, and related supported Nextcloud endpoints.

Depending on the action you perform, the server may receive:

  • Authentication-flow requests.
  • File and folder queries.
  • Search terms.
  • File metadata.
  • File contents being uploaded.
  • File-operation requests.
  • Sharing changes.
  • Preview requests.
  • Version requests.
  • Trash and restore requests.

GIO/GVfs network services

When you connect or access a network filesystem through GIO/GVfs, the corresponding remote server and Linux desktop service receive the information required for that connection and the file operations you perform.

Diagnostic information

BusyFiles includes local diagnostic logging for errors and operational warnings.

Diagnostic output is written locally rather than automatically uploaded to BusyStack.

BusyFiles' logging redaction removes or masks security-sensitive information including:

  • Bearer and Basic authorization values.
  • Authorization headers.
  • Cookies.
  • OAuth access, refresh, and ID tokens.
  • Authorization codes.
  • PKCE code verifiers.
  • Client secrets.
  • Passwords and app passwords.
  • Poll tokens.
  • Session-like values.
  • Public-share passwords.
  • Common local filesystem paths by default.

BusyFiles does not silently attach or upload diagnostic logs to a BusyStack service.

Data retention

BusyFiles keeps its local metadata, private caches, settings, and connected-account state on your device as needed to provide the features you use.

Evictable cache content may be removed according to configured cache limits or when you explicitly clear the relevant cache.

Content explicitly marked for offline availability is retained separately from normal evictable cache content until that offline state is removed or the associated private account data is purged.

Managed working copies can remain while required for opening, saving, recovery, or conflict handling.

Ordinary files downloaded to a location you selected are not controlled by BusyFiles after the download is created.

Ordinary local folders selected for two-way synchronization remain ordinary local folders.

Removing a cloud account

When you remove a connected Google Drive or Nextcloud account, BusyFiles:

  • Stops accepting new operations for that account.
  • Checks for active transfers and managed working copies that could make removal unsafe.
  • Removes BusyFiles-managed working copies for the account according to the selected removal behavior.
  • Removes the account's offline content.
  • Removes applicable BusyFiles FUSE cache content.
  • Removes temporary operation secrets.
  • Removes the account credential from the Linux Secret Service.
  • Removes the account's BusyFiles metadata.
  • Attempts to revoke the provider credential while the credential is still available.

For Google, BusyFiles attempts to revoke the OAuth authorization token.

For Nextcloud, BusyFiles attempts to revoke the app password through the Nextcloud server.

Remote revocation is best effort. If the provider cannot confirm revocation, BusyFiles can still remove the local account and report that remote revocation could not be confirmed.

Removing an account does not delete an ordinary local directory that you previously selected as a synchronization root.

Uninstalling BusyFiles

Removing the BusyFiles software package does not automatically delete BusyFiles user data.

BusyFiles provides an explicit purge operation for users who intentionally want to remove BusyFiles-owned credentials, metadata, caches, private working data, pending state, and settings.

The purge removes BusyFiles-owned XDG application directories and BusyFiles-owned Secret Service entries after explicit confirmation.

The purge does not delete ordinary local folders that were previously selected for synchronization.

Data protection and security

BusyFiles uses the following mechanisms to protect data and credentials:

  • Google API and authorization connections use HTTPS/TLS.
  • Google authentication uses OAuth 2.0 Authorization Code flow with PKCE.
  • Google OAuth callbacks are bound to the device's loopback interface.
  • Nextcloud account connections require HTTPS in normal operation.
  • Nextcloud authentication uses the provider's browser-based Login Flow v2.
  • Nextcloud authentication and provider requests reject unexpected redirects where the implementation requires a trusted same-origin endpoint.
  • Google OAuth credentials and Nextcloud app passwords are stored through the Linux Secret Service rather than in the normal BusyFiles database.
  • BusyFiles' Flutter UI does not receive stored Google or Nextcloud credentials.
  • BusyFiles private XDG directories use user-only permissions.
  • Sensitive private cache and working-copy files use restrictive filesystem permissions.
  • BusyFiles uses path and identity validation when publishing, reading, replacing, or deleting private application files.
  • BusyFiles performs integrity checks using checksums where supported.
  • BusyFiles redacts credentials and sensitive values from diagnostic output.
  • Browsing cloud folders retrieves metadata rather than automatically downloading all cloud file contents.
  • Offline availability, synchronization, and FUSE mounting are separate explicit features rather than consequences of merely connecting an account.

No method of electronic storage or transmission is completely secure. Protection of locally stored BusyFiles data also depends on the security of your Linux account, system keyring, filesystem, storage device, backups, and any full-disk encryption you use.

Children’s privacy

BusyFiles is not directed to children under 13. BusyFiles does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time. When it changes, the effective date at the top of this page will be updated.

Contact

For privacy questions or requests, contact:

support@busystack.org

Website hosting — updated 15 October 2026

Cloudflare hosts the live BusyStack website at busystack.org and processes its HTTP requests, including your IP address and ordinary network metadata needed to deliver and protect that website service. The website does not add advertising, analytics scripts or application telemetry. Cloudflare may process service and security data under its own applicable terms and privacy policy.

This hosting notice applies only to the hosted website, not to the desktop application's other behavior. Cloudflare also hosts the production feedback service described in the separate Feedback Privacy for BusyMark and BusyMax.