Astra Recorder Privacy Policy

Applies to the Astra Recorder Android app (package com.metacyberguru.astrarecorder). Last updated 27 September 2026.
Astra Recorder stores call recordings and voice memos on your device. You decide whether to export them, open them in another app, or enable backup to your Google Drive account or an FTP server you configure.

The short version

Astra’s recording and backup features do not send your audio to a MetaCyberGuru recording server. A backup goes directly from your phone to the destination you choose. Optional analytics and diagnostics, advertising and operational configuration use separate data flows, described below.

Recordings and other data on your device

Astra stores the information it needs to record, organize and play back your audio locally. This can include:

Audio recordings of calls and voice memos.
Recording details such as a caller name or number, date, duration, notes, markers and favorites.
Optional precise location coordinates attached to a recording’s details when you enable geotagging. Geotagging is off unless you switch it on.
App settings, including app-lock preferences, audio options, recording rules and backup settings.

When you allow contacts access, Astra can match an available phone number with a name in your address book on the device. This lookup does not send your contact list to MetaCyberGuru. A matched name is then stored with that recording’s details, so it can leave the device the same way any other recording detail can: inside an export, or in a backup file name. See Exports and backup below.
When you enable notification access, Astra processes notifications from supported calling apps on the device to recognize call activity. This can involve notification status text, call actions and available caller name or number fields. The caller identity saved with a recording comes from call-related identity fields and titles; message bodies are not saved as caller identity. Notification access is separate from permission to display Astra’s own recording notification.
Astra’s analytics and diagnostic reporting are configured not to include recording audio, caller names, phone numbers, notes or recording contents. Export and backup are different: depending on the recording’s name and your naming settings, a transferred file name can include a caller name or number.

Exports and external apps

If you select an export folder, Astra copies recordings to that location. Android or another document provider may manage the folder, and that provider’s access, synchronization and retention settings apply. If you open a recording in an external player, the selected app receives access to that recording. Only choose destinations and apps you trust with the audio and its file name.
Deleting the original recording in Astra does not automatically delete copies you exported, backed up or opened elsewhere.

Google Sign-In and Google Drive backup

Google Drive backup is optional and stays off until you enable it and sign in. Astra does not create a separate Astra account, username or password. Google’s account picker lets you choose a Google account and approve access.

Astra stores the selected account email in its settings and uses Google’s authorization services to obtain access for Drive requests. Your Google password is handled by Google, not by an Astra password form.
Recordings upload directly from your phone to your own Google Drive using authenticated HTTPS connections.
Astra requests the drive.file scope. This provides access to app-created files and specific files you authorize for the app, rather than general access to all files in your Drive.
MetaCyberGuru does not receive a copy through this backup transfer. Google’s handling of the uploaded files is governed by Google’s privacy policy.
You can turn backup off, sign out in Astra or revoke permission through your Google account permissions. Files already uploaded remain in Drive until you delete them.

Optional FTP backup

If you enable FTP backup, Astra sends recordings and their file names directly to the server you configure. Your server address, login details and backup preferences are stored in the app’s settings so it can perform the backups you enable.
Starting with Astra Recorder 1.2.13, FTP backup requires explicit FTPS. The connection is encrypted before your username and password are sent, and a separate TLS connection encrypts the recording transfer. If your server does not offer TLS, the upload is marked failed. Astra does not fall back to an unencrypted transfer. Astra versions before 1.2.13 used plain FTP with no transport encryption. If you used FTP backup on an earlier version, treat the password you entered there as exposed and change it on your server. The server you choose also controls who can access the uploaded files and how long they are retained. Leave FTP backup off if you do not want to use this transfer method.

Usage analytics and diagnostics

You can make separate choices for optional usage analytics and diagnostics. Collection through these controls remains off until you save a choice. The initial choice screen may suggest enabling both options; you can turn either off before saving. Recording remains available when both are off.

Service	Data and purpose	Your control
Google Analytics for Firebase	App events, app and device information, app-instance identifiers and approximate region to understand feature use and improve the app.	Optional usage analytics setting.
Firebase Crashlytics	Crash traces, technical app state, app-instance identifiers, device model and operating-system information to diagnose failures.	Optional diagnostics setting.
Firebase Performance Monitoring	Startup, operation and network-performance measurements with app and device information to find slow or unreliable operations.	Optional diagnostics setting.
Firebase support registry	App-scoped Android identifier, Firebase installation identifier when available, device model, Android version, app version and the last registry update time for support.	Registry updates require diagnostics to be enabled.

Astra does not add advertising identifiers to its support registry. It uses app and installation identifiers to support the app and match applicable ad-free or restriction settings. This is separate from identifiers processed by the advertising SDK.
When you turn usage analytics off, Astra disables that collection and resets local analytics data. When you turn diagnostics off, Astra disables its diagnostic collection, stops future registry updates and asks Crashlytics to discard unsent reports. These choices cannot recall data already sent or automatically delete existing server records.

Install attribution

When you allow usage analytics, Astra reads limited Google Play install-referral information to understand how people found the app. This includes campaign source, medium and campaign labels, the interval between a referral click and installation, and whether the install involved an instant app. Astra sends these limited values to Firebase Analytics. This attribution feature does not retain or send the raw referral string or arbitrary click identifiers.

Meta installation and app-open measurement

Starting with Astra Recorder 1.2.31, the app uses Meta App Events to measure installations and app opens and understand advertising performance. When you open the app, it sends these events to Meta with SDK-generated installation identifiers, app and device information, and network metadata such as your IP address. Meta may use network information to infer a general location. This measurement is separate from the app’s optional Firebase analytics and diagnostics controls; turning those controls off does not turn off Meta measurement.

The integration disables Meta advertising-ID collection, automatic advanced matching and codeless UI event collection. Astra Recorder does not attach recordings, caller or contact details, phone numbers, notes, or location coordinates to these events. Meta is a separate recipient of the measurement data and processes it under its privacy policy. No Facebook login is required.

Uninstalling the app stops future events from that installation but does not automatically erase information already received by Meta. Provider retention and available privacy controls apply to data already sent. For help with a data request, use the instructions below.

Operational configuration

Firebase Remote Config and Firebase Installations support app configuration and installation identification. They can process an installation identifier, app and device information, language, time zone and general region to provide compatible settings. These operational services can still communicate when optional usage analytics and diagnostics are off. Those switches do not disable every network function or control advertising consent.

Advertising

The app includes the Google Mobile Ads SDK and the Android advertising-ID permission. The SDK may process advertising identifiers, IP address, user interactions, diagnostic information and device or account information for advertising, measurement, fraud prevention and related services. Its behavior depends on consent, configuration and applicable settings.
Advertising consent choices are presented where required, and you can change the available choice later in the app. These controls are separate from Astra’s optional usage analytics and diagnostics settings. Google’s current service details are available in its Mobile Ads data-disclosure guide.

Who receives your data

Astra has no server of its own. The parties below receive data from the app, and what each one gets is described in the section above that covers it.

Google (Firebase) receives app events, crash traces, performance measurements, app and device information, app-instance and installation identifiers and an approximate region, for analytics, diagnostics, remote configuration and the support registry. This stays off until you allow it.
Google (AdMob and its advertising partners) receives advertising identifiers, IP address, interaction and diagnostic information for advertising, measurement and fraud prevention. This follows the advertising consent choice presented in the app.
Meta receives installation and app-open measurement data as described above, independently of Firebase analytics and diagnostics choices.
The backup destination you choose receives the recordings you back up and their file names. For Google Drive that is your own Drive account. For FTP it is the server you enter, which you control and we never see.
An app you export to receives whatever you send it, at the moment you choose to send it.

We do not sell your data, and we do not send recordings, caller names, phone numbers or notes to MetaCyberGuru.

Permissions and special access

Permission or access	Purpose
Microphone and audio settings	Record call audio and voice memos, and manage recording audio routes.
Phone state	Recognize when a SIM call starts or ends so recording can follow the call.
Contacts	Optionally display a matching contact name. Matching takes place on the device; the matched name is then stored with the recording’s details.
Notifications and foreground service	Show the ongoing notification used while recording or monitoring calls.
Notification access	Recognize supported call notifications and available caller metadata on the device.
Nearby devices and Bluetooth	Use a connected Bluetooth headset and manage supported audio routes.
Location	Optionally add a precise location tag to recording details when you enable geotagging. Off unless you switch it on.
Internet and network state	Operational configuration, enabled analytics or diagnostics, advertising and optional backup.
Selected folder access	Export recordings to a folder you choose through Android’s document picker.

Android lets you review or revoke app permissions and special access in system settings. Features that depend on an access grant may stop working when you revoke it.

Children

Astra Recorder is not directed at children and is not intended for anyone under 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children.

Your control over your data

Delete local recordings from the timeline. Exported and backed-up copies must be deleted at their destinations.
Remove local app data by clearing Astra’s storage in Android settings or uninstalling the app. Copies outside the app’s local storage can remain.
Disconnect Google Drive by signing out in Astra or revoking permission in your Google account.
Turn off backup in the app to stop the backups controlled by that setting.
Change optional collection using the usage analytics and diagnostics choices, and manage the available advertising privacy choices separately.
Request help with your data through the MetaCyberGuru contact page.

Request data deletion

To request deletion of data held by MetaCyberGuru, email info@metacyberguru.com with the subject “Privacy deletion request”, the app name, and enough information to identify the relevant support record or installation. Do not send recordings, passwords or other private content. We may need to verify your request and may be unable to match anonymous third-party records to you. Records that must be retained for a legal obligation may be excluded; we will explain any applicable exception. For information held independently by Meta or Google, use that provider’s privacy request tools as well.

Data retention and controller

Local recordings and settings remain on your device until you delete them or remove the app’s local data. Files you export or back up remain at their destinations. Disconnecting an account, switching collection off or uninstalling does not automatically delete information already received by a service.
Diagnostic, analytics and advertising data processed by Google is retained under the applicable Google service settings and policies. Support registry records can remain after diagnostics is disabled or the app is uninstalled. MetaCyberGuru does not claim a single retention period for every service. Contact us if you want to ask about a record or request deletion.
The app developer and privacy contact is METACYBERGURU LTD, 128 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX, United Kingdom. Use the MetaCyberGuru contact page, or email info@metacyberguru.com with the subject line “Privacy request”. Astra does not require a MetaCyberGuru account, so we may need information such as the app version and relevant app or device identifier to locate a support record. We may not be able to identify an anonymous Firebase or advertising record as belonging to you.

Security

Recordings are stored locally and Astra offers app-lock and local recording-protection settings. These settings do not make every exported file or network destination encrypted. Google Drive transfers use authenticated HTTPS, and FTP backup in version 1.2.13 and later uses FTPS with TLS. The certificate is checked against the server name you entered, so a host presenting someone else’s certificate is refused.
No storage method is risk-free. Protect your device with a screen lock, keep Android updated and check the destination before exporting or backing up a recording.

Recording laws

Rules about recording calls vary by country and region. Obtain any consent required for the call and location involved. Astra provides recording tools; you are responsible for using them lawfully.

Further information

Changes to this policy

If this policy changes in a way that affects what is collected or how it is used, we will update this page and change the date at the top.