Tabster Privacy Policy

Overview

Tabster is a Chrome extension that replaces the new tab page with an editable index of links and can show that saved-link index over the current page after the user presses its keyboard shortcut.

Tabster has no publisher-operated backend. The publisher does not receive or have access to the links, settings, search queries, or page data handled by the extension. Tabster does not include analytics, advertising, tracking, or data broker integrations, and does not sell user data.

Data handled by Tabster

Tabster stores the information needed to provide its user-facing features:

• User-created group names, group order, and collapsed state.
• Saved link titles, URLs, order, and icon metadata.
• Icon choices, including favicon mode, a user-selected custom icon URL, or a bundled Lucide icon and color.
• Background, layout, and interface-language preferences.

The published extension stores these values with chrome.storage.sync, which may synchronize them between Chrome installations signed in to the same Google account. Chrome Sync is operated by Google and is subject to the user's Chrome and Google account settings and Google's privacy terms. Development previews outside the installed extension use browser local storage instead.

Tabster does not automatically read or store the current tab URL, page title, page content, form data, cookies, or browsing history. The activeTab permission grants temporary access only after the user invokes the keyboard shortcut. Tabster uses that access only to inject or contact the saved-link overlay on the active page. Protected browser pages remain unsupported.

Network requests and third parties

Tabster makes these feature-related requests:

• Google Favicon: for links using automatic favicons, and as a fallback if a user-selected custom icon fails to load, Tabster requests https://www.google.com/s2/favicons and includes only the saved link's origin (scheme, host, and port). It does not include the saved URL's path, query, or fragment. Google also receives ordinary network metadata such as the user's IP address and browser request information.
• Default search provider: when the user explicitly submits text that is neither a saved-link match nor a URL, Tabster passes the text to the Chrome Search API. Chrome sends the query to the default search provider selected in the user's Chrome settings. Tabster does not store the query or select, replace, or modify the provider. The selected provider handles the query under its own terms.
• Custom icon hosts: when a user selects an absolute http:// or https:// custom icon URL, the browser requests that exact resource from the selected host. That host receives the requested URL and ordinary network metadata. If the resource fails, Tabster uses the origin-only Google Favicon fallback described above.
• User-selected links: opening any saved link sends a normal browser request to that destination. The destination handles the request under its own terms.

All developer-selected third-party requests use HTTPS. A user can choose an http:// custom icon or saved-link URL; that choice is visible and editable in Tabster.

Referral links

The editable starter links include referral URLs for Railway, DigitalOcean, and Replit. If a user follows one of these links, the destination may attribute the visit or a later signup to the Tabster publisher, and the publisher may receive a referral benefit. These URLs are ordinary saved links: users can edit or remove them at any time. Referral attribution is handled by the destination service under its own terms.

Retention, access, and deletion

Data remains in Chrome Sync until the user edits or deletes it, clears the extension's storage, or changes the relevant Chrome Sync data. Users can edit or delete links and groups from Tabster. To remove all Tabster data, clear the extension's stored data in Chrome before uninstalling it and, if needed, manage synced data through Chrome or the associated Google account.

Because Tabster has no publisher backend, the publisher cannot retrieve, correct, export, or delete a user's synced data on the user's behalf and does not permit humans to read it.

Limited Use

Tabster's use and transfer of information received from Google APIs complies with the Chrome Web Store User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements. Data is used only to provide or improve Tabster's disclosed, user-facing features. It is not transferred except as necessary to provide those features, comply with applicable law, or protect security. It is never used or transferred for personalized advertising, retargeting, sale, credit eligibility, or unrelated profiling, and humans are not allowed to read it except where the policy expressly permits.

Changes

If Tabster's data practices change, this policy will be updated before the changed behavior is submitted to the Chrome Web Store. The effective date at the top identifies the current version.