Cookie & Advertising Information
This page explains how ToolBuddy (toolbuddy.in) uses cookies and browser storage, how advertising works to keep all tools free, and how you can control your preferences.
Last updated: September 2026
Quick Summary
ToolBuddy uses local browser storage strictly to remember your preferences (such as dark mode). Your images, PDFs, and files are never stored in cookies. To keep all 90+ tools free forever without requiring subscriptions or paid accounts, we display third-party advertisements (such as Google AdSense). You have full control to block, clear, or opt out of advertising cookies at any time.
1. What Are Cookies and Local Browser Storage?
Cookies are small text files placed on your computer, smartphone, or tablet when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites function properly, improve user experience, and provide reporting information to site owners.
Modern web applications also use Local Storage (localStorage) and Session Storage (sessionStorage). Unlike cookies, Local Storage data is stored strictly within your browser client and is never automatically transmitted to the server on every page request.
2. How ToolBuddy Uses Storage & Cookies
Essential / Functional Local Storage (First-Party)
Used exclusively to save your UI choices (such as toggling Light or Dark theme) or retaining calculator parameters across page reloads. These are strictly functional, never shared with third parties, and contain zero personally identifiable information (PII).
Analytics, Tag Management & Performance Metrics
We load Google Tag Manager (GTM-N8XH2CJ4) to manage site measurement tags, understand aggregated site traffic, identify which tools are most popular, measure Core Web Vitals page load speeds, and spot broken links. All telemetry is aggregated and never inspects any files, images, PDFs, or text processed inside our browser tools.
Third-Party Advertising Cookies (Google AdSense)
Third-party ad networks, specifically Google AdSense (Publisher ID: ca-pub-6145054414842814), may set cookies (such as DoubleClick cookies) to serve relevant advertisements, prevent the same ad from showing repeatedly, and measure ad viewability.
3. Advertising Transparency & Partner Disclosures
Maintaining high-performance web servers, bandwidth, and continuous engineering for 90+ tools involves real infrastructure costs. Rather than charging monthly subscriptions, putting watermarks on your output files, or locking essential features behind paywalls, ToolBuddy is funded through digital advertising verified via our /ads.txt file.
Google AdSense & Third-Party Vendor Notice:
- Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to this website or other websites on the internet.
- Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visit to ToolBuddy and/or other sites across the internet.
- Users may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings.
- Alternatively, you can opt out of a third-party vendor's use of cookies for personalized advertising by visiting www.aboutads.info/choices or Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) Opt-Out.
4. How to Manage and Disable Cookies in Your Browser
You can choose to accept or refuse cookies. Most modern web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser settings to decline them or alert you when a cookie is being sent:
- Google Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Third-party cookies → Block third-party cookies.
- Mozilla Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Enhanced Tracking Protection → Strict / Custom.
- Apple Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Prevent cross-site tracking / Block all cookies.
- Microsoft Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Manage and delete cookies and site data.
Note: Disabling third-party cookies will not break ToolBuddy's tools. Image conversions, PDF splitting/merging, calculators, and generators will continue to function completely in your browser memory.
5. Global Privacy Control (GPC) & Do Not Track (DNT)
We respect browser privacy signals, including the Global Privacy Control (GPC) header. Where recognized by our advertising partners, GPC signals inform ad networks to serve non-personalized ads rather than behaviorally targeted advertisements.
6. Questions About Cookies?
If you have any questions or require further assistance regarding our cookie and advertising practices, please contact our team: