Privacy Policy — GBA Play

Your games and progress live on your device. GBA Play does not operate an account or analytics backend. Third-party advertising services may process data for ads, fraud prevention, measurement, and consent.

1. Introduction

This policy describes the current GBA Play: Retro Emulator Android app and this product website. GBA Play does not require an account, does not include its own user analytics SDK, and does not operate a cloud account or user analytics server.

The Android app uses Google AdMob / the Google Mobile Ads SDK and Google's User Messaging Platform (UMP). These third-party services have their own data practices, explained below. The absence of a GBA Play account does not mean that advertising services process no data.

2. Information GBA Play processes locally

To run the emulator and organize your library, GBA Play processes game files you select, file and folder references, library information, play history, settings, control preferences, game saves, snapshots, backups, and Timeline checkpoints. Timeline may also keep local preview images of gameplay.

This information is stored primarily in app storage on your device. Android's file picker lets you grant access to the files or folders you choose; the app does not need broad access to all your personal files to import a game.

3. Advertising and Google Mobile Ads

The app displays advertisements using Google AdMob / Google Mobile Ads. Depending on your device, SDK configuration, location, and privacy choices, these services may collect or process:

Device identifiers, including Advertising ID where available, app set ID, and other ad-related identifiers.
IP address and general location inferred from it.
App and advertising interactions, such as ad views, taps, and related usage signals.
Diagnostics and information about device, app, or SDK performance.
Consent information and other signals used for advertising, measurement, security, and fraud prevention.

Google's handling of this information is described in its Privacy Policy and information about services used by partner apps. Data processing can occur even when ads are not personalized; the exact behavior depends on consent, settings, and the ad services involved.

5. Game Files and Saves

GBA Play does not sell ROMs and does not upload your ROM files to a GBA Play server. You supply your own game files. Importing, patching, saving, and restoring progress take place on your device.

Current Progress, backups, and Game Timeline are local features. They are not GBA Play cloud backups or cross-device synchronization. If you export a save to a location or service you choose, that destination is subject to its own terms and privacy practices.

7. Data Retention

Local files and settings remain until you remove them, clear app storage, uninstall the app, or a configured backup or Timeline history limit removes older entries. The effect of removing a game from the library depends on the action you choose; exported files and original files outside app storage are managed separately.

Google determines its own retention periods under its policies. We do not set or promise an exact retention period for Google's advertising data. Support correspondence, once a contact channel is available, should be retained only as needed to handle the enquiry and meet applicable obligations.

8. Children

GBA Play does not ask users to create a profile or submit their name or date of birth. Games are supplied by users, and their content and age suitability vary. A parent or guardian should supervise a child's game choices, device use, and advertising privacy settings.

If you believe a child has sent personal information to GBA Play through a contact channel, please use the contact details published on this site. Advertising services are also subject to Google's policies. This policy does not claim that every user-provided game or advertisement is suitable for children.

9. Security

Keeping emulator data on your device reduces the need to transfer it to an app server. Android's app-storage protections and your device's own security settings help protect it. No device, software, storage system, or transmission method can be guaranteed completely secure.

Keep Android and the app up to date, lock your device, and keep separate exports of important saves. Backups on the same device may be lost with that device or when its app data is cleared.

10. International Users

Third-party advertising, hosting, and email services may process data in countries other than your own. Their policies explain applicable transfer arrangements. Your rights depend on the laws that apply to you.

Where applicable, you may have rights to request access, correction, deletion, restriction, or portability, to object to processing, to withdraw consent, or to complain to your local data-protection authority. Requests concerning data held by Google may need to be directed to Google.

11. Your Choices

Choose which game files and folders you grant the app access to.
Manage your local library, backups, and Timeline; export saves you want to keep.
Use available Privacy Options in the app and advertising controls in Android.
Clear app storage or uninstall to remove app-local data. Back up important saves first.
Control files you exported separately through the relevant device folder or service.

There is no GBA Play account to delete and no GBA Play cloud library to retrieve. Do not rely on an Android device backup to preserve the app's data; the inspected app disables Android app backup.

12. Third-Party Services

For more information, see Google's Privacy Policy, Google's partner-app data information, and Cloudflare's Privacy Policy. Following an external link takes you to a site with its own privacy practices.

13. Changes to This Policy

This page may be updated when the app, its services, or relevant requirements change. The date at the top identifies the current version. Material changes will be communicated as required by applicable law.

Privacy Policy.