This article is all about personal data, where to find it, how to get it, and everything else relating to that topic.
- How can I download my personal data from Grindr?
- What kind of data will be included?
- How will I get my data?
- What’s the difference between the data I get from my device vs. what I get from Grindr’s servers?
- How long will my request take?
- Can I have my data sent to a different email than the one associated with my Grindr account?
- I haven’t received my verification code – how can I download my data?
- I submitted a data request but did not get a notification that it was ready, what can I do?
- I’m not able to submit a request to access my data on the app. What can I do to get it?
- My account was banned - can I still access my data?
How can I download my personal data from Grindr?
Grindr takes user privacy very seriously, and we believe that you should always have an easy and secure way to safely download your personal data.
In the app, tap on your profile image thumbnail, and then tap Settings in the lower-left corner. Then, scroll down and tap on Download My Data under the Security and Privacy section.
You’ll need to re-enter your Grindr password to authenticate your account*, and then choose an email address where we will send a part of your data. After this email address is verified, you can submit your request.
*Note: If you’ve created your account using a third-party log-in (such as Facebook or Google), this step will not apply to you, as we rely on these third parties to authenticate your account.
To download your personal data via Grindr Web follow the instructions here.
What kind of data will be included?
Most of the data included in the report are already accessible to you directly on the app. This data will include your chats*, images uploaded to your profile or sent via chat, profile information, certain preference choices, and other account settings. Keep in mind, this data lives in two separate places - our servers and your device - and therefore will be sent to you in two parts.
If you deleted any content or portions of your account, it will not be included in your data report, as it is disposed of in accordance with our privacy policy.
*Note: To protect the privacy of all our users, your report will only contain the chats, images, and other messages that you’ve sent. You will not be able to see chats, images, or other messages that you received from other users. However, you’ll always be able to access your full chat history through the app, which is stored directly on your device.
How will I get my data?
Your personal data is generally stored in two places: directly on your device, or on Grindr’s servers. Accordingly, you will get your personal data report in two parts.
The first part of your data report will be directly downloaded on your device as soon as you submit a request. It will be saved as a zip file on your phone. Once downloaded, you won’t require internet connectivity to view it, and you can save it in a file management folder on your phone, or send it to another place for safekeeping. To properly open and view the file, you’ll need a file reader. Most devices will be able to automatically unzip and view the file. If you’re having trouble, one option is Sublime Text Editor, which is a third-party tool that lets you view files in the correct format.
The second part of your data report will come from our servers and may take a few days to compile and send to you. It will be sent as a secure email link that will only be accessible for a few days. You’ll also be sent a unique access code to open the file. During that time, you can click the link to download the .zip folder of your data and save it directly on your computer or phone; or to a file storage service, such as Google Drive. We recommend that you use a trusted free, open-source tool such as Peazip to extract the files.
Each part of your data report will also include a Data Dictionary - an HTML file that will explain what each field means.
What’s the difference between the data I get from my device vs. what I get from Grindr’s servers?
The information you’ll get from your device is data that’s typically only accessible through your phones, such as chats and photos that you’ve sent, profile notes, your filters, and certain other settings. The data report that comes from Grindr’s servers contains more information about your account, certain settings, profile data, your blocks, and favorites list.
How long will my request take?
The first portion of your data request will be downloaded directly onto your device as soon as you submit the request. The second portion will be extracted from our servers and may take a few hours or a few days to process. This will not take longer than 30 days.
Can I have my data sent to a different email than the one associated with my Grindr account?
Yes. The email you select to verify and submit your data request will not change or impact the email associated with your Grindr account.
I haven’t received my verification code – how can I download my data?
The verification code may take a few minutes to arrive. Please check your spam folders and filters to make sure it wasn’t sent there by accident.
If you have not received a code after 30 minutes, please contact us here. Our support team will be able to re-send you the code and complete the process.
I submitted a data request but did not get a notification that it was ready, what can I do?
To protect your privacy, the app will not alert you when your data request is complete. The first portion will be directly downloaded on your device, and the second portion will be sent directly to the email address you’ve chosen.
It can take a few days for us to process your request and send the report to your email. Please check your spam folders and filters to make sure it wasn’t sent there by accident. If you have not received your personal data a week after submitting your request, you may re-submit your data request or contact us here and our support team will be able to help check the status and resend your request if needed.
I’m not able to submit a request to access my data on the app. What can I do to get it?
If your account is banned, or for some reason, you are unable to complete a data request through the app, contact our support team here. After verifying your account, we’ll be able to send you a report of the data that is stored on our servers. Note that personal data reports generated by our support teams will not include data that is stored directly on your device (such as chats, images, etc.), as Grindr does not have access to that information.
If you think you’ve found a bug that’s preventing you from requesting your personal data report, please contact us here.
My account was banned - can I still access my data?
Yes. If you no longer have access to your account, contact our support team here and we’ll be able to verify your identity and send you a report of the information that is stored on our servers. Note that personal data reports generated by our support teams will not include information (such as chats, images, etc.) that is stored directly on your device, as Grindr does not have access to that information.