Your privacy, in plain English.

01At a glance

• No accounts needed. You can use every feature without giving us your name or email.
• Optional weekly email. If you sign up for Shortcut of the Week, we store your email address and when you agreed. Unsubscribe in one click from any email.
• Optional feedback. If you send feedback, we store what you write. We only publish it if you tick the box that says we may, and after we've reviewed it.
• Your progress stays with you. XP, trophies, saved and mastered shortcuts live in your own browser's storage. We can't see them.
• Anonymous, cookie-free visit counting. We count page views, rough location (country and city) and device type. We never store your IP address.
• Advertising. We use Google AdSense to keep the site free. Google may use cookies to show ads. You can control this at any time.

02Who we are

The Keyboard Coach (thekeyboardcoach.co.uk) is an independent, UK-based website that teaches Windows keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft 365. For the purposes of UK data protection law, The Keyboard Coach is the data controller for the limited information described below.

You can contact us at any time at [email protected].

03What we collect

Learning progress (stored only on your device)

Features such as XP, streaks, trophies, practice results, saved shortcuts and your light/dark preference are saved in your browser's local storage. This data is never sent to us. You can erase it using the reset option in your stats panel, or by clearing your browser's site data.

Anonymous visit statistics

When a page loads, we record a single page view containing:

• the page you viewed and the website that referred you (if any)
• your approximate country and city, derived from your connection by our hosting provider
• your device type, browser and operating system (e.g. "Desktop, Chrome, Windows")
• a one-way scrambled identifier, created from your connection details, so we can estimate unique visitors

Hosting and security logs

Our site is served by Cloudflare, which processes technical information such as IP addresses to deliver pages quickly and protect against abuse. See Cloudflare's privacy policy.

Shortcut of the Week email (only if you sign up)

If you enter your email address in a signup box, we store:

• your email address
• the date and time you signed up (your consent), the page you signed up on, and whether and when you confirmed or unsubscribed
• two random codes that make your confirm and unsubscribe links work

We use double opt-in: nothing is sent until you click the link in our confirmation email. Every email has a one-click unsubscribe link, and you can also email us to be removed. We don't sell or share your address, and we don't track whether you open our emails.

Feedback and testimonials (only if you send them)

If you use our feedback form, we store your star rating, your comments, the page you sent it from, the date, and, if you give them, your first name and role or company. We don't ask for your email on this form.

We only publish a comment on the site if you ticked "You may publish my comment" and we have reviewed it. Published comments show your rating, words, and the name and role you gave (or "Anonymous user"). We may show an average rating once we have at least five reviewed pieces of feedback. Want a published comment taken down? Email us and we'll remove it.

Spam and abuse protection

To stop automated abuse of these forms, we briefly keep a one-way scrambled version of your connection's IP address with the time of the request. It is used only to limit repeated submissions and is deleted within about 24 hours.

If you email us

If you contact us, we'll receive your email address and message, and use them only to reply.

04Cookies & local storage

Cookies are small files placed on your device. Here's everything this site uses:

You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. The shortcut catalogue will still work, though your saved progress may be lost if you clear local storage.

05Advertising

We use Google AdSense to show ads, which keeps The Keyboard Coach free for everyone.

• Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this website or other websites.
• Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visits to this and/or other sites on the internet.
• Where required in the UK and EEA, you'll be asked for consent before personalised ads are shown. If you don't consent, you may still see non-personalised ads.

You can opt out of personalised advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings, or opt out of some third-party vendors' cookies at youronlinechoices.eu and aboutads.info.

Learn more in how Google uses information from sites that use its services.

06How we use data & our legal basis

• Running and improving the site – understanding which pages and shortcuts are popular. Legal basis: legitimate interests.
• Keeping the site secure – preventing abuse, spam and attacks. Legal basis: legitimate interests.
• Showing ads – funding the site. Legal basis: consent for personalised ads; legitimate interests for non-personalised ads.
• Sending Shortcut of the Week – only to people who signed up and confirmed. Legal basis: consent (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(a) and PECR). You can withdraw it any time by unsubscribing.
• Publishing testimonials – only where you ticked the box giving permission. Legal basis: consent. Reading unpublished feedback to improve the site: legitimate interests.
• Replying to you – when you email us. Legal basis: legitimate interests.

We never sell your data, and we don't use it to make automated decisions about you.

07Who we share with

We only work with trusted providers needed to run the site:

• Cloudflare, Inc. – hosting, security and storage of anonymous visit statistics.
• Resend – delivering our confirmation and newsletter emails, if you sign up. Resend receives your email address only to send those emails.
• Google LLC – advertising through Google AdSense.

These providers may process data outside the UK. Where they do, they rely on approved safeguards such as the UK International Data Transfer Addendum or the UK–US Data Bridge.

08How long we keep it

• Anonymous visit statistics – up to 24 months, then deleted.
• Newsletter subscribers – while you're subscribed. If you unsubscribe, we keep your address and the date for up to 24 months only as a record that you opted out, then delete it. Unconfirmed signups are deleted after 30 days.
• Feedback – up to 24 months, or for as long as a comment you allowed us to publish is on the site. Spam is deleted straight away.
• Scrambled IP records for abuse protection – about 24 hours.
• Emails – as long as needed to handle your enquiry, and no longer than 12 months afterwards.
• Progress on your device – you're in control; it stays until you clear it.

09Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have the right to access, correct or delete personal data we hold about you, to restrict or object to how we use it, to data portability, and to withdraw consent at any time.

To unsubscribe, use the link in any email. To see, correct or delete your newsletter details or feedback, email us from the address concerned or tell us what you wrote. Because our visit statistics are anonymous, we usually can't link them to you. But we're always happy to help. Email [email protected] and we'll respond within one month.

If you're unhappy with how we've handled your data, you can complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

10Children

The Keyboard Coach is a general-audience productivity site and isn't directed at children under 13. We don't knowingly collect personal information from children, and our email signup and feedback form are intended for adults.

11Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the site evolves or the law changes. The "last updated" date at the top always shows the latest version.

12Contact

Questions about this policy or your data? We'd love to hear from you.

[email protected]