Privacy Policy

Onyx Launcher — Minecraft Launcher for macOS

Effective Date: June 3, 2026

Last Revised: July 7, 2026

1. INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL PROVISIONS

Welcome to Onyx Launcher (hereinafter referred to as the "Launcher", "Application", "Onyx", "we", "our", "us"). This Privacy Policy (hereinafter referred to as the "Policy") explains in detail what information we collect during your use of the Launcher, for what purpose, how we store and protect it, and whether we transfer it to third parties. We have written this Policy in the simplest and most understandable language possible, without unnecessary legal jargon, so that you truly understand what happens to your data.

Onyx Launcher is a desktop application for the macOS operating system designed to launch, configure, and manage the game Minecraft: Java Edition. The Launcher allows you to create game profiles (instances), install mod loaders (Fabric, Quilt, Forge, NeoForge), search for and download modifications, resource packs, and shaders, manage Microsoft accounts and offline accounts, configure game launch settings, play with friends over the internet through the built-in Onyx Friends system, and watch YouTube/Twitch content using the Picture-in-Picture mini browser.

By using Onyx Launcher, you confirm that you have read this Policy and agree to the described conditions of data processing. If you do not agree with any of the points, please stop using the Launcher.

Onyx Launcher is not an official product of Mojang Studios or Microsoft Corporation. Minecraft is a registered trademark of Mojang Studios.

2. DATA PROCESSING PRINCIPLES

We adhere to the following principles when working with your information:

Data Minimization. We collect only the information that is technically necessary for the operation of a specific Launcher function. We do not collect unnecessary data "just in case".
Local Storage by Default. The absolute majority of your data (settings, game files, accounts, instance configuration) is stored exclusively on your computer and never leaves it.
Transparency. Every case of transferring any information to external servers is described in this Policy with an explanation of the reason and scope.
User Control. Where possible, we provide you with the ability to disable the collection of certain data (e.g., analytics) through the Launcher settings.

3. WHAT DATA WE COLLECT AND PROCESS

Below is a complete list of all categories of data that the Launcher interacts with in one way or another.

3.1. MICROSOFT AUTHORIZATION (XBOX LIVE / MINECRAFT)

Why is it needed:
To play Minecraft on licensed (online) servers, an official Microsoft account with a purchased Minecraft: Java Edition license is required. The Launcher uses the official Microsoft OAuth 2.0 protocol (Authorization Code Flow) to verify your license.

How the authorization process works:

You click the "Log in with Microsoft" button in the Launcher.
The official Microsoft login page (login.live.com) opens in the built-in or system browser. You enter your username and password directly on the Microsoft website.
The Launcher NEVER receives, sees, or stores your password for the Microsoft account. It works exclusively with temporary digital tokens.
After a successful login, Microsoft issues a temporary authorization code to the Launcher.
The Launcher exchanges this code for a set of access tokens through a chain of official Microsoft services: Microsoft OAuth → Xbox Live Authentication (user.auth.xboxlive.com) → XSTS Authorization (xsts.auth.xboxlive.com) → Minecraft Services (api.minecraftservices.com).
Upon completion of this chain, the Launcher receives: a Minecraft access token (Access Token), a Microsoft refresh token (Refresh Token), your Minecraft username and UUID (unique player identifier in the Mojang system), as well as the Xbox user hash (User Hash / XUID).

What is stored locally:

Minecraft Access Token — used to launch the game and connect to servers. Has a limited lifespan (usually 24 hours).
Microsoft Refresh Token — allows the Access Token to be updated automatically without re-entering the password. Stored until the account is deleted from the Launcher or until access is revoked in your Microsoft account.
Your Minecraft username.
Your Minecraft UUID.
XUID (Xbox User ID Hash).
Date the account was added.

How tokens are stored:
Access and refresh tokens are stored in the secure macOS system storage — Keychain. This is an Apple system component specifically designed for the secure storage of passwords, certificates, and tokens. Data in Keychain is encrypted at the hardware level and protected by your macOS password. No other application on your computer can access these tokens without your explicit permission. Public account data (username, UUID, account type, date added) is stored in a JSON file in the Launcher's data directory on your drive.

Important:

We do not have our own authorization server. All data exchange occurs directly between your computer and the official Microsoft and Mojang servers.
We do not store your password, email, or other personal data of your Microsoft account.
You can revoke the Launcher's access to your Microsoft account at any time by going to the page https://account.live.com/consent/Manage and removing permission for the application.

3.2. OFFLINE ACCOUNTS

The Launcher supports so-called "offline accounts" that allow you to play Minecraft without a license (on servers that support this). When creating an offline account, you simply enter your desired username (from 3 to 16 characters).

What is stored:

The username you entered.
An automatically generated UUID (using a standard MD5 algorithm compatible with offline servers).
Data is stored exclusively locally in the Launcher configuration file on your drive.
For offline accounts, no requests to external authorization servers take place.

3.3. PLAYER AVATAR (DOWNLOADING SKIN HEAD)

To display the avatar (skin head) of your licensed or offline account in the Launcher interface, we request the third-party public service mc-heads.net.

How it works:

The Launcher sends a request to mc-heads.net with your Minecraft UUID (without dashes) or offline username to retrieve the skin head image.
The received image is cached (stored) locally on your drive to avoid downloading it every time.

What data is transmitted:

Your Minecraft account UUID (this is public information, available to anyone through the official Mojang API).
Standard technical information of the HTTP request (IP address, browser User-Agent).

We do not control the mc-heads.net service and are not responsible for its privacy policy. This service is public and widely used in the Minecraft ecosystem.

3.4. MODIFICATION SEARCH & DOWNLOAD (MODRINTH & CURSEFORGE)

The Launcher features a built-in browser for modifications, resource packs, and shaders supporting two of the largest platforms: Modrinth (modrinth.com) and CurseForge (curseforge.com).

What data is transmitted when searching and downloading:

Search query (text you type in the search bar).
Minecraft version for which mods are searched.
Mod loader type (Fabric, Forge, Quilt, NeoForge).
Content category (mod, resource pack, shader).
Technical information of the HTTP request (IP address, User-Agent).

What data is NOT transmitted:

Your Minecraft username or UUID.
Your Microsoft account credentials.
Information about other installed mods or Launcher settings.
Any other personal information.

Downloaded mods are stored exclusively locally, in the folder of the corresponding instance on your drive.

Modrinth and CurseForge are independent platforms and operate under their own Terms of Use and Privacy Policies. We recommend reviewing them separately on the official websites of these services.

3.5. AUTOMATIC UPDATES (SPARKLE FRAMEWORK)

To keep the Launcher up-to-date and fix bugs and security vulnerabilities in a timely manner, Onyx uses the open-source Sparkle update framework (https://sparkle-project.org/), which is an industry standard for macOS applications.

How the update check works:

The Launcher periodically (or at the user's request) downloads an XML file (appcast.xml) from our repository on GitHub. This file contains information about the latest available version of the Launcher, a description of changes, and a link to the update file.
URL of the appcast file: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/deeppacketdev-hub/onyx-launcher/main/appcast.xml

What data is transmitted during the update check:

Current Launcher version (e.g., 1.1.5).
Current build number (e.g., 18).
Your macOS operating system version.
System language (for potentially displaying localized release notes).
IP address (necessary for the network connection itself, but we DO NOT store or analyze IP addresses on the server side; the appcast file is hosted on GitHub servers, so the IP address is processed in accordance with GitHub's Privacy Policy).

What data is NOT transmitted:

Minecraft username or UUID.
Microsoft account credentials.
List of installed mods or instances.
Any other Launcher configuration data.

You can reject or postpone the installation of any update.

3.6. ANONYMOUS ANALYTICS (TELEMETRYDECK)

To improve the quality of the Launcher and understand how users interact with it, we collect limited anonymous usage statistics using the TelemetryDeck service (https://telemetrydeck.com/).

TelemetryDeck is a European analytics service specifically designed with privacy in mind. It complies with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union and does not collect any personal identifiers.

What signals (events) we send:

"appLaunched" — Launcher startup event. Sent once when the program starts. Contains no additional parameters.
"gameLaunched" — Minecraft launch event. Contains only two parameters: Minecraft version (e.g., "1.21.5") and mod loader name (e.g., "Fabric" or "None").

What TelemetryDeck collects automatically (standard SDK metadata):

General device information (CPU type — Apple Silicon or Intel, macOS version). This information is aggregated and does not allow identifying a specific computer.
Launcher version.
System language.
Region (country) determined by system language settings (not by IP address).

What TelemetryDeck does NOT collect:

User IP addresses (TelemetryDeck does not log IP addresses on principle).
Usernames, emails, nicknames, or UUIDs.
Device serial numbers or other hardware identifiers.
Advertising identifiers (IDFA/IDFV).
Any data that allows identifying a specific individual.

How to disable analytics:
You can completely disable analytics collection in the Launcher settings. To do this, go to Settings → General and disable the "Telemetry" (or "Analytics") toggle. Once disabled, no data will be sent to TelemetryDeck. This setting is saved and persists after restarting the application.

3.7. DISCORD RICH PRESENCE (DISCORD STATUS)

The Launcher features Discord integration to display your game activity in your Discord profile ("Rich Presence").

How it works:

If the Discord client is running on your computer, the Launcher connects to it via a local IPC socket (inter-process communication on your computer). Data is NOT transmitted over the internet — only between two applications on your device.
Through this channel, the Launcher notifies Discord of the following information: instance name, Minecraft version, mod loader name, and game session start time.

What data is transmitted:

Data is transmitted exclusively locally, between the Launcher and the Discord client on your computer.
The display of this data in your Discord profile depends on Discord's own privacy settings.

How to disable:
You can disable this feature in the Launcher settings. Also, if Discord is not running on your computer, no connection takes place.

3.8. DOWNLOADING GAME FILES

For Minecraft to run, the Launcher downloads necessary files from official Mojang servers and related resources:

Minecraft client files (JAR) — from Mojang servers (piston-meta.mojang.com, piston-data.mojang.com, launchermeta.mojang.com).
Java Libraries — from Mojang servers (libraries.minecraft.net) and mod developers' servers (maven.fabricmc.net, maven.quiltmc.org, maven.minecraftforge.net, maven.neoforged.net).
Game resources (textures, sounds) — from Mojang CDN (resources.download.minecraft.net).
Java Runtime Environment (JRE/JDK) — from Adoptium servers (api.adoptium.net) for automatic Java installation if it is missing on your computer. When downloading Java, the Launcher detects your processor architecture (Apple Silicon or Intel) to download the correct version.

During each such download, external servers receive your IP address (as with any HTTP request), but we do not control these servers and are not responsible for their IP address handling. All downloaded files are stored locally in the Launcher's cache directory on your drive.

3.9. LOCALLY STORED DATA (ON YOUR COMPUTER)

Below is a complete list of data that the Launcher stores on your drive. This data is never sent to our servers.

Launcher Configuration:

Global settings (interface language, color theme, path to Java, default allocated RAM, autostart settings, Launcher close actions after game launch, telemetry settings, Discord Rich Presence settings).
Instance list (name, Minecraft version, selected mod loader and its version, allocated memory, additional JVM arguments, game window size, server autoconnect settings, last session time, and total playtime).
Account list (type, username, UUID, date added; tokens separately in Keychain).
Onyx Friends configuration (authentication token, server URL, invisible mode setting).
Picture-in-Picture browser settings (last URL, zoom level).

Game Files:

Downloaded Minecraft versions.
Java libraries.
Native libraries (.dylib).
Game resources (textures, sounds).
Installed Java Environment (JRE).
Mods, resource packs, shaders (downloaded via the built-in browser or added manually).
Game worlds, screenshots, and other files created by the game Minecraft itself.

Skin Files:

Downloaded and cached skin files (head image, body image, skin texture).

PiP Browser Data:

Cookies and session data from websites visited in the PiP browser (stored in the default WebKit data store on your drive).

3.10. GAME LAUNCH LOGS

During the launch and operation of Minecraft, the Launcher displays a technical log in the console, which includes:

Game launch parameters (path to Java, Minecraft version, JVM arguments).
Standard output/error stream of the game (stdout/stderr).
Errors and warnings from mods and the game itself.

Important:

These logs are displayed ONLY in the Launcher interface and exist ONLY in RAM. The Launcher DOES NOT write these logs to a file on your disk.
The game Minecraft itself may create its own log files (latest.log, crash-reports) in the instance folder. This is standard Minecraft behavior, and the Launcher does not control this process.
Logs may contain your macOS system username as part of file paths (e.g., /Users/your_username/...). If you share logs with someone for troubleshooting, we recommend checking them for this information.
Minecraft access tokens are masked in the Launcher logs with asterisks (********) and are not displayed in plain text.

3.11. ONYX FRIENDS SYSTEM (MULTIPLAYER)

The Launcher includes the Onyx Friends system (Beta) — a feature that allows you to play Minecraft with friends over the internet without the need for port forwarding or third-party VPN services.

Account registration and login:

To use Onyx Friends, you create a separate Friends account (this is NOT your Microsoft account). You choose a username (3–16 characters, Latin letters, digits, and underscores only) and a password (minimum 4 characters). Your password is transmitted to the Friends server over HTTPS and stored exclusively in hashed form (bcrypt). The server never stores your password in plain text. After successful login, the server issues a JWT authentication token, which is stored locally in the Launcher configuration file on your computer.

Automatic Minecraft account linking:
When you register or log in to the Friends system, the Launcher automatically sends your Minecraft UUID and Minecraft username (from your currently active Minecraft account, if any) to the Friends server. This allows your friends to see your Minecraft avatar and in-game name on your friend card.

What data is stored on the Friends server:

Your Friends username (chosen during registration).
Password hash (bcrypt) — never the plain-text password.
Automatically generated Friends UUID (unique identifier within the Friends system).
Your Minecraft UUID and Minecraft username (if linked).
Your friends list (connections between users).
Incoming and outgoing friend requests.
Account creation date.

WebSocket connection and status synchronization:

The Launcher maintains a persistent WebSocket connection to the Friends server for real-time updates. Through this connection, the following data is transmitted:

Your online status (Online, Playing, or Offline).
When you launch Minecraft: the instance name, Minecraft version, and mod loader name.
When you open a LAN world in Minecraft: the world name, host IP address, and server port.

This data is displayed to your friends in the Launcher interface. You can enable Invisible Mode in the Launcher settings to appear offline to your friends while remaining connected to the server.

WebRTC peer-to-peer tunneling:

To connect players for multiplayer, the Launcher uses WebRTC technology (peer-to-peer connections). The signaling process (exchanging SDP offers/answers and ICE candidates) occurs through the Friends server, which acts as a relay for these messages. The server only forwards signaling messages between players and does not store them. Once the WebRTC connection is established, all game traffic flows directly between the two players' computers (peer-to-peer), bypassing the server entirely.

Important: During a WebRTC connection, players' IP addresses may become visible to each other. This is a fundamental property of WebRTC technology.

For NAT traversal, the Launcher uses public Google STUN servers (stun.l.google.com:19302, stun1.l.google.com:19302) to determine the public IP address behind a NAT router.

UPnP automatic port mapping:

If your router supports UPnP (Universal Plug and Play), the Launcher may automatically open a port on your router to allow incoming connections from friends. This interaction happens entirely locally between the Launcher and your router within your local network. The port mapping is automatically renewed every hour and removed when the game is stopped. No data is transmitted beyond your local network.

LAN world broadcast simulation:

When a friend connects via a WebRTC tunnel, the Launcher sends UDP multicast packets to the address 224.0.2.60:4445 on the local machine, simulating a standard Minecraft LAN world announcement. This allows the server to appear automatically in the friend's in-game multiplayer server list. This process is entirely local and does not leave your computer.

What data is NOT collected or transmitted:

Your Microsoft account password or tokens.
Your email address.
Information about installed mods, game files, or Launcher settings.
Game chat messages or in-game activity.

How to delete your Friends data:
You can log out of the Friends system through the Launcher interface. To request full deletion of your Friends account and all associated data from the server, please contact us through the channels listed in Section 11 of this Policy.

3.12. PICTURE-IN-PICTURE BROWSER

The Launcher includes a built-in Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mini browser — a floating always-on-top window based on Apple's WKWebView (WebKit), designed for watching YouTube videos, Twitch streams, or browsing any website while playing Minecraft.

How it works:

When you open a URL in the PiP browser, the Launcher loads the page in a WKWebView instance. YouTube and Twitch URLs are automatically converted to their embed versions (youtube.com/embed/..., player.twitch.tv/...) for a clean viewing experience.
The PiP browser is a full web browser. When you visit any website, that website receives standard HTTP request information: your IP address, User-Agent (set to Safari: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_7) AppleWebKit/605.1.15 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/17.5 Safari/605.1.15), and cookies.
Cookies and session data are stored locally in the default WebKit data store (WKWebsiteDataStore.default()) and persist between Launcher sessions. This means your YouTube, Twitch, and other website logins are preserved.

What data is NOT transmitted:

The Launcher does not send any information about your Minecraft account, instances, mods, or settings to websites opened in the PiP browser.
The PiP browser does not inject any tracking scripts or analytics into visited pages.

User control:

You choose which websites to visit in the PiP browser. The Launcher does not open any websites automatically.
You can clear PiP browser cookies by removing WebKit data through standard macOS mechanisms or by deleting the Launcher's Application Support directory.

We do not control the websites you visit in the PiP browser. Each website operates under its own Privacy Policy.

4. DATA TRANSFER TO THIRD PARTIES

We do not sell, rent, trade, or distribute your personal data to third parties for marketing, advertising, or any other commercial purposes.

Data transfer occurs exclusively within the framework of technically necessary interaction with external services described in Section 3 of this Policy. Here is a complete list of third-party services the Launcher may interact with:

Service / Company	Data Transmitted	Purpose
Microsoft (`login.live.com`)	OAuth authorization code	Minecraft account login
Xbox Live (Microsoft)	Microsoft token	Authorization stage
Minecraft Services (Mojang)	Xbox/XSTS tokens	Retrieving Minecraft token and profile
`mc-heads.net`	Minecraft UUID	Downloading skin avatar
Modrinth (`modrinth.com`)	Search queries, game version	Mod search and download
CurseForge (`curseforge.com`)	Search queries, game version	Mod search and download
GitHub (`raw.githubusercontent.com`)	Launcher version, macOS version	Check and download updates
TelemetryDeck	Anonymous usage signals	Analytics (disabled in settings)
Adoptium (`api.adoptium.net`)	Processor architecture, OS version	Downloading the correct Java version
Mojang CDN	Standard HTTP request	Downloading game files
Discord (local IPC)	Instance name, game version	Rich Presence status (can be disabled)
Onyx Friends Server	Username, password hash, Minecraft UUID/username, online status, game info, WebRTC signaling	Friends system: registration, multiplayer
Google STUN Servers (`stun.l.google.com`)	IP address (standard ICE protocol)	WebRTC NAT traversal for P2P connections
Websites visited in PiP browser	IP address, cookies, User-Agent	PiP browser — user-chosen content

5. DATA PROTECTION

We take reasonable measures to protect your information:

HTTPS Encryption. All network requests made by the Launcher are carried out exclusively via the secure HTTPS protocol with TLS encryption. This applies to all communications: Microsoft authorization, requests to Modrinth/CurseForge APIs, update downloads, TelemetryDeck analytics, and downloading game files.
Secure Token Storage. Sensitive data (authorization tokens) are stored in the macOS Keychain — a system storage protected by hardware encryption. Tokens are marked with the kSecAttrAccessibleWhenUnlocked attribute, meaning they are only accessible when your Mac is unlocked and inaccessible when the screen is locked or in sleep mode.
Hardened Runtime. The Launcher is built with Hardened Runtime enabled — a special macOS security mode that restricts application capabilities (disallows loading third-party libraries, memory modification by other processes, etc.).
Code Signing. The Launcher binary is signed with a digital signature and time stamp, which guarantees code integrity and allows macOS to verify that the file has not been modified since compilation.
Token Masking in Logs. When game startup parameters are displayed in the Launcher console, access tokens are automatically replaced with asterisks (********) to prevent accidental exposure.

6. DATA STORAGE AND DELETION

Retention Period:

Local data (settings, instances, accounts) is stored on your drive for as long as you use the Launcher.
Tokens in Keychain are stored until the corresponding account is deleted from the Launcher or until manually deleted via the 'Keychain Access' system utility.
Anonymous analytics data in TelemetryDeck is stored in accordance with TelemetryDeck's retention policy and cannot be linked to a specific user.

How to delete your data:

Account Deletion: You can delete any account through the Launcher interface. This automatically deletes: the account record from the configuration file, tokens from macOS Keychain, as well as cached skin files for this account.
Full Deletion: To completely delete all Launcher data, delete the application and its data directory (Application Support). This will delete all local settings, game file cache, and configuration.
Revoking Microsoft Access: Even after deleting the Launcher, we recommend revoking access in your Microsoft account on the page https://account.live.com/consent/Manage.
Onyx Friends Account: You can log out of the Friends system at any time through the Launcher interface. To request complete deletion of your Friends account and all associated data from the server, contact us through the channels listed in Section 11.

7. PRIVACY OF MINORS

Onyx Launcher is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under this age. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided us with their personal data, please contact us, and we will take steps to delete such information.

Please note: during authorization through Microsoft, if the account belongs to a minor without appropriate parental consent in the Microsoft Family Safety system, authorization will be rejected with a corresponding message. This limitation is set by Microsoft, not by us.

8. YOUR RIGHTS

Depending on your place of residence, you may have the following rights regarding your data:

Right to Access: You can view all your data at any time since it is stored locally on your computer.
Right to Deletion: You can delete any of your data (accounts, instances, cache) through the Launcher interface or by deleting the files from your drive.
Right to Opt-Out of Analytics: You can disable TelemetryDeck anonymous analytics collection in the Launcher settings.
Right to Revoke Access: You can revoke the Launcher's access to your Microsoft account at any time.
Right to Delete Friends Account: You can request deletion of your Onyx Friends account and all associated server-side data.
Right to Invisible Mode: You can hide your online status from friends by enabling Invisible Mode in the Launcher settings.

Most of your data is stored locally on your computer and is under your complete control. For the Onyx Friends feature, we maintain a server-side database containing your Friends account information (username, password hash, friends list, and linked Minecraft profile). You can request deletion of this data by contacting us through the channels listed in Section 11.

9. OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE

The Launcher uses the following third-party open-source libraries and components:

Sparkle (https://sparkle-project.org/) — automatic update framework for macOS. License: MIT.
TelemetryDeck Swift SDK (https://github.com/TelemetryDeck/SwiftSDK) — SDK for anonymous analytics. License: MIT.
GoogleWebRTC (WebRTC.framework) — WebRTC peer-to-peer communication framework used for the Onyx Friends multiplayer tunneling. License: BSD 3-Clause.

Each of these libraries has its own privacy policy and terms of use, which we recommend reviewing separately.

10. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy. Changes may occur due to the following reasons:

Adding new features to the Launcher that require data processing.
Changes in third-party services or libraries.
Changes in legal requirements in the field of personal data protection.
Clarifications or improvements of formulations.

In case of significant changes (e.g., adding new categories of data collection or new third parties), we will notify you through:

Release Notes in the Launcher.
Announcements on the official Launcher website.

The date of the last revision is always indicated at the beginning of this document. We recommend reviewing this Policy periodically.

11. CONTACT US

If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy or the processing of your data, you can contact us:

Through our official repository on GitHub: https://github.com/deeppacketdev-hub/onyx-launcher
Through the contact information on the official Launcher website.

We make every effort to respond to your inquiries within a reasonable timeframe.