Cookies and device storage

idly sets no advertising or tracking cookies. What it keeps in your browser is listed here, item by item, with why it's there and how long it lasts.

Last updated 31 October 2026

India has no law just for cookies. What matters is India's data protection law (the DPDP Act, 2023): anything that identifies you and leaves your device needs your consent or another lawful reason. So idly keeps the line simple: things that make the site work, or remember a choice you made, are stored without asking; anything that learns about you waits for your yes.Most of what's below never leaves your browser.

idly uses your browser's local storage and session storage more than cookies. They work the same way for privacy: you can see and clear them in your browser settings, and they are listed here too.

What's stored, by purpose

Needed for the site to work

Stored without asking, because the site can't do what you asked without them. None of them identifies you or is sent to idly.

idly_consent
Local storage
Your privacy choices: personalisation yes or no, embeds on or off, the notice version and when you answered.
Until you change it or clear site data.
idly_personalisation_off
Local storage
Set when personalisation is off, so nothing is sent.
Until you turn personalisation on.
idly_seen
Session storage
Whether this tab has already shown the opening animation.
Until you close the tab.
idly_ask_session
Session storage
Your Ask idly conversation, so it survives moving between pages.
Until you close the tab.
idly-static, idly-pages, idly-api
Browser cache
The service worker's copies of site files and of today's edition and stories you opened, so they open offline.
Replaced as you read (at most 40 pages).
idly_control_refresh
Session storage
Only for idly staff: the sign-in token for the Control room.
Until the tab closes or the staff member signs out.

Remembering what you chose

Stored when you make a choice, and only on your device. The two cookies let pages appear in your chosen layout and reading level from the first moment, without a flash.

idly_edition_mode
Cookie
Cards or list for the edition (also kept in local storage).
1 year, set when you pick a layout.
idly_read
Cookie
Your reading level and language (for example easy.en), only when you chose something other than Standard.
1 year, removed when you go back to Standard.
idly_theme
Local storage
Light or dark.
Until you change it or clear site data.
idly_reading, idly_arrange
Local storage
Your reading level and term explanations, and whether sections follow your reading order.
Until you change them or delete your data.
idly_muted_keywords
Local storage
Words you muted, so stories with them stay hidden.
Until you remove them or delete your data.
idly_watch_autoplay
Local storage
Whether idly's own silent story videos may play when in view.
Until you change it.
idly_ios_tip, idly_ask_hint, idly_offer_*_until
Local storage
Tips and offers you've dismissed or snoozed, so they don't come back.
Until the snooze ends or you clear site data.
idly_email, idly_push
Local storage
That a confirmation email was sent (never the address), and which notification topics are on.
Until you sign up again or turn notifications off.
Notifications
Browser permission
Your browser's permission for idly to send notifications, if you gave it.
Until you turn it off in Your idly or your browser.

Your reading, kept only on this device

Features you use on this device. They stay in your browser and are never sent to idly, whether personalisation is on or off.

idly_history
Local storage
The last 50 stories you opened, for Reading history in Your idly.
Until you clear history or delete your data.
idly_saved, idly_worth_votes, idly_voted_at
Local storage
Stories you saved and how you voted on them.
Until you remove them or delete your data.
idly_days, idly_quiz, idly_visits, idly_visit_counted
Local and session storage
Days you read (for your streak), today's quiz answers, and how many visits you've made (offers wait for the second).
Until you delete your data or clear site data.
idly_recent_searches
Local storage
Your last few searches.
Until you remove them.
idly_offline_edition
Local storage
A copy of today's edition for reading offline.
Replaced each day.

Personalisation (only if you say yes)

Nothing here exists until you choose Yes, personalise. The ID is random and goes with your reading signals to idly's server, as described in the privacy notice.

idly_reader_id
Local storage
Your anonymous ID (a random code, no name or email in it).
Until you turn personalisation off, reset it or delete your data. Unused for 180 days, it's deleted on our server.
idly_reading_synced, idly_mutes_synced
Session storage
That your settings were already fetched in this tab.
Until you close the tab.
idly_push_id
Local storage
Only if you turned on notifications with personalisation off: a separate random ID for the notification subscription.
Until you turn notifications off or delete your data.

Embedded posts from YouTube and Instagram

idly shows a picture and a button until you tap. Once you play a video or show a post (or turn on “Load YouTube and Instagram posts”), the content comes from Google or Meta, who may set their own cookies. idly doesn't control or read them.

youtube-nocookie.com
Cookie
YouTube's privacy-enhanced player sets no tracking cookies before you press play; after that, Google's own storage may be used to play the video.
Set by Google. See Google's privacy policy.
instagram.com
Cookie
Instagram's official post embed may set Meta's cookies once shown.
Set by Meta. See Meta's privacy policy.

Shopping and commission links (when you click)

idly never sets a cookie for a shop. When you follow a commission link, idly counts the click (no ID, no IP address: just which link, where on the page, and the day) and sends you to the shop, which may then set its own cookie to know idly sent you. See Disclosures.

Set by the shop
Cookie
For example Amazon's associates cookie, so the shop can pay idly a commission.
Set by the shop under its own policy, often 24 hours or more.

How to change or clear it

(also at the foot of every page) turns personalisation and embeds on or off. Off deletes what idly's server holds.
Your idly has Delete my data, which clears the server copy and everything above from this device.
Your browser's settings can clear site data for idly or block storage. Reading still works; idly simply forgets your choices.

Readers outside India

idly is made for readers in India and isn't aimed at the European Union or the UK. If you read from there, the same rules apply to you: anything that learns about you, or loads embeds by itself, waits for your yes.

Questions: see the privacy notice for how to reach us.