Privacy Policy

At Mail Setup Guide ("we", "us", "our"), accessible at https://mailsetupguide.com, we are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Automatically Collected Data

When you visit our website, our servers and analytics tools may automatically collect:

• Log data: IP address (anonymised), browser type, operating system, referring URL, pages visited, and time of visit.
• Device data: screen resolution, browser language and similar technical information.
• Usage data: search queries you enter on our site, articles you view, and navigation patterns.

1.2 Cookies & Similar Technologies

We use the following categories of cookies:

• Essential cookies: Required for the site to function (e.g. session, anti-CSRF).
• Preference cookies: Store your UI preferences such as dark/light mode (theme) and your chosen language (lang).
• Analytics cookies: Google Analytics cookies (_ga, _gid) to understand aggregate traffic patterns. These are only set after you explicitly accept via our cookie banner.
• Advertising cookies: Google AdSense cookies (__gads, __gpi, IDE, ANID) used to deliver and personalise advertisements. These are only set after you explicitly accept via our cookie banner.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by clearing your browser's cookies or local storage.

2. How We Use Your Information

• To deliver and improve our email-configuration guides and content.
• To analyse aggregate site usage and understand which content is most helpful.
• To remember your language and theme preferences across visits.
• To display relevant advertisements that help fund the free content on this site.
• To generate anonymous, aggregate statistics (no personally identifiable information is stored).

3. Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) provided by Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Google Analytics collects anonymised data about your use of the site and transmits it to Google servers. We have enabled IP anonymisation so your full IP address is never stored. Google's data processing is governed by the Google Privacy Policy. You can opt out at any time using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

4. Google AdSense & Advertising

We use Google AdSense, an advertising service provided by Google LLC, to display advertisements on this website. AdSense uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to serve ads that are relevant to you based on your browsing behaviour on this site and other websites across the internet.

4.1 What AdSense Collects

Through AdSense, Google and its advertising partners may collect:

• Cookie identifiers linked to your browser or device (__gads, __gpi, IDE, ANID).
• Pages you visit on this site and your interactions with displayed ads.
• Your approximate location derived from your IP address.
• Interests and demographic information inferred from your browsing activity across the web.

4.2 Personalised vs. Non-Personalised Ads

If you accept cookies via our banner, we may serve personalised ads tailored to your interests. If you decline cookies, we serve only non-personalised ads based solely on the content of the page you are viewing — no interest profiling is performed.

4.3 How to Manage or Opt Out of Ad Personalisation

• Google Ad Settings: review and control what Google knows about your interests at adssettings.google.com.
• YourAdChoices (DAA): opt out of interest-based advertising from participating companies at optout.aboutads.info.
• NAI Opt-out: opt out of network advertising at optout.networkadvertising.org.
• Browser controls: block or delete cookies via your browser settings. Note that blocking all cookies may affect site functionality.

For full details on how Google uses data from sites that use its services, see How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services.

5. Data Sharing

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share anonymised, aggregate data with service providers strictly for operating and improving this website. All third-party services we use are contractually required to handle data in accordance with applicable law.

6. Data Retention

Analytics data is retained for 14 months in Google Analytics (the minimum configuration). Local-storage preferences (theme, cookie consent) are stored only on your device and are never transmitted to our servers. AdSense cookie lifetimes are governed by Google's own policies.

7. Your Rights (GDPR / EEA)

If you are located in the European Economic Area, you have the following rights:

• Access – request a copy of data we hold about you.
• Rectification – request correction of inaccurate data.
• Erasure – request deletion of your data.
• Restriction – request that we restrict processing of your data.
• Portability – receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Objection – object to processing based on legitimate interests.
• Withdraw consent – withdraw analytics and advertising consent at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the address below.

8. Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. Google AdSense is configured to not serve personalised ads to users who are minors. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

9. External Links

Our guides may contain links to third-party websites (e.g. email client documentation, RFC standards). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites and encourage you to read their privacy policies.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be announced via a notice on the homepage. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will always reflect the most recent revision.

11. Contact Us

For any privacy-related questions or requests, please contact us:
Mail Setup Guide
Email: [email protected]