Is LAILOLA safe? Will it take my chats?
Short answer: LAILOLA never signs in to LINE and needs no account or password. It reads only the iPhone backup you choose, stored on your Mac. Chats, photos, contacts and files are processed on your Mac and never uploaded, and the original backup is opened read-only. The app uses the network in exactly four situations, listed below, and you can check this yourself.
What does it read?
Only the local iPhone backup you choose in the app. The first time, LAILOLA guides you to the folder where backups are stored and you click to allow access. Without that step, it reads nothing.
Can it change my backup or my phone?
No. The backup is opened read-only: nothing is rewritten, moved or deleted. LAILOLA doesn't write anything to your iPhone either.
When does it use the network?
We don't say "never goes online", because that wouldn't be precise. Here is every case:
| Situation | What is sent | What is not |
|---|---|---|
| App Store purchase and restore | The purchase flow, handled by Apple | Your chats, photos or files |
| Ads in the free version | Ad requests | Ad requests contain none of your chats or photos |
| Loading public sticker images | Requests for public sticker images | Your chat content |
| Feedback or crash reports you choose to send | The text you wrote, or the error details shown on screen | Your chats, photos and files |
Full details are in the privacy policy.
How can I check for myself?
- Turn off Wi-Fi and use it: browsing, reading chats and search keep working. Offline, only sticker images and purchases are unavailable.
- Use a network monitor such as Little Snitch to see where the app actually connects.
Who makes it?
LAILOLA is built by one person, Hank Wang, an independent developer in Taiwan. Purchases go through the Mac App Store. Who I am and how to reach me: About the developer.
Please note
LAILOLA reads backups of your own phone on your own computer. Please only use backups you have the right to use.