Is it safe to connect a planner to GCU Halo? Passwords and privacy
The one rule: never type your GCU password into anything except GCU's own login page. A trustworthy tool either reads Halo while you're already logged in, or works from files you give it. It should also let you see your data, export it and delete it, and say plainly that it isn't from GCU if it isn't.
Questions to ask of any Halo tool
- Does it ask for my GCU password? If yes, don't use it.
- Who made it, and is it from GCU? An independent tool should say so clearly.
- What does it take, and where does it go? Look for a privacy page in plain words.
- Can I delete everything? You should be able to, in one step.
- Can anyone check the code? Open-source code is a good sign, not a guarantee.
How Halo+ handles it
- No password. The sync bookmark runs on Halo's own page while you're logged in there. It never sees your GCU password and never asks for it.
- What it reads: your classes, assignments, due dates, grades, feedback and announcements, and you approve the changes before they're applied.
- Your account: each account can read only its own data, enforced by the database.
- AI features send only the text they need, and the AI provider does not train on it.
- Export or delete everything from the You page at any time.
- Public code at github.com/richardsgeorger-collab/school-dashboard.
The full details are on the privacy page.
Where Halo+ fits
Halo+ is an independent planner made by a GCU student, not by GCU. It's free to start, with Max free for 7 days and no card.
Questions
- Does Halo+ need my GCU password?
- No, and it never asks. The bookmark works because you are already logged in to Halo in that browser. The code is public on GitHub, so anyone can check.
- Is Halo+ from GCU?
- No. Halo+ is independent. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Grand Canyon University. Halo is GCU's learning platform.
- Can I delete my Halo+ data?
- Yes. You → Advanced → Delete my account removes every row and the account itself, immediately. You can export everything as one file first.
More help
- How to see all your GCU Halo due dates in one place
- Halo announcements: how not to miss what your professor asks for
- GCU Halo calendar: getting your assignments into Google or Apple Calendar
- Halo GCU app for iPhone and iPad: what works
- Halo vs Halo+: what's the difference?
- How to check your grades in GCU Halo, and what you need on the rest