Trademark
ownCloud, a Kiteworks Company, an open-source file sharing and collaboration solution, is used by over 200 million users worldwide.
With these Guidelines, we wish to encourage widespread use of the ownCloud trademarks by the ownCloud community while managing that use to protect the distinctive value of the trademarks and avoid confusion on the part of ownCloud users and the general public.
The sections that follow describe the ownCloud Marks covered by these Guidelines, as well as uses of these Marks that are allowed, uses that are not allowed, and uses that are only allowed with specific permission. See Contact Information below to request permission.
The ownCloud Marks
ownCloud and the ownCloud Logo are registered trademarks of ownCloud GmbH, a Kiteworks Company, in the United States, other countries or both.
These guidelines cover the following marks pertaining both to the product name and the logo: ownCloud and the blue/white cloud logo with or without the word ownCloud. This set of marks is collectively referred to as the “ownCloud Marks.” Please note that use of the white/orange/blue cloud logo is used exclusively by ownCloud GmbH, a Kiteworks Company, and its approved partners and is therefore not covered under these guidelines. Any permission for usage of that particular logo must be granted explicitly by ownCloud GmbH, a Kiteworks Company, whom you can contact at anytime.
Last updated: March 2024
Last updated: March 2024
General Guidelines for Using the ownCloud Marks
Product Quality
It is fundamentally important to us that any permitted use you make of the ownCloud Marks be of the highest quality and integrity and meet the highest standards. To ensure this is the case, we reserve the right to revoke your permission at any time.
Fair Use
We acknowledge and support your right to make “fair use” of the ownCloud Marks, and do not mean to suggest with these guidelines that our permission is required in such cases. We cannot, however, tell you categorically what will and will not qualify as a “fair use.”
Logo Usage Requirements
Do not alter the logo in any way or overlap it with additional logos or images.
The logo is white on dark blue (#041e42). It should not be used differently, especially not inverted. The name “ownCloud” must not be left out.
Branding Guidelines
When referring to ownCloud make sure that it is spelled correctly. The first “o” in ownCloud should always be lowercase even at the start of a sentence. Also, ownCloud is one word and should not be separated into two words.
Contributing to ownCloud
We encourage everybody to contribute to ownCloud and become part of the ownCloud community.
If your contributions require trademark usage which is not permitted by these guidelines, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Use Cases for the ownCloud Marks
Running an ownCloud Server installation
You may use the ownCloud Marks to identify your ownCloud installation as long as you have not made any modifications to the ownCloud Server core itself. Modifications to the ownCloud Server here are defined as those which would would require you to provide them in source form to any user who asks under the license of the AGPLv3.
Note that enabling ownCloud apps and configuration of your server are not considered changes or modifications to ownCloud.
Distributing ownCloud Server without modification
You can use the ownCloud Marks to identify ownCloud for ownCloud Server downloads separately or as part of a Virtual Machine, docker image, installer, PHP server package or in another form as long as you have not made any modifications to ownCloud Server itself. Modifications to the ownCloud Server here are defined as those which would would require you to provide them in source form to any user who asks under the license of the AGPLv3.
Note that pre-configuration and enabling or pre-installing certain ownCloud apps are not considered changes or modifications to ownCloud.
Rather than offering ownCloud Server unmodified, we suggest to link to our installation page to ensure users can always find the latest ownCloud release. If you offer ownCloud as part of a package, image or installer, please keep security issues in mind. Offering easy and convenient update capabilities will greatly benefit your users. Where possible, we suggest to make use of official ownCloud packages or zip files and tarballs.
Distributing ownCloud Server With Modifications
You may distribute or make available ownCloud Server with modifications under the terms of the AGPLv3 license.
In making such a distribution you must remove all trademark uses of the ownCloud Marks from the version of ownCloud you are modifying. You may, if you wish, combine your own trademark with one of the following ownCloud Mark tag-lines: “Based on ownCloud,” “Powered by ownCloud,” “Derived from ownCloud,” “Uses ownCloud,” “Built on ownCloud,” or “Built from ownCloud.”
You generally will not need to remove or modify package headers, notes, README files, Changelogs, or other files containing uses of the ownCloud Marks that merely describe the ownCloud project, as long as such uses do not imply that you are formally affiliated with the ownCloud Community.
ownCloud mobile client
The ownCloud mobile clients are available on the Apple (iOS), Google (Android), BlackBerry and Amazon (Android) app stores. If you wish to distribute these clients modified or unmodified on these stores you can not use ANY ownCloud Mark other than what fair use allows and you must make sure that such stores are compatible with the respective Open Source license of such ownCloud mobile app. This means you can NOT use the term ‘ownCloud’ in the name of your app. You MUST make clear that your app is NOT the official ownCloud client and contains modifications from the original– if any. We reserve the right to demand you take down the ownCloud client if you violate any of these provisions.
Any distribution in the current Apple app stores is incompatible to the ownCloud mobile app license and therefor not possible. For distributing the ownCloud mobile clients on any other app store, please contact us.
ownCloud desktop client
The ownCloud desktop client is available for Linux, Windows and Mac OS X. If you wish to distribute the desktop client modified or unmodified you can not use ANY ownCloud Mark other than what fair use allows. This means you can NOT use the term ‘ownCloud’ in the name of your client. You MUST make clear that your client is NOT the official ownCloud client and contains modifications from the original. To obtain permission to distribute a modified or unmodified version of the ownCloud desktop client with use of the ownCloud Marks, please contact us.
Linking to owncloud.com
You are permitted to link to owncloud.com from your website. We have provided several logo graphics for you to choose from. To use these logos you must agree that:
- The logos will be used only on the Internet and only as a link to owncloud.com, and not as a favicon (the little icon used in the location bar and tabs to identify a website);
- You will not imply or state an endorsement by the ownCloud Community or otherwise misrepresent your relationship with the ownCloud Community;
- You will not disparage the ownCloud Community while using the logos;
- Your use of the logos will not be deceptive or false in any regard;
- You will not create a browser or border environment around ownCloud Community content;
- You may link to ownCloud Community content or replicate content only after obtaining permission;
- Your website will not contain content that could be construed as distasteful, offensive, or controversial, and will contain only content that is appropriate for all age groups; and
- This permission may be rescinded at any time, in which case you will have to remove the ownCloud marks from your web site within 24 hours.
Merchandise
You are welcome to make use of the ownCloud Marks to produce merchandise such as t-shirts, hats, bags, jackets, sweatshirts, mugs, and desktop wallpapers and give them to your friends, family, community members, provided there is no commercial interest behind it. You are required to request permission if you want to commercially distribute articles using the ownCloud Marks (see Contact Information below to request permission).
Domain Names
If you want to include all or part of an ownCloud Mark in a domain name, you should seek our permission (see Contact Information below to request permission). People naturally associate domain names with organizations whose names sound similar. Almost any use of an ownCloud Mark in a domain name is likely to confuse someone, thus running afoul the overarching requirement that any use of an ownCloud Mark not be confusing. By “domain name” we mean to refer to toplevel domains and second-level domains, but not sub-domains.
Advocacy Groups
We welcome the use of the ownCloud Marks in connection with user groups and other ownCloud advocacy groups, but you may only do so in accordance with the following requirements:
- Your use is not commercial in nature;
- In using an ownCloud Mark, you are in fact referring to the thing that the ownCloud Mark represents;
- There is no suggestion (through words or appearance) that your group is approved by, sponsored by, or affiliated with the ownCloud Community (or its related projects) unless it actually has been so approved, sponsored, or affiliated;
- You do not incorporate other proprietary or commercial names in your group name; and
- You do not claim any trademark rights in the name, attempt to register the name with a trademark office or as a trade name, business name, or domain name, or conduct any business under the name.
Events
It is permissible to use the ownCloud Marks to promote free and open source software events where individuals in the ownCloud Community appear as advocates, demonstrating ownCloud, giving talks, or otherwise represent the project, provided:
- You do not misrepresent your relationship with the ownCloud Community;
- You do not disparage the ownCloud Community using the ownCloud Marks; and
- Your use of the ownCloud Marks is not deceptive or false in any regard.
Individuals can be ownCloud contributors, members of the wider ownCloud community, or ownCloud users.
Publications
If you want to include all or part of an ownCloud Mark in the name of a publication such as a book or magazine, you need our permission (see Contact Information below to request permission). But you can use the ownCloud Mark in a title of review inside a magazine, for example, as long as you use the Marks to refer to the official ownCloud community or products.
Apps, Product and Service Names, and Compatibility References
You should not include an ownCloud Mark in the name of your application, product or service, regardless of whether it’s commercial or non-commercial in nature. This includes online services, such as e-commerce, community, blog, informational, promotional, and personal home page sites as well as ownCloud apps, client apps or third party apps which interact with ownCloud.
With that said, we consider it permissible to use an ownCloud Mark in a file, folder, directory, or path name.
We also recognize that the ownCloud Community needs some way to identify projects, products, and services that are compatible with ownCloud. Our concern is that users not be confused as to whether a compatible project, product, or service is official or not. To address that concern, we request that you indicate compatibility with ownCloud using one of the following tag-lines:
- “Works with ownCloud”
- “Uses ownCloud,”
- “ownCloud App”
- “Powered by ownCloud”
- “For use with ownCloud”
- “For ownCloud” or
- “Built on ownCloud”
As per May 1 2015 there is a number of applications using the ‘ownCloud’ mark as part of their name. As this has been OK in the past, as transition, these do not have to rename. However, from June 1 2015 new apps can not use the ‘ownCloud’ mark in their name.
Advertising and Marketing Materials, including Business Cards
You may use the ownCloud Marks in describing and advertising your ownCloud-related product or service, or on business cards to identify your affiliation with the ownCloud Community, so long as:
- You do not imply or state an endorsement by the ownCloud Community or otherwise misrepresent your relationship with the ownCloud Community;
- You do not disparage the ownCloud Community using the ownCloud Marks;
- Your use of the ownCloud Marks is not deceptive or false in any regard;
- Your description, advertising, or other use does not contain content that could be construed as distasteful, offensive, or controversial, and only does contain content that is appropriate for all age groups; and
- Your use of the ownCloud Marks does not include or imply any commitment by the ownCloud Community to provide support, service, indemnification, or updates.
Business Names
You can not include an ownCloud Mark in the name of your company or business.
Commentary
We welcome comment and constructive criticism, and we try to have a good sense of humor. It’s fine to use the ownCloud Marks in your discussion, commentary, criticism, or parody, in ways that unequivocally do not imply endorsement. Please do not create mock or parody products with names based on the ownCloud Marks. Also, please be aware that, in our opinion, it is not “fair use” to use the ownCloud Marks in a manner that disparages ownCloud technology or the ownCloud Community.
All Other Uses
All other uses of the ownCloud Marks need to be reserved by us, but we are available to discuss terms for use.
Contact Information
Please contact us if you need assistance regarding these Guidelines, e.g. for discussing your case or requesting permission, by sending a email to .
License for these Guidelines
These Guidelines are published under Version 3 of the Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike License, and are derived in part from the openSUSE Trademark Guidelines (April 20, 2015), which in turn is derived in part from the OpenSolaris Trademark Policy 1.0 (May 5, 2008), the Ubuntu and Mozilla Trademark guidelines.