Help
Answers to common questions about Solution Oriented Society. Open the app
All help articles
About SOS
Can I try SOS without an account?
No: the tools need a free account, but SOS Mode, with its crisis lines, opens without one.
What opens without an account
You can read the sign-up page, the Terms of Service, the Privacy Policy and the Help Center.
SOS Mode opens without an account too. It has crisis lines, breathing and grounding exercises, and a safety plan that stays on your device.
The Get help now button works without an account as well. It opens crisis lines for your country.
What needs an account
Everything else. SOS has no guest mode.
Many tools save your entries to your account, so they are there on another device. Some tools keep entries only on the device you use.
What an account takes
You choose a public username that other members can see, give an email address and choose a password of at least 8 characters. You read and agree to a short set of terms first.
After that SOS asks a few setup questions about you. You can skip most of them.
What happens next
You can download your data and delete your account at any time from Settings.
About SOS
How old do I have to be to use SOS?
You need to be at least 13 to use SOS.
How SOS checks
When you create an account, SOS asks for your date of birth, or the terms ask you to confirm that you are 13 or older. The screen tells you which.
During setup SOS also asks for your date of birth. If the date makes you younger than 13, setup stops and nothing from the setup questions is saved. SOS closes the account if it was made in the last few days.
If you picked the wrong date by mistake, you can sign up again and choose the right one. SOS cannot check that a date of birth is true.
If you are under 18
The Terms ask you to read them and the Privacy Policy with a parent or guardian.
The finance tools are meant for adults (18 and over). Some parts of SOS, such as the community and direct messages, are written with adults in mind.
Parental controls
SOS has no parental controls today. The Family area can save settings for a child profile, but they do not limit what a child can see or do.
If you need to talk to someone
If you or a young person you know needs support now: Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
About SOS
Is SOS free? Will it always be?
SOS is free to use today, and we have said we will tell you first if that changes.
What is free
Core tools have no paywall, and you do not need a credit card to sign up.
The Plans screen promises that these never go behind a paywall: exporting your data, deleting your account, and crisis and safety resources.
It also lists reporting and blocking tools, core tracking in every section, and syncing between devices.
Will it always be free?
We can't promise that nothing will ever change. What we have put in writing is that core tools have no paywall, and that if any of this changes, we will say so first.
An optional Supporter plan is planned, but it is not open yet. It would be a way to chip in. Nothing in the free plan is taken away to sell it back to you.
How SOS pays its costs
SOS plans to pay for itself with optional supporter plans, partnerships with groups that share its mission, and grants. It runs no ads and does not sell your data.
Cosmetic items, such as color themes, may be offered later. They would change how SOS looks and nothing else. They are not available yet.
What happens next
To see the plans yourself, open Settings and tap Plans & Support.
About SOS
Is there an iPhone or Android app?
Not in a store: SOS works in your phone's browser, and you can add it to your home screen so it opens like an app.
What exists today
SOS is a website that works on phones, tablets and computers. It has no App Store or Google Play app today.
You can add SOS to your home screen. It then opens in its own window, without the browser bars.
A store app
Some Settings screens mention a store launch. There is no store app today, and those screens give no date.
What a browser cannot do
A few features are made for a phone app. These include reminders that appear on your phone and Face ID or fingerprint sign-in. They are not available in the browser.
In the browser, your Encrypted Vault is protected by a PIN.
What happens next
For now, adding SOS to your home screen is the way to open it like an app.
About SOS
What are the five pillars?
SOS has five sections: Wellness, Wealth, Knowledge, Commons and Goals.
The five sections
You open the sections from the bottom bar, or from the side menu on a wide screen.
Wellness is for your body and mind. It holds check-ins, mood and sleep logs, food, medicines, calming tools and workouts.
Wealth is for money. It holds budgets, bills, debt plans, savings goals, net worth and calculators.
Knowledge is for learning. It holds courses, self-check quizzes, a news feed and a library of ideas.
Commons is the community, and some screens call it Community. It holds the Pulse feed, circles, challenges and messages.
Goals is for goals, habits and tasks. Finishing a goal earns XP.
Home and the rest
Home is your start page, and it has its own tab. On a wide screen the side menu also has Calendar and Analytics.
Calendar, Saved items, your Profile and your SOS Tokens are icons at the top of Home. Settings is a row in your Profile, and it is in the side menu on a wide screen.
Why you may see different lists
Some screens group things differently. The Pillars screen lists Fitness and Goals & Self as their own pillars, and the setup welcome shows Fitness and Intelligence.
The bottom bar is the one to trust. Workout tools are inside Wellness.
About SOS
What is SOS?
SOS is a free website with tools for health, money, learning, community and goals.
What it is
SOS is short for Solution Oriented Society. It is a set of tools in one place. You can keep track of things like mood, sleep, food and workouts. You can plan a budget, set goals, learn from a library of ideas and take part in a community.
You do not have to use everything. Pick the tools that fit your life and leave the rest.
What it is not
SOS is not a doctor, a therapist, a lawyer or a financial adviser. It is not a crisis service. The tools are for learning and for keeping track of your own life.
If you need to talk to someone now: Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
Where things stand
SOS is in beta. It is still being built, so you may find bugs or tools that are not finished.
SOS was built with help from AI, and a person has not reviewed every page. Some of it may be wrong or out of date, so check anything important with a qualified person.
How to start
Create a free account. All you need is an email address, a public username and a password.
What happens next
If you would rather look around first, you can read the Terms of Service and the Privacy Policy before you sign up.
About SOS
Why do you ask my birthday and health questions?
The answers help SOS work out numbers, such as calorie needs, and check that you are 13 or older.
What each question is for
Date of birth is used for age-based health numbers. It also sets up the right protections for your account. SOS cannot check that it is true.
Sex assigned at birth is used only for health calculations, such as how many calories your body uses at rest, and for cycle tracking.
Gender identity stays on your account. It is not used in any calculation.
Height and weight are used for calorie and health number calculations. The activity question helps SOS estimate your daily calorie needs.
Food allergies are saved to your allergy list in Wellness so they are on record. You can add or change them there at any time.
You can skip
Every question on the Health Basics page is optional, and each one says what it is used for. Skip anything you would rather not share.
Your name is the one answer the setup asks for. After that, a Skip button lets you move past each page.
Who sees your answers
The setup screen says only you can see these answers and other members never do.
The person who runs the server can technically read what is stored there. The Privacy Policy explains this.
What happens next
A date of birth that makes you younger than 13 stops setup. One that makes you 13 to 17 closes some community features for now. Those are the cases where an answer changes what happens next.
About SOS
How are the tenets grouped into families?
The tenets sit in four families, so you can see which ones belong together and open any one to read it.
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- Open the Human Accord screen. On Home, tap All tenets on the Tenet of the Day card.
- Scroll to the list of tenets. Each family has a heading and a short line that says what it is about.
- To see all the families together, scroll to About the Accord and tap How the tenets group together. That screen is called Families.
- Tap any tenet to read it in full.
- To practice the one-line forms, tap Start the drill. Each question shows one tenet's line with a word missing, and you choose the word.
The families
The Accord groups its tenets into four families. Each one has its own line and its own tenets.
Tend Yourself
The Human Accord screen describes it as "Your own growth: flourish, learn, create."
Its tenets are Cultivate Flourishing; Pursue Truth, Knowledge, and Growth; and Master and Create.
Care for Others
The Human Accord screen describes it as "What you owe other people: restrain, love, help, be just."
Its tenets are Minimize Unnecessary Suffering; Love Widely; Practice Active Care; and Uphold Fair Justice.
Honor the Web
The Human Accord screen describes it as "Your place in the whole: belong, defend freedom, carry the generations."
Its tenets are Honor the Interconnected Web; Champion Sovereign Freedom; and Be a Good Ancestor.
Hold Loosely
The Human Accord screen describes it as "The discipline that integrates the rest."
It has one tenet, with the same name.
Good to know
Families help you find and read the tenets. A tenet in one family can still pull against a tenet in another, and the Accord has a way to think about that.
The drill is private to you. Nothing you pick in it is saved, and you can stop at any time.
About SOS
What if two tenets pull against each other?
The Accord has three steps for weighing them, and the When the Tenets Pull Against Each Other screen walks through them.
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Why this comes up
The Accord says its commitments are not all equal in weight, and that they will sometimes pull against each other.
Real life does not let you live up to every tenet at once. The Accord gives three steps for what to do then.
Where to find it
Open the Human Accord screen, scroll to About the Accord and tap When the tenets pull against each other. The Families screen has a link to it too.
The three steps in plain words
- Some lines stay put. A few things are close to absolute, such as never murdering, raping, torturing or enslaving anyone, and never violating another person's body or mind. No promised good overrides them.
- Weigh the rest. Lean toward protecting people's ability to run their own lives and toward less needless suffering. Give real weight to the people actually affected.
- If careful people still disagree, decide in a way that is fair, open and can be changed if it proves wrong. Do not use force.
What the screen has
The screen shows the Accord's own wording of each step, with a plain-words version under it. It also explains the two kinds of care and gives worked examples.
Some examples are about dying, about force and about people who have hurt you, so read them at your own pace. They show how the Accord thinks and do not rule on your own situation.
At the bottom you can pick two tenets that pull against each other in something you face, and answer one question for each step.
Saving what you write
It saves to your Tenet Journal, and the entry is private to your account.
If it cannot save, your answers stay on the screen so you can try again.
What it does not do
Nothing in SOS applies the steps for you or decides anything. The screen is for reading and for thinking, and it is not legal or medical advice.
If a case brings up something heavy for you: Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
About SOS
What is the Human Accord?
The Human Accord is a set of eleven shared commitments, called tenets, that people of any background, faith or politics can hold.
What it is
The Human Accord is a short list of commitments about how to treat yourself, other people and the world around you. Each commitment is called a tenet.
SOS draws on the tenets in many of its tools. Many tools show a short Human Accord note that lists the tenets they relate to. Tap a tenet there to read it.
The Accord calls itself a best current attempt that is open to being tested and improved. It is not a finished system.
The tenets
Here are the tenets, grouped by family, in the order the Human Accord screen shows them.
Tend Yourself: Cultivate Flourishing; Pursue Truth, Knowledge, and Growth; and Master and Create.
Care for Others: Minimize Unnecessary Suffering; Love Widely; Practice Active Care; and Uphold Fair Justice.
Honor the Web: Honor the Interconnected Web; Champion Sovereign Freedom; and Be a Good Ancestor.
Hold Loosely: one tenet, with the same name.
What it is not
It is not a religion. It does not ask you to believe anything about the universe, and people of any faith or none can hold it.
It is not a membership test. Almost no one lives every tenet well, and you do not have to. Start where you can.
It is an invitation, not a law. The rules for taking part in the community are called the SOS Community Standards. They draw on the Accord, and they are a separate set of rules.
Where to find it
On Home, the Tenet of the Day card has an All tenets button. It opens the Human Accord screen.
On the Human Accord screen, tap any tenet to read it in full.
When you are signed out, the first page you see has a Human Accord section too. Tap a tenet there to read it. There is more to read after you sign up.
About SOS
Which browsers work with SOS?
SOS is made for current browsers such as Chrome, Edge, Safari and Firefox.
What your browser needs
SOS is a website, so it should run in a current version of any major browser. We have not published a list of tested versions.
Use an up-to-date browser. JavaScript must be on, because SOS does not run without it.
Your browser also needs to let SOS save data on your device. SOS keeps your sign-in there. Private windows and strict privacy settings can block this.
Features that depend on the browser
Adding SOS to your home screen is offered by Safari on iPhone and by Chrome and Edge. Other browsers may not offer it.
Features that use your location ask your browser for permission first.
During breathing exercises SOS asks the browser to keep the screen on. If your browser can't, the screen may dim and the exercise still works.
If something looks wrong
Update your browser and reload the page. The Fix a problem pages cover a blank page, an old version and a page that will not load.
About SOS
Who runs SOS?
SOS is run by SOS Media, LLC, a company registered in Colorado, and a person reads mail sent to admin@sosforchange.org.
Who is behind it
SOS is run by SOS Media, LLC, a limited liability company registered in Colorado. It runs the service under the name Solution Oriented Society.
The legal pages call the company that runs the service the operator. The operator rents the server from Hostinger, a hosting company, and runs it.
The operator can technically read what is stored there. The Privacy Policy says plainly who can see what.
Built with AI
SOS was developed with help from Claude, an AI model made by Anthropic. A person has not reviewed every page, so some of it may be wrong or out of date.
This is about how SOS was written. SOS does not use AI on your data today.
How to reach a person
Write to admin@sosforchange.org. A person reads it. We read every note. We can't promise a reply time.
That one address handles help and account problems, privacy and data requests, legal notices, and partnership and grant enquiries.
SOS does not publish a postal address yet.
Is SOS a company or a nonprofit?
SOS is run by SOS Media, LLC, a company registered in Colorado. No nonprofit has been formed yet.
The Mission & Vision screen says what is planned. SOS has no tax-exempt status, and donations are not open yet.
What happens next
The Terms of Service and the Privacy Policy are the full legal statements.
About SOS
Why did the tenets change?
The Human Accord was revised in August 2026, and your earlier ratings and logs were kept and now show under the tenets they became.
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What changed
The Human Accord was revised in August 2026. Some tenets were reworded, some were combined, and some are new.
Two tenets are new: Love Widely and Hold Loosely.
The list also has a new order, so a tenet's number can be different from before. The name is the better way to find a tenet.
Where the earlier tenets went
Three earlier tenets were joined into others. Revere the First Temple is now part of Cultivate Flourishing.
Protect the Foundation of Civilization and Honor the Social Contract and Legacy are now part of Be a Good Ancestor.
Three tenets have new names. Pursue Truth and Knowledge is now Pursue Truth, Knowledge, and Growth.
Practice Active Altruism is now Practice Active Care. Uphold Equitable Justice is now Uphold Fair Justice.
What happened to your ratings and logs
Your earlier ratings, practice logs and journal entries were kept. They show under the tenet they became.
If you rated both an earlier tenet and the tenet it became, the newest rating is shown. Nothing is averaged, because the two were worded differently.
Love Widely and Hold Loosely start with no ratings or logs of their own, because they are new.
The older Moral Code check-ins
Two screens used to be called Moral Code. They are now called Living the Accord and Ethics and the Accord.
Ratings you made on them against the earlier list stay on the device where you made them. They are not carried over to the current tenets, and nothing is deleted.
Will it change again?
The Accord holds itself loosely, so it may be revised again.
If you have used the Accord before, a short note on the Human Accord screen tells you about a revision. It stays until you tap Got it.
About SOS
Can I suggest a better wording for the Accord?
Proposals are not open yet, and the screen called The Accord Holds Itself Loosely will say when they are.
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Where things stand
Proposals are not open yet. The screen called The Accord Holds Itself Loosely says so, and it shows no form.
SOS wants a real way to read and answer proposals before it asks for them. When they open, that screen will say so and the form will appear there.
What the Accord says about itself
The Accord calls itself a best current attempt, not a finished system. It says anyone may propose a better wording if they give better reasons.
It also says its authority lives in those reasons and not in the document. The screen shows the full statement.
Who will answer
SOS has a private screen where staff read each proposal and write an answer. Only staff can open it.
Since the form is closed, you cannot send a proposal from the app yet.
What you can do now
You can read the Accord's own check of its list on the same screen. It covers why the list is the size it is, what might be missing, and where a reasonable person could disagree.
To find the screen, open the Human Accord screen, scroll to About the Accord and tap The Accord holds itself loosely.
Getting started
How do I find a tool?
Search at the top of Home, open a section from the bottom bar, or browse Your Tools on Home.
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- On Home, tap the search bar at the top and type part of a name, such as sleep, budget or journal.
- Tap a result to open it. Results are grouped by section.
- Or open a section from the bottom bar, or from the side menu on a wide screen, and look through its tools.
- On Home, scroll to Your Tools. Type in Search your tools, pick a filter such as Wellness or Favorites, and pick how to sort.
- Tap the heart on a tool to make it a favorite. Favorites can be sorted to the top.
- Tap Manage to turn off tools you do not use, or to pin the ones you want first.
If search finds nothing
Try a shorter word, or a different word for the same thing.
If nothing matches, tap Report missing feature or content, write what you were looking for and tap Send Report. This sends your search words and your note to the SOS team. Nothing is sent unless you tap Send Report.
Tools marked coming soon
A tool marked coming soon is not finished yet.
Your choices stay on this device
Favorites, pins and turned-off tools are saved on the device you are using. They do not move to another phone or browser.
Getting started
How do I report a problem or suggest something?
Tap the Help button, choose Send a note instead, write your note and send it.
- Tap the Help button, then tap Send a note instead.
- Choose the kind of note: Something's broken, Idea, Question, Thanks or Something else.
- Write what happened or what you would like. A subject is optional.
- To help us find the problem, leave Include details about this screen ticked. You see what will be sent before you send it, and you can untick the box.
- Tap Send note. SOS shows a reference for your note.
If you are signed out
The note form is for signed-in members. Write to admin@sosforchange.org instead.
On the Help contact page, Copy copies the address and Copy details copies information about your device that helps us find the problem.
What to leave out
Do not write passwords or codes in a note.
Photos are not available yet, so you cannot attach a picture or a screenshot. Say what you see in your note instead.
A note is not the way to get help in an emergency. If you need to talk to someone now: Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
Drafts and crisis wording
SOS keeps an unsent note on your device for 7 days. It clears the note when you send it, discard it or sign out.
If what you write sounds like you may be in distress, SOS shows support options in the form. It never stops you from sending.
What happens next
We read every note. We can't promise a reply time. If we answer, the reply shows with your past reports. Open Settings, then Send Feedback.
Getting started
How do I use search?
Tap the search bar at the top of Home, type part of a tool or page name, and tap a result to open it.
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- On Home, tap Search anything at the top. On Wellness, Wealth and Knowledge, tap the search box near the top. On Goals, tap the magnifying glass.
- Type part of a name, such as sleep or budget.
- Tap a result to open it. Results are grouped by section, such as Wellness or Wealth.
- Once you have typed three letters, ideas from the knowledge library can appear in their own group called Concepts.
- If there are more than 30 results, tap Show all to see every one.
- With the box empty, your last 8 searches show under Recent. Tap Clear to remove them.
What search looks at
Search looks at the names and descriptions of tools and pages, and at ideas in the knowledge library. Recent searches are kept only on your device.
Once you have typed three letters, SOS also asks its server for matching ideas, so that part needs a connection.
If your words sound like a crisis
If what you type sounds like you may be in distress or danger, search puts a card at the top called Talk to someone now. It has a Get help now button and a link to SOS Mode.
This check runs on your device. Your words are not sent anywhere for it.
When nothing matches
You can tell us what you were looking for. Tap Report missing feature or content, write a note and tap Send Report. Nothing is sent unless you tap Send Report.
Getting started
There are too many tools. Where do I begin?
You do not need them all: start with one section, then hide the tools you do not use.
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Start with one question
Ask yourself what you want help with right now. For health and mood, open Wellness. For money, open Wealth. For learning, open Knowledge.
For people, open Commons. For habits and plans, open Goals. Pick one tool in that section and use it for a while.
Make the list shorter
- On Home, find Your Tools and tap Manage.
- On each tool, use the switch to turn it off, or the star to pin it so it shows first.
- Tap Reset All to Defaults if you want everything back.
Use search instead of browsing
You do not have to browse. Type a few letters in the search bar at the top of Home and open what you need.
Good to know
Every tool starts turned on. Your choices are saved on the device you use, so they do not follow you to another phone or browser.
A tool marked coming soon is not finished yet.
Getting started
What should I do first?
Start small: take the 20-second check-in on Home, then pick one tool that fits what you want, and leave the rest for later.
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- Open Home. If you see a card called Your Next Step, tap Check in now and rate how you feel from 1 to 10.
- Tap the round Log button at the bottom right to save your mood, energy, water, weight or steps in a few taps.
- Open the section that fits what you want most: Wellness for health, Wealth for money, Knowledge for learning, Commons for people, or Goals for habits.
- Pick one tool there and try it. You do not have to use the others.
- Open Goals and set one small goal that you can finish.
- Tap Search anything at the top of Home whenever you cannot find something.
You do not need to do everything
The Getting Started guide, in Knowledge, lists 20 milestones. Treat it as a menu. You can do them in any order, or skip them.
If today is hard
You can skip all of this. The Get help now button is always within reach, and SOS Mode has breathing and grounding exercises.
If you need to talk to someone now: Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
What happens next
Over the next few days, come back to the tools you liked. On Home, tap Manage under Your Tools to hide the ones you do not use.
Getting started
What do XP, levels, quests and credentials mean?
XP are points, levels are steps on that scale, quests are guided tasks, and credentials are records of what you have earned.
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XP and levels
XP is a score that goes up when you do things in SOS, such as finishing goals and quests. Your level goes up as your XP passes set points. You can see both at the top of Home.
SOS says its streaks, points and levels are meant as encouragement, not pressure. If they feel like pressure, tell us.
Quests and guilds
A quest is a short guided task. You find quests in the Quest Hub. The Getting Started quest line has six short quests.
A guild is a group around an interest, with its own ranks. Guilds and quests are optional.
Credentials
Credentials are courses, certificates, degrees and licenses you have earned. The Certifications tool, in Knowledge, lets you record them yourself.
My Levels in Settings
The My Levels screen is not finished. Its Weekly XP chart adds up the XP history it keeps on your device. It can show no XP for the last 7 days even when your level on Home has moved.
Its numbers can differ from the level at the top of Home. Go by the level at the top of Home.
Getting started
What is on the Home screen?
Home is your start page: a search bar, your name and level, shortcuts, today's numbers, your tools and quick ways to log.
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At the top
The bar at the top has a search box and icons for your Profile, SOS Tokens, Saved items and the Calendar. A Get help now icon sits there too when the screen is wide enough.
Under it you see your name, your level and your XP. Tap it to open your Profile.
Your next step
When you have not logged anything yet, a card asks for a 20-second check-in. Rate how you feel from 1 to 10 and you are done. Tap the X to hide the card for today.
Shortcuts and views
Quick access shortcuts are small buttons for tools you use often. Tap one to open it. Press and hold one to remove it, or tap Add to add another.
The Quest Hub banner opens quests and guilds. Under it, the Overview, Timeline, Analytics, Goals and Social tabs switch the view.
Further down
You find a Quick Log row with Log Mood, Water, Weight, Workout, Food, BP and Sleep, and Today's Summary for sleep, activity, mood and nutrition.
Each Quick Log button opens a small sheet. If an entry does not save, the sheet says why and keeps what you typed.
Saving the same weight again within 2 minutes counts as one weigh-in. Two Log Water saves are two drinks.
Log Sleep fills in last night. If last night already has bed and wake times, for example from Sleep Log, the sheet asks whether to replace it. Nothing changes until you answer. Keep leaves the night as it was. Replace saves the new length and clears the old bed and wake times.
A Today's Summary card shows "--" until something is logged for today. An empty day is never shown as 0. Each card reads what you logged for today in any tool that saves that kind of entry, not only in Quick Log.
Your Tools lists the tools you have turned on. You can search it, filter it and sort it, and Manage lets you hide tools. Below it are Morning Brief, the Tenet of the Day and links to reports.
Make it yours
Tap Edit Widgets, or press and hold a widget. Use the arrows to move a widget and the eye button to hide it, then tap Done.
While you edit, widgets you hide are listed directly below your widgets. Tap one to bring it back.
If a notice says some data did not load
The notice says Some of your data didn't load. Tap Retry. If it keeps coming back, check your connection.
Getting started
How do I replay the tutorial?
A finished quest cannot be replayed, but you can start any quest that is open.
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- Open Home and tap the Quest Hub banner.
- Tap the Getting Started quest line.
- Tap Start on an open quest, or Resume on one you began. A quest marked Locked opens after you finish the quests it needs first.
- While a quest runs, tap Next to move on. The skip arrow passes a step, and the X on the card leaves the quest.
- To read the guide again, open Knowledge and tap Getting Started. The Platform Guide and Tips & Tricks tabs are always there.
If you already finished it
Finished quests stay marked Done, and SOS does not offer a way to start them again.
The My Journey tab in the Getting Started guide has 20 milestones that you can tick off or untick yourself.
It does not start by itself
The tutorial quests begin from the Quest Hub. Nothing opens them for you.
Account and sign-in
How do I change my email address?
Open Settings, then Security, then Change email address, and open the link we send to the new address.
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- Open Settings and tap Security.
- Under Email address, tap Change email address.
- Type the new email address and tap Send confirmation link.
- Open your new inbox. The email is from Solution Oriented Society. The subject is "Confirm your new email address for Solution Oriented Society".
- Open the link, type your current password and tap Confirm new email address.
- Sign in again with the new email address.
Before you start
Your current email address must be verified, and your account must be more than 24 hours old.
You can ask for a change 3 times in 24 hours.
Nothing changes until you open the link and type your password. The link goes to the new address, not the old one.
The link stops working after a while, so use it soon.
After the change
Every older sign-in stops working, so you sign in again.
We send a short notice to your old address. It says the address was changed and tells you to write to admin@sosforchange.org if that was not you.
What happens next
From then on, your new address is the one you sign in with and get account emails at.
Account and sign-in
How do I change my password?
Open Settings, then Security, then Change Password.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Settings and tap Security.
- Under Password, tap Change Password.
- Type your current password, then your new password two times.
- Tap Update Password.
Good to know
A new password needs at least 8 characters.
Changing your password signs out every other device. You stay signed in on this one.
The main Settings page also has a Change Password row in its Account group. It does the same thing.
If you forgot your current password
Sign out, then tap Forgot Password? on the sign-in screen to choose a new one.
What happens next
SOS may email you a short notice that your password changed. It can arrive a minute or so later.
Account and sign-in
I can't sign in
Check the email you typed, then use Forgot Password if the password still fails.
- Check the Email box. You sign in with your email address, not a username. Capital letters count, so type it the way you did when you signed up.
- Tap the eye icon in the Password box to see what you typed. Check for a wrong letter, and check that Caps Lock is off.
- Still not working? Tap Forgot Password?, type your email and tap Send reset link. Check your inbox and your spam or junk folder. The email comes from Solution Oriented Society, and the link works for 30 minutes.
- Another way in: if you see Email me a sign-in code under the Sign In button, tap it. We email an 8-digit code that works for 3 minutes. It needs no password.
- Not sure which email you used? Tap Forgot your email or username? and type an address you might have used.
- If the screen says "Too many tries. Wait a moment and try again.", stop tapping. The Sign In button counts down for 5 seconds, or for 60 seconds if it happens again within a minute.
- Still stuck? Write to admin@sosforchange.org from the address you signed up with.
What the messages mean
"Those credentials didn't match" means the email and password were not accepted together. It does not say which one is wrong.
After two of these messages within 10 minutes, a card called Still not getting in? appears. It has an Email me a reset link button and a Forgot which email? link.
"Too many tries. Wait a moment and try again." means SOS is limiting sign-in tries. The Sign In button turns off and counts down, then you can try again.
"Network error" means your device could not reach SOS. Check your connection and try again.
"We couldn't finish signing you in" means the sign-in came back, but this device did not accept it. The screen then checks your device clock against SOS and says what it found. A wrong date or time can cause this.
A long message that says "The request doesn't satisfy the collection requirements to authenticate" means the account is suspended. Write to admin@sosforchange.org from the address you signed up with.
What happens next
Once you are in, SOS keeps you signed in if Keep me signed in is ticked.
Account and sign-in
I forgot my password
Tap Forgot Password? on the sign-in screen, then open the link we email you.
- On the sign-in screen, tap Forgot Password?
- Type the email you signed up with and tap Send reset link.
- Look in your inbox for an email from Solution Oriented Society. The subject is "Reset your Solution Oriented Society password". Check spam or junk too.
- Open the link within 30 minutes. It works once.
- Type your new password two times and tap Set new password. Use at least 8 characters.
- Tap Sign in and use your new password.
If nothing arrives
The screen says a link is on its way if the address has an account. It never says whether the address has one.
You can ask again 2 minutes after the last request. The button counts down for you.
If the screen says email from SOS isn't working right now, wait and try again later, or write to admin@sosforchange.org.
Good to know
Setting a new password signs out every device that was signed in to your account.
You may get a short email that says your password was changed. It is a safety notice, so you would know if it was not you.
Another way back in
If sign-in codes are available, the Forgot Password screen also shows Other ways back in, with Email one-time code.
It emails an 8-digit code instead of a link. The article about signing in with a code has the steps and the limits.
What happens next
As soon as you set a new password you can sign in with it.
Account and sign-in
I forgot which email I used to sign up
On the sign-in screen, tap Forgot your email or username? and try an address.
- On the sign-in screen, tap Forgot your email or username?
- Type an address you might have used. Tap Email me my sign-in details.
- If that address has an account, we email it. The subject is "Your Solution Oriented Society sign-in details". It can take about a minute.
- The email shows your sign-in email. It also shows your public username if you have one.
- Nothing came? Check spam or junk. Then tap Try a different email and use another address.
- To sign in, type that email and your password. Forgot the password too? Tap Reset my password instead.
Good to know
You sign in with your email address, not with a username.
Capital letters count. If the email shows your address with different capital letters, type it exactly as shown.
We send at most one of these emails to an address every 15 minutes, so there is no resend button.
The screen never says whether an address has an account.
Another way to look
Search your inboxes for Solution Oriented Society. Our account emails come from that name.
What happens next
If you cannot open any address you might have used, see the article about losing access to your old email.
Account and sign-in
I think someone else is using my account
Leave this page quicklyChange your password in Settings, then Security, or use Forgot Password? if you cannot sign in.
- If you can still sign in, open Settings, then Security, then Change Password. Choose a new password you use nowhere else.
- If you cannot sign in, tap Forgot Password? on the sign-in screen and use the link we email to you. Setting a new password signs out every device.
- Open Settings, then Security, and read the Email address row. Make sure it is the address you expect.
- If you used the same password anywhere else, change it there too.
- Do not share any code or link from an SOS email. We never ask for your password by email.
- Write to admin@sosforchange.org from the address you signed up with. Say what you saw and when.
What SOS can and cannot show you
SOS does not show a list of past sign-ins or devices today.
SOS emails you when it sees a sign-in from a new browser or device. It also emails you when your password or email address changes.
If the person is someone you live with
If you do not feel safe, call 911 if you are in danger. You can also call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788.
A safety article about this is listed under Related.
What happens next
After you set a new password, the old one stops working on every device.
Account and sign-in
It says my password is wrong
Check the email you typed, then use Forgot Password to choose a new password.
- Look at the Email box. Sign-in uses your email address, so a different address will not match. Capital letters count too.
- Tap the eye icon in the Password box to see what you typed.
- Still not working? Tap Forgot Password?, type your email and tap Send reset link.
- Check your inbox and your spam or junk folder. Open the link within 30 minutes and choose a new password.
About the message
The message says "Those credentials didn't match." It does not say whether the email or the password was wrong.
After two of these messages within 10 minutes, a card called Still not getting in? appears. Its Email me a reset link button sends a reset link to the address in the Email box.
The card also has a Forgot which email? link. It opens the page that helps you find your sign-in email.
If you are not sure which email you used, tap Forgot your email or username? on the sign-in screen.
If no email comes, write to admin@sosforchange.org.
What happens next
After you choose a new password, sign in with it.
Account and sign-in
My password reset link says "expired" or "invalid"
Reset links last 30 minutes and work once, so ask for a new one.
- On the screen, type your email in the Email address box and tap Send a new link. Or tap Forgot Password? on the sign-in screen, type your email and tap Send reset link.
- You can ask again 2 minutes after the last request.
- Open the new email and tap the button in it within 30 minutes. If you copy the link instead, copy all of it.
- Type your new password two times and tap Set new password.
- Still stuck? Write to admin@sosforchange.org from the address you signed up with.
What the two messages mean
"This reset link has expired" means the 30 minutes ran out, or the link was already used. Nothing is wrong with your account.
"This link is incomplete" means part of the link is missing. This often happens when a link is cut off while it is copied.
What is on the page
Both pages have an Email address box and a Send a new link button. You can ask again 2 minutes after the last request, and the button counts down.
After you ask, the page says, "If that address has an account, a link is on its way." It says this for every address.
If SOS cannot confirm that email is working, the button asks for nothing. It tells you to wait a few minutes and try again.
Use the reset page instead takes you to Forgot Password. The last link on the page opens a short guide to this problem.
What happens next
A reset link stops working as soon as you use it to set a new password.
Account and sign-in
Why do I keep getting signed out?
SOS signs you out if Keep me signed in is off or your sign-in runs out.
- When you sign in, leave Keep me signed in ticked. It is on by default.
- Do not use a private or incognito window. It forgets everything when you close it.
- Do not set your browser to delete site data when you close it.
- Open SOS now and then. Each time it opens it renews your saved sign-in.
- Only keep yourself signed in on a device that is yours.
The usual reasons
Keep me signed in was off. Then closing the browser ends your sign-in, and reloading the page can too. In a phone app, closing the app fully ends it.
You have not opened SOS for a while. The saved sign-in runs out after some time.
Your password or email address changed on another device. That signs out every other device.
Your browser cleared its saved data, or you used a private window. SOS keeps your sign-in in the browser's saved data.
The account was suspended. A suspended account cannot stay signed in.
If it happens within minutes
If you are signed out again and again while Keep me signed in is ticked and you use a normal window, write to admin@sosforchange.org. Tell us your device and browser.
Account and sign-in
Change email says I can't yet
Read the red message, because it says which check failed and what to do.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Read the red message in the Change email address window. It tells you which one applies.
- "Please verify your email address first": tap Send me a verification email, open the link in it, then try again.
- "New accounts can change their email after 24 hours": wait until your account is a day old, then try again.
- "You have asked to change your email address 3 times": try again tomorrow.
- "Too many tries from this connection": wait a while, or try another network.
- "We could not start that change": check the address for typing mistakes, or try another address. This message is the same for every reason.
- "Your sign-in has ended": sign in again, then start again. Still stuck? Write to admin@sosforchange.org.
If you typed your address wrong when you joined
Write to admin@sosforchange.org and we will help. The window suggests this when your address is not verified or your account is new.
Why these limits exist
They keep SOS from being used to send email to people who did not ask for it.
The last message is the same whatever the reason, on purpose. It never says whether another account uses an address.
What happens next
Once you pass the checks, we email a confirmation link to the new address.
Account and sign-in
How do I sign in with a code from my email?
Type your email on the sign-in screen, tap Email me a sign-in code, and type the 8-digit code from the email within 3 minutes.
- On the sign-in screen, tap Already have an account? Sign in. In the window called Welcome back, type your email address in the Email box.
- Under the Sign In button, tap Email me a sign-in code. If you do not see it, sign-in codes are not available right now, so use your password.
- Open the email from Solution Oriented Society. The subject is "Your one-time sign-in code for Solution Oriented Society". Check spam or junk too.
- Come back to the window, which now says Check your email. Type the 8 digits into the code box. The code works for 3 minutes.
- The Keep me signed in box is there too. Tick or untick it, then tap Sign in with code.
- Wrong digits? Each code allows 5 tries. When they are used up, tap Send me a new code as soon as the countdown ends.
- To use your password instead, tap Use my password instead.
Where to find it
The button sits under the Sign In button, below a line that says OR. It shows only when SOS has sign-in codes switched on.
On the Forgot Password screen, look under Other ways back in for Email one-time code. Type your email, tap Email me a code, then type the code and tap Verify code and sign in.
A code does not replace your password. Your password keeps working.
What a code allows
A code has 8 digits. It works for 3 minutes, and it works once.
Each code allows 5 tries. After the fifth wrong try the code is used up, even if you then type the right one. Ask for a new code.
The screen shows the same message for a wrong code and for a code that has run out. If more than 3 minutes have passed, ask for a new one.
How often you can ask
You can ask for one code a minute and 5 codes an hour for each account. After you ask, the screen counts down one minute before it lets you ask again.
A request that comes too soon gets the usual answer, but no email is sent. Asking again and again does not bring a code sooner. Ask once and wait.
Keep the window open
The code in your email works only with the request that made it. If you close the Welcome back window, or leave the page, the code stops working.
The two help links on the code screen are different. They keep your code. If you came here from one of them, go back and tap Already have an account? Sign in. Your code screen is kept unless you reload the page.
If you did close the window, wait a full minute after your last request. Then ask for a new code.
If the code does not come
Check your spam or junk folder, and search for Solution Oriented Society. In the Welcome back window, check that Asked for shows the address you meant.
The screen never says whether an address has an account. When a request goes through, it says, "If that address has an account, we have emailed a code."
If an amber note says email from SOS isn't working right now, the code may not arrive. Sign in with your password, or try again later.
The Email not arriving guide can walk you through it. You can also write to admin@sosforchange.org from the address you signed up with.
If codes pause
After 10 wrong tries in an hour on one account, sign-in codes pause for 15 minutes. The codes already sent stop working, and no new one is sent until the pause ends.
The screen does not announce the pause. It looks normal, but no email arrives. Your password still works, and so does a reset link.
If the screen says "Too many tries from this connection", wait about 3 minutes and try again.
Stay safe
SOS staff never ask for your code. Do not share it with anyone.
If you get a code email you did not ask for, you can ignore it. Nothing changes unless someone types the code. If it keeps happening, use Forgot Password? to choose a new password, then write to admin@sosforchange.org.
What happens next
You end up in the same account as when you sign in with your password.
Account and sign-in
How do I sign out of my other devices?
Change your password in Settings, then Security, and every other device is signed out.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Settings and tap Security.
- Under Sessions, tap Sign out other devices. It opens the Change Password window.
- Type your current password, then your new password two times.
- Tap Update Password.
- Every other device is signed out. You stay signed in here.
Good to know
SOS has no list of your devices today, and no button that signs out only the others. A new password is the way.
Forgot Password? also signs out every device that was signed in, when you set the new password.
Sign Out in Settings signs out only the device you are using.
Account and sign-in
I can't open my old email. How do I get back in?
Change your email in Settings if you are still signed in, or write to admin@sosforchange.org.
If you are still signed in on a device
Open Settings, then Security, then Change email address. The confirmation link goes to the new address, so you do not need the old inbox.
You need your current password. Your old address must be verified, and the account must be more than 24 hours old.
If you are signed out everywhere
A reset link goes only to the email on the account, so you cannot reset the password without that inbox.
Write to admin@sosforchange.org. Say what happened and which email the account used. We read every note. We can't promise a reply time, and we can't promise to restore access.
If you have other addresses
Tap Forgot your email or username? on the sign-in screen and try each address you might have used.
Account and sign-in
It asks me to confirm my age
If SOS asks you to confirm your age, open Settings, then Your age, and enter your date of birth once.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Settings and tap Your age. If there is no Your age row, SOS is not using age groups for accounts right now, and you have nothing to do.
- On Confirm your age, choose the month, the day and the year you were born.
- Tap Confirm. The page says Thanks. Your age group is saved.
- Your age then shows your age group, your date of birth and how it was added.
Why SOS asks
Some parts of SOS work differently depending on age. Your date of birth sets up the right protections for your account.
Other members never see it. SOS keeps it with your account's protected records and copies it into your private profile, so the health tools can work out your age.
You can't change it yourself afterwards, and SOS cannot check that it is true.
If your date is wrong
Open Settings, then Your age, and tap Contact us. Tell us what is wrong. The screen says a person at SOS will fix it.
We read every note. We can't promise a reply time.
If you are 13 to 17
Your age shows 13 to 15 or 16 to 17. Some community features are for members 18 and over for now.
In the Commons you see a page with that message and a Go to Home button. Your tools, your learning, your own data and Help work as usual.
Your profile is Not listed. SOS updates your age group shortly after your 16th and 18th birthdays.
If the community asks you to confirm
The Commons can show a banner that says Confirm your age to keep using the community. Tap Confirm my age to open Your age, or tap Not now to hide the banner for 7 days on this device.
If the Commons shows Confirm your age to use the community instead, the community stays closed until you confirm. Your tools, your learning, your own data and Help stay open.
If your account is paused
A paused account is one that SOS treats as belonging to someone under 13. The page says This account is paused and has Open Help, Contact us and Sign out.
See the related article about being too young for more.
If something is hard right now
You do not have to wait for an answer to get support. Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
Account and sign-in
It keeps sending me back to the setup questions
Tap Finish & Begin on the last step, and read any red message.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- On the first step, type a name. On each step after that, answer the question or tap Skip at the top right.
- On the last step, about food and allergies, tap Finish & Begin.
- Wait for Saving… to end. SOS then opens.
- If a red message appears, read it. Your answers are still on the screen. Fix what it says, then tap Finish & Begin again.
- If it says your session has ended, tap Sign out, sign in again and try once more.
- Still looping? Write to admin@sosforchange.org and tell us what the last screen said.
Why it happens
When SOS opens, it checks whether your setup was saved. If not, it sends you back to the setup questions.
If SOS cannot reach the server during that check, it does not send you back.
What the messages mean
"We couldn't reach SOS, so nothing was saved" means your connection dropped. Check it and try again.
"One of your answers wasn't accepted" means an answer needs another look. Go back and check them.
"Your profile is saved, but your allergies were not" means everything else saved. Try Finish & Begin again, or tap Continue anyway and add allergies later in Wellness.
Account and sign-in
It says I'm too young. Why was my account closed?
SOS is for people 13 and older, so a younger date of birth stops sign-up, closes a new account, or can pause an older one.
What happened
You did nothing wrong, and thank you for being honest. SOS is not built for children under 13.
SOS asks for a date of birth, either when you sign up or in the setup questions. The terms can also ask you to confirm that you are 13 or older. SOS cannot check that an answer is true.
A date that shows an age under 13 stops sign-up or setup, and SOS does not keep that date.
If sign-up starts with the question When were you born?, it comes before the terms. For ages 13 to 17, the terms then show an Under 18 card. It asks you to read them with a parent or guardian, or to share them with one.
If you see Let's get a grown-up
This page appears at sign-up when your date of birth shows an age under 13. SOS did not create an account, and nothing you typed was saved.
The page has Open Help and Back to the start. This device remembers the stop for 24 hours, so sign-up shows the page again until then. It does not keep your date.
In the setup questions
The setup questions ask for a date of birth if SOS does not have one yet. A date under 13 stops setup.
SOS closes an account made in the last few days, and nothing from the setup questions is saved.
SOS does not close an older account. The screen tells you which of two things happens: you can go back and correct the date, or the account is paused.
If your account says This account is paused
SOS pauses an account when a date of birth under 13 is given for it. A person at SOS can also pause an account after learning that the member is under 13.
The page has Open Help, Contact us and Sign out. Help and SOS Mode stay open. The rest of SOS is closed for a paused account.
A parent or guardian can contact us to talk about it. We read every note. We can't promise a reply time.
If you picked the wrong date by mistake
At sign-up you can try again with the right date. If this device showed Let's get a grown-up, it shows that page for 24 hours first.
Signing up again does not fix a paused account. Tap Contact us on the paused page, or write to admin@sosforchange.org, and say what happened.
If the account was not closed
If the screen says it could not close the account, write to admin@sosforchange.org from your sign-up address and ask us to close it.
If something is hard right now
You do not have to wait until you are 13 to get support. A trusted adult can help too.
Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
What happens next
You are welcome back once you turn 13.
Account and sign-in
It says too many requests or too many attempts
That means your connection asked too many times, so wait a while and try again.
- Stop tapping the button. On the sign-in screen, the Sign In button turns off and counts down for you.
- Wait until the countdown ends, then try once more. The wait is 5 seconds, or 60 seconds if it happens again within a minute.
- On other screens, wait a few minutes and try once more.
- If you asked for an email, ask for only one and wait 2 minutes before you ask again.
- If it keeps happening for hours, try another network, such as mobile data instead of Wi-Fi. Or write to admin@sosforchange.org.
Why it happens
SOS limits some actions to protect accounts. These include signing in, asking for an email and opening a link from an email.
Tapping Sign in many times in a few seconds can reach the limit.
For emails the limit is counted over a few hours. People on the same Wi-Fi, school or work connection share one count.
What you may see
"Too many tries. Wait a moment and try again." This one appears on the sign-in screen when you tap Sign In too often. The button counts down before you can try again.
"You have asked for several emails already." This one appears when you ask for an email, such as a reset link. The message says it can take a few hours.
"Too many tries from this connection in the last few minutes." This one appears when you type a sign-in code too often. It says to wait about 3 minutes, and that your password still works.
"Too many tries just now. Wait a few minutes, then try again." This one appears when you set a new password.
"Too many tries from this connection in a short time." This one appears when you change your email.
What happens next
Nothing is wrong with your account. The limit lifts by itself.
Account and sign-in
My account is suspended. What can I do?
SOS staff turned off sign-in for this account, and you can appeal by writing to admin@sosforchange.org.
- Write to admin@sosforchange.org from the address you registered with.
- Say that you want to appeal. Tell us anything that helps us understand what happened.
- We read every note. We can't promise a reply time.
What you may see
A screen called Account suspended says, "This account has been suspended, so you can't sign in right now." It may show a reason.
At sign-in you may instead see a long message that says "The request doesn't satisfy the collection requirements to authenticate." That message also means the account is suspended.
A new password does not lift a suspension. Only staff can do that.
If you need support right now
Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
The Get help now button at the top of the sign-in screen opens crisis lines and grounding tools. You do not need an account.
Account and sign-in
Sign-up says my email or username is already used
If sign-up refuses your email, an account may already use it, so try signing in.
- Read the message. Each one starts with the name of the box it is about, such as Email or Public username.
- If it is about Email, check the spelling. A mistyped address gets a message that it doesn't look like an email address.
- You may have signed up before. If the message says an account already uses the email, a box called Already registered? appears. Tap Sign in, or Reset your password if you forgot it.
- Not sure which email you used? Tap Forgot your email or username? on the sign-in screen.
- If you want a new account, use a different email address.
About the public username
SOS does not need public usernames to differ from each other, so a name someone else uses should not block you.
A public username needs at least 3 characters. It can have up to 50.
You do not sign in with it. You sign in with your email address.
Account and sign-in
What are the password rules?
A password needs at least 8 characters, and SOS asks for nothing else.
What counts
Length is the rule. SOS does not ask for capital letters, numbers or symbols.
When you sign up or reset your password, a bar under the box shows how strong it is. It says Too short under 8 characters, OK for 8 to 11, and Good for 12 or more.
A few words in a row works well. Use a password you do not use anywhere else.
Typing it
When you sign up there is one password box. The eye icon shows what you typed, so you can check for mistakes.
When you reset or change a password, you type the new one two times.
Who can read it
SOS stores your password only as a hash, so we cannot read it. If you forget it, you reset it with Forgot Password.
Account and sign-in
Why can other people see my username? Can I change it?
Other members can see the name you chose, and you can change it in Edit Profile.
- In Community, open Growth Profile. It shows your own profile. Tap Edit.
- Change the Display Name box to the name you want others to see.
- Under Who can find you, choose Listed in the member directory, or Not listed to stay out of the member search.
- Tap Save.
What others can see
Other signed-in members can see your public username. In the member directory they can find you by your name and your interests.
The note under Listed in the member directory says whether they can also see your bio, location, skills and what you are looking for.
Your email address and your date of birth are not shown to other members.
If you would rather keep your real name private, choose a different name.
About Not listed
Not listed leaves you out of the member directory, so members cannot find you by searching. Your name can still show on things you post.
Where SOS looks names up, it may show a neutral label such as Member. The note under Not listed says whether people you already message, follow or are connected with still see your name.
What happens next
You do not sign in with your public username. You sign in with your email address.
Account and sign-in
It asks me for a code when I sign in
A code comes when you ask for one with Email me a sign-in code, because two-step verification after your password is not available yet.
- Check your inbox and your spam or junk folder for an email with the subject "Your one-time sign-in code for Solution Oriented Society".
- Type the 8 digits into the code box. A code works once, for 3 minutes, and allows 5 tries.
- If it has run out, ask for a new one. On the sign-in window, tap Send a new code when the countdown ends.
- The article about signing in with a code has the full steps and limits.
- Still no code? Write to admin@sosforchange.org from the address you signed up with.
Where a code comes from
SOS emails a code when you tap Email me a sign-in code on the sign-in screen, or Email one-time code on Forgot Password. Those choices show only when sign-in codes are available.
In Settings, then Security, the Email one-time code row can say Available - send yourself a test code. Its TEST button emails you a code. The screen does not keep that request, so the code cannot sign you in.
Two-step verification
Two-step verification would ask for a code after you type your password. It is not available yet.
In Settings, then Security, the Two-factor sign-in row says Not available yet while it is off.
If it is ever switched on, a box called Two-Factor Auth will say, "Enter the 8-digit code we emailed you." Its Use a different account link cancels that step.
If you did not expect a code
Never share the code with anyone. We never ask you for it.
If a code email arrives and you did not ask for one, you can ignore it. Nothing changes unless someone types the code.
If it keeps happening, use Forgot Password? to choose a new password, then write to admin@sosforchange.org.
Account and sign-in
What does Keep me signed in do?
It keeps you signed in after you close the browser or the app.
When it is on
You are still signed in when you come back. This lasts until the saved sign-in runs out or you sign out.
Each time SOS opens, it checks your saved sign-in and renews it.
When it is off
On the website, your sign-in lasts for that browser session. Closing the browser ends it, and reloading the page can too.
In a phone app, your sign-in ends when you close the app fully and open it again.
On a shared device
Untick the box, and tap Sign Out in Settings when you finish.
Signing out also removes a saved Face ID or fingerprint sign-in from that device.
Account and sign-in
Where is Face ID or fingerprint sign-in?
Face ID and fingerprint sign-in are made for a phone app, so they are not available in a web browser.
Where to find it
SOS has no App Store or Google Play app today. In a phone app, you would open Settings, then Security. Under Biometric sign-in, you switch on Face ID or Touch ID / Fingerprint.
The switch shows only if your phone supports it and you have set up Face ID or a fingerprint in your phone's own settings.
SOS asks for your password once and keeps it in your phone's secure storage.
On the website
The website does not have it. That includes SOS added to your phone's home screen. Security says "Biometric authentication is not available on this device." Sign in with your email and password.
What it does and does not do
Your fingerprint or face data never leaves your device.
It unlocks a saved sign-in when you sign in. It does not lock the app while you use it.
Signing out removes the saved sign-in, so you switch it on again afterwards.
If your password changed on another device, the saved sign-in is out of date. Sign in with your password, then switch it on again.
Email from SOS
Do I have to verify my email?
You need a verified email only to change your email address today.
What verifying does
Verifying tells SOS that the address really belongs to you. You open a link in an email we send.
What needs it today
Changing your email address needs a verified address.
You can sign in without verifying.
SOS has a switch that can also ask for a verified email before you post or message. That switch is off today. If it is turned on, the screen will tell you.
How to verify
Look for the bar at the top that says Please confirm your email address, and tap Send Email. It shows only while your address is not verified, SOS can send email and you have not closed it.
No bar? Open Settings, then Security. A badge next to your email address says VERIFIED or NOT VERIFIED.
Then open the email with the subject "Verify your email for Solution Oriented Society" and tap Confirm my email.
What happens next
When it works, the page says Email confirmed, and SOS may send you a one-time welcome email.
Email from SOS
I got a password changed email I didn't expect
If you did not change your password, reset it now and write to admin@sosforchange.org.
- Check the time in the email. Did you change your password then? Setting a new one from a reset link counts too.
- If it was you, you need to do nothing more.
- If it was not you, tap Reset my password in the email, or tap Forgot Password? on the sign-in screen.
- If you can still sign in, open Settings, then Security, then Change Password.
- Check your email address under Settings, then Security. Make sure it is still yours.
- Change the password anywhere else you used the same one.
- Write to admin@sosforchange.org with the date and time from the email.
When SOS sends this email
SOS sends it after a password changes by a reset link, by Change Password, or by staff. It can arrive about a minute later.
It is not sent for a brand-new account's first password.
Good to know
The subject is "Your Solution Oriented Society password was changed".
We never ask for your password by email.
Email from SOS
I'm not getting emails from SOS
Check your spam folder first, then ask for one new email.
- Check your spam, junk and promotions folders. Account emails come from Solution Oriented Society.
- Check the address. Reset and sign-in emails go to the email on your account. Settings, then Security shows it.
- Wait a few minutes. Some notices can take about a minute longer.
- Ask for one email, then wait 2 minutes before you ask again. Asking more often sends nothing new.
- If a note says email from SOS isn't working right now, try again later.
- Add Solution Oriented Society to your contacts or safe senders, then ask again.
- Still nothing? Write to admin@sosforchange.org from the address you signed up with.
Why one may never come
If the address has no account, SOS sends nothing. The screens never say whether an address has an account.
Your email provider may block the message before it reaches your inbox.
SOS does not send newsletters or notification emails today, so none are on their way.
If you are waiting for a sign-in code
A sign-in code is asked for on the sign-in screen, or under Other ways back in on Forgot Password. The subject is "Your one-time sign-in code for Solution Oriented Society".
You can ask for a new code after 1 minute, not 2. A code works for 3 minutes.
Keep the sign-in window open while you wait. The article about signing in with a code has the details.
What happens next
Most emails arrive within a few minutes.
Email from SOS
My verification email never came
Check spam first, then ask for a new link from the top bar or from Settings.
- Wait a few minutes. The email is from Solution Oriented Society. The subject is "Verify your email for Solution Oriented Society". Check spam, junk and promotions.
- Signed in? Look for the bar at the top that says Please confirm your email address. Tap Send Email.
- No bar? Open Settings, then Security, then Change email address. If your address is not verified, tap Send me a verification email.
- Signed out with an old link? Open it. If the page says the link doesn't work any more, tap the button called "Sign in, then ask for a new link". Cannot sign in? Type your email in the Email address box and tap Send me a new link.
- After you ask, wait 2 minutes before you ask again. The button counts down for you.
- If a note says email may be slow, or the button says SOS cannot confirm email is working, try again in a few minutes.
- Check the address under Settings, then Security. If you typed it wrong when you joined, write to admin@sosforchange.org.
When SOS cannot send email
Resend verification email on the sign-in screen and Send me a new link on the verification page check first whether SOS can send email.
If it cannot, they ask for nothing. They say, "SOS cannot confirm that email is working right now, so a link may not arrive. Wait a few minutes and try again."
An amber note above the button starts, "Email may be slow right now."
What happens next
If you ask while signed out, SOS does not say whether the address needs verifying. If it does, a new link is on its way.
Email from SOS
I got a new sign-in email. Was it me?
It means a new browser or device signed in, so check whether that was you.
- Read the email. It shows the time in UTC, the network address and the browser.
- Was it you? Signing in on a new phone, a new browser or a new network can send this email. If it was you, do nothing.
- Was it not you? Tap Reset my password in the email, or tap Forgot Password? on the sign-in screen.
- Choose a new password you use nowhere else. This signs out every device.
- Write to admin@sosforchange.org and tell us what you saw.
Good to know
The subject is "New sign-in to your Solution Oriented Society account".
We never ask for your password by email.
SOS does not show a list of past sign-ins in the app today.
Email from SOS
The app says email isn't working right now
SOS checked and cannot send email right now, so a link may not arrive.
- Wait a while and try again later. The note goes away by itself once SOS can send email again.
- Ask for one email only. Asking again within 2 minutes sends nothing new.
- If you are locked out and cannot wait, write to admin@sosforchange.org from the address you signed up with.
What the note means
SOS asks its server whether it can send email right now. The note shows when the answer is no.
The answer is no when email sending is switched off. It is also no when several recent sends failed in a row, or when the daily sending limit is nearly used up.
What the buttons do
On Forgot Password, on Find your sign-in email and when you ask for a sign-in code, you can still tap the button. The request goes through, but the email may not arrive.
Some buttons check first. On the sign-in screen these are Resend verification email and Email me a reset link.
On the reset-link page it is Send a new link. On the verification page it is Send me a new link.
When SOS says it cannot send email, these buttons ask for nothing. They show, "SOS cannot confirm that email is working right now, so a link may not arrive. Wait a few minutes and try again."
The amber note above these buttons starts, "Email may be slow right now."
What happens next
SOS checks again every little while, so the note disappears when email works.
Email from SOS
The verification link says expired or already used
That link was used or has run out, and your email may already be verified.
- Read the page. If you are signed in and it says Already confirmed, your email is confirmed. Tap Continue to the app.
- Signed out? The page shows Sign in, then ask for a new link first. Tap it. You can sign in without a verified email.
- Open Settings, then Security. Look at the badge next to your email address. If it says VERIFIED, you are done.
- If it says NOT VERIFIED, ask for a new link. Tap Send Email in the bar at the top, or tap Send me a new link on the page.
- Cannot sign in? Type your email in the Email address box under that button and tap Send me a new link.
- Open the new email and tap Confirm my email.
What the page says
The page says links like this stop working once they've been used or after a while.
If your email is already confirmed, there's nothing more to do.
A signed-in person whose email is already confirmed sees a page called Already confirmed instead. It says the link was used already, or has run out.
Email from SOS
Which emails does SOS send me?
SOS sends only account emails, such as verify, reset and safety notices.
When you sign up
"Verify your email for Solution Oriented Society". Open the button to confirm your address.
"Welcome to Solution Oriented Society". SOS sends this once, the first time your address is verified.
When you reset or change your password
"Reset your Solution Oriented Society password". It has the reset link, which works for 30 minutes and only once.
"Your Solution Oriented Society password was changed". This safety notice follows a password change.
When you change your email address
"Confirm your new email address for Solution Oriented Society". It goes to the new address.
"Your email address was changed on Solution Oriented Society". It goes to the old address.
When you forget your email
"Your Solution Oriented Society sign-in details". It tells you which address is your sign-in email.
When someone signs in
"New sign-in to your Solution Oriented Society account". It goes out when your account is signed in from a browser or device SOS has not seen before.
Codes
"Your one-time sign-in code for Solution Oriented Society". SOS sends this when you tap Email me a sign-in code on the sign-in screen, or Email me a code on Forgot Password.
It holds an 8-digit code that works for 3 minutes and only once. Those choices show only when sign-in codes are available.
Two-step verification, which would ask for a code after your password, is not available yet.
What SOS does not send
SOS does not send newsletters, product updates or reminders by email today.
How to tell a real one
Real emails come from Solution Oriented Society and end with a line that says who to write to.
We never ask for your password by email. We never ask you to share a code.
Not sure about one? Do not open its links. Write to admin@sosforchange.org.
Safety and crisis help
A quiz result scared me. What does it mean?
You are not alone. A quiz is a screening tool, not a diagnosis, and a doctor is the right person to ask. Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
What a quiz result is
The self-check quizzes in SOS are screening tools for self-awareness. They are not diagnoses.
Only a doctor or other licensed professional can diagnose a condition.
What to do next
Talk with a doctor, therapist or other licensed professional about your result.
When a result suggests it may help to talk with someone, the result screen has a Find a therapist button.
If a question asked about hurting yourself
The PHQ-9 quiz asks about thoughts of hurting yourself. If you answer that question with anything but "Not at all", the result screen shows crisis lines. It also shows them when a total is very high.
Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
More support
The Get help now button and SOS Mode work without an account.
SOS Mode has grounding and breathing exercises with the crisis lines at the top.
Who can see your result
Your quiz results are saved in your account. Only your own account can open them.
SOS does not use AI on your data today, so no quiz result goes to an AI company.
Safety and crisis help
Can I use SOS instead of my doctor or therapist?
SOS is for learning and support, so it cannot replace your doctor or therapist.
What SOS is
The health and wellness tools in SOS are for education and information only.
They are not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
SOS is not a licensed health care provider.
Nothing in SOS replaces care from a qualified doctor, psychologist, psychiatrist, dietitian or other licensed professional.
Do not delay care
Please do not put off getting professional help because of something you read in the app.
Never start, stop or change a medicine because of information in SOS. Talk with the doctor who prescribed it and with your pharmacist.
Mental health tools
The mental health tools are for self-awareness, education and wellness support. They are not clinical diagnosis or treatment.
They do not replace crisis services or professional treatment.
Quizzes and scores
The self-check quizzes are screening tools, not diagnoses.
Insights, trends and your Life Score are worked out by fixed rules inside the app. SOS does not use AI on your data today.
If you are in crisis
Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
Safety and crisis help
I need to talk to someone right now
You are not alone. Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
More ways to get support
In the app, the Get help now button opens support lines for your country. It has a lifebuoy icon. It needs no account.
It floats at the bottom left of the screen. On a wide screen, if you are signed in, it is in the side menu instead.
SOS Mode has breathing and grounding exercises, with the crisis lines at the top. It works without an account.
If you are outside the United States
Get help now picks lines for your country from your device settings. If it cannot tell, it shows the United States lines first.
If your country is not listed, it offers a worldwide helpline finder.
You can change the country in the sheet. Tap Choose your country or Change country.
Not sure what to say?
You can say, "I'm struggling and I could use some support." That is enough.
Calling or texting 988 is free, and you do not have to be sure you are in crisis.
What SOS cannot do
SOS cannot watch how you are doing or send help to you. Please use the lines above.
Safety and crisis help
I took too much medicine or swallowed something
You are not alone. Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, or call 911 if the person is in danger right now.
If you took it on purpose
If you have already taken too much on purpose, call 911 or Poison Control right away.
Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
Poison Control
Poison Control is free and open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This number is for the United States.
You can call about any suspected overdose, accidental swallowing, or drug safety question.
When to call 911
If the person is unresponsive or not breathing normally, call 911 right away. Outside the United States, call your local emergency number.
In the app
In the United States, the Get help now button lists Poison Control. SOS Mode has breathing and grounding exercises if you feel panicked while you wait for help.
SOS cannot send help to you and cannot give medical advice about a medicine.
Safety and crisis help
I wrote something dark in my journal. Will anyone see it?
You are not alone. Staff cannot open your journal and are not alerted to what you write, but the person who runs the server could read it. Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
Who can see your journal
Your journal entries are saved in your SOS account. The server's rules let only your own account open them. Staff roles are not set up to read journal entries.
Staff do not monitor journals. No alert goes to staff about what you write in one.
The person who runs the server can technically read anything stored there.
The privacy policy says our practice is to look at member content in only three cases. These are to keep the service running, to deal with a report of abuse or danger, and when the law requires it.
What the app does
While you type, the app checks your words on your device. If they show signs of distress, a support banner appears with crisis lines. It may say "You don't have to face this alone."
That check runs on your device. The result is not saved or sent anywhere.
What staff do read
Staff can read feedback you send and reports you file.
A report that names self-harm is flagged as urgent for a person to look at. It is still not answered in real time.
More ways to get support
The Get help now button opens support lines for your country. SOS Mode has breathing and grounding exercises. Both work without an account.
Deleting an entry
You can delete a journal entry in the journal. Deleting your account removes your journal entries from the live service.
Safety and crisis help
I'm not safe at home, or someone checks my phone
Leave this page quicklyYou are not alone. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788. In danger right now, call 911.
Support for an unsafe situation
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It helps with abuse and with feeling unsafe at home.
Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
If someone may check your phone
SOS keeps you signed in on a device until you sign out or clear the browser's site data.
SOS does not lock itself when you leave it. Anyone who opens SOS on your unlocked phone can read what is saved there, including a safety plan you wrote in SOS Mode.
You can sign out in Settings. The Sign Out button clears your session on that device.
A notification can show the sender's username and a preview of a new message. You can turn notifications off in Settings.
SOS sends account emails to the address on your account. If someone can see that inbox, they can see those emails.
A lock for private notes
The Encrypted Vault locks notes and passwords behind a PIN. Other tools do not have a lock of their own.
In the app
The Get help now button and SOS Mode work without an account. Outside the United States, call your local emergency number if you are in danger.
Safety and crisis help
I'm worried about someone else
You are not alone. Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
If someone is in danger right now
If you think someone is in danger right now, call 911 or your local emergency number.
SOS cannot contact the person or send help for you.
You can reach out for them
You can call or text 988 because you are worried about someone else. You do not have to be the one in crisis.
If you saw it on SOS
If a post on SOS worries you, use Report on that post and choose Self-harm or suicide concern.
Reports are reviewed by people, not in real time. If someone may be in immediate danger, call 911 first.
Looking after yourself
Worry about someone you care about can feel heavy. The lines above are there for you too.
SOS Mode has breathing and grounding exercises. It works without an account.
Safety and crisis help
Is SOS an emergency service?
You are not alone. SOS is not an emergency service. Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
What SOS can and cannot do
SOS is not a crisis or emergency service. It cannot monitor how you are doing or respond to an emergency.
Staff do not watch your entries as you write them. Reports about posts are reviewed by people, not in real time.
In an emergency
In the United States, call 911. Elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
The Get help now button shows crisis lines for your country. SOS Mode has calming tools with the lines at the top. Neither needs an account.
What the wellness tools are for
The mental health, emotional wellness and recovery tools in SOS are general educational support for times when you are not in crisis.
They do not replace crisis services, emergency care or professional treatment.
Safety and crisis help
What is SOS Mode and how do I open it?
SOS Mode has calming tools and crisis lines, and it works without an account.
- On the sign-in screen, tap In crisis? Get help now. No account is needed.
- Signed in, open Wellness, then Mental Health. Tap SOS Mode near the top.
- From a quiz result that shows support options, tap SOS mode (grounding and crisis lines).
- From the mental health check-in, if it shows support options, tap Open SOS Mode and my safety plan.
If you need a person now
Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
What is inside
The crisis lines stay at the top of every SOS Mode view.
You can choose 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding, Breathing Exercises (physiological sigh, box breathing or 4-7-8), TIPP Skills, or My Safety Plan.
There is also a link to Emotional First Aid, with more crisis lines and coping guides.
My Safety Plan
My Safety Plan has places for your warning signs, things you can do on your own, and people and places that help.
It also has places for making your space safer, what matters most to you, and up to 3 contacts you can call.
It is saved only on this device and is never uploaded. It has no lock of its own. SOS does not lock itself when you leave it.
Signed in or signed out
SOS Mode works without an account.
After you use grounding, breathing or TIPP for at least 15 seconds, it asks "How do you feel now?"
If you are signed in and you answer, the session is saved to your breathing log. If you are signed out, nothing is saved to an account.
Safety and crisis help
Counting food is making me anxious
You are not alone. You can hide calorie and weight numbers, stop logging whenever you want, and talk with a doctor or dietitian. Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
You can hide the numbers
Hide calorie and weight numbers is a switch on the Nutrition screen, the Food Diary and Body Composition.
It hides calorie totals, weight, BMI and body-fat numbers on those screens. Calories can still show when you search for a food or set a target.
The choice is saved on this device only.
You can stop
You can stop logging food whenever you want.
Who can help
The nutrition numbers in SOS are general estimates, not a plan made for you. They do not know your health, allergies, medicines or eating history.
If you have ever had an eating disorder, check with your treatment team before you track calories or weight.
A registered dietitian can build a plan that fits you.
If food or your body feels overwhelming
Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
You can also call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. It is open 24 hours a day and covers mental health and substance use.
The Wellness area has an Eating Disorder Support screen.
Safety and crisis help
Is it safe to meet people I find on SOS?
SOS cannot check who a person really is, so be careful before you meet.
What SOS can and cannot check
People join SOS with an email address and a username they choose. SOS does not check IDs or run background checks, and it cannot confirm that a profile is true.
Any signed-in member can host a gathering. For an in-person gathering, the host types in the place. SOS does not check the host or the place.
SOS cannot watch what happens at a meetup or step in if something goes wrong.
Before you share details
Other signed-in members can see your community profile, such as your name and interests, and sometimes your bio and location (Edit Profile says which). Share only what you are comfortable with strangers seeing.
Direct messages are stored on SOS's server and are not end-to-end encrypted. Do not share your password with anyone.
If you decide to meet
Meet in a public place. Tell someone you trust where you are going and when you plan to be back.
If you feel unsafe at any point, leave. If you are in danger, call 911 or your local emergency number.
If someone makes you uncomfortable
You can block or mute a member. They are not told.
You can also report a post, message, conversation or member. Reports are reviewed by people, not in real time.
Mutual Aid in SOS
The Mutual Aid screen is a private list on your own device. It does not post, share or match your offers and needs with anyone.
Safety and crisis help
Is the money information financial advice?
The money tools in SOS are for learning and are not financial, investment or tax advice.
What the money content is
The budget tools, calculators and guides in SOS are for learning only.
SOS is not a licensed financial adviser. It is not a registered investment advisor either.
Nothing in SOS is an offer to buy or sell anything.
Before a big decision
Before a big money decision, talk with a licensed financial advisor, a Certified Financial Planner or a tax professional.
What you read in SOS may not fit your situation.
Investing
Investment content is for learning only. Past results do not promise future results.
All investing involves risk, including the loss of the money you put in.
Prices and your privacy
The investment tracker looks up prices using the ticker symbols you enter and a key that you provide.
This tells the price provider which investments you follow.
Privacy and your data
Can staff read my journal or mood notes?
Staff cannot open your journal or mood notes, but the person who runs the server could read them.
What staff can see
Staff with an administrator or manager role can see account details, feedback you send, reports about content and Usage Analytics rows.
The app's roles are not set up to let staff read your health, finance or journal entries. Only your own account can open them.
Staff do not monitor journals or mood notes. No alert goes to staff about what you write in them.
What staff are alerted about
Staff are alerted when a member sends feedback or files a report about content.
That is what you write in a Help note (Help button, then Send a note) or in a report. It is not your journal.
The honest limit
The person who runs the server can technically read anything stored there, because the database is not encrypted record by record.
The privacy policy says our practice is to look at member content in only three cases. These are to keep the service running, to deal with a report of abuse or danger, and when the law requires it.
On your device
When you type in the journal, the app checks your words on your device for signs of distress. If it finds some, it shows a support banner.
That check is not stored or sent anywhere.
A private place for notes
The Encrypted Vault is encrypted on your own device, so it is not readable on the server.
Privacy and your data
Do you sell my data or show ads?
SOS does not sell your data and does not show ads.
What SOS does not do
SOS does not use your information for advertising, and it does not sell it.
It does not use tracking pixels, or third-party analytics or crash-reporting tools.
It does not connect to your bank, cards or health-device accounts. It does not read your contacts, call history or text messages.
What does leave SOS
Some features contact other services in order to work. A food search sends the food name to a food database. The weather card sends your location to a weather service if you allow it.
SOS does not use AI on your data today, so the app sends nothing you enter to an AI company.
The privacy policy lists every service, what is sent and when.
Usage Analytics
Usage Analytics is off unless you turn it on. When it is on, it records the screens and features you use, linked to your account.
SOS uses it to see which features get used, not for ads.
Privacy and your data
How do I delete my account?
Open Settings, tap Delete Account, then type DELETE and your password.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- If you want a copy of your data, download it first. Deleting your account cannot be undone. The Encrypted Vault and other entries kept only on this device are erased from it too.
- Open Settings and scroll to the bottom. Tap Delete Account.
- Read what will be deleted and what stays.
- Type DELETE in the first box.
- Type your password in the second box.
- Tap Permanently delete my account.
Other places to find it
The same screen opens from Settings, then Security, where it is called Delete Account.
It also opens from Settings, then Privacy & Security, where it is called Delete My Account and Data.
If it does not work
If your password is not accepted, you see "That password is not correct." Nothing is deleted.
SOS removes your public profile card first. If it cannot, the message says your account was not deleted. Try again in a moment, or write to admin@sosforchange.org from your account email address.
If the server refuses, your account stays active. The message tells you to write to admin@sosforchange.org from your account email address.
If the connection drops, the message says it could not confirm whether the deletion finished. If you can no longer sign in, your account was deleted.
If you have no password on this account, or a question first, write to admin@sosforchange.org from your account email address.
What happens next
Your account and most of its data are removed from the live service as soon as you confirm, and this device is cleared. A few shared items stay, and backups can keep a copy for up to 14 days. The related article lists what stays.
Privacy and your data
How do I download my data?
Open Settings, tap Download My Data, pick what to include, then save the file.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Settings. In the Privacy & Data group, tap Download My Data. The Data Export Center opens.
- For one file with your records, tap the Privacy tab, then tap Download My Data. Wait while the button shows that it is working.
- To choose what goes in, tap the Select tab instead.
- If the Select tab shows categories, pick the ones you want (Wellness, Fitness, Wealth, Goals, Intel or Community), a date range and a format. Then tap the Export button at the bottom.
- If the Select tab shows areas, open one and download a kind of record as a CSV file.
- Save the file. On a phone, the share sheet opens. In a browser, the file downloads.
Which download you get
SOS has two versions of the Privacy tab download. The note above the Download My Data button says which one you have.
The full download is one JSON file. It holds your account details and your date of birth if you gave us one. It also has a section for each kind of record you have saved on our server. Kinds you never used are left out.
The shorter download holds your profile and your app preferences, such as default views. It also holds your main records: health, sleep, workout and food logs, transactions, goals, habit logs and journal entries. Many other tools are not included in it yet.
While a full download runs, a line under the button shows how many kinds of records have been checked.
Quicker ways
On the Overview tab, Quick Exports make a CSV of the last 90 days, a health report or a wealth summary.
Which format to pick
With categories, JSON keeps every field of each record. CSV keeps only a few columns, such as the date, a value and a note.
A Text Report only counts the records in each category. It does not list them.
With areas, each kind of record comes as one CSV file that opens in a spreadsheet app.
Good to know
The file is put together on your device. SOS does not upload it anywhere. You choose where to save or share it.
The file holds personal information, so keep it somewhere you trust.
Entries kept only on your device are not on our server, so they are not in either download. If a tool has its own export, use that. If not, write down anything you cannot afford to lose.
If a download fails, the screen says what happened and nothing is changed. You can start a full download only a few times an hour.
What happens next
If something you expected is not in the file, see the related article about what a download leaves out and how to ask for more.
Privacy and your data
Is my information private?
Your records are private in the app, but the person who runs the server can technically read them.
What is private
SOS keeps what you enter on a server that the operator runs, so you can use it on any device.
The server's access rules let only your own account open your private records in the app. These include health, sleep, journal and money records.
Other members cannot see them. Your email address is not shown to other members.
What is not private
The person who runs the server can technically read anything stored there. The database is not encrypted record by record.
SOS rents its server from Hostinger, a hosting company. As the host, Hostinger is able to reach what is stored there, and its own terms apply.
The privacy policy says our practice is to look at member content in only three cases. These are to keep the service running, to deal with a report of abuse or danger, and when the law requires it.
Direct messages are stored on SOS's server. They are not end-to-end encrypted.
The one exception
The Encrypted Vault is encrypted on your own device. Its key stays on that device and is never sent to the server.
If you forget your vault PIN, nobody, including us, can get the contents back.
Other companies
A few features send small pieces of information to other services, such as weather and food databases.
SOS does not use AI on your data today. The app does not send anything you write or enter to an AI company.
SOS does not use advertising, tracking pixels, or third-party analytics or crash-reporting tools.
The full policy
The full text is at https://sosforchange.org/privacy-policy.html. You can also open it from Settings.
The operator and a lawyer have not reviewed the policy yet, and the parts marked "To be completed" are still open.
Privacy and your data
What does Usage Analytics do and how do I turn it off?
Usage Analytics is off until you turn it on, and it is linked to your account.
- Open Settings.
- In the Privacy & Data group, find Usage Analytics.
- Switch it off. The change takes effect at once.
What it records
Each event records your account ID, a session ID, the screen or feature you used, timings, the app version and the platform.
Because it is linked to your account, it is not anonymous.
Who can see it
Staff with an administrator or manager role can see these events.
There is no automatic expiry yet. The events stay until you delete your account or ask us to remove them.
After you turn it off
New events stop being recorded, and the app works the same.
Your choice is saved on the device where you set it, so set it on each device you use.
To ask for events already recorded to be deleted, write to admin@sosforchange.org. Put "Privacy request" in the subject.
Other places for the same switch
Settings, then Privacy & Security, then the Sharing tab has the same switch. Tap Save after you change it there.
The Your Rights tab has an Opt Out Analytics button. It works at once and needs no Save.
Privacy and your data
Why is my data gone on a new phone or browser?
Some tools keep entries only on one device, so a new phone or browser starts without them.
- Sign in with the same email address you used before. Entries saved to your SOS account show up on every device.
- If an entry is still missing, think about where you made it. Some tools keep entries only on one device. The related article about what stays on this device lists them.
- If you still have the old phone or browser, go back to it. The entries are there unless you cleared site data or deleted the app.
- For the Encrypted Vault, go back to the old device and use Export Vault Backup in the Security tab. On the new one, set a PIN, then tap Import Vault.
- If an entry you saved to your account is missing after you sign in, check your connection and reload. If it is still missing, write to admin@sosforchange.org.
Why this happens
Many tools save to your SOS account, so entries follow you between devices. Some tools keep entries only in this browser or app. That is how they work today.
Clearing your browser data, switching to a new phone or deleting the app removes entries that are saved only on the device.
What happens next
Entries kept only on a device cannot be restored by SOS. Write down anything you cannot afford to lose before you switch phones or clear browser data.
Privacy and your data
How do I ask for a copy, correction or removal of my data?
Email admin@sosforchange.org from your account address and put Privacy request in the subject.
- Write from the email address on your account, so we can check it is you.
- Send your note to admin@sosforchange.org.
- Put "Privacy request" in the subject.
- Say what you want: a copy of your information, a correction, or removal of something the app cannot remove.
- Do not send your password or any sign-in code.
Try the app first
You can do a lot yourself. Settings, then Download My Data, makes a copy of your records. The note on its Privacy tab says what the copy holds.
You can edit your profile and your entries in the app. You can delete single entries, or your whole account.
Other requests
You can also ask us to object to or limit how your information is used.
The privacy policy has not yet set out the privacy laws of each country or state. It lists this as an open item.
What happens next
We read every note. We can't promise a reply time.
Privacy and your data
I forgot my vault PIN
Nobody can reset a vault PIN, but you can erase the vault and restore a backup.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Settings, then Encrypted Vault.
- On the lock screen, tap Forgot your PIN?
- Read the note. If you made a backup file, you can go on. If you did not, what is inside cannot be recovered. Erasing cannot be undone, so try to remember your PIN first.
- Tap Erase this vault and start over, then confirm with Erase vault.
- Set a new PIN.
- Open the Security tab and tap Import Vault. Choose your backup file and type the backup passphrase.
Why nobody can reset it
Your PIN is not saved anywhere, not on this device and not on our servers. That keeps the vault private.
It also means nobody can reset it or get your things back, including us.
The backup passphrase
A backup file is locked with its own passphrase. It is not your PIN, and your PIN is not in the file.
If you forget the passphrase, nobody can open the backup.
If your vault uses a key on this phone
A vault locked with a key that stays on the phone shows "Can't unlock this vault?" instead.
If you changed phones, or the phone's lock was reset, that key may be gone and the vault cannot be opened.
Wrong PIN tries
After 3 wrong PINs in a row the vault makes you wait. The wait starts at 30 seconds and doubles each time, up to an hour.
There is also a switch in the Security tab that erases the vault after 10 wrong PINs in a row. It is off unless you turn it on.
What happens next
Once you are back in, make a new backup file in the Security tab and keep the passphrase somewhere apart from the file.
Privacy and your data
My download is missing some things
A download leaves out entries kept only on your device, and the shorter download leaves out many other tools.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
What the Privacy tab download holds
The Download My Data button on the Privacy tab makes one JSON file. The note above the button says which version you get.
The full download holds your account details and your date of birth if you gave us one. It also has a section for each kind of record you have saved on our server. Kinds you never used are left out.
The shorter download holds your profile and your app preferences. It also holds these records: health logs, sleep logs, workout logs, food logs, transactions, goals, habit logs and journal entries.
What the Select tab covers
With the shorter download, the Select tab has six categories: Wellness, Fitness, Wealth, Goals, Intel and Community.
Each one reads only a few kinds of record. Community, for example, has challenge check-ins and circle membership.
With the full download, the Select tab lists the kinds of record by area. Each kind comes as one CSV file.
What is never in a download
Entries kept only on your device are not on the server, so they are not in a download. Examples are the Encrypted Vault, your safety plan, and the Net Worth, Streaks, Habit Stacking and Side Hustle tools.
Staff notes about your account are not in the file either. To ask about those, or about anything else we hold, write to admin@sosforchange.org.
With the shorter download, many other tools are not included yet. The last section below says how to ask for those records.
Why a file can look empty
A Text Report lists how many records each category has, not the records. Use JSON or CSV to get the entries.
With categories, CSV has only a few columns. JSON keeps every field.
If SOS cannot read a category when you export it, that category can come out empty without a warning. Check your connection and export again.
If the full download cannot read a kind of record, the screen says how many were skipped and the file lists them under skipped. Try again later to get them.
Ask for the rest
To ask for a copy of everything SOS holds about you, write to admin@sosforchange.org from your account email address. Put "Privacy request" in the subject.
We read every note. We can't promise a reply time.
Privacy and your data
What happens to my data when I delete my account?
Most of your records are removed at once, but some shared items stay and backups can keep copies for up to 14 days.
What is removed
Your profile, goals, habits and journal entries are removed.
Your wellness, fitness, nutrition and sleep logs are removed. So are your budget, net worth and other money records.
Circle posts, forum replies and most comments you wrote are removed.
Direct messages you sent are removed. Private conversations you were in are removed for the other person too.
Local groups and community initiatives you started are removed, even if other people joined.
Your sign-in details and your signed-in devices are removed.
What stays
Circles you started stay open for their other members. They are no longer linked to your account.
Discussion threads you started stay, so the replies other members wrote are not lost.
Initiatives and petitions you launched from the Initiative Hub or Petition Hub stay for the people who joined or signed. They are no longer linked to your account.
Problem reports you posted stay. They are no longer linked to your account.
Article comments and philosophy responses you posted stay too, unless the account clean-up below is on.
Anything another member already saved or copied stays with them.
The account clean-up
SOS has an account clean-up that runs when you delete your account. The lists in the delete window show whether it is on. While it is off, they say your name may still show. Once it is on, they say Former member.
While it is off, your name may still show on threads you started and on some of your article comments, problem reports and philosophy responses. Those comments and responses stay, no longer linked to your account.
Once it is on, article comments, philosophy responses, search history and saved wisdom entries are deleted. Where your name was copied onto items that stay, such as discussion threads, it reads Former member.
Backups
Every night the server copies the whole database and keeps the 14 newest copies. Your data can stay in those copies until they are replaced.
The privacy policy also describes a locked copy that the operator keeps on their own computer. That copy can stay longer if the backup script is not run.
Records kept as plain text
A few kinds of record store your member ID as plain text instead of as a link to your account. Deleting your account does not remove them at the same moment.
While the clean-up is off, they stay. To have them removed, write to admin@sosforchange.org from the address you signed up with. Put "Privacy request" in the subject.
Once it is on, an hourly clean-up on our server removes them, usually within a day.
Before you delete
Download a copy first if you want to keep anything. Deleting your account cannot be undone. Entries kept only on this device, such as the Encrypted Vault, are erased from it too.
Privacy and your data
Which of my information stays only on this device?
A few tools keep entries only on your device, like the Encrypted Vault.
Kept only on this device
The Encrypted Vault: your notes, passwords and personal info.
Your safety plan in SOS Mode, and the plan in Emotional First Aid.
The Net Worth, Streaks, Habit Stacking and Side Hustle tools.
Your offer and need lists in Mutual Aid. They are never posted, shared or matched with anyone.
Posts and comments you chose to hide for yourself.
A GPS route in Route Tracker that you have not saved yet.
Choices saved on the device
Your Usage Analytics choice, so set it on each device you use.
The country you choose in Get help now.
The Hide calorie and weight numbers switch.
Waiting to upload
A few tools, such as the Sleep Tracker, keep an entry on your device when your account cannot be reached. They upload it the next time you are connected.
What this means
This information is not on SOS's server. It is not in the nightly backups and not in the data download.
It is lost if you clear your browser data or delete the app. It does not move to a new phone or browser by itself.
How to protect it
For the vault, make a backup file in the Security tab. For other tools, write down anything you cannot afford to lose before you switch phones or clear browser data.
This list covers what we have checked. If you are not sure where a tool saves, write to admin@sosforchange.org.
Privacy and your data
Who can see my profile and posts?
Other members can see your name, your posts and some profile details, but not your email or date of birth.
Your profile
Other signed-in members can see your public username, your name or display name, and your level.
In the member directory they can find you by your name and by the interests you picked.
They may also see the bio, location, skills you offer and what you are seeking that you add. The note under Listed in the member directory on Edit Profile says whether they can right now.
Your email address and your date of birth are not shown to other members.
If you would rather not be identified, do not use your real name.
Your posts
Posts and replies in community areas can be seen by the members those areas are open to.
Who can find you
The Edit Profile screen in the Community area has a Who can find you choice. Listed in the member directory lets other members find you by searching. Not listed keeps you out of the search.
SOS keeps accounts that it knows are under 18, and paused accounts, out of the member directory. Those accounts are always Not listed.
Your name can still show on things you post. The note under Not listed says who else still sees your name.
Edit Profile also has Privacy Settings. The screen says some of these choices are not applied everywhere in the app yet. Do not rely on them to hide something you want to keep private.
Staff and the operator
Staff with an admin or manager role can see your account details, such as your email, name and profile.
They can also see feedback you send, emails you send to SOS, reports about content and Usage Analytics rows. They can see any moderation notes about an account.
The person who runs the server can technically read anything stored there.
Private records and messages
Your health, sleep, journal and money records can be opened only by your own account in the app.
Direct messages are stored on SOS's server. They are not end-to-end encrypted.
Community rules and reporting
How do I block, mute or hide someone?
Open the options menu on a post or profile and choose Hide, Mute or Block.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- To hide one post, tap the three-dot Post options button on it and choose Hide this post for me.
- To mute or block a member from a post, open Post options and choose Mute or Block with their name. Block asks you to confirm first.
- From a profile, tap the more button at the top and choose Mute, Report or Block.
- From a direct message, open the menu at the top and choose Block. Mute conversation is different: it stops the unread count, and their messages still arrive.
Hide this post for me
The post is hidden on this device only. Nothing is sent to anyone.
Mute
A muted member's posts are hidden from your feed. They are not told.
A muted member can still message you or ask to connect.
Block
A blocked member's posts and comments are hidden from your feeds. They cannot comment on your posts in the community feed.
They cannot message you, follow you or send you a connection request. They are not told that you blocked them.
Any follow or connection between you is removed, and your conversation leaves your inbox.
Mute conversation
Mute conversation stops the unread count for that conversation. Its messages still arrive. To undo it, open the conversation menu and choose Unmute conversation.
If someone is being unsafe
Blocking and muting do not tell our team anything. If someone is being unsafe, use Report so a moderator can look.
What happens next
You can undo hiding, muting and blocking in Settings, under Blocked and muted.
Community rules and reporting
How do I report a post or person?
Open the options menu, tap Report, choose what is wrong, then tap Submit Report.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- On a post or comment, tap the three-dot Post options button, then choose Report this post (or comment, reply or thread).
- In a circle or a forum, tap the Report button on the post, reply or thread.
- On a member's profile, tap the more button at the top and choose Report followed by their name.
- In a direct message, press and hold the message and choose Report. To report the whole conversation, open the menu at the top and choose Report conversation.
- Choose what is wrong: Spam or Scam, Harassment, Misinformation, Off-Topic, Hate Speech, Violence or Threats, Adult Content, Self-harm or suicide concern, or Other.
- Add more detail if you want. This note is optional and can be up to 500 characters.
- Tap Submit Report.
Who sees what
The person you report is not told who reported them.
Moderators can see who sent the report, what you write and what it is about.
Messages and conversations
A report about a message or a conversation attaches up to the last 12 messages, including any that were deleted. The sheet tells you before anything is sent.
The moderation tools show only those messages, not the rest of the conversation.
If someone may be in danger
Reports are reviewed by people, not in real time. If someone may be in immediate danger, call 911 or your local emergency number.
If you choose Self-harm or suicide concern, Violence or Threats, or Other, the sheet also shows crisis lines.
Already reported?
If you already reported the same thing, the sheet says so and shows where it stands. There is no need to send it again.
Blocking is separate
Blocking or muting does not tell our team anything. Report if you want a moderator to look.
What happens next
A moderator will review your report. We don't message you when a report is closed. Open the same menu later and tap Report again to see where it stands.
Community rules and reporting
I saw a post about someone hurting themselves
You are not alone. Report the post so a person can look, and call 911 if someone may be in danger right now. Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
If someone may be in danger right now
Call 911 or your local emergency number. SOS cannot contact the person or send help.
Report the post
Tap the three-dot Post options button on the post and choose Report. Then choose Self-harm or suicide concern. The sheet shows crisis lines on your screen.
A report that names self-harm or a suicide concern is flagged as urgent for a person to look at.
Reports are still reviewed by people, not in real time. Do not wait for a report if you think someone is in danger.
If you do not want to see more
You can hide the post for yourself or mute the person.
Hiding does not tell our team anything, so report first if you are worried.
Looking after yourself
A post like this can be upsetting. The lines above are there for you too.
The Get help now button and SOS Mode work without an account.
Community rules and reporting
Someone is bothering me
You are not alone. You can block, mute or report this person, and SOS does not tell them it was you. Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
Stop contact
Block them if you want them to stop. A blocked member cannot message you, follow you or send you a connection request. Their posts and comments are hidden from you.
Mute them if you only want a quieter feed. A muted member can still message you.
Tell our team
Report the post, message, conversation or member. A moderator can see who sent the report, what you wrote and what it is about.
A report about a message or conversation attaches up to the last 12 messages, so a moderator can see what happened.
Reports are reviewed by people, not in real time. We can't promise a time.
If you are in danger
If someone threatens you or you feel unsafe, call 911 or your local emergency number. Do not wait for a report to be reviewed.
Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
What other members can see about you
Your email address and your date of birth are not shown to other members. Your public username, your name or display name, and your interests are. The note on Edit Profile says whether your bio, location, skills and what you are looking for are shown too.
Looking after yourself
Being bothered can wear you down. The Get help now button and SOS Mode work without an account.
Community rules and reporting
What are the community rules?
Members agree to six standards, such as cause no harm and respect all people.
The six standards
Increase Wellbeing: help people move toward a better life. Support, encourage and lift each other up.
Cause No Harm: no harassment or threats. Do not treat people unfairly or make content to hurt others. This includes put-downs, gaslighting and targeting people who are vulnerable.
Act with Integrity: be honest. No lies, no tricks and no pretending to be someone else. Debate ideas, never attack people.
Respect All People: no hate speech. Do not put people down for their race, gender, religion, sexuality, disability or background.
No Criminal Activity: do not use SOS to plan or promote crimes. This includes fraud, trafficking and abuse material.
Keep It Constructive: stay on topic, be patient with newcomers and add value. Spam and self-promotion hurt everyone.
Never allowed
The standards sheet also lists what is never allowed, such as hateful language and threats.
It also lists dangerous misinformation, impersonation, sharing private information and content that promotes self-harm.
Advice and views
Do not give professional medical, financial or legal advice to other people.
Posts show the views of members, not SOS's advice.
Where you see the standards
SOS shows these standards when you create or join a circle, and asks you to agree.
The Terms of Service also list what you may not do. This includes harassing or threatening members.
If someone breaks them
You can report a post, comment, message, conversation or member. You can also block or mute a member.
The standards say that breaking them may mean your content is removed or your account is suspended.
The Terms say we may remove content, and suspend or close accounts that break the rules.
Community rules and reporting
How do I unblock or unmute someone?
Open Settings, then Blocked and muted, and tap Unblock or Unmute.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Settings. In the Privacy & Data group, tap Blocked and muted.
- Find the person under BLOCKED or MUTED.
- Tap Unblock or Unmute next to their name.
- To bring back posts you hid, look under HIDDEN ON THIS DEVICE and tap Show again. This brings back everything you hid on this device.
Other ways to unblock
You can also tap Unblock on the person's profile, or in the menu at the top of a conversation.
The menu on a post has a link called Manage blocked and muted people.
What comes back
Their posts can show up in your feeds again. They can message you, follow you and send you a connection request again.
Follows and connections that were removed when you blocked them are not restored.
Nothing on this screen tells the other person.
If the list will not load
If you see "We couldn't load your lists", check your connection and tap Try again. Nothing was changed.
If a name is missing, the row says "A member (name not shown)". You can still unblock or unmute them.
Community rules and reporting
My post was removed. Why?
A moderator can hide or remove a post, and SOS does not send a notice or a reason.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
Possible reasons
A moderator hid or removed it. Posts that a moderator hides or removes no longer show in anyone's feed.
You deleted it. A post you delete is removed for everyone.
If it was a comment, the owner of the post it was under can remove it. The author is not told.
What SOS does not do
SOS does not send you a message when a post is removed.
The app does not show you a reason or who made the decision.
The standards
The standards you agree to say that breaking them may lead to content removal or account suspension.
The six standards are in the article about the community rules.
What you can do
To ask about a post, write to admin@sosforchange.org. Say where you posted and about when.
We read every note. We can't promise a reply time.
If you cannot post at all, see the related article about posting limits.
Community rules and reporting
What happens after I report something?
A person reviews your report, not in real time, and SOS does not message you when it closes.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
What the status can say
When you tap Report on the same thing again, the sheet shows one of four messages.
"Waiting for a moderator to look at it."
"A moderator has looked at it."
"A moderator took action."
"A moderator reviewed it and closed it without action."
What staff do
Staff mark a report as reviewed, action taken, or dismissed. That mark records the outcome.
A report marked as reviewed stays in the queue until staff dismiss it or record an action.
What you will not get
SOS does not send you a message when a report is closed.
The sheet shows only the status above. It does not give details of what was done.
The person you report is not told who reported them.
How long it takes
Reports are reviewed by people, not in real time. We can't promise a time.
A report that names self-harm or a suicide concern is flagged as urgent for a person to look at. It is still not answered in real time.
If someone may be in danger
If someone may be in immediate danger, call 911 or your local emergency number. Do not wait for a report to be reviewed.
What happens next
To see where a report stands, open the same menu on the same post or profile and tap Report again.
Settings
Can I use light mode or change the colors?
No, SOS has one theme for now, the dark Classic look, and light mode is not available yet.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
What the screen offers
Open Settings, then Appearance, in the Profile & Personalization section.
It shows one theme, Classic, marked Active. The other themes, including the light ones, are switched off.
They stay off until every screen can follow a theme. A theme that only some screens follow looks patchy.
Accent colors, icon style and similar choices were taken out because nothing used them.
If you chose another theme before
Appearance shows a note that only some screens follow that theme. Tap Classic to get a steady look.
Text size and motion
Text size follows your device. Use your phone's display and accessibility settings, or your browser's zoom.
SOS has no controls of its own for text size or motion yet.
Where it is saved
Your theme choice is saved on this device only.
Settings
Can I use SOS in Spanish or another language?
SOS is in English only today, and there are no translations yet.
Ask for your language
Open Settings, then Language & Accessibility. Tap Tell us which language you need.
That opens Send Feedback. Tap Write a note and write the language you need in your note. A note can be short, but it cannot be empty.
It helps us see how many people are waiting.
In a crisis
The Get help now sheet lists a Spanish text line for the United States. Text HOLA to 741741.
The same sheet shows lines for other countries.
Accessibility
Screen readers, keyboards and voice control work through your device. Parts of SOS are not fully accessible yet.
If something blocks you, tap Tell us about an accessibility barrier on the same screen.
Settings
Do I have to pay? What is Plans and Support?
No, every tool is free, and the paid options are optional and not open yet.
What the screen shows
Open Settings, then Plans & Support, in the Plan & Billing section near the top. It lists three plans: Free, Supporter and Partner.
Free is your current plan. It includes every tool and needs no credit card.
Supporter is optional. The screen marks it as not open yet, so you cannot buy it today.
Partner is for organizations. The screen says team dashboards are not built yet. To ask about it, write to admin@sosforchange.org.
What is never behind a paywall
The screen lists these as free on every plan.
They are exporting your data, deleting your account, crisis and safety resources, and the tools for reporting and blocking.
Core tracking in every pillar and sync between your devices are on the list too.
Extras
The screen also lists a theme pack and an avatar frame. Both say Not available yet.
The screen says SOS runs no ads and does not sell your data. The Privacy Policy says the same.
Settings
How do I change what is on my Home screen?
On Home, tap Edit Widgets, move or hide widgets, then tap Done.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Home and stay on the Overview view.
- Tap Edit Widgets above your widgets, or press and hold any widget.
- Use the arrows to move a widget up or down. Use the red eye button to hide it.
- Hidden widgets wait in a list directly below your widgets. Tap one to bring it back.
- Tap Done. Your layout is saved to your account.
The Home Widgets screen in Settings
Settings has a Home Widgets row. That screen only explains these steps and has a button to open Home. It has no switches of its own.
If saving fails
SOS shows Layout not saved. Your changes show now, but they may reset the next time you open Home.
Check your connection and edit again.
Not available yet
Widget sizes and choosing which screens show badge counts are not available yet.
Shortcut buttons
The row of shortcut buttons near the top of Home is separate. Tap Add to put one there, or press and hold one to remove it.
To hide whole tools from Your Tools, use Manage Tools instead.
Settings
How do I edit my profile?
Open Profile, tap Edit Profile, change what you want and tap Save.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Settings, then My Profile. You can also tap the My Profile icon at the top of Home.
- On the Profile tab, tap Edit Profile.
- Change the boxes you want. You can set a display name, a tagline, a longer bio, up to 5 core values, your pillars, your life phase and a personal mission.
- Add a city and state if you want to. The screen marks the location as private.
- At the bottom is an optional Health Profile: a fitness goal, a dietary preference, allergies, health conditions and medications.
- Tap Save at the top right.
Good to know
The form has no box for a profile picture. Photos are not available yet. We are building the safeguards that make sharing pictures safe for everyone.
The screen says the Health Profile is used to personalize nutrition, wellness and fitness tools. It also says the Health Profile is private to you.
Your email address and password are not on this form. Change them in Settings, then Security.
If saving fails
SOS shows Save Failed and closes the form. Your changes were not saved to your account.
Check your connection, then open Edit Profile, check the boxes and tap Save again.
Settings
How do I hide tools I don't use?
Open Settings, then Manage Tools, and switch off the tools you do not want.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Settings and tap Manage Tools in the Tools & Organization section. The screen is called Customize Your SOS.
- On the Active tab, switch a tool off to hide it. Tap the star to pin a tool so it comes first.
- To turn a tool back on, open the Discover tab. Find it with Search tools or the filters, then switch it on.
- To undo everything, scroll to the bottom of the Active tab and tap Reset All to Defaults.
What hiding does
A hidden tool disappears from Your Tools on Home. On the Wellness list it moves behind a Show hidden row.
The tool and anything you saved in it are not deleted.
Other places, such as search and links from other tools, do not use this list.
Where it is saved
Your choices are saved on this device only. On a new phone or browser, every tool is on again.
Reset All to Defaults turns every tool back on and clears your pins and favorites. It does not ask first.
The Discover and Organize tabs
Discover lets you search all tools, filter by pillar and sort the list. Its Not built yet list shows tools that are planned but not available yet.
On the Organize tab you can change the pillar order and pick up to 4 quick access actions. Nothing reads these yet, so Home does not change.
The row of shortcut buttons on Home is edited on Home itself.
Settings
How do I send feedback and see my past reports?
Open Settings, tap Send Feedback, tap Write a note and send it, then find your past notes and our replies under My reports.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Settings and tap Send Feedback.
- Tap Write a note. A sheet opens with the note form.
- Choose what kind of note it is: Something's broken, Idea, Question, Thanks or Something else. You can skip this.
- Write your note, up to 2000 characters. A subject is optional, and it can be up to 100 characters.
- Leave Include details about this screen ticked, or untick it. You see what it adds before you send.
- Tap Send note. SOS shows a reference for your note.
My reports
Scroll down on the Send Feedback screen to My reports. The newest note is first.
Each card shows the kind of note, the day you sent it, a status, the subject, the first lines of your note and its reference.
The status is Received, Noted, In progress, Resolved or Not planned.
When we write an answer for you, it shows under Our reply. The card also says how a note ended, for example We fixed this.
That fixed it and Still need help
A note that is still Received or Noted can show two buttons. They are for notes about something broken, a question or something else.
Tap That fixed it if the problem is gone. This lets us know.
Tap Still need help to open a new note that already names your reference.
If sending fails
If a note does not go, SOS says Your note was not sent and gives the reason. What you wrote is still in the form.
Check your connection and tap Send again. If your device is offline, Send note is turned off and the form tells you.
If you close the form before you send, SOS keeps your unfinished note on this device for 7 days.
If the list under My reports does not load, the screen says so. It does not mean you have none.
Include details about this screen
The box starts ticked. Choosing Thanks unticks it, unless you have already changed the box yourself.
Unticked, nothing about the screen or device is sent.
Ticked, it adds the screen you were on, the version of SOS and whether you use a web browser or a phone app.
It also adds whether the device says it is online and the window size, rounded down to the nearest 100 pixels.
It adds the last three kinds of problem SOS ran into. It never adds what a problem said.
You see every line under the box before you send. It leaves out your password, your email address and anything you have written in SOS.
Pictures and screenshots
Photos are not available yet. We are building the safeguards that make sharing pictures safe for everyone.
For now a note cannot carry a picture or a screenshot. Say what you see in your note instead.
Help and Contact
At the bottom of the Send Feedback screen, under Help, are Help Center and Contact us.
Contact us opens a page with our address and how replies work. You can also write to admin@sosforchange.org.
Not for emergencies
A note is not the way to get help in an emergency. If you need to talk to someone now: Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
What happens next
We read every note. We can't promise a reply time. If we answer, the reply shows under My reports.
Settings
How do I switch between pounds and kilograms?
Tap Imperial or Metric under Units in Settings, or tap Weight unit and more.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Settings and find Units in the Profile & Personalization section.
- Tap Imperial or Metric. It takes effect at once.
- For a different weight unit, tap Weight unit and more.
- On the Units screen, pick Metric, Imperial or US Customary. Then change Weight if you want. Changes save as you make them.
What the options mean
The starting choice is Imperial.
Choosing a system also sets the weight unit: kilograms for Metric, and pounds for the other two. You can change the weight unit after that.
Weight can be kilograms, pounds or stone. The exercise tracker uses the weight unit.
SOS treats Imperial and US Customary the same today.
The screen says the unit system applies across SOS, and many tools follow it.
If your units change back
Setup can save a units choice to your profile. The Macro Calculator in Nutrition only follows the units in your profile and never changes them.
SOS copies that profile choice to this device each time your profile loads. So a different choice in Settings can be replaced after you reopen or reload SOS.
If this happens to you, tap Make my units match on this page. It sets your Settings to the units in your profile, and you can undo it for a few seconds.
You can also tell us through Send Feedback.
What is not on this screen
Height, distance, temperature, volume and speed choices were taken out because nothing used them.
Some screens still ask for centimeters and kilograms, such as the Nutrition Targets calculator.
Date, time and currency formats are not here either.
Start again
Reset to Metric Defaults asks you first. It sets Metric and kilograms.
Your units are saved on this device, not on your account.
Settings
How do I turn notifications on or off?
The switches are saved, but SOS does not send most of these reminders yet.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Settings and tap Notification Preferences.
- If you see Enable Push Notifications, tap it and allow notifications when your device asks. It does not show in a web browser.
- Use the Push Notifications switch to pause or resume all of your choices.
- Switch single reminders on or off. Many also have a time, days or an interval to choose.
Most reminders are not sent yet
Nothing in SOS reads these choices to send a reminder today. The screen says most of them are not sent yet.
That covers the sleep, medication, hydration, mood check-in, workout and streak reminders.
It also covers the budget review, bill due date, weekly review and learning goal reminders.
The circle activity, challenge check-in and new message switches are in the same state.
What does work
Reminders you set up inside a feature are separate. The Morning Brief reminder and the Daily Practice Reminder on the Human Accord screen are scheduled on your phone, so they need the mobile app.
The Pomodoro timer also alerts you when a session ends.
The guide on missing reminders covers these.
Where your choices are saved
All of your choices are saved on this device.
Five also go to your account: Streak Saver Alert, Daily Mood Check-In, Weekly Review, Circle Activity and Learning Goal Reminder.
If SOS cannot save them to your account, it says so and offers Try again.
Every switch starts on except Medication Reminders, Learning Goal Reminder and Bill Due Date Alerts.
Medication reminders
The screen says Medication Reminders does not send alerts. Reminders for each medication show in your Morning Brief.
SOS does not alert you when it is time for a medicine. If you need an alert, use your phone's own alarm.
On the web
The web version of SOS cannot receive push notifications yet. The screen shows a note about it.
Messages and replies inside SOS
Replies, likes, follows and messages from other members show up in the Notifications list in Community. These switches do not turn them off.
To stop hearing from a person, mute or block them.
Settings
What can I do in Security settings?
In Security you can change your password or email.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Settings and tap Security in the Privacy & Data section.
- Find the section you need on the screen, such as Password or Email address.
Password and other devices
Tap Change Password. The new password needs at least 8 characters.
Changing it signs out every other device. The Sign out other devices row opens the same box.
Email address
Your email address shows as Verified or Not verified.
Tap Change email address, type the new address and tap Send confirmation link.
Nothing changes until you open the link we send to the new address and enter your current password. After that you sign in again with the new address.
A new account has to wait 24 hours before it can change its email. You can ask 3 times in 24 hours.
Face ID or fingerprint
This works on a phone that has Face ID or a fingerprint set up. If not, the screen says it is not available on this device.
Turning it on saves your email and password in your device's secure storage. Your fingerprint or face data stays on your device.
It does not lock SOS while you use it. Signing out removes the saved sign-in, so turn it on again afterwards.
Two-factor sign-in
This section only shows what the server has turned on. If it says Not available yet, there is nothing to set up.
When it is on, the screen says that signing in also asks for an emailed code.
Connected accounts
If a social sign-in is set up on the server, you can link it here. Linking lets you sign in without typing your password.
Delete your account
Delete Account is in the Danger Zone at the bottom. It deletes your account and data for good and cannot be undone.
Settings
Where are my privacy settings?
Look in the Privacy & Data part of Settings.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Settings and scroll to the Privacy & Data section.
- Tap Privacy & Security to open the screen with four tabs.
- Or use the Usage Analytics switch in the same list. It takes effect at once.
The four tabs
Data Control explains what SOS can store. It has buttons to download your data and to delete your account.
Sharing has the Usage Analytics switch. It also says there are no sharing switches on that screen yet.
Security says SOS has no app lock yet. It shows this device and has a button to sign out.
Your Rights lists rights under privacy laws, a guide to taking your data with you and links to the legal pages.
Saving
The Privacy & Security screen has a Save button. A change to Usage Analytics there counts only after you tap Save. If you leave first, SOS asks if you want to save.
The Usage Analytics switch in the main Settings list saves at once.
The two switches are kept in step. When you change one, SOS changes the other to match. Usage Analytics is off until you turn it on.
Other places
Download My Data is in the same list. Security has your password and email.
Blocked and muted lists the people you hid. The Encrypted Vault is a private store that stays on your device.
Your age shows the age group and date of birth SOS has for you, or asks you to confirm your date of birth. Other members never see them. The row is listed only when SOS is using age groups for accounts.
Not available yet
SOS has no switches to turn whole kinds of data off, no local-only mode and no app lock.
The Privacy & Security screen says so.
Ask us
To use a privacy right, write to admin@sosforchange.org from the address on your account. Say which right you want.
Settings
Where do I find a setting?
Open Settings and look in the section that matches what you want to change.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- On a wide screen, tap Settings at the bottom of the menu on the left.
- On a phone, tap the My Profile icon at the top of Home, then tap Settings in the Account section.
- Find the section you want in the list below.
What is in Settings
Help is first on the page. Get help opens Help, and Fix a problem opens the Help status page.
The other sections run in this order: Plan & Billing, Profile & Personalization, Notifications, Privacy & Data, Tools & Organization, Connected Devices, About, Legal and Account.
Staff also see a Platform Admin section. Sign Out and Delete Account are at the bottom.
Saved to your account
These follow you to another phone or browser. They are your profile, Icons & Personalization, My Schedule and Scheduling Rules.
The layout of Home, your nutrition targets and your Do Not Disturb times follow you too.
The people you blocked or muted and the notes you sent us are kept on your account.
Five of the choices in Notification Preferences go to your account. The notifications guide says which.
Saved only on this device
These stay on the phone or browser where you set them. They are Appearance, Manage Tools, your Usage Analytics choice and the Encrypted Vault.
Your list of wanted devices in Connected devices stays there too.
The Calendar Sync choices and the country for crisis numbers also stay on the device.
So does the Hide calorie and weight numbers switch. It is in Nutrition, not in Settings.
Units are kept on the device, but a choice made when you joined can replace them. The units guide explains.
On a new phone or browser, or after you clear your browser data, these start over.
Settings that are not finished
Some settings are on the screen but do not work yet. Each guide says so plainly.
They are Notification Preferences, Do Not Disturb, My Levels, Icons & Personalization and Scheduling Rules.
Connected devices, Calendar Sync and the payment options in Plans & Support are not finished either.
SOS is in English only, and light mode is not available yet.
Settings
Why don't I get reminders?
Most reminder switches send nothing yet, and the web cannot schedule any.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Think about which reminder you expected. Sleep, water, workout, budget, bill and similar reminders in Notification Preferences are not sent yet.
- If you expected the Morning Brief reminder, open Morning Brief. Check the Morning Brief Reminder switch and the Reminder Time. The screen says reminders need the mobile app.
- If you expected the Daily Practice Reminder, open the Human Accord screen. Check that it is on and has a time.
- If you use a mobile app, check that your device allows notifications for SOS. You can change this in your device settings.
- On the web, SOS cannot schedule these reminders. SOS has no App Store or Google Play app yet, so for now these two reminders are not available.
What SOS can remind you about today
The Morning Brief reminder and the Daily Practice Reminder are set on their own screens. In the mobile app, your phone shows them at the time you pick. A web browser cannot schedule them.
The Pomodoro timer alerts you when a session ends. On a phone it is a scheduled notification. On the web it is a browser notice if you allow it.
What is not available yet
The switches in Notification Preferences are saved, but nothing sends reminders from them yet.
Do Not Disturb times are not the reason. No reminder checks them yet.
The web version cannot receive push notifications yet.
If you need a medicine alert, use your phone's own alarm. SOS does not send one.
Still stuck
Tell us which reminder you expected and where you use SOS: the web or a phone. Use Send Feedback in Settings, or write to admin@sosforchange.org.
What happens next
We read every note. We can't promise a reply time.
Settings
Can I change the date format, time format or currency?
No, the date format, time format and currency cannot be changed yet.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
What you see today
Many screens show dates in the US style, with the month first, and use a 12-hour clock. Some follow your device instead.
Most money screens show US dollars.
The Language & Accessibility screen says the same.
Why there is no setting
Date, time and currency choices were taken out of Settings because no screen used them.
What you can change
You can switch between imperial and metric units. See the units guide.
If you need another date format or currency, tell us through Send Feedback.
Settings
Can I connect my watch, Fitbit or Apple Health?
Not yet, because SOS cannot read data from any watch, ring or health app today.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
What the screen shows
Open Settings, then Connected devices. The screen is called Wearable Sync and says Not available yet.
The Status tab says no device is connected and nothing is being synced.
The Planned tab lists services SOS may add one day. None of them can be connected yet.
The Data Map tab shows where each kind of data is planned to go. Its switches and choices are saved on this device and do nothing yet.
The History tab has no syncs to show.
I want this
On the Planned tab you can tap I want this on a service. That only saves your interest on this device.
It does not send us anything, and you will not get a message.
What you can do now
Log sleep, workouts, weight and vitals by hand in the Wellness area.
You can export what you logged from Settings, under Download My Data.
Settings
Can I hide calorie and weight numbers?
Yes, a switch called Hide calorie and weight numbers hides them on three screens.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
Turn it on
Open Wellness, then Nutrition. Near the top, find the switch called Hide calorie and weight numbers and turn it on.
The same switch is at the top of the Food Diary and on the Body Composition screen. It is one setting, so it changes all of them at once.
What it hides
It hides calorie totals, weight, BMI and body-fat numbers on the Nutrition, Food Diary and Body Composition screens.
Calories can still show when you search for a food or set a target.
Other screens that show these numbers, such as the Weight Tracker, do not follow the switch yet.
Where it is saved
It is saved on this device only. Set it on each device you use.
It starts off, so the numbers show until you turn it on.
If SOS cannot save it, the switch tells you, and the choice resets when you close the app.
If numbers feel hard
The Wellness area also has Eating Disorder Support and Body Image tools.
If counting or weighing is hurting how you feel about food or your body, a doctor or counselor can help.
If you are in crisis in the United States, call or text 988. Get help now shows lines for other countries.
Settings
How do I change my country for crisis numbers?
You are not alone. Open Get help now and tap the country link to choose yours. For the United States: Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
Change your country
Tap Get help now. It is the life ring button. It floats at the bottom left of the screen. On a wide screen, when you are signed in, it is at the bottom of the menu on the left instead. A sheet called Support Resources opens.
Near the top, tap Choose your country. If a country is already shown, tap the link that ends in Change country. Then tap your country.
The list has the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. It also has India, Germany, France, Spain, Brazil and Mexico.
If yours is not on the list, tap Another country.
What each choice shows
A country shows the call and text lines for that country, and a link to find a helpline.
Another country shows helpline directories and tells you to use your local emergency number.
Use my device's region goes back to the automatic choice.
How SOS picks without your choice
SOS uses your device's region. If it cannot tell where you are, it shows the United States numbers first and says so.
Your choice is saved on this device only. The Get help now sheet works without an account and without a connection.
What happens next
The lines at the top of this page are for the United States. Get help now shows the lines for the country you pick.
Settings
How do I set my weekly schedule?
Open Settings, then My Schedule, pick your times and tap Save.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Settings, then My Schedule, in the Profile & Personalization section.
- Under Sleep, choose your Wake Time and your Bedtime.
- Under Work / School, tap the days you work. The Mon-Fri, Mon-Sat and Tue-Sat buttons are shortcuts.
- Choose your Work Hours, or No fixed hours. Switch Lunch Break on or off.
- Under Exercise & Energy, choose the Best Time for Workouts and your Peak Energy Window.
- Tap Save at the top, or Save My Schedule at the bottom. The button changes to Saved when it works.
What it is used for
Today one screen reads your schedule. It is Reschedule.
Reschedule uses your wake time, bedtime, work days and hours, and best time for workouts. It suggests new times for program sessions you missed.
You reach it from the banner on the Goals screen when you have missed sessions.
What it does not do
The My Schedule screen says SOS uses your schedule to place training sessions, habits and goals for you. SOS does not do that yet.
Your Peak Energy Window and Lunch Break are saved, but no screen reads them yet.
Where it is saved
Your schedule is saved to your account. Finishing the Morning Routine Guide in Wellness also saves a wake time to it.
Before you save, the screen starts with a 7:00 AM wake time and a 10:30 PM bedtime. It also starts with Monday to Friday work from 9 to 5, Lunch Break on, and mornings for workouts and energy.
If SOS has no saved schedule for you, Reschedule assumes the same times and work days.
If saving fails
SOS shows Could not save your schedule. Your choices stay on the screen. Check your connection and tap Save again.
Settings
How do I set up the Encrypted Vault?
Open Settings, then Encrypted Vault, pick a PIN, and save a backup file.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Settings and tap Encrypted Vault.
- Choose a PIN of 4 to 8 digits and tap Continue.
- Type the same PIN again and tap Encrypt & Open.
- Write your PIN down and keep it somewhere safe. SOS does not save it, and nobody can reset it.
- Open the Security tab and tap Export Vault Backup.
- Choose a backup passphrase of at least 10 characters and type it twice.
- Save the backup file. Keep the passphrase somewhere else.
What the vault is
The vault is a private place for secure notes, passwords and personal info. It has Notes, Passwords and Personal tabs.
It is encrypted with AES-256 and saved on this device only. It is not sent to the SOS server. The Privacy Policy describes it as encrypted on your own device.
If you forget your PIN
Nobody can reset it, including us. Your PIN is not saved on this device or on our servers.
On the lock screen, tap Forgot your PIN?, then Erase this vault and start over. That deletes the vault on this device so you can set a new PIN.
If you made a backup file, restore it from the Security tab afterwards. Without a backup, the contents cannot be recovered.
Restore a backup
Open the Security tab and tap Import Vault. Choose the backup file, or paste its text.
Type the backup passphrase and tap Add to my vault. That is the passphrase you chose for the backup, not your vault PIN.
Phone and browser
In a browser the vault always uses a PIN. Face ID or fingerprint unlock and a no-lock mode are only in the phone app.
The vault stays on one device. On a new phone, or after you clear your browser data, restore it from your backup.
If you had a vault before
If an older vault is on this device, SOS asks you to choose a PIN first. The screen is called Encrypt Your Vault.
Settings
What do the calendar sync settings do?
They do not connect to any outside calendar yet, so most of the sync choices do nothing.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
Where it is
Open Calendar and tap the settings button at the top right. It is a sliders icon. The screen is called Calendar Sync Settings.
It has four tabs: Calendar Sources, Sync Settings, Notifications and Integration Guide.
No outside calendar is connected
SOS cannot sync with Google, Apple, Outlook or any other calendar yet. Each one on the Calendar Sources tab says Not connected and Soon.
Sync Enabled shows Sync active, but there is nothing to sync.
Trigger Manual Sync does not sync anything. It tells you there is nothing to sync yet, and it records no sync.
The other choices
The Sync Settings tab has choices for how often to sync, which copy wins in a conflict, privacy and bandwidth. They are saved on this device and have no effect yet.
The Notifications tab has reminder defaults, sounds and birthday reminders. They are saved on this device only, and no reminders are sent from them.
The calendars you create on the first tab are saved on this device only. Nothing else in SOS reads that list yet.
What you can do now
On the Integration Guide tab, Import / Export .ics Files opens a screen where you can export your events or import a calendar file.
Settings
What does Clear All Local Cache do?
It removes saved copies on this device and keeps your records, sign-in and vault.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Settings and find Clear All Local Cache in the Privacy & Data section.
- Read the message and tap Clear Cache to confirm.
- Wait for the result message.
What it removes
It removes saved copies that SOS can download again. These are copies SOS keeps on this device so screens open faster, such as the feed, the food database and courses.
On the web it also clears the stored app files your browser saved for SOS. They download again when SOS needs them.
What it does not do
It does not sign you out.
It does not delete what is saved in your account, such as your logs, goals and profile.
It does not touch your drafts, your Encrypted Vault or your settings.
Screens load their data again the next time you open them.
It may find nothing to clear
SOS keeps few saved copies on this device today. If there is nothing to clear, SOS says so.
Settings
What does Do Not Disturb do?
Nothing yet: you can save quiet hours, but no reminder in SOS checks them today.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Settings and find Do Not Disturb in the Notifications section.
- Type the From time and the To time on a 24-hour clock, such as 22:00 and 07:00.
- Tap outside the box when you are done. When both times are right, SOS saves them to your account.
What it is meant to do
The screen says the quiet hours apply to any push notification SOS sends.
What happens today
SOS does not send push notifications from Notification Preferences yet.
The reminders you set in Morning Brief and Human Accord do not read quiet hours.
So Do Not Disturb has no effect today.
The Do Not Disturb mode on your phone is separate and does work.
Saving your times
The times start at 22:00 and 07:00.
If a time is not in the form HH:MM, SOS asks for a 24-hour time such as 22:00 or 07:00.
If SOS cannot save your times, it says so and keeps what you typed.
Settings
Where are the people I blocked or muted?
Open Settings, then Blocked and muted, to see them and undo either one.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Settings and tap Blocked and muted in the Privacy & Data section.
- Find the person under Blocked or Muted.
- Tap Unblock or Unmute.
- To bring back posts you hid, tap Show again under Hidden on this device.
Block and mute
People you block or mute disappear from your feeds, comments and requests. They are not told.
Block when you do not want them to comment on your community feed posts. Mute when you only want a quieter feed.
You block or mute from the ... menu on a post or comment. You undo it here.
Hidden on this device
Posts and comments you hid are kept on this device only. Show again brings them back.
If the lists do not load
SOS shows We couldn't load your lists. Nothing was changed. Check your connection and tap Try again.
A person can show as A member (name not shown) if SOS cannot find their name.
Something unsafe
To tell our team about something unsafe, use Report in the ... menu on the post or comment.
Settings
Where do I set calorie and nutrient targets?
Open Nutrition Targets in Wellness, pick a preset or use the calculator, then tap Save Nutrition Targets.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open the Wellness area and tap the Nutrition Targets tool. In the Diet Log you can also tap Set your own, if you see it.
- To start from a preset, tap one under Life-Stage Presets, such as Standard, Active or Plant-Based. It fills in the numbers.
- Or open the BMR/TDEE Calculator. Enter your details, then tap Calculate My Targets.
- Under Your Daily Targets, change any number: calories, protein, carbs, fat, fiber or water.
- Tap Save Nutrition Targets.
Good to know
The presets and the calculator fill in estimates. They are starting points, not advice for your body.
A doctor or dietitian can tell you what is right for you.
The calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor formula. It asks for height in centimeters and weight in kilograms.
If your profile has an age, sex, height and weight, the calculator fills them in.
Where it is saved
Your targets are saved to your account. The Diet Log then says its goals come from your Nutrition Targets.
Until you save targets, the Diet Log uses goals estimated from your profile, or default goals.
If saving fails
SOS shows Failed to save. The numbers stay on the screen, so check your connection and tap Save Nutrition Targets again.
Settings
Which email do I sign in with, and where can I see it?
You sign in with your email address, not a username, and you can see it in Settings, then Security, under Email address.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Settings and tap Security in the Privacy & Data section.
- Find the Email address section. The row called Your email address shows the address you sign in with.
- You can also see it on your Profile, in small text under your name. Tap the My Profile icon at the top of Home.
About a username
SOS does not use a username to sign you in. You sign in with your email address and your password.
If you chose a public username when you signed up, it is only the name other members see.
If you are signed out
On the sign-in screen, tap Forgot your email or username? and type an address you might have used.
If that address has an account, we email the sign-in details to it.
Settings
How do the vault auto-lock and erase options work?
The vault locks again after a time you pick, and can erase itself after wrong PINs.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
Auto-Lock Timer
Open the Security tab in the vault. Auto-Lock Timer offers 1 minute, 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes or Never (not recommended). It starts at 5 minutes.
The timer counts the time you are away from SOS. If you come back after that long, the vault is locked and asks for your PIN again.
It does not lock the vault while you are looking at it.
Wrong PINs
After 3 wrong PINs in a row, the vault makes you wait. The wait is 30 seconds first, then twice as long each time, up to one hour.
Closing the screen or reloading the page does not skip the wait.
The wait slows down guessing on this device. It cannot stop someone who copies your stored data and guesses somewhere else, so a longer PIN is safer.
Erase after 10 wrong PINs
This is off unless you turn it on. When it is on, the tenth wrong PIN in a row erases everything in the vault from this device.
That includes you if you forget your PIN. Turn it on only if you keep a backup file.
SOS asks you to confirm before it turns on. It only works when the vault is locked with a PIN.
Backup passphrase
A backup file has its own passphrase, which is not your vault PIN. If the passphrase is wrong, the backup does not open.
Settings
What are Mission and Vision and Trust and Transparency?
They are two reading screens in Settings that explain why SOS exists, who runs it and how it treats your data.
Mission & Vision
Open Settings, then Mission & Vision, in the About section.
It describes why SOS exists and the values it works by. It also covers what SOS says it stands against.
A section called Who Runs SOS says who is behind it. Today it says SOS is run by SOS Media, LLC, a company registered in Colorado, and that no nonprofit has been formed yet.
It also says what is only planned: a nonprofit organisation for education and access. It does not exist yet, and plans can change.
The screen says SOS has no tax-exempt status, that donations are not open, and that SOS does not promise to share profit.
The last parts are the long-term vision and ways to help. The screen states goals and values. It does not change how any setting works.
Trust & Transparency
Open Settings, then Trust & Transparency, in the Legal section. The AI Disclosure row opens the same screen.
Tap a section to open it. The sections include What We Will NEVER Do and What We Do With Your Data.
Others cover how SOS was built with AI, how your data is protected and how SOS is paid for.
The last two are Full Legal Documents and Hold Us Accountable.
The legal pages
The Terms of Service and the Privacy Policy open from the Legal section of Settings.
To ask a question about any of this, write to admin@sosforchange.org.
Settings
What are Scheduling Rules?
You can save scheduling rules, but nothing uses them yet.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
What you can add
Open Settings, then Scheduling Rules, in the Profile & Personalization section. Tap Add Rule.
A rule can be Never During, Auto-Reschedule, Recovery Buffer or Prefer Window.
You pick an activity, such as Workout, Run, Meal or Habit, and then the details.
Under Preset Rules you can tap one of four ready-made rules to add it.
Manage your rules
Your rules are listed under My Rules. Use the switch to turn a rule on or off.
Tap the red bin to delete a rule. SOS asks you to confirm.
Rules are saved to your account.
What does not work yet
No part of SOS reads these rules today.
The Reschedule screen suggests new times from My Schedule and your calendar. It does not use your rules, even though its text mentions them.
The Scheduling Rules screen says higher-priority events bump lower ones. That does not happen yet.
If a rule does not appear
After you add a rule, check the My Rules list. If the rule is not there, it was not saved.
SOS shows no error message here, so try adding it again.
Settings
What does Icons and Personalization change?
It saves your avatar and icon choices to your account, but no other screen shows them yet.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
What you can choose
Open Settings, then Icons & Personalization, in the Profile & Personalization section.
Under Profile Avatar you can pick a preset avatar. Photos are not available yet.
Under Pillar Icons you can pick an icon for each of the five pillars, and for the categories inside them.
Tap Save at the top right to keep your choices.
What changes today
Your choices are saved to your account. They are there when you open this screen on another device.
No other screen reads them yet. Home, your profile and the tools keep their usual icons.
Go back to the starting icon
Tap the small arrow next to an icon you changed to put the starting icon back. Then tap Save.
If saving fails
SOS shows an error message and your choices stay on the screen. Check your connection and tap Save again.
Settings
What is Design Your Week?
Design Your Week is a short guide that saves your peak energy time and any rules you pick.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
What it is
Design Your Week is a guide with 8 steps. Open it from the banner at the top of My Schedule.
It asks how you work, your sleep window, your peak energy, the areas that need time, your work block size and your scheduling rules.
The last step is a promise to plan your week.
What it saves
When you finish, SOS saves your peak energy time and a best time for workouts to My Schedule.
The workout time is morning if your peak is morning. For any other peak it is afternoon.
This replaces the Peak Energy Window and Best Time for Workouts you chose before.
SOS also adds one rule to Scheduling Rules for each rule you ticked.
What it does not save
Your answers about work, sleep, areas to invest in, work block size and the weekly promise are not saved.
The last screen says your preferences are saved and that the scheduling engine will use them. No screen applies the rules yet.
If you run it again
Each run adds the rules you ticked again. Open Scheduling Rules and delete any copies.
If saving fails, SOS says it could not save and asks you to check your connection.
Settings
What is My Levels and why are its numbers empty?
My Levels does not track your progress yet, so its numbers and weekly chart stay empty.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
Where it is
Open Settings, then My Levels, in the Profile & Personalization section.
It has four tabs: Level Overview, Pillar Ranks, Badges and XP History.
What does not work yet
My Levels reads its numbers from your device. Nothing in SOS saves them there.
So your level stays at 1, no badge unlocks and XP History stays empty.
The weekly chart and the XP This Week number add up the XP history saved on your device for the last 7 days. For now they show no XP.
The Level Milestones & Rewards list names rewards such as live coaching sessions. SOS does not offer these rewards, and nothing unlocks when you reach a level.
Where to see your real progress
Your Profile shows your active and finished goals, your best streak and the XP you earned. These come from your account.
The level on Home comes from a different count, so it does not match My Levels.
Settings
Where do I find the app version?
Look under About in Settings for App Version, or open About SOS.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
Where it shows
In Settings, the About section starts with App Version. It shows a version, a build and your platform, written as web, ios or android.
The About SOS screen shows a version and a build near the top too.
When you write to us
Tell us the version and build, whether you use the web or a phone, and the screen you were on. If the two screens show different numbers, tell us both. That helps us find the problem faster.
Good to know
The version is a label for the app. It does not tell you whether you have the newest update.
If a page looks out of date, read the guide about seeing the old version.
Mental health and wellness
How do I add my medications?
Open Wellness, tap Prescriptions, add the medicine and the details from your label, and save.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Wellness and tap Prescriptions in the Medical & Clinical group.
- On the My Meds tab, tap Add First Medication. If you already have medicines, tap the round plus button at the bottom right.
- Type the Medication Name. A list of suggestions may appear. You can pick one, or keep what you typed.
- Fill in Dosage, Frequency and Time(s) per Day from your prescription label. Dates, Take With Food and notes are optional.
- If you want, add the prescribing doctor, the refill date and the pharmacy.
- Tap Save at the top right.
- To record a dose, tap Take Dose on the medicine's card.
Check what the form fills in
When you pick a medicine from the list, the form can fill in a dose unit, a side effects note and a Typical dose note. These come from a built-in reference list. They are not from your prescription.
Change them or delete them so the entry matches your label.
What SOS does not do
SOS does not check that a dose is right for you. Follow your prescriber and your pharmacist. The FDA label panel in the form says it is for reference and is not medical advice.
SOS also does not send alerts at your dose times. The next article explains this.
Your data
Your medicine list is saved to your account, and other members cannot see it.
Picking a medicine from the list, or tapping Look up drug info, sends the medicine name to the FDA's public drug label service. Do this only if you are comfortable with that.
Other parts of the screen
The Schedule tab lays out your day by time. The Guide tab has general medicine reading. Refill dates you enter show under Refill Reminders on My Meds. They are shown on the screen only.
Mental health and wellness
How do I do the daily check-in?
Open Wellness, tap Check-in, pick your mood from 1 to 10, and save.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Wellness. Under Quick Actions, tap Check-in. You can also open Daily Check-in in the Mind & Mental Health group.
- The screen opens on Morning before noon and on Evening after noon. To change it, tap the Morning or Evening button at the top right.
- Stay on the Quick tab. Under Mood, tap a number from 1 to 10. Under Energy, tap a number too if you want to.
- If you want, write one line about today. It can be up to 280 characters.
- Tap Save check-in.
What you see after you save
A short note appears. It is made on your device from the mood and energy you gave. It has no score.
If your mood was 1 or 2, support lines stay on the screen next to the note.
Add more detail
Tap Add detail for sleep, body, mind and emotions, food and water, work, relationships, gratitude and growth. In Evening mode there is also an Evening Reflection part.
A full check-in needs an Overall wellbeing number under Vital Indicators before it saves. Then a score out of 100 appears. SOS works it out from your answers. It is not a medical measure.
If it did not save
If you are offline, the screen says so and keeps your answers. Tap Save again when you are back online.
If your sign-in has ended, the screen tells you to sign in again and then save.
Changing a check-in
You can save one Morning and one Evening check-in each day. When one is saved, the screen says Check-in saved, tap to update. Change your answers and save again.
What happens next
Your check-in is saved to your account, so it also shows on your other devices.
Mental health and wellness
How do I log my sleep?
Open Wellness, tap Sleep Log, set your bedtime, wake time and quality, and save.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Wellness, then the Mind & Mental Health group, then Sleep Log. The Sleep shortcut on Home opens the same screen.
- On the Log tab, the date at the top starts on today. Tap the arrows to pick an earlier night.
- Under Sleep Session, set Bedtime and Wake Time.
- Tap a star under Sleep Quality to rate the night.
- Add the optional parts if you want: sleep stages, habits that helped or hurt, your sleep environment, how you feel this morning, and notes.
- Tap Save Sleep Entry. If you already saved that night, the button says Update Sleep Entry.
Before it will save
You need to set bedtime, wake time and sleep quality first. If one is missing, the screen tells you to set it. If the two times do not make sense together, it asks you to check them.
A night has one entry. Saving it again changes that entry.
Other ways to log sleep
The Quick Log row on Home has Log Sleep. You type the hours you slept, and it fills in last night.
If last night already has bed and wake times, for example from Sleep Log, Home asks whether to replace it. Nothing changes until you answer.
Keep leaves the night as it was. Replace saves the hours you typed and clears the old bed and wake times.
Sleep Tracker and Sleep Diary are two other sleep screens. The Sleep Diary keeps its entries on this device only, so they do not show in Sleep Log.
Watches and sleep apps
SOS does not connect to a watch or a sleep app. You type in the sleep stages yourself. Wearable sync is not available yet.
What happens next
Your night is saved to your account and counts toward the Wellness part of your Life Score for the week.
Mental health and wellness
How do I track my mood?
Open Mental Health Center, tap Mood Tracker, pick a number from 1 to 10, and save.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Wellness, then the Mind & Mental Health group, then Mental Health Center.
- On the Tools tab, under Track, tap Mood Tracker. You can also tap Mood in the Today row at the top.
- On the Today tab, tap a number under How are you feeling? It starts at 5, so set it to match you.
- Set Energy Level with the stars. They start at 3 stars, so change them too. Anxiety, emotions, what is affecting you and notes are optional.
- Tap Save Today's Log. If you already saved today, the button says Update Today's Log.
One entry a day
The Mood Tracker keeps one entry for each day. Saving again changes today's entry. It does not add a second one.
Other ways to log mood
On Home, the Quick Log row has Log Mood. Type a number from 1 to 10. Each save adds an entry, and if you save more than once in a day the Mood card in Today's Summary shows the average.
The Mood Journal, in the Mind & Mental Health group of Wellness, adds a new entry each time you save. Use it if you want to log more than once a day.
The daily check-in also asks for mood on its Quick tab.
See your patterns
The Patterns tab shows a 30-day heatmap, a 7-day chart, how your moods are spread and the factors you pick most.
If you need to talk to someone
Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
What happens next
Your entry is saved to your account, so it also shows on your other devices.
Mental health and wellness
How do I write a journal entry? Is it private?
Open Wellness, tap Personal Journal, write, and save; entries start out private.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Wellness, then the Mind & Mental Health group, then Personal Journal.
- On the Write tab, type in the large box. A title is optional.
- If you want, choose a journal type, such as Free Write or Gratitude, and add how you feel before and after, and tags.
- Under Privacy, you will see that the entry is Private. There is nothing to switch.
- Tap Save Entry. Your saved entries are on the Entries tab, where you can open one and delete it.
Who can read it
Your entries are saved to your account. Other members cannot open them. The server only lets your own account read your journal.
The privacy page says the app's staff roles are not set up to read journal entries. It also says the person who runs the server can technically read what is stored there. The privacy page describes the Encrypted Vault in Settings as encrypted on your own device. Journal entries are not kept in the Vault.
Shared entry
The Personal Journal saves every entry as Private and has no sharing choice. The journal in the Mental Health Center has a switch that can change an entry to Shared entry. That switch only saves a mark on the entry.
Nothing in SOS uses that mark to show your writing to other members. If you are not sure, keep the entry Private.
The other journal
The Mental Health Center has its own Journal. Tap the plus button, write, pick a prompt if you want one, and tap Save. It also keeps entries Private unless you switch the entry to Shared.
If your writing turns dark
Both journals check what you type for words about hurting yourself. The check runs on your device, and nothing is stored or sent. A support banner can appear. It is a simple word check and it can miss things.
Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
What happens next
Deleting an entry asks you to confirm and cannot be undone.
Mental health and wellness
How do the self-check quizzes work?
The quizzes are short question sets that give a score, and none is a diagnosis.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Wellness, then the Mind & Mental Health group, then Mental Health Center. On the Tools tab, under Support, tap Assessments.
- Tap the quiz you want. Read the note and tap Begin Assessment.
- Answer each question. After the last one, Your Results appears with a score and what it means.
- Tap Done.
Which quizzes there are
There are six: PHQ-9 (Depression Screener), GAD-7 (Anxiety Screener), SWLS (Life Satisfaction), BRS (Resilience Scale), PSS-10 (Perceived Stress) and SCS-SF (Self-Compassion). Each card shows how many questions it has and about how long it takes.
What they are and are not
These are screening questionnaires for self-awareness. The screen says a quiz is not a diagnosis. Only a doctor or counselor can tell you what your answers mean for you.
A score is a snapshot of how you answered. It is not a verdict on you.
A question about hurting yourself
The PHQ-9 asks about thoughts of death or of hurting yourself. If you answer anything other than Not at all, a support panel opens first, with call and text lines, before you carry on.
A high PHQ-9 or GAD-7 score also shows a Support Resources box under your result. Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
Where your results go
Results are saved to your account when you are signed in. If a save fails, the screen says so and still shows your score.
Other members cannot see your results. SOS does not use AI on your data today, so no result goes to an AI company.
What happens next
You can take a quiz again any time. The next article explains how to see your past results.
Mental health and wellness
Will SOS remind me to take my medication?
Not yet: SOS saves the dose times you enter but sends no alerts, so use a phone alarm or a pharmacy reminder.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Set a repeating alarm on your phone for each dose time. Put the name of the medicine in the alarm.
- Ask your pharmacy if it sends refill or pickup reminders by text or app.
- If it helps, use a pill organizer. The Guide tab in Prescriptions suggests this too.
- Still use SOS to record doses. Tap Take Dose on the medicine's card.
What the screens do
When you add a medicine, you can enter Time(s) per Day. SOS uses these times for your Schedule tab, and the Morning Brief lists doses you have not logged yet. It does not send a notification at those times.
The Due Now box and the Refill Reminders list are notes on the screen. They show only when you open the screen.
A button that says reminder
In Drug Interactions, on the My Medications tab, Add Reminder saves a mark on this device. The message says the medicine will appear in your Morning Brief. It does not send an alert.
Your Morning Brief lists today's doses that are not logged yet, whether or not you tapped that button.
Why we say this
A missed dose can matter. Please do not count on SOS to remind you. The notification settings say that most reminder types are not sent yet.
For a missed dose, ask your pharmacist or the prescriber what to do. SOS cannot tell you.
Mental health and wellness
How do I add my allergies? Does SOS warn me?
Add them in Allergy Tracker; SOS flags matches in recipes and meal plans, but not when you log food.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Wellness and tap Allergy Tracker in the Medical & Clinical group.
- Open the My Allergies tab and tap Add Allergy.
- Type the Allergen Name, or tap Suggest to pick one. Choose the Allergen Type, Diagnosis Status and Severity.
- Pick Typical Reactions and add Avoidance Notes if you want. For Severe or Anaphylactic, there is also an Emergency Action Plan box.
- Tap Save.
Where SOS checks your list
Recipe Browser, recipe details, My Recipes and the Meal Planner mark an item when its ingredient names match an allergy on your list. The Food Sensitivities screen uses the same list. It can also scan your last 14 days of diary entries for matching words, but only after you have logged them.
Where SOS does not check
The Food Diary, the Diet Log, the Food Database, barcode look-ups and Log Food on Home do not check your allergy list. SOS will not warn you when you log a food you are allergic to.
Even where it checks, it can miss
The match reads ingredient names. It can miss hidden sources such as sauces and packaged foods. It never replaces reading the label.
In an emergency
SOS cannot call for help for you. If someone has a serious allergic reaction, call 911 right away. Do not wait for a screen. When you log a reaction on the Log tab and pick Anaphylaxis as the severity, the screen shows a Signs of Anaphylaxis box. That box has a Call 911 button.
The Emergency Action Plan box holds notes you write. SOS does not check them. Follow the plan your doctor gave you.
What happens next
Your allergy list is saved to your account, and other members cannot see it.
Mental health and wellness
How do I find a therapist?
It explains how to look for a therapist, but it does not list or book any.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Wellness, then the Mind & Mental Health group, then Mental Health Center. On the Tools tab, under Support, tap Find a Therapist.
- Read Types of Therapy to see what each kind is for.
- Open Finding a Therapist for ways to search and questions to ask in a first call.
- Open Insurance & Cost and Barriers & Access if cost or getting started is the hard part.
- Try Fit Check. Answer four questions and tap See My Recommendations. It suggests kinds of therapy to read about. It is not advice for your case.
What it cannot do
This screen does not search for therapists near you, check who takes your insurance or book a visit. The Finding a Therapist tab points to outside directories that you can use for that.
Your answers
Your Fit Check answers stay on the screen. They are not saved. Tap Start Over to clear them.
If you need to talk to someone now
Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
Mental health and wellness
How do I retake a quiz or see my past results?
Tap a quiz again to retake it, and use the History tab for past results.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Wellness, then the Mind & Mental Health group, then Mental Health Center. On the Tools tab, under Support, tap Assessments.
- To retake a quiz, tap its card. A quiz you have not taken shows Start. One you have taken shows your last score and how long ago you took it.
- Tap Begin Assessment and answer again. A retake adds a new result. It does not replace the old one.
- To see past results, tap the History tab. Each result shows the quiz, how long ago, the score and its band.
Good to know
Each card on the Assessments tab shows your latest score. The History tab lists every result, newest first.
Wellness also has Research Assessments. It has the PHQ-9, GAD-7, SWLS and PSS-10 too, and it keeps its own history. A result from one screen does not appear on the other.
If a result did not save, the result screen said so. Take that quiz again when you are signed in and online.
If a score worries you
A score is not a diagnosis. If your results or your mood worry you, talk to a doctor or counselor. Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
What happens next
Your results are saved to your account, so they also show on your other devices.
Mental health and wellness
How do I use the breathing exercises?
Open Mental Health Center, tap Breathe, choose a way to breathe, and tap Begin.
- Open Wellness, then the Mind & Mental Health group, then Mental Health Center. On the Tools tab, under Practice, tap Breathe.
- Choose Box Breathing, 4-7-8 Breathing, Wim Hof Method, Cardiac Coherence or 4-4-6-2 Relaxation. Read the caution shown for the one you choose, if it has one.
- If you want, tap a face to note how you feel before you start.
- Tap Begin and the name of the technique. Read the safety note, then tap Start Breathing.
- Follow the Inhale, Hold and Exhale words. Tap Pause or Finish when you need to.
- At the end, tap Save Session, or tap Discard.
Safety notes in the app
Some techniques have breath holds. The app warns that holds can cause lightheadedness, and to stop if you feel dizzy. It also says to check with your clinician first if you are pregnant or have a heart condition.
The Wim Hof Method has stronger cautions, including never doing it in or near water or while driving. The Start Breathing button stays off until you tick a box that says you have read them.
Without an account
SOS Mode has Breathing Exercises: the Physiological Sigh, Box Breathing and 4-7-8. It works without an account, and the crisis lines stay at the top.
When you are signed in, finishing a tool in SOS Mode and saying how you feel is saved to your breathing log.
What happens next
Saved sessions add to your breathing history, with your minutes and the days in a row you practiced.
Mental health and wellness
How does the drug interaction checker work?
It compares the names you pick with a short built-in list, so it can miss risks, and an empty result is not an all-clear.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
What it does
Open Wellness, then Drug Interactions in the Medical & Clinical group. On the Check Interactions tab, search by name or brand and tap a medicine to add it. You can only pick from the built-in list.
Add at least two, up to eight, then tap Check Now. The My Medications tab can check the medicines and supplements you already saved. The Prescriptions screen shows a short check too.
What it cannot do
The list is small. When nothing matches, the screen says No match in our reference list and says that is not a safety clearance. Names it does not know are shown as not checked.
It only looks at the names you pick. It does not know your doses, your health conditions or your allergies. The screen says it is for education only. Ask your pharmacist or doctor to run a full check.
Your privacy
FDA Live Data loads when you tap a medicine. That sends its name to the FDA's public drug label service. This can show what you take, so use it only if you are comfortable.
If someone may have taken too much, or a mix that is harming them
Do not wait for a screen to answer. In an emergency, call 911. In the US, Poison Control answers at 1-800-222-1222.
Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
Mental health and wellness
The check-in is too long. Is there a quick version?
Yes, the Quick tab asks only for your mood, your energy and one line.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
Use the Quick tab
Open Wellness and tap Check-in. At the top, the Quick tab asks for Mood, Energy and one line about today. It is the tab the screen opens on, unless you already saved a full check-in for that day.
Tap Save check-in. You do not need to open Add detail.
A quick save keeps your detail
A quick save only sends your mood, energy and line. If you filled in more detail earlier the same day, the quick save does not erase it.
The Mental Health Center check-in
The Mental Health Center has its own Daily Check-In. It is longer. It asks for wellbeing, anxiety, two short screening questions, moods, what is affecting you and notes.
Only the Overall Mental Wellbeing number is needed to save it. Skip the rest if you want.
What happens next
You can do the quick version on some days and add detail on other days.
Mental health and wellness
Where are the guided meditations?
Open Mental Health Center, then Meditation Library, for six written guides with a timer.
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- Open Wellness, then the Mind & Mental Health group, then Mental Health Center. On the Tools tab, under Practice, tap Meditation Library.
- On the Library tab, under Choose a Practice, tap one. The six are Body Scan, Loving Kindness, Breath Awareness, Open Monitoring, NSDR / Yoga Nidra and Compassion (Tonglen).
- Tap Begin Practice. On the Session tab, choose how many minutes you want.
- Tap Begin Session. The written guidance changes as the timer moves through the steps.
- Tap Pause to stop and Resume to carry on. When the time is up, a message says the session is complete.
What it is
The guidance is text on the screen. The screen does not play spoken audio or music. Each practice shows how to do it and the steps as the timer runs.
Where your history is kept
The Meditation Library saves your sessions on this device only. They do not follow you to another phone or browser. If you clear your browser data or delete the app, they are lost.
The Meditation screen in Wellness has Practice, Sessions and Science tabs. It saves its sessions to your account instead.
What happens next
Your History tab lists the sessions finished on this device, with your total minutes.
Mental health and wellness
Where do I log blood pressure, blood sugar and weight?
Blood Pressure, Blood Glucose and Body Metrics are in the Body & Physical group of Wellness.
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Blood pressure
- Open Wellness, then Blood Pressure in the Body & Physical group.
- On the Log & Track tab, tap Log New Reading.
- Type the Systolic and Diastolic numbers. Pulse, Arm, Position, Time of Day, Context and Notes are optional.
- Tap Save Reading.
Blood sugar
- Open Wellness, then Blood Glucose in the Body & Physical group.
- On the Log & Monitor tab, tap Log Reading.
- Check the unit shown, mg/dL or mmol/L. Type the number and pick the Reading Type.
- Tap Save Reading.
Weight
The Log Body Metrics form asks for weight in pounds, height in inches and temperature in degrees Fahrenheit. The other tabs show your numbers in your unit setting.
- Open Wellness, then Body Metrics in the Body & Physical group.
- On the My Metrics tab, tap Log Today's Metrics.
- Fill in weight and any other numbers you want, then tap Save Entry.
Other places that take weight
Body Measurements in Fitness saves weight and body measurements to your account. The Quick Log row on Home has Log Weight.
On Home, saving the same weight again within 2 minutes counts as one weigh-in. A different weight, or the same weight after 2 minutes, is a separate entry.
The Weight Tracker in Fitness keeps its entries on this device only. They do not show on your other devices.
What the labels mean
The screens label readings with general ranges, such as the blood pressure categories. These are general information and not a diagnosis. The glucose screen shows a rough HbA1c estimate, which is not a lab result. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own readings.
Watches and meters
SOS does not connect to blood pressure monitors, glucose meters or watches. You type each reading. Wearable sync is not available yet.
What happens next
Readings you save are in your account. Other members cannot see them.
Mental health and wellness
Where does my sleep log live?
Most sleep entries save to your account, but the Sleep Diary and your Sleep Environment notes stay on this device only.
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Saved to your account
Sleep Log saves each night to your account. The Sleep Tracker screen does too. You can see these nights on your other devices after you sign in.
Kept on this device only
The Sleep Diary keeps its entries in this browser or app. It does not send them to the server.
In Sleep Log, the Sleep Environment part is also kept on this device. That is the bedroom temperature, noise, light and habits before bed. The rest of the night goes to your account.
When the server cannot be reached
On the Sleep Tracker screen, a night waits on your device if the server cannot be reached. The message says Saved on this device. It uploads on its own the next time you open that screen while online.
Until it uploads, that night is not on your other devices. If you clear your browser data or delete the app first, the waiting night is lost.
What this means for you
If you want your nights on every device, use Sleep Log. Device-only data is not in the data download or in backups, and it is lost if you clear your browser data.
Mental health and wellness
How does the cycle tracker work?
Log your flow on the Log tab, and the Calendar tab shows dates worked out from your past cycles.
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- Open Wellness and find Menstrual Cycle in the Condition-Specific group.
- Tap the Log tab. Check the date at the top. Tap Today to use today's date.
- Under Period Flow, choose None, Spotting, Light, Medium, Heavy or Very Heavy.
- If you want, add cervical mucus, your temperature, symptoms and notes.
- Tap Save Log. If that day already has a log, the screen loads it so you can change it, and the button says Update Log.
- Open the Calendar tab to see your cycle day, the next period date and a three-month calendar.
How the dates are worked out
SOS counts a period day when you log a flow of Light or more. It finds the start of each period and averages the gaps between starts. Until you have logged two periods, it uses 28 days.
It then adds that average to your last period start to guess the next period. It also shows a fertile window and an ovulation day, worked out from the same average.
These are simple averages, not a medical test. Cycles vary, so the dates can be wrong. Do not use them as birth control.
The Health tab
The Health tab is general reading about phases, pain, contraception and when to see a doctor. It says it is for education and is not medical advice.
Your data
Cycle logs are health data. They are saved to your account, and other members cannot see them. You can delete a day's log with Delete Log.
What happens next
The more periods you log, the closer the dates follow your own pattern.
Mental health and wellness
What are the CBT and DBT tools?
CBT has worksheets you can save, and DBT Skills is reading with nothing to save.
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CBT Toolkit
CBT stands for cognitive behavioral therapy. The toolkit has seven tabs: Foundations, Distortions, Techniques, Seek Help, Thought Record, ABC Model and Behaviour Activation.
The last three are worksheets. You fill them in and save them. When you are signed in, they are saved to your account, and you can delete a record later.
DBT Skills
DBT stands for dialectical behavior therapy. The screen has five tabs: What is DBT?, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, Interpersonal Skills and Mindfulness.
It is reading material. There is nothing to fill in or save.
What they are not
These tools teach skills. They are not therapy and they do not replace a therapist. The DBT screen itself says full DBT is usually done with a therapist and group skills training.
The Therapy Finder in the same group explains how to look for a therapist.
If you are in crisis
Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
Food, exercise and body
Food search says it is busy or fails
The food lookup allows only so many searches, so wait a minute or use another way to log.
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- Wait one minute, then search again. SOS stops asking for a minute after a busy answer, so searching sooner shows the same message.
- In the Food Diary, use Quick Picks. They come from SOS's own list and do not use the USDA limit.
- Open Food Database, tap Search, and use Database mode. It searches the foods SOS keeps itself.
- In the Diet Log, tap Add Food, then tap Enter manually.
- On Home, use Log Food in the Quick Log row.
- Try again later, or on a different Wi-Fi or mobile network.
What is happening
The Food Diary and the Diet Log send your search words to USDA FoodData Central. That service allows only a limited number of searches in an hour. The limit can be shared by people on the same network, such as school or office Wi-Fi.
When it runs out, the Food Diary shows a message that starts with "Food search is temporarily rate-limited". The Diet Log shows a short note and results from SOS's own food list, tagged Local. Food Database says USDA is busy.
A message that says it could not reach the food database means your connection is the problem. A message about an error from the database means it is down for now.
You did nothing wrong
A busy message does not mean there is a problem with your account or your device. It is a limit on the food service.
What happens next
Foods you already logged are not affected. Only searching is slow.
Food, exercise and body
How do I log a workout?
On Home, tap Workout, add exercises, tick each set you finish, and save at the end.
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- On Home, tap Workout to open the Workout Logger. You can also open Wellness, then Fitness Center, then Workout Logger.
- Tap Start Workout. Or pick a Quick Start, such as Push Day, or tap Repeat on a session under Recent Sessions.
- Tap Add Exercise. Search the list, or pick one of yours marked CUSTOM.
- For each set, type the weight and the reps. The weight box follows your unit setting, kg or lbs. Tap the check mark when you finish the set.
- A rest timer starts after each set you check. Tap Skip Rest if you do not want it.
- When you are done, tap the square stop button next to the timer, then tap Finish.
- On the summary, say how it felt and add notes if you want. Tap Save Workout.
Saving
Your workout is saved only when you tap Save Workout. You need to check at least one set first. If you leave in the middle, the screen restores your unfinished workout from this device next time.
If saving fails, the workout stays on this device. Check your connection and tap Save Workout again. Sets that already saved are not saved twice.
Other ways to log a workout
On the Fitness screen, Log Workout and Log a Workout open the Exercise Tracker. There you add one exercise at a time, with its sets, reps and weight, after you train.
On Home, the Quick Log row has Log Workout. You type the minutes and, if you want, a short description.
What happens next
Saved workouts show in your Fitness screen and in Recent Sessions.
Food, exercise and body
How do I log what I ate?
On Home, tap Diet, then Add Food, pick your food, and tap Add to Diary.
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- On Home, tap Diet to open the Food Diary. If you do not see Diet, open Wellness, then Nutrition Hub, then Diet Log.
- Under Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner or Snacks, tap Add Food. An empty meal says Log and the meal name, such as Log Lunch.
- Type at least two letters of the food's name (three in the Diet Log), and tap a result. If your food is not there, try a shorter name.
- Set how much you ate. Type an amount in grams, ounces or pounds (milliliters or fluid ounces for drinks), or tap 0.5x, 1x, 1.5x or 2x. Cups and spoons are not offered yet.
- Tap Add to Diary. In the Diet Log, the button says Log It.
- To remove a food, tap the trash icon next to it and confirm.
- To log a food again, tap it under Recent Foods.
Other ways to log food
The Diet Log lets you enter a food by hand. In Wellness, open Nutrition Hub, then Diet Log, tap Add Food, and tap Enter manually.
On Home, the Quick Log row has Log Food. Type what you ate and, if you want, the calories.
A food you add in one place shows in the others, because they all save to the same food log.
About the numbers
Calorie and nutrient numbers come from public food databases, so treat them as estimates. A switch called Hide calorie and weight numbers sits at the top of the Food Diary. It hides calorie totals on this device.
If counting food is hard
The Food Diary shows eating disorder support next to the calorie ring. You can hide the numbers or stop logging at any time.
What happens next
Your foods are saved to your account, so they also show on your other devices.
Food, exercise and body
How is my calorie goal worked out?
It is an estimate from your profile, your activity and your goal type, with a safety minimum.
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- On Home, tap Diet to open the Food Diary, then tap the Goals tab.
- If the screen asks, complete your profile with age, sex, height and weight.
- Choose a Goal Type and an Activity Level. The Target number updates.
- To use your own number, type it in the calories box under Macro Targets.
- Tap Save Goals.
How the estimate is made
The Goals tab uses your age, sex, height and weight, and the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, to estimate the calories your body uses in a day. It then adjusts that number for your Activity Level.
Your Goal Type changes it again. Fat Loss sets a lower target, Maintain keeps it the same, and Lean Bulk sets a higher one. The screen shows the size of each change.
The safety minimum
For Fat Loss, the target is never set below a minimum for your sex, and never cut deeper than the app allows. People under 18, and people with a very low BMI, are held at their maintenance number. The screen tells you when this happens.
If you type a lower number yourself in the Food Diary, SOS warns you and asks you to confirm. In Nutrition Goals, a calorie number you type is saved as you typed it, unless it is below the lowest number SOS can save. Then the screen says so, keeps what you typed and does not save it. The Macro Calculator has its own, simpler minimum.
Before you save goals
Until you save goals, the Food Diary uses built-in placeholder numbers for its ring. They are not worked out for you.
What this is not
The numbers are general estimates. They do not know your health conditions, allergies, medicines or eating history. A registered dietitian can build a plan that fits you.
If you have ever had an eating disorder, check with your treatment team before you track calories or weight. The Food Diary shows this note above every tab until you close it. You can also hide the numbers.
What happens next
Change your profile or activity when your life changes, and the estimate follows.
Food, exercise and body
I can't find my food
Try a shorter name, then Quick Picks, then Food Database, then enter the food by hand.
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- Shorten the name. Try one or two plain words, such as "yogurt", and check the spelling. The search says Try a different name or spelling when it finds nothing.
- In the Food Diary, look for Quick Picks above the results. They come from SOS's own food list, so they still show when the main search is busy.
- If the search says it is busy or cannot be reached, wait a minute and try again.
- For a packaged food, add the brand name to your search.
- Open Wellness, then Nutrition Hub, then Food Database. On the Search tab, Database mode searches the foods SOS keeps itself.
- In the Diet Log, tap Add Food, then tap Enter manually under the search box. Type the food name and the numbers from the package. Tap Log It.
- On Home, the Quick Log row has Log Food. Type what you ate and, if you know it, the calories.
Why a food may be missing
The Food Diary searches USDA FoodData Central and SOS's own Quick Picks. The Diet Log also searches Open Food Facts. Home recipes, restaurant dishes and new products are often in none of these.
If you cook the same dish often, save it in My Recipes. Then you can log it from there.
If that did not work
Tell us which food you could not find. Write to admin@sosforchange.org.
Food, exercise and body
How do I add my own recipe?
Open Nutrition Hub, then My Recipes, tap plus, fill in the form, and tap Save Recipe.
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- Open Wellness, then Nutrition Hub, then My Recipes.
- Tap the plus button at the top. The New Recipe form opens.
- Type the Recipe Name and pick a Category. Add Prep and Cook minutes and Servings if you know them.
- Under Nutrition per Serving, type Calories, Protein, Carbs, Fat and Fiber for one serving.
- Add each ingredient with + Add ingredient, and each step with + Add step.
- Tap Save Recipe.
- To log it, tap Log to Today on the recipe, enter the Servings eaten, and tap Log it.
The nutrition numbers are yours
SOS does not add up the nutrition from your ingredients. It saves the numbers you type under Nutrition per Serving. A box you leave empty counts as zero.
A recipe with no calories is not logged, because it would add zero to your day. SOS asks you to add the nutrition first. Tap Add nutrition to open Edit.
You can work them out from the food labels, or use a food you find in the Food Database as a guide.
Allergy badge
A recipe shows a Matches your allergy badge when an ingredient name matches your allergy list. This reads names only and can miss hidden sources.
What happens next
A logged recipe appears in your food log as one entry, with the servings you chose.
Food, exercise and body
How do I build a workout program?
Open Program Builder, start from a template or from scratch, save it, then tap Start This Program.
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- Open Wellness, then Fitness Center, then Program Builder. The Fitness screen also has a Build Program button.
- To start from a template, open the Templates tab and tap one. It opens in the builder so you can change it. To start fresh, tap Build From Scratch.
- Type the Program Name. Choose the Goal, the number of Weeks, the Days/Week and the Difficulty.
- For each day, tap Add Exercise, then set the sets, reps and rest.
- Tap Save.
- On My Programs, tap your program, then tap Start This Program. It is marked ACTIVE.
- On a training day, open the program and tap Log Today's Workout. The Workout Logger opens with that day's exercises ready.
Good to know
Only one program can be active. Starting a new one turns the old one off. Tap Deactivate Program to stop one.
If nothing is planned for today, the screen offers the next planned day instead.
Templates are general
The templates are general training plans that come with the app. SOS does not check that a program suits your health or fitness. If you have an injury or a health condition, ask a doctor or a qualified trainer first.
A second place for plans
A separate screen called Workout Plans, which you can find with search, keeps its own plans. Plans in Program Builder and in Workout Plans are separate lists.
Food, exercise and body
How do I plan meals and make a shopping list?
Add meals in Meal Planner, then open its Shopping List tab to see what to buy.
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- Open Wellness, then Nutrition Hub, then Meal Planner.
- Open the Add Meal tab. To reuse a meal or one of your recipes, search for it and tap Use.
- Pick the Category and the Plan Date. Type the Meal Name. Add each ingredient with Add Ingredient. The shopping list is built from ingredients.
- Tap Save to Plan.
- Open the Weekly Plan tab. Pick a day to see its meals. Tap Log this meal to add a planned meal to your food log, or Copy to Next Day.
- Open the Shopping List tab. It lists the ingredients of this week's planned meals and adds up amounts when the units match.
- Tick items as you buy them. Use Add Item Manually for anything else, Share List to send it, and Clear Bought to tidy up.
Two shopping screens
The Shopping List screen in the Nutrition Hub is separate. Its Meal Plan tab is a grid kept on this device only. Its Add planned meals to list button adds one item for each meal, named Ingredients and the meal name. It does not list the ingredients.
Items you add by hand save to your shopping list in your account, in either place. In the Meal Planner, the tick marks on ingredient lines stay on this device for the current week.
About cost
Any cost shown on the list is a built-in estimate. SOS does not read live store prices.
Food, exercise and body
How do I scan a barcode?
In a web browser the camera reads QR codes only, so type the number under the barcode instead.
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- Find the number printed under the barcode on the package.
- Open Wellness, then Nutrition Hub, then Food Database.
- Tap the Search tab, then tap Barcode.
- Type the number and tap Look up. A product barcode has 8 to 14 digits.
- Tap the result to see its details. Check that the name matches your package. Then tap Log to Food Diary.
- The Food Diary opens on that product. Set the amount and tap Add to Diary. If it cannot open the product, it searches for its name instead.
What the camera scanner does
The Food Diary has a scan button next to the close button on the Add screen. It asks for your camera and shows a frame.
In a web browser, the camera can read QR codes only. It cannot read the bars of a product barcode, so it will not find your food.
What is sent
Only the barcode number goes to Open Food Facts, the open food database SOS uses for look-ups. The camera picture stays on your device.
If the product is not found
The screen says Product not found. Check the number first. Open Food Facts does not have every product. Search by name instead, or enter the numbers yourself in the Diet Log.
Food, exercise and body
My exercise isn't in the list
Type its name in Add Exercise to use it once, or save it in My Exercises to keep it.
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Use it once in a workout
In the Workout Logger, tap Add Exercise. At the top of the list, type the name under Custom exercise and tap Add. It joins that workout.
This does not add it to your list. You type it again next time.
Keep it for next time
- Open Wellness, then Fitness Center, then My Exercises. You can also open the Exercise Library, tap the My Custom tab, and tap Add New.
- Tap the plus button. Type the Exercise Name. It is the only box you need to fill in. You can also pick the Category, Equipment and Muscle Groups, and set Default Sets and Default Reps.
- Tap Save.
- Next time, tap Add Exercise in the Workout Logger. Your exercises are listed first with a CUSTOM tag.
About Add to Workout
On a card in My Exercises, Add to Workout logs that exercise for today right away, in the Exercise Tracker. It uses the default sets and reps, with no weight. It does not open the Workout Logger.
If the Exercise Library will not load
The Exercise Library loads from our server. If it says it could not load, tap Try again. The Workout Logger has its own built-in list, so you can still log a workout.
In the library, you can search by exercise name, muscle or equipment.
Food, exercise and body
The calories don't match the package
The numbers come from public food databases and from a serving size that may not match yours.
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- Check the serving size on the food's detail screen. The numbers are for the amount shown. In the Food Diary, change the amount or the unit, or tap 0.5x, 1x, 1.5x or 2x. The units are weights and volumes only, not cups or spoons.
- Look at the small badge next to the name. In the Food Diary it names the data type, such as Foundation, Branded, Quick Picks or Barcode. In the Diet Log it says USDA, OFF or Local.
- In the Food Diary, look at the percent next to Data. A low number means many nutrients are missing for that food.
- Pick another result for the same food if one matches your package better.
- If none match, enter the numbers from your package yourself. In the Diet Log, tap Enter manually.
Why the numbers differ
USDA FoodData Central and Open Food Facts are large public databases. A product can change after its entry was made, or an entry can be for a different size or country.
Package labels round their numbers, so a small gap is normal. The nutrition note in the app says these numbers are general estimates, not a plan made for you.
When a food has no calorie number
Some foods come with protein, carbs and fat but no energy value. SOS then adds them up with a standard estimate, so the food does not show zero.
Some Open Food Facts products list energy in kilojoules only. SOS turns that into calories. A product with no energy value at all cannot be logged from its barcode.
Totals can include more than food
In the Food Diary, the day total can include calories from supplements you track. The ring says when it does. The Diet Log does not add supplements.
Food, exercise and body
There are several food diaries. Which one do I use?
Use the Food Diary from Home; all the food screens save to the same list.
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The three places
Food Diary: Home opens it with the Diet shortcut. It has Today, Diary, Nutrients and Goals tabs, Quick Picks, recent foods and a water tracker.
Diet Log: the Nutrition Hub opens it. It searches USDA and Open Food Facts, uses SOS's own food list when USDA is busy, and lets you enter a food by hand. It also has Drinks, and Daily, Weekly and Monthly views.
Log Food on Home: this is in the Quick Log row. You type what you ate and, if you want, the calories. It saves a snack for today.
They share one food log
All three save to the same food log in your account. A food you add in one shows in the others.
Totals can still differ. The Food Diary adds calories from supplements you track, and the Diet Log does not.
Which should I pick
Pick the one that suits you and stay with it. If you want the goals calculator and the water tracker next to your food, use the Food Diary. If you want to type in a food by hand, the Diet Log has a form for it.
Food, exercise and body
How do I log a run?
Open Fitness, tap Running Log, tap the plus button, enter your run, and tap Save Run.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Wellness, then Fitness Center, then Running Log.
- On the Runs tab, tap the round plus button.
- Choose the Run Type: Easy, Tempo, Interval, Long Run, Recovery or Race.
- Type Distance and Duration. The form asks for kilometers and minutes, even if your units are set to miles.
- Add your average heart rate and notes if you want. The Calculated pace shows under the numbers.
- Tap Save Run.
Good to know
A run is saved with today's date. The form has no date box.
The list and the Stats tab show distance and pace in your unit setting, miles or kilometers. A mile is about 1.6 kilometers.
Runs with a map
The GPS Route Tracker in Fitness records an outdoor run with your location. It asks for location permission first, and it records only while the route is running and the app is open.
Saved routes can show where you live, work and exercise, so save them with that in mind.
Food, exercise and body
How do I track body measurements?
Open Fitness, tap Body Measurements, type your numbers, and tap Save Measurement.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Wellness, then Fitness Center, then Body Measurements. The Fitness screen also has a Log Body Measurements button.
- On the Log tab, check the date at the top. Use the arrows to change it.
- Check the unit switch. It shows lbs / in or kg / cm.
- Type your weight, and your Body Fat % if you know it. Then fill in any measurements you want, such as Chest, Waist, Hips, Neck or Left Bicep.
- Add notes if you want. Tap Save Measurement.
- Next time, tap Use Last to fill the form from your last entry, then change what is different.
Good to know
You need a weight, or a chest, waist or hips number, to save. If that date already has an entry, saving updates it.
The form also has a Muscle Mass % box. It is not saved right now, so you can leave it empty.
Saving a weight also updates the weight on your profile. The calorie goals tool reads that profile weight.
About BMI
Under your weight, the form shows a BMI and a label for it. It uses the height saved in your profile. If your profile has no height, it uses a stand-in height, so the BMI can be wrong.
BMI is a rough guide only, and it cannot tell muscle from fat. The Guide tab explains this.
If numbers about your body feel hard
You do not have to track them. The Wellness screen has a Get support for card, with help for eating and body image.
What happens next
Measurements are saved to your account, and other members cannot see them.
Food, exercise and body
How do I track supplements?
Open Wellness, tap Supplement Tracker, add each supplement, and tick it off each day.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Wellness and tap Supplement Tracker in the Body & Physical group. Quick Actions also has Supplements.
- On the Today tab, tap the plus button at the top right.
- Type the Name and pick a Category. Add the Brand and the Dose exactly as printed on your product label if you want to.
- Pick the Timing and the Schedule. If you pick no days, it counts as every day.
- Add a Purpose if you want. Leave Active on so it shows in your daily checklist.
- Tap Save Supplement.
- Each day, tick a supplement under Today's Stack when you take it.
Interaction note
This screen compares your supplements with the medicines saved in Prescriptions, using the same short list as the Drug Interactions checker. No result is not an all-clear. Ask your pharmacist about everything you take.
What SOS does not do
SOS does not tell you what to take or how much. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before you start or stop a supplement.
Calories
If you enter nutrition per dose, such as calories, the Food Diary adds it to that day's total.
Another supplement screen
The Nutrition Hub also has a Supplement Tracker with Stack, Guide, Evidence and Safety tabs.
Food, exercise and body
How do I track water?
Tap Log Water on the Wellness screen, pick an amount, and it adds to today's total.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Wellness. Under Quick Actions, tap Log Water.
- On the Today tab, tap an amount under Quick Add.
- For another amount or another drink, tap Custom amount & beverage. Pick the drink, type the amount and tap Log Drink.
- Your drinks appear under Today's Log.
- To change your daily goal, open Daily Goal Settings.
Other places to log water
The Nutrition Hub has a Hydration Tracker with Today, Trends, Guide and Science tabs. The Food Diary has a Water Intake part on its Today tab. Home has Log Water in the Quick Log row.
They all add to the same water log, so your total is the same everywhere.
On Home, Log Water takes ounces or millilitres, following your units setting. Each save adds one drink, so two saves are two drinks.
About the goal
Daily Goal Settings can work out a goal from your weight. It is a general estimate. If a doctor has told you how much to drink, follow that instead.
The Wellness part of your Life Score looks at the days you log water and the days you reach your goal. It uses the goal you set, or a default from SOS if you have not set one.
Food, exercise and body
How does the fasting tracker work?
In Wellness, open Fasting Tracker, pick a length, tap Start Now, and tap End Fast later.
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- Open Wellness. In the Lifestyle & Habits group, tap Fasting Tracker.
- On the Timer tab, under Start a New Fast, tap the length you want. You can choose Custom and type your own hours.
- Read the notes on the Start Fasting sheet. Add an intention if you want.
- Tap Start Now. The timer counts up and shows how long is left.
- To stop, tap End Fast. Choose End Fast if you reached your time, Broke Fast Early if you stopped sooner, or Continue Fasting.
Read this first
The start sheet says fasting is not for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding. It also names people who have an eating disorder history, have type 1 diabetes, or take insulin or a sulfonylurea. The Science tab has a card called Who Should NOT Fast.
If SOS recognizes a medicine you saved in Prescriptions, the screen shows a note to ask your prescriber or pharmacist before you fast. No note does not mean fasting is safe for you.
A long fast asks you to confirm first, and the app does not track very long fasts. SOS does not tell you whether fasting is right for you. A doctor can.
If fasting is hard on you
The screen asks you to stop fasting and reach out if fasting is affecting your relationship with food. It has an Eating disorder support button.
Two fasting trackers
The Fasting Tracker in Wellness saves your fasts to your account, and the Fasting Tracker tile in the Nutrition Hub opens that same screen. An older tracker that kept its history on this device only is no longer linked from the Nutrition Hub.
Money
Can I connect my bank?
Bank linking is not available yet, so you add your own entries.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
What you can do today
In Budget & Cashflow, tap + Income or + Expense to add each transaction by hand.
For things that repeat, such as rent or pay, save a recurring template and tap Apply Now when it happens.
What this means for your privacy
SOS does not ask for your bank sign-in details, and it does not link to your bank or cards.
Leave account numbers and card numbers out of notes and descriptions.
Where you may see a bank option
In Settings, Manage Tools, the Discover tab has a Not built yet line. Tap it to see the list, which names Plaid Bank Sync. That tool is not available yet, and it does nothing today.
Money
How do I start a budget?
Open Wealth, tap Budget & Cashflow, and add your income and spending.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open the Wealth tab. Under Core Tools, tap Budget & Cashflow. The screen is called Budgeting Suite.
- On the Overview tab, tap + Income for money you receive or + Expense for money you spend.
- Type an amount and a description. You need both. Pick a category and a date. Payment method and notes are optional.
- Tap Save Transaction. The totals at the top update.
- To set a spending limit, open the Planning tab. Under Budget Limits, type an amount beside a category and tap the check mark.
- Use the arrows beside the month name to look at another month.
Want help getting set up?
On the Overview tab, tap Budget Setup Guide. It asks a few questions about your income and savings goal.
When you finish, it saves a monthly income template and a monthly savings template. Neither adds a transaction until you apply it on the Planning tab.
Good to know
SOS does not connect to your bank, so you add each transaction yourself.
Your budget is saved to your account. A spending limit applies to the month on screen, so set limits again for a new month.
The money tools are for learning and are not financial advice.
What happens next
Your totals for the month also show on the Wealth home screen, under This Month's Budget.
Money
Is my money information saved to my account?
Some money tools save to your account, and others save only on this device.
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Saved to your account
These tools save to your account, so you see your entries when you sign in on another device.
They are Budget & Cashflow, Bill Tracker, Financial Profile, Debt Payoff, Savings Goals, Subscriptions, FIRE Tracker and Investment Tracker.
Emergency Fund saves your log entries to your account, but not your monthly expenses or target.
Saved only on this device
These tools keep entries only in this browser or app: Net Worth Tracker, Bill Calendar, Credit Score Tracker and Debt Snowball Planner.
So do Debt Elimination, Debt Management, Expense Splitter, True Expenses, Side Hustle and Insurance.
Your Avalanche or Snowball choice in Debt Payoff, and your monthly expenses and target in Emergency Fund, are also kept only on this device.
What that means
Clearing your browser data, using a private window or switching to a new phone removes entries kept only on a device. SOS cannot get them back.
Settings, then Download My Data, does not include them. Calculators do not save anything.
What you can do
Use the account tool when there is one. For example, use Financial Profile instead of Net Worth Tracker, and Bill Tracker instead of Bill Calendar.
These lists cover the main tools, not every guide in Wealth. Some planners, such as Savings Rate Tracker, Cash Flow Planner and Tax Organizer, keep their settings, checklists and notes on this device. Many guides do the same. When in doubt, keep your own copy of anything important.
Money
How do I build an emergency fund?
In Emergency Fund Builder, set a target, then log what you save.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open the Wealth tab. Under Learn & Explore, tap Money Foundations, then tap Emergency Fund Builder.
- On the My Fund tab, find Target Calculator. Type your monthly expenses. The box starts with a sample amount, so replace it with your own.
- Choose a target of 3, 6, 9 or 12 months. SOS multiplies it by your monthly expenses to show your target amount.
- Tap + at the top, or tap Log First Contribution. Choose Contribution, type what you already have saved, and tap Save.
- Each time you save more, add a contribution. Choose Withdrawal when you take money out.
- Your balance, months covered and progress bar update after each entry.
Good to know
Your first entry sets your starting balance. Each new entry adds to or takes from your newest balance.
Your entries save to your account. Your monthly expenses and target stay only on this device, so set them again on a new device.
SOS does not move money. The Emergency Fund Guide asks a few questions and saves a monthly template and a goal. You set up any transfer in your own bank app.
The other tabs
Strategies, What Counts and Science are reading for learning. They are not financial advice, and the right size for your fund depends on your own situation.
Time to Fully Funded shows how long it could take at a few monthly amounts. It does not include interest.
Deleting an entry asks first. The balance shown is the one saved on your newest entry.
Money
How do I edit or delete a transaction?
Tap a transaction in the Transactions tab, then tap Edit or Delete.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Budget & Cashflow and tap the Transactions tab. If the transaction is in another month, use the arrows beside the month name.
- Tap the transaction. Two buttons open: Edit and Delete.
- To change it, tap Edit, change the details and tap Update Transaction.
- To remove it, tap Delete and confirm. SOS asks once, and there is no Undo.
- You can also change a transaction from the Table tab by tapping its row. The Table tab has no delete button.
Good to know
A deleted transaction is gone from your account. If you removed one by mistake, add it again with + Income or + Expense.
Editing or deleting a transaction does not change a recurring template. Deleting a template does not remove transactions you already added.
Your totals update when you save or delete.
If a change does not save
SOS shows a message when a save or a delete fails, for example when you are offline. Your entries stay in the form, so you can try again when you are back online.
Money
How do I make a plan to pay off debt?
Add each debt in Debt Payoff, then pick Avalanche or Snowball on the Strategy tab.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open the Wealth tab. Under Core Tools, tap Debt Payoff.
- Tap + at the top, or open the Debts tab and tap Add Debt.
- Type the lender's name, the type of debt, what you owe now and the interest rate as a percent. Add the minimum payment too, because the plan uses it.
- Tap Add Debt. Repeat for each debt.
- Open the Overview tab to compare Avalanche and Snowball. Then open the Strategy tab and choose one.
- Avalanche pays the highest interest rate first. Snowball pays the smallest balance first. The roadmap shows the order and an estimated date for each payoff.
- To record a payment, open the Debts tab, tap a debt to open it, then tap Record Payment and save.
How to read the plan
Payoff months are estimates. They assume you pay only the minimum payments you entered. When one debt is paid off, its minimum moves to the next debt.
To see what extra money would do, use the windfall box on the Strategy tab. These are estimates for learning and are not financial advice.
What Record Payment does
It lowers the balance of that debt. It also adds an expense to your budget in the category Debt Payment, so your spending totals stay right. If the budget entry fails, SOS tells you.
Open a debt to see Edit, Mark Paid Off and Delete too. Use Mark Paid Off when you have paid a debt, and you can reopen it later. Delete removes a debt for good and cannot be undone.
Other debt screens
Debt Payoff saves to your account. Debt Snowball Planner, Debt Elimination and Debt Management keep their entries only on this device, and they do not share debts with Debt Payoff.
Your choice of Avalanche or Snowball in Debt Payoff is also kept only on this device.
Money
How do I track my bills?
Add each bill in Bill Tracker, then tap the circle when you pay it.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open the Wealth tab and tap Protection & Management. Tap Bill Tracker.
- On the Bills tab, tap Add Bill.
- Type the bill name and the amount. Choose a category and how often it is due. For monthly bills, type the due day of the month.
- Turn on Auto-pay enabled if your bank or the company takes the payment for you. SOS does not pay bills, so this switch is only a note.
- Tap Save.
- When you pay a bill, tap the circle beside it to mark it paid. Tap again to undo.
- Use the pencil to edit a bill and the trash can icon to delete it. Delete asks first and cannot be undone.
What the numbers show
The top of the screen shows Due This Month, Remaining and Overdue. A paid mark only counts for the current period, so a monthly bill shows as unpaid again in a new month.
Bill Tracker or Bill Calendar?
Bill Tracker saves your bills to your account. Bill Calendar is a separate tool that keeps its bills only on this device. The two do not share bills.
Good to know
Marking a bill paid does not add an expense to your budget. Add it in Budget & Cashflow if you want it counted.
Bills from Bill Tracker can also show on your Calendar.
Settings has a Bill Due Date Alerts switch under Notifications. Bill alerts are not sent yet, so look at Bill Tracker to see what is due.
Money
How do I track my net worth?
Add your accounts in Financial Profile, and SOS shows what you own minus what you owe.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open the Wealth tab. Under Core Tools, tap Financial Profile.
- Tap Accounts, then tap Add Account.
- Type an account name and choose a type. Assets such as Checking and Savings come first, then debts such as Credit Card and Student Loan.
- Type the balance, or the balance you owe for a debt. Institution, rate and notes are optional.
- Tap Save Account. Add your other accounts the same way.
- Open the Net Worth view to see the total. Net worth is what you own minus what you owe.
- To keep a history, set the level at the top to Advanced. In the Net Worth view, tap Snapshot under Net Worth History.
Two net worth tools
Wealth has two net worth tools. Financial Profile saves to your account. Net Worth Tracker keeps its entries only on this device, in this browser or app.
The net worth number on the Wealth home screen comes from Financial Profile. Accounts you add in Net Worth Tracker do not show there, and Financial Profile does not read them.
Good to know
Every number comes from balances you type. SOS does not connect to your bank, so update a balance when it changes.
Hide from net worth calculation leaves an account out of the total without deleting it.
Deleting an account asks you to confirm, and it cannot be undone.
Money
What are recurring templates in the budget?
A template is a saved bill or income that you add by hand with one tap.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
What a template holds
A template saves a name, an amount, whether it is income or an expense, and a category.
It also saves how often it repeats: daily, weekly, every two weeks, monthly, every three months or yearly. You can add a day of the month or week, a start date, an end date and notes.
How to make one
You can also switch on Make Recurring when you add a new transaction. That saves the transaction and a template together.
- Open Budget & Cashflow and tap the Planning tab.
- Under Recurring Transactions, tap +. Fill in the form.
- Tap Save Template.
How to use one
On the Planning tab, find the template and tap Apply Now. SOS adds a transaction with today's date and shows when you last applied it. The template stays so you can use it again.
Use the On and Off switch to pause a template. Tap the trash can icon to delete it. Deleting a template does not remove transactions you already added.
What it does not do
The Make Recurring switch says it repeats automatically. Today it does not add transactions by itself. You tap Apply Now each time.
The Overview tab lists up to three templates due in the next 7 days. The Planning tab lists expense templates due in the next 30 days if they have a day of the month. Active templates also show on your Calendar.
SOS does not send a reminder for them yet.
Money
Where are the money calculators?
Open Wealth, tap Calculators, pick one, type your numbers and tap Calculate.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open the Wealth tab. Under Planning & Growth, tap Calculators.
- On the Calculators tab, tap the name of a calculator to open it.
- The boxes start with example numbers. Replace them with your own.
- Tap Calculate to see the result.
- Open the Formulas tab for formulas and rules of thumb.
What is there
There are twelve calculators. They cover compound interest, loan payment, mortgage, retirement, savings goal and debt payoff. They also cover net worth, emergency fund, return on investment, tax bracket, rent versus buy and pay raise.
Good to know
Calculators run on your device and do not save your numbers. Write down a result if you want to keep it.
The retirement calculator fills in some boxes from your FIRE Tracker settings if you have saved them.
The tax bracket calculator uses United States figures for 2024 that are built into the screen. Tax rules change and differ by place, so check an official source.
Results are estimates from the numbers you type. They are for learning and are not financial, tax or investment advice.
Money
How do I understand my credit score?
You type in scores you already know, and the tracker shows your history.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
What it does
Get your score from a source you already use, such as your bank app or a credit service. Then tap Log My First Score or Log New Score.
Type the score (from 300 to 850), the date, where it came from and a note.
The screen shows your latest score, the change since your last entry and a small history chart.
The three tabs
History lists your entries. FICO Factors explains common factors and lets you rate each one for yourself. Tips shows general ideas, put in order by your own ratings.
Good to know
Your scores stay only on this device. Clearing your browser data removes them, and they do not show on another device.
The bands, factors and tips are general education. They are not financial advice and they do not know your situation. Talk to a qualified adviser about your own money.
Delete an entry with the X on its row. SOS asks first, and it cannot be undone.
Learning and knowledge
How do I find something to learn?
Open the Knowledge tab, then use search, Knowledge Browser or SkillForge Academy.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open the Knowledge tab.
- To find a tool or page, tap the Search tools, pages bar near the top and type a word, such as sleep or budget.
- To explore ideas, open Knowledge Browser from the Learning Tools group. Type a word in Search concepts, summaries.
- In Knowledge Browser, tap Filter to narrow by category, difficulty or Human Accord tenet. Tap Random to see a surprise idea.
- To see how ideas link, open Knowledge Graph. It has Explore, Graph and Browse tabs.
- To find a course, tap SkillForge Academy under Featured Tools. Use the Discover tab to search or the Categories tab to browse.
Good to know
Much of the knowledge content was drafted with help from AI, and a person has not reviewed every page. Some of it may be wrong or out of date, so check anything important with a source you trust.
Courses open on other websites. SOS does not run them.
Learning and knowledge
How do SkillForge courses work? Are they free?
SkillForge Academy lists free courses that open on other websites.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
How it works
SkillForge Academy has four tabs: Discover, My Learning, Categories and Track. The course list was chosen by hand. Search works on that list only. It does not search the whole internet.
Tap Open Course to go to the course on the provider's own website. Sign-up, rules and grading all happen there. SOS does not teach or run the courses.
Are they free?
The list holds courses that the provider offers for free, or as a free audit option. Each provider sets its own terms, and they can change. Check the course page before you start. SOS can't promise that a course stays free.
A Certificate tag means the provider offers one. SOS does not issue certificates for these courses. Check the provider's page for what a certificate costs.
Course cards show no ratings or enrollment numbers, because providers do not publish them in a form SOS can cite.
What SOS keeps
Tap the bookmark on a course to save it to My Learning. Saved courses, your status and your lesson notes stay only on this device.
For a saved course, opening it marks it In Progress, and Complete marks it done. These are your own marks, and SOS does not check with the provider.
To track your time, save a course, then tap Log Study Session in My Learning. Study sessions are saved to your account.
Learning and knowledge
Knowledge search finds nothing
Try one or two short words and clear any filters.
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Things to try
- Type fewer words. Search looks for your words together, in the order you typed them. A search for sleep works better than a whole question.
- Check the spelling. Search does not fix typing mistakes.
- Try a more general word.
- In Knowledge Browser, tap Filter. If a category, level or tenet is selected, tap Clear all filters.
- If you see Could not load knowledge graph, check your connection and tap Retry.
Why one search finds more than another
The search boxes look in different places. Knowledge Browser checks titles, summaries, tags and domains. Knowledge Graph checks titles, tags, summaries, key thinkers and key concepts.
The Search tools, pages bar finds ideas after three letters. Knowledge Graph search starts after two.
Still nothing?
The library does not hold every topic. In Knowledge Graph, the empty result offers Suggest, which sends the idea to us for review.
You can also tell us what you were looking for with the Help button.
Learning and knowledge
What is the Knowledge Graph?
The Knowledge Graph is a map of ideas and how they link to each other.
How it works
Each idea is a point on the map. A line between two points means the ideas are related.
Explore lists hub topics and categories. Browse groups ideas by category. Graph draws a small map around one idea. Tap an idea in the Graph tab to center the map on it.
Tap an idea to read a short summary and see what it links to. Tap Deep Dive for its full page.
Good to know
Explore, Graph and Browse show a sample of the library, not all of it. Use search to reach the rest. Search starts after two letters.
On the full page, you can save an idea with the star, keep notes and add it to flashcards. Some pages also show a short Wikipedia summary and a link to the full article when one is found.
If search finds nothing, you can tap Suggest to send the idea to us for review.
The Graph tab is a drawing. If you use a screen reader, the Explore tab, the Browse tab and search are easier to use.
How far to trust it
Much of the content was drafted with help from AI, and a person has not reviewed every page. Some of it may be wrong or out of date. Check anything important with a source you trust.
Learning and knowledge
Where is the Getting Started guide?
Open the Knowledge tab, then find Getting Started in the Productivity group.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open the Knowledge tab.
- Scroll to All Knowledge Tools and tap Productivity to open that group. Tap Getting Started.
- My Journey is a checklist of first steps. Tap Go to open the tool for a step. Tap the circle to tick a step off yourself.
- Platform Guide describes each part of SOS. Tips & Tricks has short tips and answers to common questions.
Good to know
You can also tap the Search tools, pages bar and type Getting Started.
Tips & Tricks explains which tools save to your account and which keep entries only on your device.
Learning and knowledge
A course link doesn't work
Course links can go out of date, so try the provider's own site.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Tap Open Course again. A short loss of connection can stop a page from opening.
- If SOS shows Couldn't open with a web address, copy the address into your browser's address bar.
- If the page says the course moved or is gone, search for the course title on the provider's website. The provider is named on the course card.
- Tell us which course and provider it was, so we can fix or remove the link. Use the Help button, then Send a note instead.
Why it happens
The course list is made by hand. Providers sometimes move or retire a course page, and SOS does not check the links as they change.
SOS also cannot fix a problem on the provider's side, such as a course that has closed.
Community
How do I create or join a circle?
Open Circles from the Connect tab, then use Explore to join one or Create to start your own.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open the Commons tab, tap Connect, then tap View All Groups. This opens Circles, which has three tabs: My Circles, Explore and Create.
- To join, tap Explore. Search by name, topic or tag, or pick a category.
- Tap Join on a Public circle, or Request on a Private one. A box with the community standards opens.
- Tick the agreement and tap I Agree & Continue. A Public circle adds you at once. A Private one shows Requested until an admin accepts you.
- To start your own, tap the Create tab and type a Circle Name. Everything else is optional.
- Pick a category, a description, who can join, a member limit and posting rules, then tap Create Circle.
- Agree to the standards. Your new circle opens, and you are its founder.
Who can join
Public means anyone can find and join. Private means people can find it but must ask to join.
Invite Only circles are hidden from Explore. The app has no invite button yet, so choose Public or Private if you want new people to find you.
Post, leave or withdraw
To post, open the circle, tap Share something with the circle, write your post and tap Post to Circle. New accounts have a short wait before posting.
To leave, open the circle, tap Joined and confirm. If you only asked to join, tap Requested to withdraw.
The other Create Circle form
Create a Group on the Connect tab opens a second Create Circle form. It asks for a Circle Name and a Category.
It also has Description, Privacy, Max Members, Meeting Frequency, Tags and Accent Color, and a place for circle rules. In Privacy, the hidden kind is called Secret instead of Invite Only. It makes the same kind of circle.
Community
How do I message someone? Who can message me?
You can write to a member from their profile or from Messages, and you choose who can write to you.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open the Commons tab and tap the speech bubble button at the top right. This opens Messages.
- To write to someone, tap the pencil button (Write a new message). Type a member's name and tap it in the list.
- If a member does not show up in the search, open their profile and tap the message button there. A member who is Not listed does not show up, and their profile says This profile isn't available.
- Type your message and tap the send button.
- To choose who can message you, tap the sliders button (Message settings) at the top of Messages. Pick Everyone, Only my connections or No one.
Who can message you
Everyone means any member can message you. Only my connections means only members you are connected with can start a conversation with you.
Connections are members whose connection request you accepted, or who accepted yours.
No one means no one can start a conversation with you. Anyone you have already written to can still reply.
Blocking a member always stops their messages, whatever you choose.
When a message is not sent
If you see "This member isn't accepting messages from you right now", that member has limited who can message them, or has blocked you. SOS does not say which, and sending again will not help.
A new account also waits about 10 minutes before it can send a message. That message tells you how long is left.
Looking after a conversation
Open a conversation and tap Conversation options to mute it, hide it, delete it for you, report it or block the member.
In the Messages list, each row has its own menu with mute, hide and delete for me.
If a member is Not listed
A conversation you already have stays in your Messages list, and you can keep writing in it.
Their name may show as Member in your list.
People who already message, follow or are connected with a Not listed member may still see their name. The note under Not listed on Edit Profile says which applies right now.
Community
What is the Community (Commons)?
The Commons is where SOS members post, join circles, send messages and take on challenges.
Where to find it
Open the Commons tab at the bottom of the screen. On a computer it is Commons in the sidebar.
The screen is titled SOS Community. It has four tabs: Feed, Connect, Explore and My Community.
What each tab is for
Feed shows posts that members shared with everyone. Above them is a box called Share with the Community, where you write your own.
Connect has Compass, Accountability Partners, Messages and Notifications. It also lists your groups and upcoming events.
Explore lists the other community tools, from Circles and Group Challenges to topic pages.
My Community shows how many groups, events and challenges you have joined. It also lists your circles and your active challenges.
Who can see what
Only signed-in members can read the Commons. People who are not signed in cannot.
A post you share as Public can be read by every signed-in member. Choose Only Me for a post that is for you alone.
Before you post
A new account has to wait a short while before it can post or send messages.
The SOS Community Standards apply here. They draw on the Human Accord. You are asked to agree to them when you join or start a circle.
On any post, the Post options button lets you report it, hide it, mute the person or block them.
If the Commons asks about your age
A banner can say Confirm your age to keep using the community. Tap Confirm my age to open Settings, then Your age, or tap Not now to hide it for 7 days on this device.
If the Commons shows Confirm your age to use the community instead, it stays closed until you confirm. Your tools, your learning, your own data and Help stay open.
Members aged 13 to 17 see Community features are for members 18 and over for now. The Help article It asks me to confirm my age explains what this means.
If you need help right now
The Commons is not a crisis service. If you need to talk to someone right now, here are lines that answer at any time. Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
Community
Where are my replies and notifications?
Tap the bell at the top of the Commons screen to see replies, likes, follows and messages.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open the Commons tab.
- Tap the bell at the top right (Open notifications). You can also tap Notifications on the Connect tab.
- On the Notifications tab, choose All or Unread. New items come first, and older ones sit under Earlier.
- Tap a notification to open the post, thread, profile or conversation it is about.
- Tap Mark all read to clear the dots. To delete one, press and hold it.
- The Activity tab shows what you did in the community recently.
There is no bell on Home
The bell is inside the Commons. Home does not have one.
The Commons tab shows a number only for connection requests waiting for you. Messages have their own small dot on the speech bubble button.
What sends a notification
Someone commented on your post, thread, article or event. Someone replied to your comment, mentioned you, or liked your post.
Someone followed you, asked to connect, or accepted your request. Someone sent you a message. Someone answered your Mutual Aid request or offer.
You never get one for your own actions, and you do not get one from a person you blocked or muted.
A notification names the person and says what happened. It does not copy their words.
Alerts outside the app
The gear button on the Notifications screen opens Settings, then Notifications. That screen says that most reminders are not sent yet.
Community
Who sees my posts? Can I pick the audience?
Public posts can be read by all signed-in members, and Only Me posts only by you.
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Your two choices
When you write a post, the button beside Share with the Community shows the audience. Tap it to change it.
Public means every member of SOS can see it. Only Me means only you can see it.
Posts cannot be limited to connections, circles or close friends yet. Older posts saved with a connections or circles label show as Visible to all members, because every member can read them. Older close friends posts show as Only you.
Where a Public post shows
It shows on the Feed for every signed-in member, and on your profile page when another member opens it.
People who are not signed in cannot read the Commons.
A post inside a circle follows the circle. In a Public circle, any signed-in member can read it. In a Private or Invite Only circle, only its members can.
Your name and your control
Your posts show your display name. SOS sets the name from your account, so a post cannot use a different one.
You can delete your own post at any time from its Post options button.
Community
Why can't I post? It says wait or links are blocked
New accounts wait about 10 minutes to post and about 24 hours to add links.
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What you may see
A brand-new account has to wait before it can post, comment, reply, start a forum thread or send a message.
The wait is about 10 minutes from the moment you created the account. The message on your screen says how many minutes are left.
For about the first 24 hours, a new account also cannot put links in a post, comment or message.
After that, one post can hold up to 3 links. If you add more, you are asked to keep it to 3.
These numbers can change, so trust the message on your screen.
What counts as a link
Anything that starts with http or www counts. So does a website name written without http, such as a name followed by a common ending like com or org.
What to do
- Wait for the number of minutes the message gives, then try again. On the Feed, your text stays in the box.
- While you wait, you can read, join circles and set up your profile.
- If the message is about links, take the link out and post again. You can add it later.
- If the message asks you to verify your email address, open the email from SOS, or ask for a new one in Settings.
What is not held back
A draft, or a post you set to Only Me, is not held back.
Messages that do not say why
A few messages only say that you can't comment on a post, or can't share one, right now. SOS does not give a reason for these.
If you need to talk to someone
If you need to talk to someone right now, here are lines that answer at any time. Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
What happens next
When the wait is over, post as usual. The wait counts from the day you created the account, not from your last post.
Community
How do I find people and groups?
Open Compass or Circles from the Connect tab to find members and groups.
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- Open the Commons tab and tap Connect.
- Under Find Your People, tap Compass to browse members who chose to appear there. Tap Accountability Partners to look for a growth partner.
- Scroll to Active Groups and tap View All Groups. This opens Circles.
- In Circles, tap Explore. Search by name or topic, or pick a category, then tap Join on a circle you like.
- To start your own group, tap Create a Group on the Connect tab.
- Open a member's profile to follow them, send a connection request or write to them.
Discover Your People
Discover Your People lists members from the member directory. Type a name or an interest in the search box, or tap an interest to narrow the list.
Each card shows the interests you share, and you can view a profile, send a message or tap Connect.
Open it from the link on this page. A member who is Not listed is not shown, and neither is a suspended member.
Members you blocked, members who blocked you, and members SOS knows are under 18 may also be left out.
If nobody shows up
Compass lists only members who chose to appear there, so the list can be short. Circles are a good place to start.
Community
How do I set up my community profile?
Open Edit Profile, add your name and what you want to share, then tap Save Profile.
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- Open Edit Profile from the link on this page. Discover Your People also shows an Edit my profile button when you have not listed any interests.
- Type a Display Name. It can be up to 50 characters, and it is the only box that needs an answer.
- If you want, add a short bio of up to 200 characters, a location, and a website or social link.
- Under Who can find you, choose Listed in the member directory or Not listed.
- Pick up to 5 Pillar Interests, up to 5 Skills I Can Offer and up to 3 for What I'm Seeking.
- Choose whether your profile shows your activity, goals and streaks with Activity Visibility, Goal Visibility and Streak Visibility.
- Tap Save Profile.
Who can see it
Only signed-in members can see the member directory. It shows your name and your interests.
The note under Listed in the member directory says whether it also shows your bio, location, skills and what you are looking for.
Your email address and your date of birth are not in it.
Not listed keeps you out of the directory, so you are not shown in Discover Your People or in the search for a new message.
The screen warns that some of these choices are not used everywhere in the app yet.
A switch for more details
If you see a switch called Also show my bio, location, skills and what I'm looking for, it is off until you turn it on. When it is on, those details are shown only to members 18 and over.
The switch shows only while you are Listed. If you do not see it, that choice is not available yet. The note under Listed in the member directory says what other members see.
Members under 18
SOS keeps accounts that it knows are under 18, and paused accounts, out of the member directory. For those accounts the choice is locked to Not listed, and the screen says why.
Another Edit Profile
My Profile, from the person icon on Home, has its own Edit Profile with other fields. Other members cannot read it.
Community
How does Mutual Aid work, and is it safe?
Mutual Aid has a private list on your device and a shared board that members can read.
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Three screens, three jobs
Mutual Aid has four tabs: What Is Mutual Aid, My private list, Build A Network and Global Examples & Resources. Find it in Explore, under Community Building.
My private list is saved on this device only. Nothing in it is posted or sent to anyone.
The Mutual Aid Platform is the shared board. Open it from the link on the My private list tab. Its tabs are Give, Need, Network and Learn. Give is for offers and Need is for requests.
The Network tab on the Platform, and the separate Mutual Aid Network screen, are lists saved on this device only.
Who can see a post on the board
While it is open, your offer or request, and any area or contact you add, can be read by every signed-in member.
Contact is optional. You do not need to give a phone number or an exact address.
When someone offers help
When a member taps I can help on your request, SOS tells you. The member sees the contact details you added, if any.
After that, you and the other person arrange the rest yourselves.
Staying safe
SOS does not check who members are. Share only what you are comfortable with, and read the safety article before you meet anyone.
Mutual Aid is not an emergency service. If you are in danger or need to talk to someone right now, here are lines that answer at any time. Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
Community
My circle isn't listed
A circle you asked to join shows in My Circles only after an admin says yes.
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Things to check
- Open Circles and look at the My Circles tab. Leave the screen and come back to refresh it, or pull down on a phone.
- If you only asked to join a Private circle, it shows as Requested on the Explore tab. It moves to My Circles after an admin accepts you.
- If an admin declined your request, SOS tells you when you try again, and you cannot ask a second time.
- Invite Only circles never appear in Explore or in a search. If you made one, it is in My Circles.
- On Explore, the list shows up to 60 circles. Use the search box or a category to narrow it down.
Still not there
Send us a note from Help with the circle's name and what you did. We read every note. We can't promise a reply time.
Community
My Mutual Aid request only shows on my device
That list stays on this device only; to reach other members, post on the Mutual Aid Platform.
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Why it only shows on your device
On the Mutual Aid screen, the My private list tab is a private notebook. Its banner says: Only you can see this. It is not shared.
What you save there with Save to my list stays on this device. It is not posted, matched or sent to anyone, and it will not be on another phone or browser.
How to ask other members
- On the My private list tab, tap the link to the Mutual Aid Platform.
- Tap the Need tab, then tap Post a Request.
- Fill in the category and what you need. Add a way to reach you only if you want to.
- Read the notice: your request, area and contact are visible to every signed-in member. Then tap Post Request.
Before you share
Share only what you are comfortable with. SOS does not check who members are, and the safety article covers meeting people you find here.
Community
The community feels empty. Is anyone there?
The feed shows only Public posts, so it can be quiet; joining a circle or posting can help.
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Why the feed can look empty
The Newest and Trending views show only posts that members shared as Public. Only Me posts and drafts are never shown to others.
The Following view shows posts from people you follow. It stays empty until you follow someone from their profile.
Posts from people you blocked or muted, and posts you hid, are left out.
A short or empty feed means few people have posted so far. It does not mean something is wrong with your account.
Things to try
- Refresh the Feed: pull down on a phone, or leave the screen and come back.
- Open Circles, tap Explore and join one that fits you. Circles have their own feed.
- Write a short hello on the Feed. New accounts have a short wait before they can post.
- Follow members from their profiles. Their posts then show under Following.
- Try a group challenge from the Explore tab.
If you feel alone
You do not have to wait for the feed to fill up. If you need to talk to someone right now, here are lines that answer at any time. Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
Community
How do challenges work?
Open Challenges from the Explore tab, join one, then tap Check In Today once a day.
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- Open the Commons tab, tap Explore, then tap Group Challenges. You can also tap Join Challenge on the Featured Challenge card on the Feed.
- Tap Browse to find a challenge. Use the search box or a category.
- Tap Join Challenge, or Join Now, on the one you want.
- Open the Active tab. Tap Check In Today once a day.
- My Challenges shows your stats, the challenges you completed and any badges you earned.
- To make your own, tap Create at the top right.
How check-ins work
You can check in once a day. A new day starts at midnight on your device, so a late-night check-in counts for that date.
If you check in twice, SOS says you are already checked in. Your check-ins are saved to your account.
If a check-in does not save, you see a message. Check your connection and try again.
Goals, calendar and Home
Can I sync with Google Calendar or Apple Calendar?
SOS has no sync with Google or Apple Calendar yet, but you can move events with an .ics file.
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What SOS does today
SOS does not connect to Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook yet. The Calendar Sync screen marks them Coming soon and says no external calendar is connected.
SOS does not send your events to another calendar. Nothing from another calendar comes in by itself either.
What you can do
You can move events by hand with an .ics file. Export from SOS and import into your other calendar app, or the other way round. The article on importing and exporting a calendar file has the steps.
About the Calendar Sync screen
Open it with the settings button at the top right of Calendar. Its tabs are Calendar Sources, Sync Settings, Notifications and Integration Guide.
The calendar list and sync choices there are saved on this device only, and they change nothing outside SOS.
The manual sync button does not contact any calendar. It tells you there is nothing to sync yet, and it records no sync.
The Integration Guide describes how connecting could work later. It does not mean the feature is on.
Goals, calendar and Home
How do I add an event to the calendar?
On Home tap the calendar icon, tap the round plus button, type a title, set the time and tap Save.
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- On Home, tap the calendar icon at the top right. This opens Calendar.
- Tap the round plus button at the bottom right. In Week or Day view you can also tap an open hour, and in Month view you can press and hold a day.
- If you like, type something like Dentist Friday 3pm for 1 hour under Smart Input and tap Apply. It fills in the boxes below, and you can check them.
- Type an Event title. SOS asks for one if it is empty.
- Choose a category and set the Start and End dates. If the event has a time, type the times as HH:MM, for example 15:30. If it has no time, turn on All day.
- Add a location, a reminder choice or notes if you want.
- Tap Save.
Reminders
The Reminder choices are None, At time, and several times before the event. SOS saves your choice with the event, but it does not send event reminders yet.
At time is saved the same way as None, so an event set to At time shows None when you open it again.
Settings, then Notifications, says that most reminders are not sent yet.
Where events are saved
Events you add are saved to your account and show under My Events. The Family Calendar in the Family area is separate and is saved on this device only.
Change or delete an event
Tap an event to see its details. The card has Edit and Delete buttons for every event saved in your calendar. That includes blocks made with Time Blocking and events brought in from an .ics file.
SOS asks before it deletes, and a deleted event cannot be brought back. For an event that repeats, Edit and Delete change every day it repeats.
If you see Save failed, check your connection and try again.
Meals, workouts, bills and goal dates
Some items on the calendar come from other tools. Examples are meals, workouts, appointments, bills and goal dates.
Their cards have an Open button that takes you to that tool, and no Edit or Delete button. Change or remove them there.
Your active goals with a target date, and goal milestones that are not done, show on their day. Savings goal dates show too.
To hide them, tap the layers button at the top of Calendar and turn off Goals & Deadlines.
Goals, calendar and Home
How do I add, hide or reorder Home widgets?
On Home, tap Edit Widgets, move or hide widgets, bring hidden ones back, then tap Done.
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- Open Home and stay on the Overview tab. Editing is only there.
- Tap Edit Widgets above the widgets, or press and hold a widget. A bar called Editing Widgets appears.
- Tap the up or down arrow on a widget's bar to move it.
- Tap the crossed-out eye on a widget's bar to hide it.
- To bring one back, tap its name under Hidden Widgets, which sits directly below your widgets. The button at the top that shows how many are hidden brings back one each time you tap it.
- Tap Done to save.
What stays put
Some parts of Home are not widgets and cannot be moved. Examples are the identity card at the top, the shortcuts, the Quest Hub card, the Life Score ring, Quick Log and Today's Summary.
Hidden to begin with
The Life Score widget and Agent Stats are hidden when you start. Bring them back from Hidden Widgets if you want them. The Life Score ring on Home is not a widget, so it stays where it is.
Daily Missions and Daily Insight appear after you finish the Know Yourself questions.
Where it is saved
Your layout is saved to your account when you tap Done, so it follows you to other devices.
If saving fails, SOS says Layout not saved. The change shows for now, but it may reset the next time you open Home.
Shortcuts are separate
The shortcuts under your name are saved on this device only. Press and hold a shortcut to remove it.
Goals, calendar and Home
How do I set a goal?
Open Goals, tap New, work through the steps and tap Create Goal; only a title is needed.
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- Open the Goals tab. The screen is called My Goals.
- Tap New at the top right. The round plus button at the bottom right does the same.
- Step 1, What?: type your goal in the box that says I want to. Pick an emoji and a category, then tap Next.
- Step 2, Measure: choose a goal type: Outcome, Process, Habit or Project. For Outcome and Process, add a target value, a current value and a unit if you want. A target date is optional.
- Steps 3 to 5, Your Why, Obstacles and Milestones: write why it matters, what might get in the way, and small checkpoints. You can leave these empty.
- Step 6, Settings: choose a priority and how often to check in. If you are unsure about sharing, leave Public Goal off.
- Tap Create Goal.
After you create it
Your goal is saved to your account and appears on the Active tab. Open its card to log progress, see details, complete it or pause it.
The other tabs are Progress, Vision and Complete. Use the search box on the Active tab to find a goal by name.
If it does not save
If you see Couldn't save, check your connection and try again. What you entered is still there.
Goals, calendar and Home
How do I track a habit?
Open Habit Tracker from the Vision tab of Goals, tap New, name the habit and tick it each day.
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- Open the Goals tab and tap Vision. Scroll to Goal Tools and tap Habit Tracker.
- Tap New at the top right. On a new account you can also tap Add a habit, or one of the small starter habits.
- Type a Habit Name. Pick a Category and a Frequency: Daily, Weekdays, Weekends, 3×/week or Weekly.
- If you want, say why the habit matters to you. Then tap Add Habit.
- On the Today tab, tap the circle beside a habit when you do it. Tap it again to undo.
- Open the Stats tab to see your totals and streaks.
What you see under a habit
Each habit shows its category and frequency, and a flame with the streak when there is one. A 3×/week or Weekly habit also shows how many you have done this week.
If it does not save
If you see Couldn't save habit, check your connection and try again. What you typed is still there.
Removing a habit
Tap the X beside a habit to delete it. SOS asks first. Deleting also deletes its history, and that cannot be undone.
Goals, calendar and Home
I deleted something by accident
Most deletes cannot be undone, so SOS asks first, but a habit tick can be undone.
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What cannot be undone
A goal. Deleting it asks Delete Goal and says: This cannot be undone.
A habit. Deleting it asks Delete habit and also deletes every completion.
A streak on the Streaks screen. Deleting it removes the streak and all its check-ins.
A calendar event. SOS asks you to confirm, and it cannot be undone.
A child profile in the Family area. SOS says it cannot be undone and that all its data is removed.
What you can undo
A habit tick: tap the circle again. A check-in on the Streaks screen: tap Done to take it back.
A water entry in the Food Diary: tap Undo last entry.
A block or mute, and posts you hid: open Settings, then Blocked and muted.
What to do now
- Add it again from the same screen. A goal, habit or event can be made again, but its old history cannot come back.
- If you downloaded your data before, that file still holds what was in it at the time.
- If it matters, use Ask us on this page. Say what you deleted and when. We can't promise to bring it back.
Next time
Read the box before you tap Delete. It names the item and says what else goes with it.
Goals, calendar and Home
My streak reset but I did it
A streak counts days by your device's date, so a late tick or a new time zone can shift the day.
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How days are counted
SOS counts a day by the date on your device, in your time zone. A tick after midnight counts for the new day.
If your device's date, time or time zone is wrong or changes while you travel, a tick can land on another day.
How the Habit Tracker counts a streak
A Daily, Weekdays or Weekends habit keeps its streak while you tick every day it is planned for. Missing a planned day ends the streak. Days the habit is not planned for never end it.
Today is a grace day. If you have not ticked yet today, a streak that was fine through yesterday is still there.
A 3×/week or Weekly habit counts weeks in a row that reach the target. Weeks start on Monday.
What to check
- On the Today tab, check that the habit shows as done for today. Open Stats to see its totals.
- Check that your device's date, time and time zone are set to update on their own.
- If you missed only yesterday and have a shield, look for the shield button on the habit. Tap it and confirm to restore the streak.
- If a tick said Couldn't save, the habit stayed unticked. Tick it again when you are back online.
Streak shields
You can hold up to 3 streak shields. There are six ways to earn one.
Log your sleep, complete a workout, or log all three meals.
Check in on a goal, finish a breathing or meditation session, or write a journal entry.
Tap the Streak Shields card on the Today tab to see the list. A shield fixes one missed day, and only yesterday. It marks yesterday as done and restores the streak. It works for Daily, Weekdays and Weekends habits, not for 3×/week or Weekly ones.
Shields are saved on this device only.
The Streaks screen is separate
The Streaks screen keeps its own list. A streak there goes back to 0 after a full day with no check-in. Its check-ins are saved on this device only.
If it still looks wrong
Send us a note from Help with the habit's name and the days involved. We read every note. We can't promise a reply time.
Goals, calendar and Home
What do parental controls actually do?
The settings are saved, but SOS does not apply them, so they do not limit what a child can open.
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What the screen says
The screen is headed These settings are saved, not enforced. These screens do not limit what a child can see or do in SOS. The settings you save are not applied anywhere else in the app yet.
They do not filter content, limit messages, track time or send notifications.
What each setting is
These settings are each marked Saved only: Safe search, approved contacts only, parent can read messages and show activity history. Activity notifications, message notifications and approval for new features are marked the same way.
SOS has no screen for reading a child's messages, and it does not send those notifications yet.
The Daily time limit is a saved number. SOS does not track or limit time.
In the Family area, approving or denying a request only records your answer. It does not change what a child can open.
Where the screen is
- Open the Family area from the link on this page.
- On a child's card, tap the settings button, which is called Saved settings.
What to use instead
A child using a signed-in SOS account can open any screen that account can open. To control what a child can open, use the parental controls built into the phone or tablet. Examples are Screen Time on Apple devices and Family Link on Android.
Goals, calendar and Home
Where are the ready-made goals and templates?
On My Goals, tap Templates to pick a ready-made goal; the Goal Library has longer plans.
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Templates
On My Goals, tap Templates at the top. If you have no goals yet, tap Browse Templates & Programs instead. Both open the same screen.
Search for a template or pick a category. Tap Use This Goal on one you like, then go through the steps. You can skip the picker and start with a blank goal.
The steps are Foundation, Framework, Milestones, Protocol, Integration, Verification and XP & Finish. Framework lets you choose Simple, S.M.A.R.T., OKR, WOOP or Implementation Intentions.
Goal Library
The Goal Library is a second set of ready-made goals. Each one is a guided journey. Browse by area, such as Fitness, Nutrition, Sleep or Finances, or search by name.
It also lists the journeys you have started under In Progress. Open the Goal Library from the link on this page.
Starter ideas on a new account
When you have no active goals, the Active tab shows Popular Goal Categories, Training Programs and Guides & Frameworks. A tile with a matching template, such as Lose Weight or 5K Race Plan, opens a new goal that is already filled in. You can change it. The others open the Templates screen.
Goals, calendar and Home
Which goal tools save only on this device?
Streaks, Habit Stacking Lab and Goal Autopsy are some goal tools that save only on your device.
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Saved on this device only
These save only in the browser or app where you use them.
Streaks, with your streak shields.
Habit Stacking Lab, Goal Autopsy and Values Clarity.
Goal Dependencies, Goal Guides, Quarterly Planning and Life Design.
The Life Balance Wheel card on the Vision tab of My Goals, with its 1 to 10 ratings.
Saved to your account
These follow you to other devices, because they are saved to your account on SOS servers.
Goals you make with New or Templates, the Habit Tracker and the Daily Planner.
The Manifesto, the Annual Review and the Weekly Review.
The Bucket List and the Decision Journal.
The Life Balance Wheel in Goal Tools, the one with 10 life areas.
What device only means
If you sign in on another phone or computer, or use another browser, device-only items will not be there.
Clearing the browser's site data or removing the app deletes them, and SOS cannot bring them back.
If something matters, copy it into a note of your own.
Goals, calendar and Home
Can my teen use their own account?
Yes, if they are 13 or older, which is the age SOS requires, though SOS cannot confirm real ages.
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The age rule
A person needs to be at least 13 years old to create an account and use SOS. When someone creates an account they give a date of birth or confirm that they are 13 or older. SOS cannot confirm their real age.
SOS is not for children under 13.
What the terms say about people under 18
The Terms say that people under 18 should read the Terms and the Privacy Policy with a parent or guardian.
The finance tools are meant for adults, 18 and over. Some parts of SOS, such as the community, direct messages and the finance tools, are written with adults in mind.
When SOS knows an account belongs to someone aged 13 to 17, some community features are closed for now. Their tools, learning, own data and Help work as usual.
What SOS does not have
SOS has no separate teen account and no parent controls that limit an account. The Family area can hold profiles for children aged 4 to 17, but new ones are switched off, and its settings do not limit anything.
To control what a teen can open, use the parental controls built into the phone or tablet. Examples are Screen Time on Apple devices and Family Link on Android.
If your teen needs support
If your teen needs to talk to someone right now, here are lines that answer at any time. Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
Goals, calendar and Home
How do I add a child?
You cannot add a child profile right now, but you can still open or delete older ones.
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What changed
New child profiles can't be added right now, so the Add Child button is gone from the Family area. SOS is not designed for children under 13.
A child who is 13 or older can have their own account instead.
If you already have a profile
- Open the Family area from the link on this page. It is not in the main menus.
- Tap a child's card to open the profile.
- From there you can edit the name and birthdate, open Kids Mode, switch the profile off for a while, or delete it.
What a profile holds
Child profiles are stored on SOS servers, linked to your account. That includes the name, birthdate and avatar you entered, the settings you saved, and anything Kids Mode records.
To control what a child can open
Use the parental controls built into the phone or tablet, such as Screen Time on Apple devices or Family Link on Android.
Goals, calendar and Home
How do I earn XP and level up?
XP is a score SOS adds when you finish things like daily missions, goal check-ins and quests.
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Where you see it
Home shows a gold strip that reads Level and XP. Tap it to open Achievements, which has its own level card, badges, streaks and an XP history.
What adds XP
Daily Missions: each mission shows its XP. When you tick one off, SOS saves it first and then adds the XP to the total on the Home strip. Each mission counts once a day.
Goals: the first check-in on a goal each day adds 25 XP. Milestones add XP too. The XP from goals goes to the level on the Achievements screen.
Finishing a goal adds more. The base is 200 XP for Easy, 600 for Medium, 1,800 for Hard and 5,000 for Epic. How you verify the goal can raise that. The last Templates step, XP & Finish, shows the amount.
Quests: finishing a quest adds the XP that the quest lists.
Levels
Level 2 starts at 500 XP, Level 3 at 1,500 and Level 4 at 3,500. Level 10 starts at 75,000.
Different screens count XP in different places, so the Home strip and the Achievements screen can show different totals.
What XP does
XP costs nothing and does not lock any tool. Levels and XP unlock only cosmetic items on the Avatar screen.
My Levels, under Settings, has numbers of its own. Read its article before you rely on them.
Goals, calendar and Home
How do I import or export a calendar file?
Open settings in Calendar, then find import and export on the Integration Guide tab.
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- Open Calendar and tap the settings button at the top right, the one with two small sliders. This opens Calendar Sync.
- Open the Integration Guide tab and tap Import / Export .ics Files. The screen is called iCal Import / Export.
- To export, choose a Date Range, from Next 7 days to All time, and tap Export & Share .ics. Your device's share sheet opens.
- To import, tap Choose .ics File where it is offered, or paste the file's text into the box.
- Tap Preview Events and check the list.
- Tap the Import button, which shows the number of events. SOS tells you how many it saved and how many already existed.
Good to know
Export shares your calendar as text. Some apps want a file that ends in .ics, so you may need to save the text as one first.
If your browser cannot share, you see Export Failed. Try a different browser or your phone.
SOS refuses a file over 5 MB. Export a shorter date range and try again.
Importing is a one-time copy, not a live sync. Events that already exist are skipped, and the new ones are saved to your account.
Take care with private events
SOS does not read the private or confidential flags in a file. Remove sensitive events from the file before you import it.
The screen lists how to get the file from Google Calendar, Apple Calendar and Outlook.
Goals, calendar and Home
I lost what I was typing
Most forms keep your text only until you leave the screen or refresh, so tap Save before you go.
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Why it happens
What you type stays on the screen until you save it. Most forms do not keep a copy for you.
Leaving the screen, refreshing the page or closing the browser tab can clear it.
Tapping the bottom tab you are already on takes you back to the start of that area, and text you were typing can be lost. Tapping a different tab should keep your place in the area you left.
What to do now
Open the screen again and look. A few screens keep a draft, such as posts in the Social Feed. If the text is gone, SOS cannot bring it back.
How to avoid it
- Tap Save, Add or Create before you leave a screen.
- Use the back arrow to leave a screen. Avoid tapping the bottom tab you are already on while you are in the middle of something.
- For a long note, type it in a notes app first and paste it in.
- For a post you are not ready to share, tap Save Draft in the Social Feed post box.
- When a save fails, many screens keep your text. Stay on the screen, check your connection and try again.
Goals, calendar and Home
My Home screen looks empty
Hidden widgets can leave Home bare, and the reset button on this page puts back the starting set.
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Why Home can look empty
You may have hidden your widgets. Tap Edit Widgets and look under Hidden Widgets.
Some widgets wait for you. Daily Missions and Daily Insight appear after you finish the Know Yourself questions.
Home may not have loaded. If a read fails, Home shows a notice with a way to retry. Pull down on a phone, or reopen Home, to try again.
Put the starting layout back
The reset button on this page puts the Home widgets back to the starting set and order. It asks you to confirm first, and you can undo it for a few seconds afterwards.
The starting set shows Know Yourself, Daily Missions, Quick Actions, Daily Insight, Today's Insights, Goals and Today's Training. The Life Score widget and Agent Stats stay hidden. The Life Score ring on Home is not a widget, so it is not affected.
It changes only your widget layout. Your shortcuts and your data stay as they are. If Home still looks the same afterwards, reload the page.
Or do it by hand
- On Home, tap Edit Widgets.
- Under Hidden Widgets, tap each widget you want back.
- Tap Done.
Goals, calendar and Home
What is Kids Mode?
Kids Mode is a simple view for a child, not a safety control, and it does not lock the app.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
What Kids Mode is
Kids Mode is a simplified, colorful home screen for one child profile. It shows big tiles for the child's age group and a feelings check-in with faces.
What it is not
It is not a safety control. It does not lock the app, filter content or limit time.
Most of its buttons open the regular screens, which can show anything the signed-in account can see.
Anyone can leave it. The Leave Kids Mode button asks to confirm, but there is no PIN.
What it records
When a child taps a face in the feelings check-in, SOS saves it to the child's profile on SOS servers. A grown-up can see it in the activity history.
That is the only thing Kids Mode records so far, so the history is often empty.
How to open it
- Open the Family area from the link on this page.
- Tap the child's card.
- Tap Kids Mode. A profile that is switched off has to be reactivated first.
For a real lock
To control what a child can open, use the parental controls built into the phone or tablet. Examples are Screen Time on Apple devices and Family Link on Android.
Goals, calendar and Home
What are quests?
Quests are guided sets of steps in the Quest Hub, and finishing one adds the XP it lists.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
Where to find them
Home shows a Quest Hub card under your shortcuts. When a quest is under way, the card is called Active Quest. Tap it to open the Quest Hub.
How a quest works
- In the Quest Hub, open the Quest Lines tab and pick a quest line.
- Open a quest and tap Start. A quest that is Locked needs an earlier one first.
- Follow the steps. A step that asks for a real action, such as logging a workout, ticks off by itself when you do it in SOS.
- When every step is done, SOS saves the finish and then adds the XP the quest lists.
If the finish does not save
If SOS cannot save it, you see a message and no XP is added yet. Check your connection and finish the quest again.
Guilds and World Events
My Guilds shows the guilds you have joined and your rank in each.
World Events, shared goals for the whole community, are not available yet.
Goals, calendar and Home
What is a Goal Autopsy?
A Goal Autopsy is a six-step look back at a goal you stopped, saved on your device only.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
What it is
It is a short guided reflection on a goal that stalled or that you let go. The idea is to learn from it, not to judge yourself.
It is a way to think things through. It is not therapy.
The six steps
The steps are What Happened?, Root Cause Analysis, The 5 Whys, What You Could Have Done, The Lesson and Forward Plan.
In Forward Plan you choose Retry with changes, Pivot to a related goal, or Let it go completely.
How to run one
- Open the Goals tab, tap Vision, scroll to Goal Tools and tap Goal Autopsy.
- Tap a goal that is abandoned or archived. To use an active or paused goal, mark it as abandoned on this screen first. SOS asks you to confirm, and you can reopen the goal later.
- Work through the steps and tap Continue between them.
- On the last step, choose a forward plan and tap Complete Autopsy.
Where it is saved
Your autopsies are saved on this device only, under your account on this device. They will not be on another phone or browser.
If SOS cannot save one, it tells you and asks you to complete it again.
Goals, calendar and Home
What is time blocking?
Time Blocking finds free time today for your habits and goals, and adds nothing until you say so.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Open Calendar and tap the lightning button next to the round plus button. The screen is called Time Blocking.
- Read the suggestions. Each shows a time, how long it takes, and whether it is a Habit or a Goal Work Session.
- Tap Schedule to add one to your calendar, or tap the X to skip it.
- To accept every suggestion at once, tap Schedule All.
How it picks times
It looks at today's events and finds gaps of at least 15 minutes between 6:00 AM and 10:00 PM.
Your habits that are not done yet get a usual length for their category. Each active goal gets a 30 minute work session, if there is room.
When you tap Schedule
Each suggestion you accept becomes an event in your calendar. Its card has Edit and Delete buttons, like any event you added, so you can change it or remove it later.
What it does not do
It plans today only, and it does not move or change your events.
A skipped suggestion is not saved. If you open the screen again, it can come back.
Fix a problem
Does SOS work offline?
SOS can open offline after you have used it, but it cannot load or save your data without a connection.
What works offline
SOS keeps a saved copy of the page that starts the app. After you have opened SOS once while online, it can open again without a connection.
A screen you opened before can open again offline. A screen you never opened on this device cannot.
What does not work offline
Your data. Entries, lists and the community all come from the SOS server, and the saved copy never includes them or anything you type.
Saving needs a connection. Most tools do not hold an entry back to send later. A few, such as the Sleep Tracker, keep an entry on your device and upload it when you are connected.
What you will see
When your device goes offline, a banner says You're offline. Changes can't be saved right now. Some screens turn their Save buttons off while you are offline.
Full offline use for core tools is not available yet.
If you need help right now
If SOS is already open, the Get help now button works without a connection. If SOS cannot open and has no saved copy, it shows a short page with crisis numbers.
If you need to talk to someone now: Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
What happens next
Wait until you are back online before you save something important, then check that it shows up in the tool's list.
Fix a problem
How do I put SOS on my phone's home screen?
On an iPhone use Share then Add to Home Screen, and on Android use the menu then Install app.
- Open SOS in your browser. On an iPhone use Safari. On Android use Chrome.
- On an iPhone, tap the Share button, which is a square with an arrow pointing up. On Android, tap the menu with three dots. On a computer, look for the install icon at the right end of the address bar.
- Choose Add to Home Screen on an iPhone, Install app on Android, or Install on a computer. On an iPhone you may need to scroll down in the Share menu.
- Confirm with Add or Install.
- Open SOS from the new icon.
If you do not see the option
Some browsers do not offer it. If Install app is missing on Android, look for Add to Home screen in the same menu.
On a computer, Chrome and Edge offer it. Other browsers may not.
What you get
SOS opens in its own window, without the browser bars. It is the same website, not a store app.
On some devices, pressing and holding the icon shows a Get help now shortcut. It opens SOS Mode, which works without signing in.
Good to know
Adding SOS to your home screen does not change how it works offline.
On an iPhone the home screen app can keep its own saved data. You may need to sign in again, and entries that a tool keeps only on the device may not show there.
Fix a problem
I see 'This page couldn't load'
Tap Reload Page: the card means a screen did not download, often because of a weak connection.
- Tap Reload Page.
- If the card comes back, check your connection and wait a minute. Then tap Reload Page again.
- If the card offers to repair the app files, tap that button and confirm. This downloads the app files again. Your saved entries stay.
- To leave the page, tap Go to Home.
- If it keeps happening and you are signed in, tap Tell us what happened.
What the card means
A screen in SOS is a separate file that downloads the first time you open it. The card shows when that download fails.
Your connection may have dropped, or SOS may have been updated while the page was open. Reloading fetches the latest version, and nothing you have saved is affected.
SOS already tried once
When a screen file fails, SOS reloads the page one time by itself. The card shows if it fails again within a minute.
The card that says Something went wrong
That card means a screen stopped working. Tap Try Again or Reload Page.
What you had already saved should be unaffected. What you were in the middle of entering may not have been saved.
If you need help right now
If you need to talk to someone now: Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
Fix a problem
I still see the old version
Tap Refresh when SOS says a new version is ready, or close every SOS tab and open it again.
- If you see A new version is ready at the top, tap Refresh. Save anything you are typing first, because Refresh reloads the page.
- If the notice is gone, reload the page. A reload always asks our server for the newest version.
- Still old? Close every SOS tab and window, then open SOS again. On a phone, close the browser or the home screen app completely.
- Open the Help status page and tap Repair the app files. Your saved entries stay, and you stay signed in if Keep me signed in is ticked.
- If that does not help, clear this site's data. The article on clearing saved files has the steps.
Why it happens
After we release an update, a tab that was already open keeps running the old version until it is reloaded.
SOS never reloads by itself, because that would throw away what you are typing. It shows the notice and waits.
About the notice
SOS looks for a new version when you come back to the tab, at most every 10 minutes.
If you tap Not now, the notice stays away until the next update.
Fix a problem
Is SOS down right now?
Open the Help status page to see if SOS can be reached from your device.
- Open the Help Center and tap Is SOS down? to reach the status page.
- Under Is SOS working?, read the lines for the server and for email. A notice from us shows there when we have one.
- Under Your device, check that you are online, that your clock is right and that your browser can save data.
- Tap Check again to run the checks once more.
- If the server cannot be reached, wait a few minutes and try again. You do not need to do anything else.
- If the server is fine but SOS still fails for you, use the fix buttons on that page, such as Repair the app files.
A strip on the screen
When your device is online but SOS cannot be reached, a strip at the top of the screen says so and offers Try now.
If the status page will not open
The status page is part of SOS, so it cannot open if SOS itself is down. A plain copy of the Help Center is at https://sosforchange.org/help.html.
If that does not open either, SOS cannot be reached from your device right now. Open another website to check your connection, then try again later.
Sending details to us
Copy details for support shows you what it will copy before it copies anything. It copies only after you tick the box.
The details describe your device and the checks. They do not include your password, your email address or what you have written in SOS.
If you need help right now
If you need to talk to someone now: Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
Fix a problem
My changes won't save
Stay on the screen, read the message, and check that you are online and signed in.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
- Stay on the screen. Do not close it or go back until the save works.
- Read the message. Many start with Couldn't save and then say why.
- If it says you appear to be offline, or that SOS can't be reached, check your connection and tap Save again.
- If it says Your session has ended, copy anything you typed, sign in again, then save again.
- If it says you are going a little fast, wait a few seconds and try again.
- If it says Something went wrong on our side, wait a minute and try again. The Help status page shows whether SOS is answering.
- If nothing happens when you tap Save, copy your text, reload the page and try again.
If the message names a box
A message that starts with a box name, such as Email or Password, means SOS did not accept what is in that box. The message says what to change.
Fix that box and save again.
If your device is nearly full
The Help status page checks how much space your browser has left for SOS. When it is nearly full, saving can fail.
Tap Clear saved copies on that page to free some space. Your entries, drafts and sign-in stay.
Tools that keep entries only on this device
A few tools save only on your device, so they do not need a connection. Clearing your browser data removes those entries.
Still not saving
Tap the Help button, then Send a note instead. Choose Something's broken and tick Include details about this screen.
Fix a problem
SOS won't load or the page is blank
Check your connection, reload the page, then repair the app files from the Help status page.
- Check your connection. Open another website. If it does not load either, fix your Wi-Fi or mobile data first, and turn off airplane mode.
- Wait a little. The first visit on a slow connection can take longer, and the loading screen says so after a few seconds.
- Reload the page with your browser's reload button. If you added SOS to your home screen, close it and open it again.
- Close every SOS tab and window, then open SOS again.
- Try a private window or another browser. If SOS opens there, the saved files in your first browser are probably the cause.
- In the first browser, open the Help status page and repair the app files. If SOS will not open at all, clear this site's data as a last resort. That deletes your Encrypted Vault and entries kept only on this device.
- Still stuck? Write to admin@sosforchange.org and tell us your device, your browser and what you see. We can't promise a reply time.
Match what you see
A blank page: do steps 1 to 5.
The SOS logo with a moving bar for a long time: your connection may be slow or weak. Wait, then do step 3.
The words This page couldn't load: that is a different card. The article about it explains what to tap.
SOS opens but looks old: the article about the old version covers that.
If you can open the Help Center
Open the Help status page. It checks whether SOS can be reached from your device. If it can, tap Repair the app files.
This downloads the app files again. Your saved entries stay, and you stay signed in if Keep me signed in is ticked.
If repairing does not help, the article on clearing saved files has the steps for clearing site data. It also says what that removes.
If even Help will not open
A plain copy of the Help Center is at https://sosforchange.org/help.html. It opens even when the app does not.
If you need help right now
If you need to talk to someone now: Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
What happens next
Once SOS opens, you are still signed in if Keep me signed in was ticked and you did not clear the site's data.
Fix a problem
How do I clear the app's saved files?
Repair the app files from the Help status page first, and clear site data only as a last resort.
- Open the Help status page and tap Repair the app files. Confirm when asked. Your saved entries stay, and you stay signed in if Keep me signed in is ticked.
- SOS reloads when it is done. You can repair the files once every 5 minutes.
- To remove saved copies that SOS can download again, tap Clear saved copies on the same page. You can also open Settings, then Privacy & Data, then Clear All Local Cache. Your entries, drafts and sign-in stay.
- Only if those do not help, clear this site's data in your browser. Read the warning below first.
Read this before you clear site data
Clearing site data signs you out of SOS on this device.
It also removes entries that some tools keep only on this device, such as Net Worth. Entries saved to your account are not removed. The Download My Data option does not include device-only entries, so write down anything you cannot afford to lose.
Your Encrypted Vault is kept only on this device too, so clearing site data deletes it. If you made a backup file in the vault settings, you can restore from it afterwards.
How to clear site data
Chrome or Edge on a computer: click the icon at the left of the address bar, open the site settings, then delete this site's data.
Chrome on Android: tap the icon at the left of the address bar, open the site settings, then delete the data for this site.
Safari on an iPhone: open the Settings app, find Safari (in newer versions it is under Apps), tap Advanced, then Website Data. Find SOS in the list and delete it.
These menus change between versions. If yours looks different, search your browser's help for clear site data.
After you clear it
Open SOS again and sign in. Your account and the entries saved to it are still there.
Fix a problem
How do I refresh the page?
Use your browser's reload button, since pulling down does not refresh SOS on the web.
- Save anything you are typing first. Reloading clears text that has not been saved.
- On a computer, press Ctrl+R on Windows, or Command+R on a Mac. You can also click the circular arrow beside the address bar.
- On an iPhone or iPad in Safari, tap the circular arrow at the right end of the address bar.
- On Android in Chrome, tap the menu with three dots, then tap the circular arrow at the top of the menu.
- If you opened SOS from your home screen, there may be no reload button. Close the app and open it again.
Why pulling down does nothing
The web version of SOS has no pull-down refresh. Use the browser's reload button instead.
Buttons inside SOS
On Home, if a notice says some of your data did not load, tap Retry. You do not need to reload.
If a notice says A new version is ready, tap Refresh.
Will I be signed out?
If Keep me signed in is ticked, reloading keeps you signed in.
If you unticked it, a reload can sign you out. Then you sign in again.
Fix a problem
SOS is slow
The first visit is slowest, and a weak connection or a full browser can slow SOS down.
The first time
The first visit downloads the app. The loading screen says a slow connection can take longer, and the next visit will be much faster.
Each screen also loads the first time you open it, and opens faster after that.
What you can try
- Check your connection. Open another website to compare.
- Close other tabs and apps that use the internet.
- Reload the page.
- Open the Help status page. It tells you if SOS is answering slowly.
If your device is short of space
When your browser is short of space, SOS may not be able to keep its files, so it downloads them again on each visit.
Free some space on your device, or tap Clear saved copies on the Help status page.
Tell us if it stays slow
Tap the Help button, then Send a note instead. Choose Something's broken and tick Include details about this screen.
Fix a problem
Why does it forget me in a private window?
A private window deletes what SOS saved in your browser when you close it, so you sign in again.
- Use a normal window if you want SOS to remember you.
- On the sign-in screen, leave Keep me signed in ticked.
- Check that your browser allows site data for SOS. The Help status page checks this under Your device.
- If you use a private window anyway, sign in each time, and do not rely on tools that keep entries only on the device.
What SOS saves in your browser
On the web, SOS keeps your sign-in in your browser's site storage. Some tools also keep entries there that are not saved to your account.
What a private window does
Private and incognito windows throw that storage away when you close them. Some browsers and privacy settings also block it.
Without it, SOS cannot remember you, so you sign in again. Your Encrypted Vault is kept in the same place, so a private window loses it when you close it.
Keep me signed in
If you untick Keep me signed in, SOS asks you to sign in again after you close the browser. A reload can sign you out too.
On a shared computer that is a good choice. Sign out when you are done.
Fix a problem
Why does it say my sign-in expired right away?
Your device clock is probably wrong, so set the date and time to automatic and sign in again.
- Check the date, time and time zone on your device.
- Turn on automatic date and time. On Windows, open Settings, then Time and language, then Date and time. On an iPhone, open Settings, then General, then Date and Time.
- On Android, open Settings and look for Date and time under System or General management.
- Close SOS, open it again and sign in.
- Still failing? Open the Help status page. The Your device section compares your clock with ours.
Why this happens
Your sign-in comes with an end time. SOS checks that time against the clock on your device.
If your clock is set too far ahead, the sign-in looks expired the moment you make it.
Other reasons you may be signed out
A private window, or a browser that blocks site data, forgets your sign-in too. The article about private windows covers that.
Accessibility
Does SOS work with a screen reader?
Some screens work with a screen reader and others do not yet.
What we can and cannot promise
We have not tested every screen with every screen reader, such as VoiceOver, TalkBack or NVDA. We can't promise that SOS works well on every screen.
What is labelled today
On the web, the first Tab stop after you sign in is a link called Skip to main content. The side menu on wide screens is a navigation area named Primary, and the page content is marked as the main area.
When you move to a new screen on the web, the page title changes and a short message such as Navigated to Wealth is announced.
The Get help now button has a spoken name.
Popups keep keyboard focus inside them until you close them.
What is not reliable yet
Many buttons that show only an icon do not have a spoken name yet, so a screen reader may say only button. An example is the trash can on a recurring template in the budget.
Some popups cannot be closed from the keyboard.
The Knowledge Graph picture is a drawing that a screen reader cannot describe. The Explore tab, the Browse tab and search show the same ideas as text.
Tell us
If a screen does not work with your screen reader, tell us which screen, which screen reader and which device. We read every note.
Accessibility
How do I make the text bigger?
SOS has no text size setting, so use your browser's zoom or your device's text size.
- On a computer, press Ctrl and the plus key to zoom in. On a Mac, press Command and the plus key. Press Ctrl and 0 (Command and 0 on a Mac) to go back to normal.
- On a phone or tablet, pinch two fingers apart to zoom in. SOS allows pinch zoom.
- You can also use the zoom or text size option in your browser's menu.
- On a phone or tablet, your device may have a text size setting in its Display or Accessibility settings. In a web browser, zoom is the most dependable way.
- If text overlaps or is cut off when you zoom, tell us. See I found something I can't use. How do I tell you?
What SOS does not have yet
SOS has no text size switch of its own. The Appearance screen in Settings says so.
SOS has one dark theme. The light themes are switched off for now.
Some labels are small, such as the notes under some numbers. Zooming in is the way to make them larger.
Accessibility
I found something I can't use. How do I tell you?
Open Help, choose Send a note instead, and tell us what you could not use.
- Tap the Help button. On a computer you can also press the question mark key.
- Tap Send a note instead.
- Choose Something's broken.
- Write which screen it was, what you tried to do and what happened. Say what you use to get around, such as a screen reader, keyboard only or zoom.
- The box to include details about the screen starts ticked. Untick it if you would rather not share them. You see exactly what will be sent before you send it.
- Tap Send note.
If you are signed out or cannot use Help
The note form is for signed-in members. Write to admin@sosforchange.org. Say which screen, what happened, and which device, browser and assistive tool you use.
If you need help right now
A note is not an emergency line, and we can't promise anyone sees it right away. If you need support right now, use the Get help now button. If you need to talk to someone now: Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
What happens next
We read every note. We can't promise a reply time.
Accessibility
Can I reduce motion or raise contrast?
SOS has no contrast or motion setting yet, but some animations follow your device's setting.
Motion
Turn on Reduce Motion in your device settings. It is usually under Accessibility or Display.
Some parts of SOS follow it: the confetti when you earn an achievement, fade-ins, loading placeholders, SOS Mode and newer popups.
Not every animation follows it yet, so some screens may still move. The Appearance screen says SOS has no separate motion controls yet.
Contrast and colors
SOS has one dark theme. There is no high contrast setting and no light mode yet. The Appearance screen says the other themes are switched off until every screen follows them.
Some small grey text may be hard to read. Zoom in, or tell us which screen it is on.
Tell us
If something moves too much or is hard to read, tell us which screen. See I found something I can't use. How do I tell you?
Accessibility
Can I use SOS with only a keyboard?
Many screens work with Tab and Enter, but some controls may need a mouse or touch.
Moving around
- Press Tab to move forward and Shift and Tab to move back.
- Press Enter to use the control that has focus.
- After you sign in on the web, the first Tab stop is Skip to main content. Press Enter on it to jump past the menu.
- Press Escape to close a popup. If it does not close, Tab to a Close or Cancel button if the popup has one.
Popups and the floating buttons
While a popup is open, Tab stays inside it. This is on purpose, so focus does not slip behind the popup.
Because of that, floating buttons such as Help and Get help now cannot be reached with Tab while a popup is open. Close the popup first, then Tab to the button.
The question mark key (?) opens Help from any screen, even when a popup is open. It does not work while you are typing in a text box.
What does not work yet
SOS was built for touch and mouse first. Some popups cannot be closed with Escape, and some controls may not take keyboard focus in a useful order.
If you get stuck, tell us which screen. See I found something I can't use. How do I tell you?
Does SOS use AI?
Does SOS use AI?
No, SOS does not use AI on your data today, and if that ever changes we will say so first and ask you.
What that means today
There is no AI coach, AI chat or AI assistant in SOS. The app does not send anything you type or enter to an AI company, and it is not connected to one.
That covers your journal, mood, food, sleep, workouts, money, goals, messages and profile.
What SOS does instead
Your scores, trends and nudges are worked out by fixed rules and arithmetic that run inside the app on your own entries. No AI model reads them.
The Morning Brief is put together from your own entries and a weather lookup. For answers about SOS, use the Help button.
Pages about AI
The Knowledge tab has reading pages about artificial intelligence. They are articles to read. They do not use your information.
Who reads what you send us
Notes you send through the Help button are stored on SOS's server and read by the people who run SOS.
The Encrypted Vault is encrypted on your own device, so nobody at SOS can read it.
How SOS was written
SOS itself was built with help from AI tools, and a person has not reviewed every page. Some of it may be wrong or out of date, so check anything important with a qualified person or a source you trust.
This is about how SOS was written. It is not about what the app does with your data.
If this changes
If SOS ever adds an AI feature, we will say so first and ask you. The AI Disclosure at https://sosforchange.org/ai-disclosure.html says the same.
Questions about this? Write to admin@sosforchange.org.
Write to us
If you could not find your answer, send us a message from the website: sosforchange.org/help/contact (no sign-in needed), or write to admin@sosforchange.org.
We read every note. We can't promise a reply time.
Do not put your password in an email. Email is not a way to get help in an emergency. If you are in danger call 911.