Support
Answers to common questions, how to delete your account, and a way to reach us.
PADS and this support team can’t respond to emergencies. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 in the UK, 000 in Australia, or your local emergency number. If you’re struggling, reaching someone you trust or your GP is a good next step.
Is PADS free?
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Yes. PADS is free to download and every feature is free to use. There are no adverts, no subscriptions and no in-app purchases.
Which phones does PADS work on?
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Android phones running Android 8.0 or later. PADS isn’t available on iPhone. You download it straight from our website; the Download page shows how to install it, step by step.
Do I have to set anything up first?
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No. Open the app and check in with one tap. Everything else, from goals and habits to a mentor, is optional and can be added whenever you have the energy.
How do I lock the app?
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Turn on fingerprint or phone PIN unlock in Settings. PADS then locks itself after a few minutes away and shows a blank screen in your recent apps.
What happens if I miss a day?
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Nothing. There are no streaks to break. In Trends, missed days are left as gaps and never filled in as “Bad”. Participation is described plainly, for example “Checked in 19 of 30 days”.
Can I change today’s check-in?
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Yes. You can change it at any time during the same day.
Who can see my moods?
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Nobody but you. Check-ins, moods and notes are never shared, not even with a mentor. Trends are worked out on your phone.
What are Today’s Three and Anchors?
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Today’s Three is up to three things that matter today, chosen by you. Three is a maximum, not a target, and leaving it empty is fine. Anchors are two to four small things that make a day go well, such as a walk before lunch; Today’s Three can pick from them with one tap.
What happens to things I set down in On my mind?
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They stay private on your phone. You can give them a weight (Light, Moderate or Heavy) and then choose: turn it into a task, talk to someone, move it to Waiting, or simply leave it. Nothing you write is interpreted or analysed.
What does Waiting mean?
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Waiting is for things outside your control. Moving something there lets it rest without being forgotten.
What is Life in View?
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Five areas of life on one calm screen: Wellbeing, Home, Livelihood, Character and Community. Each area has a short note on where things stand, optional goals and habits, and a question to sit with. It helps you keep your whole life in view during a busy season.
Do I have to use all five areas?
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No. It’s a set of areas, not a sequence of steps. Focus on one this month and another next month, or none at all. Areas can be renamed or hidden so the words fit your life.
Why are there no streaks?
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Because streaks turn kindness into pressure. Skipping is a real, respectable choice, shown in neutral grey. Trends show how often something happened, never how often it “failed”.
What is a Steadying plan?
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A short plan you write on a calm day, ready for a hard one: “When I notice…, I’ll…, and I’ll talk to…”. It stays private unless you choose to share it.
How do I invite a mentor?
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Go to My People and create an invitation. It’s a one-use link that expires. Nothing happens until you both accept, and your mentor sees nothing until you share a specific item.
What can my mentor see?
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Only the items you choose to share with them, with the permission you choose: “View” or “View + comment”. Before you share, PADS shows exactly what will be visible, for example: “Sam will see this goal only, not its notes or anything else in Wellbeing.”
Can I have more than one mentor?
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One mentor at a time keeps the relationship clear and personal. You can keep several trusted contacts for the Talk button alongside them. A mentor can support several people, each kept completely separate.
How do I pause, end or change my mentor?
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Pause hides shared items until you resume. End stops the mentorship at any time and your own plans stay with you. To change, end the current mentorship and invite someone new; nothing transfers automatically. Please bear in mind that a former mentor may remember what they already saw.
What is Catch-up?
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An optional way to prepare for time with your mentor. Answer four short prompts (what’s going well, what’s on my mind, what I’d like to talk about, what I’ll try next) and share it before you meet. It isn’t a progress report: there are no ratings and nothing is marked overdue.
I’m a mentor. Will I be alerted if someone is struggling?
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No. Mentors never receive alerts based on a mood or a private entry. You’ll see a request only if your mentee chooses to send one, such as “I’d like help thinking something through”. Requests are not alarms; reply when you’re able.
Does PADS send messages for me?
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No. PADS opens WhatsApp, Signal or your phone with the message ready, and you press Send. It never claims a message was delivered or read.
Does PADS read my contacts?
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No. You add trusted contacts by hand. PADS never reads your address book.
Can the Talk button call for emergency help?
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No. It only reaches the people you chose. It never contacts emergency services or shares your location. If someone is in immediate danger, call 999 in the UK, 000 in Australia, or your local emergency number.
Can you read what I write?
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No. Your entries are stored encrypted on your phone. Anything synced or shared is encrypted on your phone before it leaves, so our server can’t read it. Read the privacy policy for the full detail.
Does PADS use AI on my entries?
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No AI reads your private entries without your separate, informed consent.
Why is PADS blank in my recent apps?
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That’s deliberate. It stops anyone glancing at your screen from seeing your entries.
Do reminders show anything personal?
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No. Reminders are off by default. When switched on they are kind and vague, such as “Fancy a quick check-in?”, with quiet hours and one switch to pause everything. Nothing personal appears on the lock screen.
I’ve got a new phone. How do I move my data?
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Install PADS on the new phone, sign in to your account and enter your recovery phrase. Your encrypted data will then be restored. [Confirm steps with the developer]
I’ve lost my recovery phrase.
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Because your data is encrypted so that only you can read it, we can’t recover it without your phrase. If you still have your old phone, open PADS there and create a new recovery phrase in Settings. [Confirm behaviour]
Reminders aren’t appearing.
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Check that reminders are switched on in PADS, that quiet hours aren’t active, and that notifications for PADS are allowed in your phone’s settings.
Your account
You can delete your PADS account at any time. You don’t need to give a reason.
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[Settings › Account › Delete account]
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PADS explains exactly what will be removed before you confirm.
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Uninstall PADS to remove the copy stored on your phone.
Use the contact form below and choose “Delete my account”. We’ll reply from [[email protected]] to the email address linked to your account to confirm it’s you, then delete your account within [30] days.
We keep a short record that a deletion request was completed, for [12 months], to show we acted on it.
Contact
Send us a message and we’ll reply within [2 working days].
Please don’t include private entries, health details or your recovery phrase. We can’t see your entries, and we will never ask for your phrase.
Prefer email? Write to [[email protected]].
