Support

Help with CHRP: pairing two devices, talking, offline use, blocking, reporting, and troubleshooting.

#CHRP Support

Email: [email protected] Safety concerns: [email protected] Privacy questions: [email protected]

We answer support email within two business days. Safety reports are acknowledged within 24 hours.

#Getting started

CHRP needs two devices. It is a walkie-talkie — it connects your phone directly to someone else's. On its own there is nothing to hear.

To add a contact: open CHRP on both phones → Settings → Add Contact → hold the phones together. Accept on both. You are paired permanently; you never have to do it again.

To talk: press and hold the large button in the middle. Let go when you are done.

#Common questions

Do I need an account? No. CHRP has no sign-up, no login, no phone number, and no email. Your identity is created on your device the first time you open the app.

Does it work without internet? Yes — that is the point. CHRP connects directly over Wi-Fi where it can, over your iPhone's peer-to-peer radio when there is no shared Wi-Fi, and over Bluetooth when there is no internet and no cellular service at all. It switches between them automatically.

What is the range without any network? Bluetooth range, extended by any other CHRP devices in between passing messages along. Realistically tens of metres directly, further with people in between. It is not a long-range radio.

Can you read my messages? No. Everything is end-to-end encrypted between your device and your contact's. We hold no key that can decrypt it. When your message travels through our relay — which only happens when there is no direct path — it is already encrypted before it leaves your phone, and we forward it without storing it.

Where are my messages stored? On your device only. CHRP has a retention setting that can delete history automatically. Deleting the app removes everything.

Someone is bothering me. What can I do? Block them — Settings → Paired Contacts → the contact → Block. Blocking works on your device and does not depend on our servers. Block & Burn goes further and blocks the physical device, so the same person cannot come back under a new identity from the same phone.

You can also report them: open the conversation → ⋯ → Report a Safety Concern. Routine reports tell us who and why and never include your messages. For serious harm you can choose to attach evidence; it is sealed on your device so only an offline human reviewer can open it.

Is CHRP an emergency service? No. CHRP's SOS and check-in features notify contacts you have chosen. They do not contact 911, 999, 112, or any emergency authority. Do not rely on CHRP to reach emergency responders.

Why does CHRP want so many permissions? Each one maps to a way of reaching people. Microphone for talking, Bluetooth for the offline mesh, local network for same-Wi-Fi connections, NFC and UWB for pairing by holding phones together, notifications so you know someone is calling. Location is used only when you raise an SOS or check in — never in the background and never during ordinary calls. All of them are optional; declining one removes a feature rather than breaking the app.

What is Chrpi? A companion that lives in the app. It is not required for anything — CHRP works exactly the same if you never open it.

#Troubleshooting

Pairing does not complete. Hold the phones back to back, upper halves touching, and keep them still for a couple of seconds. Both phones need CHRP open and in the foreground. If it still fails, make sure Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are on — pairing uses both even when you are not on a network.

My contact cannot hear me. Check the connection indicator on the contact's card. If it shows no route, move closer or step somewhere with signal and try again. If it shows a route but audio does not arrive, force quit CHRP on both devices and reopen.

Audio is choppy. Usually weak signal between the devices. Moving a few metres often fixes it. If it is consistent in good conditions, please report it — that is a bug and we want it.

Nothing arrives when my phone is locked. Check that notifications are enabled for CHRP in the iOS Settings app, and that Focus or Do Not Disturb is not filtering it.

#Reporting a bug

If you are on the TestFlight beta, tap the 🐞 button in the app. It captures a screenshot and the diagnostic log, and shows you exactly what will be sent before it is sent.