User Guide

1. Getting Started

Welcome to UpWatch! This guide will help you understand how to use the app effectively.

What is UpWatch?

UpWatch is a social tracking app where people share status updates through group alarms. Create an alarm, set a schedule, add people as senders or recipients. When the alarm time comes, senders share their status with a single button press. Recipients get notified instantly.

Team updates: Share daily progress without extra meetings
Family tracking: Know when kids arrive at school or home
Routines: Track habits, challenges, or daily goals together
Pet care: Get updates when someone is watching your pet

Account Setup

Create your account using email or sign in with Google or Apple. Complete your profile with your name and optional profile photo.

💡 Enable push notifications to never miss an update from your network.

Main Navigation

The app has four main tabs:

Alarms: View and manage your alarms
Notifications: See all received updates
Network: Manage your connections
Settings: Configure your preferences

2. Creating Alarms

Alarms are the main feature of UpWatch. They let you schedule regular updates to keep others informed.

Creating Your First Alarm

Press the + button to create a new alarm. Give it a descriptive name like 'Daily Check-in' or 'Arrived Safely'.

Enter a name for your alarm
Add an optional description
Set the schedule
Add participants

Schedule Settings

Choose which days and times the alarm should be active. You can set multiple times per day.

Select days of the week
Add one or more update times
Times are based on your timezone

💡 Senders will receive a reminder notification when it's time to send their update.

Adding Participants

Add people from your network as participants. You can assign them as Senders (who send updates) or Recipients (who receive updates).

💡 You must first connect with someone before adding them to an alarm. Go to Network tab to add connections.

3. Participants & Roles

Understanding roles helps you set up alarms correctly.

Sender Role

Senders are responsible for sending status updates at the scheduled times.

Receive reminder notifications when it's time to update
Can send Normal (green) or Alert (red) status
Can optionally share location with updates

Recipient Role

Recipients receive notifications when senders share their status.

Get notified when a sender shares an update
See the update history for the alarm
Can be given admin permissions

Admin Permissions

The alarm creator (owner) is always an admin. Other recipients can be granted admin rights to help manage the alarm.

Add or remove participants
Edit alarm settings

⚠️ Only the alarm owner can delete the alarm. Admins cannot delete alarms.

4. Sending Updates

When it's time for your scheduled update, you'll receive a reminder notification.

Normal Status (Green)

Send a Normal status to let everyone know everything is okay. This is your regular update.

Alert Status (Red)

Send an Alert status when something needs attention. Recipients will see this highlighted differently.

⚠️ Alert status is for attention-needed situations, NOT for emergencies. Always call your local emergency services for real emergencies.

Location Sharing

When sending an update, you can choose to include your current location. This is optional and requires your permission.

Toggle location sharing for each update
Recipients can see your location on a map
Location is only shared when you choose to

5. Notifications

Stay informed with push notifications and the notification center.

Push Notifications

You'll receive push notifications for:

Reminders when it's time to send your update (for senders)
Updates from senders in your alarms
Connection requests
Alarm invitations

💡 Enable notifications in your device settings for the best experience.

Interactive Notifications

You can quickly respond to reminder notifications by long-pressing on them to reveal action buttons.

Press 'Normal' to send a Normal status
Press 'Alert' to send an Alert status

Notification History

View all past notifications in the Notifications tab. Filter by alarm or view all at once.

💡 The history retention period depends on your subscription plan.

6. Network & Connections

Build your network of trusted contacts before adding them to alarms.

Adding Connections

To add someone to your network, search for them in the Network tab:

Search by email address
Search by username

💡 Once you find someone, send them a connection request. They need to accept before you can add them to alarms.

Privacy Between Participants

Participants in an alarm cannot see each other's contact information. Only you can see your own connections.

Email addresses are private
Only names and profile photos are visible to other participants

7. Subscription Plans

UpWatch offers a free plan and premium options. Higher tiers include more alarms, more participants per alarm, and longer notification history.

How to Subscribe

Go to Settings > Subscription to view available plans and current limits. Subscriptions are managed through the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android).

💡 You can cancel anytime through your device's subscription settings.

8. Settings

Customize UpWatch to fit your preferences.

Profile Settings

Update your name, profile photo, and contact information in Settings > Account.

Notification Preferences

Control which notifications you receive and how they appear.

💡 You can mute specific alarms if needed.

Account Security

Keep your account secure:

Use a strong, unique password
Change your password regularly in Settings > Account

Language Settings

UpWatch is available in English, Turkish, and German. The app uses your device language by default.