Getting Started with the SafelySolo Beta

Welcome to the SafelySolo beta! We're building a tool that helps you stay safe while adventuring alone—whether it's a sunrise hike, a late-night run, or just a solo walk to your car. This guide will help you get the most out of the app.

1How SafelySolo works

SafelySolo is built around trips. Every trip starts from your current location:

• You start a trip—to a destination, back home, or a round trip from where you are—with a check-in deadline.
• SafelySolo tracks the trip live and uses a geofence to detect when you arrive, completing the trip automatically. You can also Check In manually at any time.
• Running late? If you miss your arrival time, you're offered options to extend your time—through the app, a widget, or hands-free with App Intents and Siri.
• If you still don't check in, a check-in overlay appears:
  • If you don't respond, your trusted contacts are alerted with your last known location.
  • On the free tier, you're prompted to text them from your own Messages app.
  • With Premium, SafelySolo texts them automatically.

2Initial setup

On first launch, the Set Up Safety screen walks you through the two things SafelySolo needs:

Location Services

Set this to "Always". Live tracking and automatic arrival detection rely on geofences, which only work reliably with Always access. We do not track you when no trip is running.

Trusted contacts

Add at least one trusted contact—you'll be prompted before your first trip if you haven't. See Managing contacts below.

Notifications

Enable notifications so SafelySolo can remind you when your check-in deadline is approaching. This gives you a chance to check in or extend the deadline before an alert is sent.

3Starting a trip

Every trip starts from your current location. There are four ways to go:

• Trip Home: One tap. Confirm your time and contacts, head home, and the trip completes automatically when you arrive.
• Round trip from here: For hikes, runs, and walks with no fixed destination. Set a "be back by" time; the trip completes when you return to your starting area.
• One-way to a destination: Tap Start a Trip, search for a destination, and go. The trip completes on arrival.
• Named round trip: Pick a destination and choose Round Trip. Go there and back; the trip completes when you return to your start.

Set your "be back by" time with a small buffer (e.g., if a hike takes 60 minutes, allow 75). You can always check in early—or extend from the app or widget if you're running long.

4Managing trusted contacts

Go to the Contacts tab to add people you trust.

• We recommend adding 2–3 people who are likely to be near their phones.
• Pro Tip: Use the "Send Test Alert" feature to let your contacts know what a SafelySolo text looks like. This prevents unnecessary panic when they see a real alert.

5Free vs Premium

SafelySolo's core safety loop is free. Premium adds automation and intelligence on top.

Free

• All trip modes: one-way, Trip Home, and round trips.
• Live tracking, automatic arrival detection, and check-in reminders.
• Trusted contacts. If you miss a check-in, you're prompted to text them from your own Messages app.
• Siri: check in, extend, or cancel an active trip.

Premium

• Automatic alerts: SafelySolo texts your contacts automatically if you miss a check-in—no action needed from you or your phone.
• AI safety briefing and "Draft with AI" messages.
• Route weather forecasts on your trip cards.
• Trusted Safety Contacts (consent/opt-in).
• Hands-free trip start via Siri.

6Widgets

SafelySolo has Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets so you can start or monitor a trip without digging for the app icon. Open the app once before adding widgets.

• Trip Status (small/medium): Shows your destination, arrival time, and a live countdown—turning orange when your deadline is soon and red when it has passed. Resets to "Start a trip" after you check in safe.
• Quick Start (medium/large): One-tap tiles for Trip Home, Round Trip, and your saved Places; shows a compact countdown while a trip is active.
• Lock Screen: Long-press your Lock Screen → Customize → add the circle or rectangle SafelySolo widgets below the clock.
• To add (Home Screen): Long-press an empty spot, tap the (+) or "Edit" button, and search for SafelySolo.

7Siri & Voice Support

Powered by App Intents, SafelySolo lets you manage an active trip hands-free—perfect for when you're already on the move or wearing gloves.

• "Siri, check in with SafelySolo." (Completes the active trip)
• "Siri, add 15 minutes to my SafelySolo trip."
• "Siri, cancel my SafelySolo trip."

Starting a trip by voice (e.g., "Siri, start a trip home with SafelySolo") is a Premium feature.

8Tips & Tricks

• Extend the clock: If your hike is taking longer than expected, extend your deadline from the app or widget without having to cancel and restart the trip.
• Start with signal: Make sure you have a cellular connection when you start a trip so the SafelySolo server knows you're out there.
• Weak GPS: In dead zones (canyons, tall buildings, dense trees), SafelySolo keeps tracking with reduced accuracy instead of stopping—look for the orange "weak GPS signal" indicator in the map header.
• Battery: SafelySolo is optimized for battery life, but keep an eye on your levels during long activities. With Premium, automatic alerts are triggered by the server, so a missed check-in still alerts your contacts even if your phone dies mid-trip (provided the trip was started with signal). On the free tier, your phone must be alive for you to send the alert text.

9Joining the beta

The SafelySolo beta is currently invite-only. To join, sign the NDA here. Once signed, you'll receive a TestFlight invitation. Make sure you have the TestFlight app installed on your iPhone.

Already testing? Check the TestFlight build history for what to test in each build.

10Providing feedback

Your feedback is vital to making SafelySolo better. If you find a bug or have a feature suggestion, please email us at beta@flowstateconsulting.com with "Beta Feedback" in the subject line.