App Guide

Every screen and button, explained

This page walks through the Remain Faithful iPhone app one screen at a time. For each button you will see what it does and why it is there. Keep it open next to your phone the first time you set things up.

What leaves your phone

Only two things. Alert details (the type of alert, how serious it was, the time, and a short summary the app writes) and a regular check-in that says the app is still running. Screenshots and what is on your screen stay on your phone.

Who it is for

Adults (18+) who choose to be accountable on their own iPhone, with friends they trust. It is not a parental control app. It needs iOS 17 or later.

Part 1

Getting started

The first time you open the app, it walks you through four short screens. Setup takes a few minutes.

First screen after you install the app

Welcome

This is the first thing you see. It has two choices.

Begin Your Journey: Starts setting up a new account.Pick this if you have never used Remain Faithful before.
Sign In: Opens the sign-in screen.Use this if you already have an account, like after you get a new phone.

Welcome screen

After you tap Begin Your Journey

Create your account

Three boxes and one button.

Your name: The name your partners and group see.Use the name they know you by. Accountability only works when your partners know who they are walking with.
Email address: The email you sign in with.If a partner or group already invited you, use the same email they sent the invite to. The app connects you to them as soon as your account is made.
Password: Must be at least 8 characters.
Get Started: Creates your account and moves to the next step. Tapping it means you agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Create your account

Tap Sign In on the welcome screen

Sign in

For people who already have an account.

Sign In: Signs you in with your email and password.
Forgot Password?: Sends a reset link to your email. The link works for one hour.
Sign in with Apple: Signs you in with your Apple ID instead of a password.
Create Account: Takes you back to new account setup.

Second setup screen

Invite your accountability partner

Here you invite the one person you want to walk with you.

Partner's email address: Type the email of a trusted friend.
Send Invitation: Emails your partner an invite. If they do not have the app yet, they are connected to you once they create an account with that email.It is easier to stay on track when someone you trust is paying attention.
Skip for now: Moves on without inviting anyone.You can add a partner later in Settings, then Manage Partners.

Last setup screen

Turn on monitoring

This screen explains the two ways the app keeps watch: App Monitoring and Deep Scan.

Enable App Monitoring: Opens Apple's Screen Time permission box. You approve it on your own phone.The app needs this permission to watch and block the apps you choose. Without it, those features stay off.
Get Started: Finishes setup. If you skipped the permission, this button says Continue Without Monitoring instead. Either way, iOS then asks if the app can send you notifications.Say yes to notifications. That is how you hear about partner alerts.

The small line at the bottom says Deep Scan starts from Control Center. The Deep Scan section below shows how.

Part 2

Home tab

Home is your daily check-in. It shows whether Deep Scan is on, your clean streak, and any recent flags.

First tab at the bottom of the screen

Home

Here is everything you can see and tap on Home.

Monitoring is paused (banner): Shows when Deep Scan is not running. Tap it to see the four steps for starting Deep Scan from Control Center.
Monitoring Active (green card): Shows while Deep Scan is running. It is just a status card. You start and stop Deep Scan from Control Center. While it is running, the line under it says whether pausing will notify your partners. That notice goes out only when App Lockout is on.
Verse of the Day: A short Bible verse. A new one shows each day.
Clean streak: The big number is how many days in a row you have gone without a flag. "Best" is your longest streak. The row of circles is this week. A check mark is a clean day. An X is a day with a flag.Seeing the days add up helps you keep going.
Recent Flags: Your latest alerts. Tap one to open it. If you have none, it says "No flags yet."
I Need Support Right Now: Opens a screen for a hard moment, with a verse, your partner's name, and a button to reach them.When temptation hits, the hardest part is reaching out. This makes it one tap.
Monitored app used today (banner): Can show up after you use an app you chose to monitor. Start Broadcast Scan shows how to turn on Deep Scan. The X hides it.
Support Remain Faithful (banner) and Give: Give opens the donation page on our website in Safari. The X hides the banner for a week.
Number on the Home icon: How many new alerts you have. It clears when you open Home.
Partner alert at the top: If a partner gets flagged while you have the app open, a banner slides in with their name. Tap it to read the alert. It goes away by itself after six seconds.

Home tab showing the green Monitoring Active card while Deep Scan is running, with a 47-day clean streak.

Home with Deep Scan running

Tap "Monitoring is paused" on Home

Starting Deep Scan

Deep Scan is optional. You turn it on yourself for times you want closer watch, like travel or a hard season.

The four steps: Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center. Press and hold the Screen Recording button. Pick Remain Faithful from the list. Tap Start Broadcast.
Got it: Closes the steps.

While Deep Scan runs, your phone checks what is on screen, on the phone itself. iOS shows its red recording indicator so you always know it is on. Streaming apps like Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu show up black to Deep Scan, so it cannot check them. Screenshots and the text on your screen never leave your phone.

Tap any item in Recent Flags

An alert

This is what an alert looks like when you open it.

Category and level: What kind of alert it was and how serious.
Detected: When it happened and a short summary the app wrote.
Conversation Starter: A few questions to use when you talk it through with your partner.Starting the conversation is often the hardest part. These give you a first line.
Mark as Discussed: Tap it after you have talked it through. It is saved to your account and the button turns green.

Alert detail

Purple button on Home

I Need Support Right Now

This screen is for a moment of temptation.

Hold On To This: Shows 1 Corinthians 10:13.
Your Accountability Partner: Shows your primary partner's name. The star in Manage Partners marks who that is. The alert itself goes to every accepted partner and to your group, not only the starred person. If you have no partner and no group yet, it asks you to add one.
Alert Partners and Group: Sends an urgent notification to every accepted partner and to the other people in your groups. The button turns green and says Alert Sent only after the notice goes out. If it cannot send, the screen says so.The people you chose hear from you right away, before things go further.
I'm okay, close this: Closes the screen. Nothing is sent.

Part 3

Group tab

A group is a small circle of people, up to 12, who keep each other accountable. The Group tab shows how everyone is doing.

Middle tab at the bottom of the screen

Your group

What you see once you are in a group.

Group name: Your group's name and how many people are in it. The pencil saves a new name for everyone in the group.
Members: Each person's clean streak and a colored dot. Green "Strong" means no flags in the last 30 days. Orange "Watchful" means one or two. Red "Struggling" means three or more.You can see at a glance who might need a call this week.
Tap a member: Opens their streak and their recent flags. Send Encouragement sends that person a short notice. It says Encouragement Sent only after the notice goes out. Close takes you back.
Group Covenant: Shows the wording saved for your group. Edit Covenant saves it and notifies the other members. They are not asked to sign it again. The notice does not include the wording.
Invite Member: Opens a sheet to add someone. Type an email and the app sends them an invite, even if they do not have the app yet. They join when they sign up with that email. Or tap Share Invite Link to send it by text or any other app.

Group tab

Group tab, when you are not in a group yet

Create a Group

If you are not in a group, the tab says "No Group Yet" and shows a Create a Group button. It takes four short steps.

Name your group: Pick a name your members will recognize.
Group Covenant: The agreement members sign. You can use ours or change the wording.
Invite Members: Type the emails of the people you want. Add another email adds a new box. Groups hold up to 12 people.
Review: Check everything, then create the group. Invites go out by email.

Part 4

Settings tab

Settings is where you manage partners, groups, the apps you want blocked, and your account.

Top of the Settings tab

Profile and accountability

Your name and email are at the top, followed by the Accountability section.

Edit: Change your name or email.
Manage Partners: Lists your one-to-one partners. Tap the star to make someone your primary partner. The star changes only after it is saved. The I Need Support button reaches every accepted partner and your group, not only the starred person. Remove ends a partnership and lets them know. Add New Partner sends an invite by email.
Manage Groups: Lists the groups you belong to. Each one has Invite Member and Leave Group. Create New Group starts a new one.
View Covenant: Shows the wording saved for your group. If the group has not saved its own, you see a sample labeled as a sample.

Settings, then App Restrictions

App Restrictions

This is where you choose which apps the app watches or blocks. It uses Apple's Screen Time, so it keeps working in the background.

Screen Time Permission: Shows if you have given permission. If not, tap to turn it on.
Choose Apps to Restrict: Opens Apple's own list of apps and categories. Pick the ones that tempt you.
Monitor App Usage: When on, your partner gets an alert after you spend one minute in a chosen app in a day.
Block Selected Apps: When on, opening a chosen app shows the iOS Screen Time block screen instead.A block that is already in place does more than willpower in the moment.

Settings, Monitoring and Protection sections

Monitoring and protection

These keep your setup from being switched off quietly.

Notifications: Opens iPhone Settings for Remain Faithful, where you turn alerts on or off.
App Lockout (Deep Scan): Optional. When on, the apps you chose stay blocked unless Deep Scan is running. If you stop Deep Scan, the block comes back and your partners get a notice. The Home card says so only while this is on. Turning App Lockout off also sends a notice.
Partner PIN: Shows whether a partner has set a PIN for you. Your partner sets it from their own phone in Manage Partners. Once it is set, opening App Restrictions or turning off App Lockout asks for that PIN. A wrong PIN sends your partner a notice.It keeps a weak moment from undoing a decision you made on a strong day.

Bottom half of Settings

Activity log, support, and account

The rest of the Settings tab.

View My Activity Log: Your full history of flagged activity.
Support Remain Faithful: Opens the donation page on our website in Safari. The app stays free either way.
How It Works: A short three-step summary of how the app works, with a link to this guide.
Replay App Tour: Walks through the main buttons again, starting on Home. You can skip any step.
Contact Support: Opens an email to support@remainfaithful.com.
Rate the App: Asks iOS to show the App Store rating box.
Send Ideas or Report a Problem: Opens a form for an idea, an improvement, or a problem. Your account name and email are included so we can reply. App version and iPhone model are included only if you turn that on. If sending fails, you can email support@remainfaithful.com instead.
Leave All Groups: Takes you out of every group and lets the other members know. You confirm first. Your alert history stays until you delete your account.
Delete Account: Deletes your account and your data for good and lets your partners know you left. It cannot be undone.
Sign Out: Signs you out of this phone.

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