FAQ
Questions, answered.
How LOWKEY works, what Connections can see, and how you stay in control.
Getting started
What is LOWKEY?
LOWKEY learns what’s usual for you from patterns in data your iPhone already collects. It lets you know first when your routine meaningfully changes, so you stay in control of what happens next. Use LOWKEY on your own or invite Connections to look out for one another.
How is LOWKEY different from apps that ask me to check in every day?
Daily check-in apps depend on you remembering to respond. If you miss a tap, the app knows only that you did not respond, not whether anything in your routine changed.
LOWKEY works quietly in the background and learns what is usual for you across time, place, permitted HealthKit information, and phone activity. There is no daily tap to remember. You see every alert first and stay in control. If you don’t respond, qualifying alerts can automatically reach your Connections.
LOWKEY sends the signal. You decide what it means.
What does LOWKEY notice?
LOWKEY notices patterns in movement, phone activity, Evening Routine, time at home and away, and, when available, heart and recovery data. It considers context such as time and up to two saved locations where you sleep. LOWKEY compares your patterns with what’s usual for you, never with other people.
What is a category?
Categories bring related signals together so you can understand what changed without reading raw data. LOWKEY’s five categories are Evening Routine, Heart & Recovery, Home & Away, Movement, and Phone use. Each category compares recent patterns with what’s usual for you.
Do I need an Apple Watch or a wearable?
No. LOWKEY works with an iPhone alone. A connected device such as an Apple Watch can provide additional insights. LOWKEY can also use data from some devices that connect to HealthKit, including Eight Sleep. A wearable is optional.
Can I use LOWKEY just for myself?
Yes. You can use LOWKEY for your own insight without connecting to anyone. You can invite people and create Connections at any time.
How long before LOWKEY starts working?
LOWKEY works right away, but it needs a little time to learn your home and away patterns. How long that takes depends in part on whether you add one or two saved locations where you sleep.
Does LOWKEY work if my phone is off?
LOWKEY relies on active device signals and background sync. If your phone is powered off or out of battery, new signals cannot be sent until the device is back online.
Where is LOWKEY available?
LOWKEY is currently available only in the U.S. Its private beta included participants across three continents, but availability at launch is limited to the U.S.
What version of iOS do I need?
LOWKEY requires an iPhone running iOS 17 or later.
Does LOWKEY affect my battery life?
LOWKEY is designed to minimize battery use. Like a digital car key, it runs quietly in the background.
Is LOWKEY available on Android?
No. LOWKEY is currently available only for iPhone.
Can I use LOWKEY if I decline some permissions?
Yes. LOWKEY works best with all requested permissions turned on, but you can still use it if you decline some permissions. LOWKEY will have less information, so its insights may be more limited. It will continue comparing the information you allow with what’s usual for you.
Why does Background App Refresh need to stay on?
LOWKEY relies on Background App Refresh to keep your pattern information current. If background access is off, LOWKEY may not know whether you have left home or receive enough current information to provide reliable Home & Away insights.
How old do I need to be to use LOWKEY?
You must be 18 or older to use LOWKEY.
Your sky and Connections
What is my LOWKEY sky?
Your sky is the home screen, where accepted Connections appear as stars, planets, or lanterns.
- Star, a mutual ConnectionYou look out for each other. You both get updates and see each other’s colors.
- Planet, a one-way ConnectionYou look out for them. You see their colors, and your status stays private.
- Lantern, a one-way ConnectionThey look out for you. They see your colors and get your updates. You don’t see their data, so a Lantern keeps its warm glow and never changes color.
The symbol describes the type of Connection from your point of view. It is not a permanent role or label attached to the person. The color separately shows how that person’s recent patterns compare with what is usual for them. Every Connection is invitation-only, and each person controls what they share.
Can Connections see my sky or my other Connections?
No. Your sky is unique to you. Connections cannot see your sky, your list of Connections, or who else may receive an alert. You cannot see another person’s sky either.
Does someone I invite need LOWKEY?
Yes. They need to download LOWKEY, have their own membership, and accept your invitation. A Connection begins only after they accept, and either person can end it at any time.
Can I stop sharing or end a Connection?
Yes. You can change what is shared or end a Connection at any time. You are always in control.
Can I remove a Connection without notifying them?
Yes. You can end a Connection at any time. LOWKEY does not send them a separate removal notification.
What happens if someone I am connected to leaves LOWKEY?
If someone leaves LOWKEY, their chat will appear gray to show that the Connection is no longer active.
Is there a limit to how many Connections I can have?
No. There is no limit to the number of Connections you can have.
Alerts and notifications
Who gets notified, and when?
You are always notified first. A Heads Up goes only to you. For a Check In or Be There alert, you have up to four hours to respond. Selecting I’m good pauses escalation, and you can pause the same continuing pattern up to three times. If you do not respond within four hours, or the next qualifying alert occurs after all three pauses have been used, the alert is shared with your Connections. For each Connection, you choose whether they receive Check In and Be There alerts, or only Be There. Each Connection receives it separately and cannot see your other Connections or who else received the alert. If you do not have any Connections, alerts go only to you.
How long do I have to respond?
A Check In or Be There alert asks for your acknowledgment within four hours. If you do not respond during that time, LOWKEY shares the alert with the Connections set to receive it.
Will LOWKEY wake me up at night?
No. Quiet hours run from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m., and alerts wait until morning. The one exception is I need a hand, which reaches your Connections right away, day or night.
Will LOWKEY send me text messages?
Only for a Be There alert, and never more than two texts for the same alert. Heads Up and Check In alerts never arrive by text.
What if I’m traveling?
You don’t need to do anything, and there’s no vacation mode to remember. When you spend a full day away from home, LOWKEY sets that day aside automatically, so a trip doesn’t count as a change.
Can I pause an alert?
For the same continuing pattern, you can select I’m good up to three times to pause escalation. The current alert is not shared, but LOWKEY continues evaluating the pattern. If it continues after those three pauses, the next qualifying alert is shared with the Connections set to receive it.
What if I need help now?
Select I need a hand and LOWKEY will notify every Connection immediately, including during quiet hours. Each Connection receives the request separately and cannot see who else received it.
What if nobody responds to an alert?
LOWKEY notifies the Connections set to receive the alert, but it cannot make anyone respond. That is why the people you choose matter more than the app does, and why we suggest connecting with more than one person. Connections do not see who else was notified. You can add, change, or end Connections at any time.
Does a change mean something is wrong?
No. A change may reflect travel, recovery, a new routine, a new baby, or a busy week. LOWKEY never calls a change good or bad, only different from your usual. LOWKEY sends the signal. You decide what it means.
Is LOWKEY a medical device or emergency service?
No. LOWKEY is a wellness and connection tool. It does not diagnose, treat, cure, prevent, monitor, or predict any condition. It is not an emergency service, crisis service, or substitute for professional care.
Privacy and data security
What can someone connected to me see?
You choose one of three sharing levels for each Connection, and you can change it any time.
Minimal: your color in their sky and the fact that an alert happened.
Story: the story of what changed, with each category colored by how it compares with your usual range.
Full: the story plus graphs with your usual range and detailed metrics. Full is the only level that includes Phone use.
No level ever shows your messages, raw health records, or live location.
Does LOWKEY see what I do on my phone?
No. Phone use looks at how you handle your phone: how often you pick it up, how long each session lasts, and your longest quiet stretch. LOWKEY never sees what’s on your screen, which apps you use, or what you type. Only Connections you share with at Full see your Phone use.
How does LOWKEY use my location?
LOWKEY is not a location-sharing app, and your Connections never see where you are. With your permission, LOWKEY uses location-related signals to understand whether your routine at saved locations has changed. It does not show your Connections a live location, address, route, or destination. For more detail, see our Terms of Service.
Does LOWKEY read my texts, emails, or private messages?
No. LOWKEY does not read message content, emails, photos, browsing history, or the content of your calls.
Do you sell my personal data?
No. LOWKEY never sells your personal data or uses it for targeted advertising. LOWKEY is funded by subscriptions.
How is my data protected?
Your data is encrypted in transit and at rest. GPS is processed on your device, and saved places are stored anonymized.
What happens to my data when my account is deleted?
When you delete your account, LOWKEY deletes your account and associated personal data within 30 days, subject to the limited exceptions described in our Privacy Policy.
Can I export my LOWKEY data?
Yes. You can request an export of your data by emailing support@lowkeyprotection.com.
Pricing
How much does LOWKEY cost?
Every membership begins with a 30-day free trial. Anyone who signs up by Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2027, keeps $10 a month or $100 a year for as long as their subscription stays active. Prices go up after February 14, 2027. Subscriptions are managed through Apple.
What happens after the 30-day free trial?
Unless you cancel, your subscription begins automatically at the end of the trial and Apple charges you for the membership plan you selected.
How do I cancel my subscription?
Cancel through Subscriptions in your Apple Account settings. Apple manages LOWKEY subscriptions, so they cannot be canceled inside LOWKEY.
Support
How can I contact LOWKEY?
Email support@lowkeyprotection.com. Please do not include sensitive health information in your email.
Ready when you are.
Sign up by Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2027, and keep $10 a month or $100 a year while you stay subscribed. 30-day free trial.