Support
Answers to common questions. If yours is not here, write to us.
Write to us about anything: a bug, a question, an idea for the catalog. A person reads every message. A screenshot and your iOS version help a lot.
[email protected]Getting started
How do I take my first vow?
Open the Catalog, choose a challenge, an askesis or an event, set the duration and the check-in window, and confirm. A vow starts right away or on the day you choose.
Why does Vow ask my age?
To open the right catalog. From 13 to 17 Vow opens Easy challenges and event challenges, without askesis. From 18 the full catalog is available. Under 13 the app does not open. Your age stays on your iPhone.
How many vows can I run at once?
Up to three challenges and one askesis at a time, plus a Year Intention.
Check-in window
What is the window?
The period when Vow accepts today’s mark. Each vow shows its window on its own screen; you choose it when you start. Mark inside the window and the day counts. After the window closes, the day can no longer be marked.
How do reminders work?
Vow sends local notifications when a window opens and before it closes. You can change them in the app under Settings → Notifications, or turn them off in iOS Settings → Notifications → Vow.
Can I end a vow early?
Yes, with the button at the bottom of the vow’s screen. The result is saved in History as not completed. This cannot be undone.
Day transfer (challenges)
A day transfer protects a challenge from one missed day. If a day was missed, Vow offers a transfer or ending the challenge.
- Easy: one transfer, if you turned it on when you started.
- Basic: one transfer for the whole challenge.
- Hard: no transfers: a missed check-in ends the challenge.
An askesis has no day transfers: a missed window ends it.
Data backup
How do I save a backup?
Settings → Privacy → “Save a data backup”. Vow puts all your vows, history, diaries, Year Intention and photos into one file and opens the share sheet. Save it to Files, iCloud Drive or wherever suits you.
How do I restore it?
Settings → Privacy → “Restore from backup”, then pick the file. Vow shows the date of the backup and asks you to confirm: the data on this iPhone will be replaced by the backup.
Good to know
The file contains your personal notes. Keep it where others won’t see it. Paired askesis records in iCloud are not part of the backup: they are shared with your partner.
Paired askesis
- Both of you need an iPhone signed in to iCloud (Settings → your name → iCloud).
- One person creates the askesis. The invite code appears right after the start.
- The partner opens the Catalog, taps “Have an invite code” and enters it.
- Each of you keeps your own progress. The “I’m here” signal tells the other that you checked in today.
If the pair could not be created, check that iCloud is signed in and the internet is available, then try again.
Year Intention
- One Year Intention per calendar year. It ends at 9 pm on 31 December.
- The Year Intention is free.
- “Result now” shows the year at any moment. The certificate can be shared or saved to Photos.
- Reference photos are stored only on your iPhone.
Widgets and Live Activities
How do I add a widget?
Touch and hold an empty area of the Home Screen, tap Edit → Add Widget, find Vow and choose a widget. For the Lock Screen: touch and hold the Lock Screen, tap Customize → Lock Screen, then tap the widget area.
The widget shows old data.
Open Vow once: the app refreshes its widgets every time it opens. If you have just created a Year Intention, open it in the app before adding the widget.
How do I turn Live Activities on or off?
Allow them when iOS asks the first time. Later you can change this in iOS Settings → Vow → Live Activities.
Language
Vow speaks English, Russian, French and Spanish. In the app open Settings → Interface language and choose a language or “Automatic” to follow the system.
Your data
Everything you create in Vow stays on your iPhone and is included in your regular iPhone backup. There is no account to recover, so deleting the app deletes its data.
To erase everything on purpose: Settings → Privacy → Delete all my data. This also tries to remove your paired askesis records from iCloud. It cannot be undone.
More in the Privacy Policy and the Terms of Use.