Help Center

What is Homebound?

Homebound is a personal safety app for outdoor adventurers. Create trip plans with your expected return time, add safety contacts, and if you don't check out on time, your contacts are automatically notified with your trip details and location. It's a simple safety net that gives you freedom to explore while giving loved ones peace of mind.

How do I sign in or create an account?

Homebound uses passwordless sign-in. Choose Continue with Email to get a one-time code sent to your inbox, or Continue with Apple to use your Apple ID. Your account is created automatically the first time you sign in — there's no password to remember. Your safety contacts never need to sign in or download the app.

What can I use Homebound for?

Anything you want! The idea for this app originally was to encourage more people to explore our beautiful Earth, staying safe while doing so. But throughout development, this app has turned into something bigger. Homebound can be used in any situation where you want someone to know where you're going and when you expect to be back/there. For example, college students walking back to their dorms at night, parents tracking kids on field trips, going out to bars with friends, or college students going out to frats/parties. Even just letting a roommate know when you'll be back from grocery shopping. The idea of Homebound is to help you come up with a plan and share it with someone you trust, so that if something goes wrong, they have the information they need to help you.

How do I create a trip?

Tap the "+" button on the home screen to create a new trip. You'll set your activity type (hiking, climbing, skiing, etc.), add your location, set your start time and expected return time (ETA), choose a grace period, and select your safety contacts (up to 2 on the free plan, or 5 with Homebound+). You can also add notes with important details like your planned route or gear you're carrying.

What happens if I don't check out on time?

If you don't check out by your ETA plus your grace period, Homebound automatically sends notifications to your safety contacts. They'll receive your trip details including activity type, location, notes, and your last known position. This ensures someone knows to check on you if something goes wrong.

What is a grace period?

The grace period is extra time added after your ETA before alerts are sent. For example, if your ETA is 5:00 PM with a 30-minute grace period, contacts won't be notified until 5:30 PM. This prevents false alarms for minor delays like traffic or taking a longer break. You can customize the grace period for each trip.

Is Homebound a replacement for calling 911?

No. Homebound is a supplementary safety tool that notifies your personal contacts. It does not contact emergency services or dispatch help. In an emergency, always call 911 (or your local emergency number) first. Homebound is meant to work alongside proper safety planning, not replace it.

What are custom notification messages?

Custom messages let you personalize the notifications your contacts receive. Instead of generic text, you can write your own trip start message and overdue alert message. This is useful for adding personal touches or specific instructions for your contacts. Custom messages are available to all users.

How do I save a trip for reuse?

After creating a trip, you can save it as a template. Templates remember your activity, location, contacts, and settings so you can recreate a trip in seconds. You can save up to 10 templates. (This is different from Quick Trips — see below.)

What are Quick Trips?

Quick Trips are one-tap presets pinned to your home screen for routine outings — your daily run, the climbing gym, the walk home. Tap one and Homebound pre-fills the activity, duration, grace period, and contacts, detects your current location, and lets you start in a couple of taps. Set them up under Quick Trips → Manage. You can also back up and restore your Quick Trips from Settings. Quick Trips are free.

Can I save places I go often?

Yes. Save places you visit regularly — Home, Work, the trailhead — under Settings > Saved Locations, then pick them when creating a trip instead of searching each time.

What's the difference between checking in and checking out?

A check-in is an optional progress update during a trip — it lets your contacts know you're okay and can include your current location. Checking out is the single action that ends your trip and tells everyone you're safe. The one that matters for safety is checkout: if you don't check out by your ETA plus grace period, your contacts are alerted.

What are check-in reminders?

When creating a trip you can set a reminder frequency, and Homebound will nudge you to check in at that interval during the trip. Reminders are free, and they're just for you — a gentle prompt, not something your contacts see.

If I miss a check-in, are my contacts alerted?

No. Missing a periodic check-in doesn't alert anyone — it's only a reminder for you. Your contacts are notified only if you miss your checkout (your ETA plus grace period). This is the part people most often get backwards.

Can I set quiet hours so reminders don't wake me?

Yes, per trip. When creating a trip you can turn on "notification hours" (default 8 AM–10 PM) so reminders only arrive during that window. Emergency alerts — like going overdue — always come through, regardless of notification hours.

How do I add safety contacts?

Go to the Contacts tab to add people you trust. Enter their name and email address. Once added, you can select them as safety contacts when creating trips. Free users can add up to 2 contacts per trip, while Homebound+ subscribers can add up to 5.

What are contact groups?

Contact groups let you save a set of safety contacts under one name — like "Hiking buddies" or "Family" — and add them all to a trip at once, instead of picking each person every time. Manage them from "Manage Groups" in the Friends tab. Contact groups are free.

Do my contacts need to download the app?

No. Your safety contacts receive notifications via email. They don't need to download Homebound or create an account. However, if they do have Homebound, you can add them as friends for additional features like seeing each other's active trips.

What notifications do my contacts receive?

Your safety contacts receive emails when:

• You start a trip (with trip details and your location)
• You check in during a trip (with your current location if enabled)
• You complete a trip safely
• You go overdue (haven't checked out by ETA + grace period)
• You extend your ETA
• You send an emergency SOS (see the Emergency SOS section)
• You cancel a planned trip

Every one of these emails also includes a "Follow This Trip" link they can open in any browser — no app required.

Can I use friends as safety contacts?

Yes! If you've connected with other Homebound users as friends, you can add them as safety contacts for your trips. They'll receive the same notifications as regular contacts, plus they can view your trip details and live location (if enabled) directly in their app.

Can my contacts follow my trip live without the app?

Yes. Every email your contacts receive includes a "Follow This Trip" link that opens a live web page — no app or account needed. It shows your trip status, a countdown to your ETA, your most recent check-in location on a map, and a timeline of events (start, check-ins, ETA extensions, checkout). The page refreshes on its own, so contacts can keep an eye on your progress right from their browser.

What is the SOS button?

When you're on an active trip, the trip card shows a red SOS button. It's a one-tap way to immediately alert all of your safety contacts that you need help — without waiting for your ETA to pass. SOS is free and available on every active trip.

How do I send an SOS?

Open your active trip and tap SOS, then confirm on the "Send Emergency SOS" screen. You can add a short optional message — for example, what's wrong or what you need. Because it alerts everyone right away, it's behind a confirmation step so you can't trigger it by accident. SOS is only available while a trip is active or overdue.

What do my contacts receive when I send an SOS?

Your safety contacts get an urgent alert — a push notification for friends and group-trip participants, and an email for email contacts — with your name, your optional message, and your last known location. The alert makes clear that this is an emergency, not a routine update.

Does SOS contact 911?

No. Like the rest of Homebound, SOS notifies your personal contacts — it does not contact emergency services or dispatch help. If you're in immediate danger, call 911 (or your local emergency number) first, then use SOS to loop in the people who can help. Note: once an SOS has been sent it can't be recalled, so your contacts may follow up to check on you.

How do I add friends?

Go to the Friends tab and tap "Add Friend." You can share your personal invite link — it's reusable, and you can regenerate it anytime — or have someone scan your QR code in person. When they open the link or scan the code, they'll be prompted to accept. Adding a friend always happens through your link or QR code; there's no separate request inbox.

What can my friends see?

You control what friends can see under Settings > Friends. You can share or hide each of these individually:

• Check-in locations
• Live location during trips
• Trip notes
• Your achievements
• Profile details: age, total trips, adventure time, and favorite activity

Can friends request updates from me?

If you enable "Allow update requests" (Settings > Friends), friends can send you a request to check in during an active trip. You'll get a notification and can check in with one tap. Friends can also tap "Watch Live" to follow your active trip from their own lock screen. This is useful when someone is worried and wants confirmation you're okay.

How do I remove a friend?

Go to the Friends tab, find the friend you want to remove, and tap on their profile. You'll see an option to remove them. Once removed, they won't be able to see your trips or add you as a safety contact.

What is the activity feed?

When you and your friends finish trips, they can appear in a shared activity feed — with a map snapshot, duration, check-ins, weather, and an optional difficulty grade. You can switch between your Friends feed and a Global feed and sort by newest, most liked, or most discussed. It's an optional, social layer on top of the safety features, and it's free.

What gets shared when I finish a trip?

You're in control. After you complete a trip, Homebound can offer to publish it to the feed — you can set this to always ask, publish automatically, or never. When you publish, you choose how precise the location is (show it, generalize it, or hide it) and whether participants are visible. Nothing is posted unless you've chosen to share it.

Can I comment on or react to friends' trips?

Yes. On a feed post you can leave a comment, react with an emoji, and @mention friends. These features are free.

What is live location sharing?

Live location sharing lets your friends and group-trip participants see your real-time position during an active trip, updated continuously on a map in their app. (Email contacts instead see your most recent check-in location through the "Follow This Trip" link.) It's completely optional and is enabled per trip.

How do I enable live location?

When creating a trip, toggle "Share Live Location" to enable it for that specific trip. You can also set a default under Settings > Privacy > "Allow Live Location." Live location only activates once you start the trip (when it becomes active) — it won't run for a trip that's still scheduled for later.

Does live location drain my battery?

Live location sharing does use more battery than normal since it requires continuous GPS access. We recommend starting your trip with a full battery or bringing a portable charger for longer adventures. You can disable live location at any time to conserve battery.

How accurate is live location?

Accuracy depends on your device's GPS capabilities and environmental conditions. In open areas with clear sky view, accuracy is typically within a few meters. In canyons, dense forests, or indoors, accuracy may be reduced. Live location should be treated as an approximate guide, not a precise tracking system.

What are Circles?

A Circle is a named group of friends you choose to share your live location with — for example "Family" or "Roommates." You decide exactly who's in each Circle and when to share. Circles are free; you can create up to 20, with up to 50 people each.

How are Circles different from trip live location and contact groups?

Trip live location is tied to a specific trip and your safety contacts. A Circle is separate from trips entirely — it's ongoing location sharing with friends you pick, on your schedule, whether or not you're on a trip. Both are also different from contact groups, which are simply a way to add several saved safety contacts to a trip at once.

How do I start and stop sharing to a Circle?

Open the Circles tab, create a Circle, name it, and add friends. Then start sharing for a set duration — 1 hour, 4 hours, 8 hours, 1 day, 3 days, or 1 week. While you're sharing, a banner with a "Stop" button stays visible so you can end it at any time.

What is the Discover tab?

Discover suggests interesting places near you based on your current location and the weather. Tap a suggestion to open directions in Apple Maps. It needs location access and an internet connection, and it's free. Discover doesn't create a trip for you — it's just for finding somewhere to go.

What does Discover suggest?

Discover covers ten activities: hiking, running, climbing, biking, camping, surfing, skiing, snowboarding, bars & breweries, and nearby concerts. Some are seasonal — for example, ski and snowboard spots show in winter and surfing in the warmer months — so what you see changes with the time of year and conditions.

Why does it say "Nothing nearby"?

If Homebound can't find good matches for an activity near you, it says "Nothing nearby" rather than show low-quality or irrelevant results. That usually just means there aren't strong options close by right now, or the activity is out of season. If the whole tab is empty, make sure location access is enabled.

Does Homebound show weather?

Yes. You'll see current conditions for your destination when creating a trip and on completed trip details. You can also save Favorite Locations in the Weather view to check conditions and get alerts when the weather looks great for the activities you choose.

What is the safety score?

Your safety score is a 0-100 rating computed from your trip history. It's based on three factors:

• On-time rate (40%): Did you check out before your ETA plus grace period expired?
• Check-in rate (30%): Did you check in during trips where you enabled check-in reminders?
• Contact coverage (30%): How many safety contacts did you assign to your trips?

Scores are graded as: A+ (90-100), A (80-89), B (70-79), C (60-69), D (50-59), F (below 50).

How does check-in rate work?

Check-in rate only applies to trips where you enabled check-in reminders (set a check-in interval). If you don't use check-in reminders, this factor doesn't affect your score negatively.

When you do enable check-in reminders:

• Checking in at least once during your trip gives you full credit for that trip
• Skipping all check-ins on a trip where you enabled reminders counts as 0% for that trip
• Your overall check-in rate is the average across all trips with reminders enabled

Trip length tiers: To keep scoring fair, trip length is capped based on duration:

• Under 1 hour: capped at 60 minutes
• 1-4 hours: capped at 120 minutes
• 4-8 hours: capped at 240 minutes
• 8+ hours: capped at 480 minutes

Formula: rate = (check-ins ÷ capped length) × 1200, maxing out at 100%.

Examples:

• 6-hour hike (240 min cap), 3 check-ins: (3 ÷ 240) × 1200 = 15 → caps at 100%
• 2-hour trip (120 min cap), 1 check-in: (1 ÷ 120) × 1200 = 10 → caps at 100%
• 2-hour trip (120 min cap), 0 check-ins: (0 ÷ 120) × 1200 = 0%

What is the weekly recap?

The weekly recap summarizes your adventure activity for the current week. It shows your trip count, total adventure hours, whether all trips were completed safely, any overdue incidents, and your busiest day of the week.

Is my safety data sent to your servers?

No. Your safety score and weekly recap are computed entirely on your device using trip data already stored locally. No additional data is collected, transmitted, or stored on our servers for these features.

How can I improve my safety score?

Check out on time before your ETA plus grace period expires, check in regularly during trips that have check-in intervals set, and complete your trips rather than cancelling them. Consistent safe habits will raise your score over time.

What are group trips?

Group trips let you create a single trip with multiple participants — perfect for group hikes, ski trips, or dive excursions. Everyone can check in, and each participant's location can be shared with the group. You choose how the trip ends: anyone can mark it complete ("I'm Safe," the default), a majority vote is required ("Vote to End"), or only the owner can end it. Participants can also finish individually — tap "I'm home" when you're back, and the trip completes automatically once everyone is home.

How many participants can join a group trip?

A group trip supports up to 20 participants, including the trip owner.

How do I invite someone to a group trip?

When creating a trip, add participants by searching for friends who use Homebound. They'll receive an invitation notification and can accept to join your trip.

Can I add people after the trip starts?

Yes. The trip owner — or any participant, if the owner allows it — can tap "Add" on an active group trip to invite more friends.

Can I leave a group trip?

Yes. If you're a participant (not the owner), you can leave an active group trip from the trip menu. The trip continues for everyone else.

What does "Watching N people" mean?

If you're a safety contact for several people on the same group trip, Homebound combines them into one "Watching N people" card in your Friends tab, so you can follow everyone at once instead of seeing separate cards.

Are group trips free?

Yes. Group trips are available to all users regardless of subscription status.

What are achievements?

Achievements are badges you earn by completing trips and reaching milestones. There are 40 achievements across five categories — Total Trips, Adventure Time, Activities, Locations, and Time Patterns (which includes night-owl and weekend badges). View your badges from the Home tab.

How long is my trip history available?

Free users can access the last 30 days of trip history. Homebound+ subscribers get unlimited access to their full trip history.

Can I search my trip history?

Yes. The History tab includes a search function to find past trips by name, activity type, or location.

Can I share a trip?

Yes. From a completed trip you can create a share card — a clean image summary you can post as a story or square, or send to friends. This is separate from the live "Follow This Trip" link your contacts receive during an active trip.

What widgets are available?

Homebound offers home screen widgets that give you quick access to your trips. You can start trips and check in without opening the app. To add a widget, long-press your home screen and tap the "+" button to find Homebound widgets.

What is Live Activity?

Live Activity shows your active trip status on your iPhone's lock screen and in the Dynamic Island. You can see your countdown timer, trip name, and quickly check in or mark yourself safe without unlocking your phone.

Are widgets and Live Activity free?

Yes. Both widgets and Live Activity are available to all users at no cost.

What is Homebound+?

Homebound+ is our premium subscription that increases certain limits. With Homebound+, you get up to 5 safety contacts per trip (vs. 2 free), unlimited trip history (vs. 30 days free), and Family Sharing support on the annual plan. All core features — including Emergency SOS, group trips, Circles, the Discover tab, custom messages, contact groups, Live Activity, Trip Map, widgets, achievements, safety insights, and data export — are available to all users for free.

What features are free?

All core safety features are free, including:

• Trip creation with any activity type
• Up to 2 safety contacts per trip
• Emergency SOS
• Group trips with multiple participants
• Custom notification messages
• Contact groups
• Live location sharing and the "Follow This Trip" link
• Circles (location sharing with friend groups)
• Quick Trips
• The Discover tab
• Activity feed (comments and reactions)
• Live Activity and Dynamic Island
• Trip Map, widgets, and achievements
• Safety score and weekly insights
• Data export
• 30 days of trip history

How do I subscribe to Homebound+?

Go to Settings > Homebound+ to view subscription options. We offer monthly and annual plans. The annual plan includes Family Sharing through Apple. Subscriptions are processed through the App Store and can be managed in your Apple ID account settings.

How do I cancel my subscription?

To cancel Homebound+, go to your iPhone's Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions > Homebound and tap "Cancel Subscription." You'll retain access to premium features until the end of your current billing period. We cannot process cancellations directly.

Can I get a refund?

Refunds are handled by Apple since they process all payments. To request a refund, visit reportaproblem.apple.com or contact Apple Support. We don't have the ability to issue refunds directly.

Does Homebound+ support Family Sharing?

Yes, the annual Homebound+ plan supports Apple Family Sharing. The family organizer can share the subscription with up to 5 family members. Family Sharing is not available on the monthly plan.

Does Homebound track my location continuously?

No. We only collect location data when you explicitly choose to share it: when setting a trip location, checking in with location enabled, or using live location sharing. We do not track your location in the background when you're not on an active trip with live location enabled.

What data does Homebound collect?

We collect only what's necessary: your email, name, age, trip details, safety contacts, and location (when you choose to share it). If you use social features, we store your friend connections and visibility preferences. We don't sell your data or share it with advertisers. See our Privacy Policy for complete details.

How do I delete my account?

Go to Settings > Account and tap "Delete Account" at the bottom. This permanently deletes all your data including your profile, trips, contacts, friends, location history, and any other information. This action cannot be undone. Note: If you have an active Homebound+ subscription, you must cancel it separately through the App Store.

Can I export my data?

Yes, all users can export their data. Go to Settings > Privacy > "Export My Data" to download a copy of your trips, contacts, and profile information.

I'm not receiving notifications

Make sure notifications are enabled for Homebound in your iPhone's Settings > Notifications > Homebound. In the app, check Settings > Notifications to confirm "Trip Reminders" and "Check-in Alerts" are on. Also note that a trip's "notification hours" can quiet reminders outside its set window, and Do Not Disturb or Focus modes can block alerts — though emergency (overdue) alerts are designed to break through regardless. If your safety contacts aren't receiving emails, have them check their spam/junk folder.

Which notifications can I turn on or off?

Open Settings > Notifications in the app. You can toggle "Trip Reminders" (alerts before a trip starts and as you approach your ETA) and "Check-in Alerts" (reminders to check in during a trip). Emergency notifications — the critical alerts for when you're overdue — are always on and can't be turned off, so a safety alert is never missed.

My location isn't accurate

Location accuracy depends on GPS signal strength. Try moving to an area with clear sky view. Make sure Location Services are enabled for Homebound in Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services. If using live location, note that accuracy may vary in areas with poor GPS coverage like canyons or dense forests.

Can I use Homebound offline?

Yes, partially. Your trip details are cached locally so you can view them without cell service. However, you need an internet connection to check in, check out, or send notifications to contacts. If you're going somewhere without service, consider setting your ETA for when you expect to be back in coverage.

I accidentally triggered an overdue alert

Check out as soon as possible to stop further notifications. Your contacts will receive an update that you've marked yourself safe. For future trips, consider setting a longer grace period to account for potential delays.

How do I extend my ETA during a trip?

If your trip is taking longer than expected, open the active trip and tap "Extend ETA." You can add additional time (up to 4 hours) to your expected return. Your safety contacts will be notified of the updated ETA so they know not to worry.

How do I clear the app cache?

Go to Settings > Resources and tap "Clear Cache." This removes locally cached data like trip details stored for offline access. Your account data on our servers is not affected.

How do I report a bug?

Go to Settings > Help Make Homebound Better > Report a Bug, or visit our bug tracker at homebound.canny.io/bugs. You can also email us at feedback@homeboundapp.com. We appreciate every report!

How do I request a feature?

Visit our feature request board at homebound.canny.io/feature-requests to submit and vote on feature ideas. You can also email feedback@homeboundapp.com.