Help

Support

Last updated 30 October 2026

Something not working, or a question about Strand? Email support@strand.chat, or use Settings → Send feedback in the app. Every message gets read, usually within a few days.

Common questions

How do I find people? There's no phone number

Strand doesn't use phone numbers or your contacts, so you add people by username. Tell friends your username (you chose it when you signed up), or send them a link like strand.chat/u/yourname. To message someone, tap New chat and type their username. You can also share your contact link or QR code (the QR button beside your name in Settings), and reset it whenever you like. A first message from someone new waits as a request until you accept it.

Can I stop strangers finding me by my username?

Yes. Turn off Settings → Privacy → Find me by username. Then only people you already have a chat with, or who have your contact link, can find you.

Coming from WhatsApp

Chats work much as you'd expect: one-to-one and group chats, pinning and archiving, photos, videos, voice notes, reactions, replies, forwarding, disappearing messages, group invite links, and voice and video calls, all end-to-end encrypted. The differences are that you sign up with a username and an email address instead of a phone number, people add you by username, and Strand can't bring your WhatsApp chats across: they stay in WhatsApp.

Can I use Strand on Android, an iPad or a computer?

Strand is on iPhone only for now (iOS 18 or later). You can link an iPad, or a second iPhone, to your account in Settings → Linked devices. There's no Android, Mac or web app yet, so friends on Android can't join for now.

How do I install the beta?

On your iPhone, open the beta link. It opens Apple's TestFlight app, or, if you don't have TestFlight yet, shows you how to get it free from the App Store. Then open the link again and tap Accept, then Install.

I forgot my password

On the sign-in screen, tap Forgot password. We'll email a code to the address on your account. If you have your recovery key, enter it when asked: you keep your keys, your chat backup and your safety number. Without it, the reset gives your account new keys, so an older chat backup can't be opened any more and the people you chat with see that your safety number changed.

If someone else signed in with your password and turned on two-factor authentication, Forgot password won't ask for their code for a week after they did. Your security emails say when that happened.

I lost my authenticator app

If you saved your backup codes, enter one instead of the code when you sign in. Each code works once.

If you don't have them, you can ask for two-factor authentication to be turned off. On the sign-in screen, tap Forgot password, then Can't get a code?, and enter the code we email you. Seven days later you can sign in with just your password, and you keep your keys and your chat backup. The wait is there in case someone else has your email: your phone, if it's still signed in, shows the request, and you can tap Keep it on to stop it.

What is the recovery key?

A long code that gets you back in if you forget your password, without losing your keys or your chat backup. Strand offers one when you sign up, and you can make one at any time in Settings → Account → Recovery key. Write it down or keep it in a password manager, somewhere other than your phone. We can't see it or send it to you again, and making a new one stops the old one working.

I have a new phone

On your old phone, open Settings → Move to a new phone, and follow the steps. On the new phone, sign in and tap Bring messages. If you sign in on the new phone without moving, your chats carry on there, and your earlier messages come back from your chat backup if you have one (it's on unless you turned it off): restore it from Settings → Restore or bring messages.

I lost my phone, or it broke

Get Strand on another iPhone and sign in with your username and password. If chat backup was on, restore your chats, photos and files from Settings → Restore or bring messages. Anything sent after the last backup (they run once a day on Wi-Fi) can't be brought back. Signing in on the new phone signs the lost one out. If you've forgotten your password, use Forgot password on the sign-in screen. With your recovery key you keep your keys and can still restore your backup. Without it, your account gets new keys, so an older backup can't be opened any more and the people you chat with see that your safety number changed.

Notifications aren't arriving

Check that notifications are on for Strand in the iPhone's Settings → Notifications. You can choose what they show in Strand, under Settings → Notifications.

How do I know who I'm talking to?

Tap the name at the top of a chat to see your safety number with that person. Compare it in person, or scan their code, then mark them as verified.

Someone is bothering me

Press and hold one of their messages and choose Report, or long-press the chat in your list to block them. Blocked people can't message you or add you to chats, and aren't told. See the terms and safety page for how reports are handled.

How do I delete my account?

Settings → Delete account. The privacy page explains what gets deleted.