Support

Nocturnal Whispers is available on the App Store for iPhone. Search for "Nocturnal Whispers" or tap the download link on our homepage. The app requires iOS 16.0 or later.

No. Nocturnal Whispers is fully anonymous. When you first open the app, a unique Device ID is generated and stored securely in your iOS Keychain. No email, phone number, or password is required.

Nocturnal Whispers is for adults (18+) only. During onboarding, you verify your age using a zero-knowledge proof—a cryptographic method that proves you're 18+ without revealing your actual age to us or anyone else. We never store your birthdate.

Nocturnal Whispers is a location-based app. Your GPS location is used to show you whispers from people nearby. Your exact coordinates are never shared with other users—they only see an approximate distance (e.g., "2 miles away") and the city name.

Location is accessed only while you actively use the app. We never track you in the background.

• Device: iPhone (iPad support coming soon)
• OS: iOS 16.0 or later
• Permissions: Location Services (required), Camera & Photo Library (optional, for image whispers), Notifications (optional)
• Network: Active internet connection (Wi-Fi or cellular)

Try these steps in order:

1. Force-quit and reopen the app.
2. Check your internet connection—switch between Wi-Fi and cellular to rule out network issues.
3. Update the app—open the App Store, tap your profile icon, and pull down to refresh. Install any available updates.
4. Restart your iPhone—hold the side button + volume button, then slide to power off.
5. Reinstall the app—delete Nocturnal Whispers and re-download it from the App Store. Your Device ID is preserved in your Keychain, so your identity stays intact.

If the issue persists, email support@nocturnalwhispers.app with your iOS version and device model.

This usually means one of the following:

• Location Services are off—go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and make sure Nocturnal Whispers is set to "While Using the App."
• No whispers nearby—try increasing your feed radius in the app's settings, or switch to the Global feed.
• Network issue—pull down to refresh the feed, or check your internet connection.

If your whisper failed to post:

• Content moderation—our AI pre-screening may have blocked the content if it violated our community guidelines. Try rephrasing.
• Image too large—images are compressed automatically, but extremely large files may time out. Try a smaller image.
• Network timeout—check your connection and try again.

Make sure notifications are enabled:

1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap Nocturnal Whispers.
3. Tap Notifications and ensure "Allow Notifications" is toggled on.
4. Check that your preferred alert styles (banners, sounds, badges) are enabled.

Also verify that Do Not Disturb or a Focus mode isn't silencing notifications.

After Hours mode activates automatically between 10 PM and 6 AM based on the server clock. If it's not appearing:

• Make sure you've opted in during onboarding or in Settings > After Dark Mode.
• Verify your age verification completed successfully.
• Force-quit and reopen the app after 10 PM.

DMs use end-to-end encryption via the Signal Protocol, which requires a key exchange. If messages fail:

• Check your internet connection.
• The recipient may have deleted their data or been banned.
• Force-quit and reopen the app to re-establish the encryption session.

If the problem continues, email support@nocturnalwhispers.app.

Go to Account > Settings (gear icon) > Delete All Data in the app. This permanently removes:

• All your whispers and replies
• All direct messages
• Your likes and interactions
• Your Device ID and age verification flag

This action is immediate and irreversible. Data is purged from active databases instantly and from backups within 30 days.

You can also request data deletion by emailing support@nocturnalwhispers.app.

We collect the minimum data needed to operate:

• Device UUID—a random identifier stored in your iOS Keychain (not linked to your Apple ID)
• Approximate location—rounded to ~110m when you post or browse
• Your content—whisper text and images (encrypted at rest)
• Age bracket—verified via zero-knowledge proof; we don't know your exact age
• Diagnostics—OS version, device model, crash logs (no ad identifiers)

We do not collect your name, email, phone number, contacts, or browsing history. See our full Privacy Policy.

You can request a copy of all data associated with your Device ID by emailing support@nocturnalwhispers.app with the subject line "Data Export Request." Include your Device ID (found in Settings > Account). We'll respond within 30 days.

Your Device ID is stored in your iOS Keychain, which persists across app reinstalls on the same device. If you've lost your identity, it may be because:

• You restored your iPhone from a backup that didn't include Keychain data.
• You switched to a new device without transferring Keychain.
• You previously used "Delete All Data," which erases your Device ID.

Unfortunately, once a Device ID is lost, it cannot be recovered. A new anonymous identity will be created automatically.

Go to Account > Settings > Display Name. You can type a custom name or tap the randomize button to generate one. Display names are optional—you can leave it blank to stay fully anonymous.

Tap the three-dot menu (…) on any whisper or message and select "Report." Choose a reason (e.g., harassment, spam, CSAM, hate speech) and submit. The content is immediately hidden from your feed, and our moderation team will review it.

Reports are completely anonymous—the other user will never know who reported them.

Tap the three-dot menu (…) on any whisper and select "Block User." Once blocked:

• You'll never see their whispers or replies again.
• They cannot send you direct messages.
• The block is permanent unless you contact support to reverse it.

If you believe your ban was a mistake, you can submit a ban appeal. Our moderation team reviews every appeal and will respond as quickly as possible.

Bans are issued for violations of our community guidelines, including harassment, hate speech, spam, CSAM, and other prohibited content.

The following content is always prohibited, regardless of After Hours mode:

• Child sexual abuse material (CSAM)
• Hate speech and discrimination
• Graphic violence or gore
• Harassment, bullying, or threats
• Self-harm or suicide promotion
• Doxxing or sharing personal information
• Spam or commercial solicitation

NSFW content (nudity, adult themes) is permitted only when properly flagged and only visible to opted-in users during After Hours.

Nocturnal uses a multi-layer moderation system:

• AI pre-screening—every whisper is scanned before publishing. Prohibited content is blocked automatically.
• Profanity filtering—offensive language is masked while still allowing the post.
• Community voting—users can vote to keep or remove questionable content.
• User reports—flagged content is reviewed by our moderation team.
• Admin moderation—a dedicated team reviews reports and takes action.

Your safety matters to us. Here's what you can do:

• Report it—tap the three-dot menu and select "Report." It will be hidden from your feed immediately.
• Block the user—you'll never see their content again.
• Disable After Hours—go to Settings > After Dark Mode and toggle it off to hide all NSFW content.
• Contact us—email support@nocturnalwhispers.app for urgent safety concerns.

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please contact your local emergency services or call 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) in the US.

Yes. All core features are free: posting whispers, browsing the feed, direct messaging, tags, community groups, and After Hours mode. There are no paywalls or premium tiers.

All purchases are processed through Apple. To request a refund:

1. Go to reportaproblem.apple.com.
2. Sign in with your Apple ID.
3. Find the purchase and select "Request a Refund."

You can also contact Apple Support directly for billing questions.