Alive Check User Guide

Complete guide for using Alive Check - a secure "dead man's switch" service.

Table of Contents

1. Getting Started
2. Account Setup
3. Managing Emergency Contacts
4. Configuring Liveness Checks
5. Uploading and Sharing Files
6. Responding to Checks
7. Security Features
8. Account Management
   • Recovering from "Dead" State
   • What Happens to Dead Accounts
9. Subscription & Billing

Getting Started

What is Alive Check?

Alive Check is a service that monitors your well-being and automatically notifies your emergency contacts and shares encrypted files with them if you become unresponsive.

Key Features:

• Regular liveness checks via push notifications
• Automatic status escalation if you don't respond
• End-to-end encrypted file sharing
• Emergency contact notifications at each escalation level
• Optional duress PIN for coercion situations
• GDPR-compliant data export

How It Works

1. Setup: Register, add emergency contacts, upload encrypted files
2. Monitoring: System sends you periodic liveness checks
3. Response: You confirm you're alive by entering your PIN
4. Escalation: If you miss checks, status escalates: alive → unresponsive → missing → dead
5. Notification: Contacts notified at each stage
6. File Sharing: When marked "dead", encrypted files shared with designated contacts

Account Setup

Option 1: Email and Password Registration

1. Download the app or visit the web portal
2. Click "Register"
3. Provide:
   • Email address
   • Strong password (minimum 8 characters)
   • Phone number (for SMS notifications)
   • 4-digit PIN (for check responses)
4. Verify your email: Check inbox for verification link
5. Complete setup: Configure preferences and add contacts

Option 2: Social Sign-In (Google/Apple)

1. Download the app or visit the web portal
2. Click "Sign in with Google" or "Sign in with Apple"
3. Authorize access with your social account
4. Provide additional info:
   • Phone number
   • 4-digit PIN
5. Email automatically verified
6. Complete setup: Configure preferences and add contacts

Your Security Keys

Upon first setup, the app generates encryption keys for you:

1. 12-word seed phrase: Write this down and store it securely offline

   • Example: apple banana cherry dragon elephant flower garden house igloo jungle kite lemon
   • This is the ONLY way to recover your encryption keys if you lose your device

2. Encryption keypair: Generated automatically from your seed phrase

   • Used to encrypt/decrypt files
   • Private key encrypted and stored server-side
   • You can recover it with your seed phrase

Important: If you lose your seed phrase, you CANNOT recover your files.

Managing Emergency Contacts

Adding a Contact

1. Go to "Contacts" tab
2. Click "Add Contact"
3. Provide:
   • Name
   • Email address (required for notifications)
   • Phone number (optional, for SMS)
   • Priority level (1 = highest priority)
   • Can confirm death? (checkbox - grant with caution)
4. Send invitation: Contact receives email/SMS with invitation link

Contact Permissions

Can Confirm Death: Allows contact to manually mark you as "dead" before the automatic threshold. Only grant this to highly trusted individuals (spouse, parent, sibling).

Priority: Determines notification order. Priority 1 contacts notified first.

Contact Invitation Flow

If contact is not an Alive Check user:

1. Contact receives invitation email/SMS
2. Contact downloads app
3. Contact registers with invitation code
4. Contact generates their own encryption keys
5. Status changes to "Confirmed"

If contact is already an Alive Check user:

1. Contact receives notification in app
2. Contact accepts or declines invitation
3. If accepted, their existing encryption keys are used
4. Status changes to "Confirmed"

Verifying Contacts

Periodically verify that your contacts' email addresses still work:

1. Go to "Contacts" tab
2. Click "Verify" next to a contact
3. Contact receives verification email
4. Contact clicks link to confirm
5. "Last Verified" timestamp updates

Why verify? Email addresses change, providers block messages. Verification ensures contacts will receive critical notifications.

Editing and Removing Contacts

Edit: Click contact → "Edit" → Update fields → Save

Remove: Click contact → "Delete" → Confirm

Warning: Removing a contact deletes their access to files shared with them.

Configuring Liveness Checks

Check Frequency

Default: Every 24 hours

Adjust:

1. Settings → Preferences → Check Frequency
2. Choose interval (minimum 1 hour, maximum 7 days)
3. Save

Recommendation: 24-48 hours balances peace of mind with low burden.

Check Behavior

Active Manual Checks (iOS + Android):

• Push notification sent
• You must open app and enter PIN
• Max 3 attempts per check

Passive Unlock Detection (Android only):

• App detects device unlocks automatically
• Reduces need for manual check responses
• Works silently in background

Notification Channels

Alive Check supports multiple ways to receive liveness checks. Configure your preferred channel in Settings → Notifications.

Available Channels:

Email Backup Mode:

• Always: Receive both primary channel AND email
• Fallback: Email sent only if primary channel fails
• Never: Primary channel only (not recommended)

Linking Accounts:

1. Settings → Notifications
2. Click "Connect" next to desired channel
3. Follow the linking instructions (code-based or QR)
4. Channel shows "Connected" when ready

Escalation Thresholds

Max Failed Checks: Number of missed checks before escalation (default: 3)

Missing Threshold: Time unresponsive before marked "missing" (default: 48 hours)

Dead Threshold: Time unresponsive before marked "dead" (default: 7 days)

Adjust:

1. Settings → Preferences → Escalation
2. Modify thresholds
3. Save

Example Timeline (default settings):

• Day 1 00:00: Check sent, not responded
• Day 1 01:00: Retry 1
• Day 1 02:00: Retry 2
• Day 1 03:00: Retry 3 - Max retries exhausted → Status: Unresponsive
• Day 3 03:00: 48 hours unresponsive → Status: Missing
• Day 8 03:00: 7 days unresponsive → Status: Dead (files shared)

Uploading and Sharing Files

What Files Should I Share?

Common uses:

• Legal documents: Will, power of attorney, trust documents
• Financial info: Bank accounts, investment accounts, insurance policies
• Digital assets: Password vault exports, cryptocurrency keys
• Personal letters: Final messages to loved ones
• Instructions: Funeral wishes, account closure procedures

File Upload Process

1. Go to "Files" tab
2. Click "Upload File"
3. Select file from device
4. Choose contacts who should receive this file (when you're dead)
5. Upload: File is encrypted on your device, then uploaded

Important: File is encrypted BEFORE upload. Server never sees plaintext.

File Encryption

How it works:

1. App generates random encryption key (AES-GCM)
2. File encrypted with this key
3. Encryption key encrypted with your public key
4. Both uploaded to server
5. Server stores encrypted blob (cannot decrypt)

Who can decrypt:

• You: Using your private key (always)
• Designated contacts: Only after your status is "dead"

Viewing Your Files

1. Go to "Files" tab
2. See list of uploaded files with:
   • Filename
   • Upload date
   • Size
   • Shared with (list of contact names)
3. Click file to download and decrypt

Deleting Files

1. Go to "Files" tab
2. Click file → "Delete" → Confirm
3. File permanently deleted from storage
4. Cannot be recovered

Responding to Checks

Push Notification

When you receive a check:

1. Tap notification
2. App opens to check response screen
3. Biometric authentication (fingerprint/Face ID)
4. Enter your 4-digit PIN
5. Optionally share location
6. Submit

Success: Check marked "completed", status remains "alive"

Failed PIN: 3 attempts allowed per check

Web Response (Fallback)

If you can't access your phone:

1. Click link in notification email
2. Opens web portal
3. Enter your 4-digit PIN (no biometric available)
4. Submit

Use cases: Phone lost/broken, app not working, traveling without device.

Passive Unlock (Android Only)

If you have Android with passive detection enabled:

• Simply unlocking your device confirms you're alive
• No manual response needed
• App sends background notification to server
• Check schedule may adjust based on passive detections

Limitation: iOS does not support passive detection.

Security Features

Your PIN

Purpose: Verify your identity during check responses.

Requirements:

• 4 digits
• Cannot be "0000", "1234", etc. (weak PINs rejected)

Best practices:

• Don't use birthdate, phone number
• Write it down securely
• Don't share with anyone

Change PIN:

1. Settings → Security → Update PIN
2. Enter new 4-digit PIN
3. Confirm
4. Save

Duress PIN

What is it? A special PIN you enter if someone is forcing you to respond to a check.

Behavior:

• Check appears to complete successfully (to the coercer)
• System silently logs duress PIN usage
• Location captured for forensics
• No immediate notifications (future: notify high-trust contacts)

Setup:

1. Settings → Security → Set Duress PIN
2. Enter 4-digit duress PIN
3. Must be different from normal PIN
4. Save

Security note: Never tell anyone your duress PIN. Not even contacts.

Seed Phrase Recovery

If you lose your device or need to restore keys:

1. Install app on new device
2. Login with email/password or social account
3. Settings → Security → Recover Keys
4. Enter your 12-word seed phrase
5. App regenerates encryption keys
6. Private key decrypted and restored
7. You can now decrypt your files

If you lost your seed phrase: You cannot recover your private key. Files are permanently inaccessible.

Password Reset

Forgot your password?

1. Login screen → "Forgot Password"
2. Enter email address
3. Check inbox for reset link (expires in 6 hours)
4. Click link → Enter new password
5. Confirm
6. Login with new password

Security: Old password immediately invalidated. All active sessions terminated.

Account Management

Viewing Your Data

Status and Activity:

• Current status (alive, unresponsive, missing, dead)
• Last confirmed alive timestamp
• Upcoming check schedule

Logs:

• Status change history (alive → unresponsive, etc.)
• Check responses (timestamps, locations)
• Audit logs (security-sensitive actions)

Access: Home → "View Logs"

Exporting Your Data (GDPR)

Download complete data archive:

1. Settings → Privacy → Export Data
2. System generates JSON file
3. Download (contains everything: profile, contacts, file metadata, logs)

What's included:

• User profile and preferences
• Emergency contacts list
• File metadata (not file contents - too large)
• Status change history
• Check response history
• Audit logs

What's excluded (security):

• Password hash
• PIN hash
• Duress PIN hash
• Private encryption keys (use seed phrase recovery instead)

Rate limit: 5 exports per hour

Updating Email Address

1. Settings → Account → Change Email
2. Enter new email
3. Verify new email (link sent to new address)
4. Old email replaced

Security: Audit log created for email changes.

Updating Phone Number

1. Settings → Account → Change Phone
2. Enter new phone number
3. Save

Note: SMS notifications sent to new number.

Deleting Your Account

Warning: This is permanent and cannot be undone.

Steps:

1. Settings → Account → Delete Account
2. Confirm password
3. Confirm deletion
4. Account and all data permanently deleted

What happens:

• User account deleted
• All files deleted from storage
• Emergency contacts notified (if desired)
• Audit trail retained for 30 days (legal requirement)

Recovering from "Dead" State

If your account was incorrectly marked as "dead" (perhaps you were unreachable for an extended period, in a coma, or traveling without service), you can recover it.

Steps to Recover:

1. Go to the login page and click "Account marked as dead? Recover it here"
2. Enter your email and password to prove your identity
3. A recovery request is sent to your high-trust emergency contacts
4. One contact must approve your recovery within 72 hours
5. Once approved, your account is restored to "alive" status

What happens on recovery:

• Your status returns to "alive"
• File access is revoked from all contacts
• Your subscription resumes (if it was paused)
• All contacts are notified that you have recovered ("false alarm")

If recovery is denied: Your contact may have denied the request because they suspect fraud (someone stole your credentials). Contact them directly to resolve.

What Happens to Dead Accounts

Accounts in "dead" state are automatically terminated after 90 days:

• Day 45: Warning email sent to your high-trust contacts
• Day 75: Final warning email
• Day 90: Account terminated - all files deleted, data anonymized

Contacts can:

• Extend termination by 6 months if they believe you may recover (e.g., coma)
• Request early termination if they want to close the account sooner
• Cancel billing to stop any recurring charges

Managing a Dead User's Account (For Emergency Contacts)

If you are a high-trust emergency contact for someone whose account is in "dead" state:

1. Log in to your own account
2. Navigate to the account management link (from the email you received)
3. You can:
   • Extend termination: Push back the deletion date by 6 months
   • Request early termination: Close the account in 7 days
   • Cancel billing: Stop recurring charges immediately

Subscription & Billing

Free Trial

New accounts start with a 7-day free trial:

• Up to 3 emergency contacts
• Up to 10 files (100 MB total storage)
• All notification channels (email, push)
• Full encryption and security features

Credit card required to start your trial. You won't be charged during the trial period. The trial automatically converts to a yearly subscription ($19.99/year) unless you cancel before it ends.

Subscription Plans

All plans include the same security features - tiers only differ in resource limits. The Lifetime license includes all current features; future premium add-ons (such as AI-powered agents) may require separate purchase.

Managing Your Subscription

To subscribe:

1. Settings → Subscription
2. Choose Yearly or Lifetime plan
3. Complete payment (secure checkout)
4. Subscription activates immediately

To cancel:

1. Settings → Subscription
2. Click "Cancel Subscription"
3. Access continues until current billing period ends
4. You can resubscribe anytime

When Your Subscription Expires

What continues working (safety-critical features never blocked):

• Responding to liveness checks
• PIN verification
• Status updates
• Emergency contact notifications
• Duress PIN functionality

What requires an active subscription:

• Uploading new files
• Managing emergency contacts (add/edit/delete)
• Triggering manual checks

Your data is safe: Files remain stored and encrypted. Emergency contacts can still receive notifications if you become unresponsive. Resubscribing restores full access immediately.

Promo Codes

If you have a promo code:

1. Settings → Subscription
2. Click "Subscribe"
3. Enter code at checkout
4. Discount applied automatically

Payment Security

• All payments processed by Stripe (PCI-DSS compliant)
• We never see your card details
• Secure checkout with SSL encryption
• Receipts sent to your email

Refunds

Contact support@alivecheck.me for refund requests. No partial refunds are provided for yearly subscriptions. Lifetime purchases are non-refundable.

Tips and Best Practices

Security

• ✅ Write down your seed phrase and store offline (fireproof safe, safety deposit box)
• ✅ Use strong password (12+ characters, unique)
• ✅ Enable biometric authentication (fingerprint/Face ID)
• ✅ Set duress PIN for coercion scenarios
• ❌ Don't share your PIN with anyone
• ❌ Don't store seed phrase digitally (password manager, cloud, etc.)

Emergency Contacts

• ✅ Add at least 2-3 contacts (redundancy)
• ✅ Choose contacts in different locations (don't all live together)
• ✅ Verify contacts periodically (Settings → Contacts → Verify)
• ✅ Only grant "Can Confirm Death" to highly trusted individuals
• ❌ Don't add contacts you haven't informed about Alive Check

File Sharing

• ✅ Upload important documents (will, passwords, insurance)
• ✅ Organize files by audience (some files for spouse, others for executor)
• ✅ Include final messages or instructions
• ✅ Test file download/decryption to verify keys work
• ❌ Don't upload unencrypted sensitive files
• ❌ Don't rely solely on Alive Check for backup (keep other copies)

Check Frequency

• ✅ Set frequency that matches your lifestyle (daily for routine, longer for irregular schedules)
• ✅ Adjust thresholds for travel (increase dead threshold if going off-grid)
• ✅ Enable passive unlock on Android (reduces manual responses)
• ❌ Don't set frequency too short (creates burden)

Emergency Contact View

If you're an emergency contact for someone else:

Monitoring a User

1. Login to app
2. Go to "Monitoring" tab
3. See list of users you're a contact for
4. Click user to view:
   • Current status (alive, unresponsive, missing, dead)
   • Last confirmed alive timestamp
   • Last known location (if shared)
   • Status change history

When to Take Action

Status: Unresponsive (user missed checks):

• Wait for system to handle (user may respond to next check)
• Optionally: Try contacting user directly (call, text)

Status: Missing (unresponsive 48+ hours):

• Attempt to contact user through other channels
• Check with other contacts
• Consider filing missing person report with authorities

Status: Dead (unresponsive 7+ days OR manually confirmed):

• You receive notification email with user's final message
• Access shared files (download links provided)
• Follow instructions in user's documents

Confirming Death (if authorized)

If you have "Can Confirm Death" permission and know the user has died:

1. Login to app
2. Go to "Monitoring" tab
3. Select user
4. Click "Confirm Death"
5. Confirm action
6. System immediately:
   • Marks user as "dead"
   • Notifies all emergency contacts
   • Shares files with authorized contacts

Use with caution: This is irreversible and triggers immediate file sharing.

Support and Help

Common Issues

See FAQ for troubleshooting common problems.

Contact Support

Email: support@alivecheck.example.com

Response Time: 24-48 hours

Include:

• Your account email (not password!)
• Description of issue
• Steps you've tried
• Error messages or screenshots

Emergency Security Issues: security@alivecheck.example.com

Privacy and Legal

What Data We Collect

• Account info: Email, name, phone number
• Preferences: Check frequency, escalation thresholds
• Activity: Status changes, check responses, file uploads
• Logs: Audit trail of security actions
• Location: Only if you choose to share during check responses

What We DON'T Have Access To

• Your files (encrypted before upload)
• Your password (hashed)
• Your PIN (hashed)
• Your private encryption keys (encrypted with your seed phrase)

GDPR Rights

• Right to Access: Export your data anytime (Settings → Export)
• Right to Erasure: Delete your account (Settings → Delete)
• Right to Portability: JSON export format
• Right to Rectification: Update your info anytime

Terms of Service

By using Alive Check, you agree to:

• Provide accurate information
• Maintain security of your account (password, PIN, seed phrase)
• Use service lawfully (no abuse, spam, or malicious activity)
• Understand that Alive Check is a best-effort service (not liable for missed notifications, data loss, etc.)

See full Terms of Service.

Privacy Policy

See full Privacy Policy.

Acceptable Use

See Acceptable Use Policy for usage guidelines.

Last Updated: 2025-12-25 Version: 1.3