Support

Answers to the questions members ask most — and how to reach a person if yours isn't here.

Answers to the questions members ask most. If yours isn't here, write to us at support@hi-spark.app and a person will answer within one business day.

Last updated: 7 September 2026

Your account

How do I sign in?

Two ways: Sign in with Apple, or an email address and password. Spark deliberately doesn't offer Google or Facebook login — those would link your Spark account to a social account other people already connect to your name.

What is "Hide My Email", and should I use it?

It's Apple's option to sign in without handing over your real email address: Apple gives Spark a private forwarding address instead, and anything Spark sends still reaches your normal inbox. Spark never sees the address behind it. It's there if you'd rather your real address not be attached to a dating account — entirely your call, and everything in the app works the same either way.

Do I have to confirm my email address before I can use Spark?

No. You get a confirmation email when you sign up with an email address, but nothing in Spark is locked until you click it.

Does Spark have verified profiles?

Not at the moment. We'd rather show nothing than a badge that promises more checking than we actually do. If that changes, we'll explain exactly what it checks and how.

I signed in with Apple. Do I have a password?

No — Apple handles signing you in, so there's no separate Spark password to remember or lose.

I forgot my password.

On the log-in screen, enter your email address and tap "Forgot password?". A reset link goes out to that address — check your spam folder if you don't see it within a few minutes. For your safety, Spark never tells anyone whether an address has a Spark account — so the confirmation you see looks the same either way.

How do I change my email address?

Settings → Email. Type the new address and your current password, and Spark sends a confirmation link to the new address — check your spam folder if it doesn't show up. Your email changes when you open that link, and not before, so nothing is lost if the link never arrives. Once it does, you'll be signed out on your devices: log back in with your new address and the same password. That's deliberate — a changed address ends the old sign-ins, so an account can't quietly stay open somewhere you no longer control. If you signed in with Apple, the address comes from Apple: change it in iOS Settings → [your name] → Sign in with Apple → Spark.

How do I change my password?

Settings → Password. You'll need your current password first, then a new one of at least 8 characters. If you signed in with Apple there's no Spark password to change — Apple handles that sign-in.

What happens when I log out?

You're signed out on this device and back at the welcome screen. Logging out deletes nothing — your profile, matches, and conversations are all there when you log back in.

Deleting your account

What happens to my Apple sign-in when I delete my account?

Spark automatically tries to revoke the Apple sign-in link the moment you delete your account. In rare cases — for example if there's no active token on file — that automatic step can't go through, but your account and all its data are deleted in full regardless, exactly as always. If you'd rather be certain, you can also revoke the link yourself, any time: Settings → [your name] → Sign in with Apple → Spark → Remove.

Your profile

Why can't I save my profile?

Two things have to be true before Save turns on: at least one photo, and at least three interests picked. If either is missing, the screen tells you right above that section — a photo reminder if you have none, or a running count like "2 more interests to choose (1/3)" that updates as you pick them and disappears once you've picked three. This applies every time you edit your profile, not just when you first set it up — so if you ever remove your last photo or drop below three interests later, Save pauses again with the same reminders until you're back over both.

Why does Spark ask for my date of birth?

Spark is for adults only, so we ask everyone joining to confirm they're 18 or over. You give a date of birth once, when you sign up — before you build your profile. We don't keep the date itself; it's only used to check you're old enough and to fill in your age to start with.

I was told I'm too young. What happens to my account?

Nothing stays behind. The screen has one button — "Sign Out and Delete Account" — which signs you out and removes the account that was created when you signed in. Nothing was set up on it: no profile, no matches, no messages. You're welcome to join once you turn 18.

Can I change the age on my profile?

Yes. Age sits in Edit Profile with the rest of your details — tap it and type the number. It's yours to keep up to date, the same as your height or your bio.

The lowest you can set is 18, since that's Spark's minimum. There's no upper limit.

What are Communities, Status and Health practices?

Three optional parts of your profile, all of them yours to leave blank. Communities is a short list of words people use about themselves — Bear, Geek, Sober, Twink and so on — and you can pick up to six. Status is where you are romantically: single, dating, open relationship, and so on. Health practices is for things like condoms, PrEP or "prefer to discuss".

Anything you leave empty simply doesn't appear on your profile — there's no blank row and no "not specified". Communities and Status can be used as filters by people browsing; health practices never can, by anyone.

How do I change my main photo, reorder, or delete a photo?

In Edit Profile, tap "Manage Photos" under your photos. From there: tap the star on a photo to make it your main one (it's always the first one in the row — what people see on the grid and next to your messages), drag the handles on the right to put your photos in any order, or tap the trash icon next to a photo to remove it — you'll always be asked to confirm before it's actually deleted. Tap Done when you're happy with it.

Can other people see that I have Premium?

No. Your Premium badge only shows to you, in My Profile, as confirmation your membership is active — it's never shown on your profile to other members.

Why am I seeing this paywall right now?

Spark never shows a paywall without explaining why you're seeing it and what your free option is. If you've hit a limit — like your daily free likes — the screen tells you exactly what ran out and when it refreshes, alongside the option to go unlimited.

I ran out of free likes for today. Are they gone for good?

No — your free likes refresh every day at midnight. Taking back a like you sent doesn't give you a new one to spend, though: once a like is given, it's counted, even if you undo it right after. Liking that same person again later spends another one.

Do I have to pay to see who liked me?

Not entirely. Every free member gets one real, unblurred reveal each day — your newest like among the people who liked you. The rest stay blurred until you go Premium, but that one reveal is never a fake or a tease. Once you've made your choice about that person — whether you pass on them or match with them — the spot shows that you've used today's look rather than handing you a second reveal. A new one is chosen the next day.

I matched with my Top Like. Do I get another reveal today?

No — matching is one of the two ways to use today's look, alongside passing. The spot then says you've used today's Top Like, and the other people who liked you stay blurred until tomorrow's reveal. It's the same one-a-day promise either way: matching with someone is a great outcome, not a way to unlock extra reveals.

I withdrew a match with my Top Like. Are they revealed again?

No. They come back to your Likes You list, because their like still stands and you haven't answered it any more — but they come back blurred, like everyone else waiting there. Today's look was already used, and changing your mind afterwards doesn't hand it back. Tomorrow's reveal could well be them again, since it's your newest like that gets revealed.

I passed on my Top Like by mistake. Can I get them back?

Right after you pass, Spark shows a brief "Undo" — tap it and they're back. Once that moment passes, no: today's reveal isn't replaced, so passing on it means going blurred until a new one is picked tomorrow. This also means passing can't be used to page through everyone who likes you for free — each day gives you one genuine look, not as many as you're willing to skip through.

Do I have to pay to see who's read my messages?

No — your messages always show as sent and delivered to the other person, for free. Seeing when someone read your message is a Premium feature, but whether people can see your own read status never depends on your subscription.

Can people see when I'm typing?

No. Spark doesn't have typing indicators, on purpose — not for you, and not for anyone messaging you. Nobody watches you write, pause, delete a sentence and start over. It's the same reason we show activity as "Active today" rather than an exact time: you shouldn't have to think about being observed while you're still deciding what to say.

Someone likes me but I'm not interested. Can I clear them from my list without blocking them?

Yes — press and hold their card in Likes You and choose Pass. It's free, instant, and quiet: they're never told, and they don't get a like back. It just tidies your list — it's not a safety action, so they can still see your profile and message you, and you'll still come across them while browsing, the same as before. If you change your mind and like them later (from Likes You or from Discover), it still makes a match; your pass doesn't take back their like.

What's the difference between passing on someone and blocking them?

Passing tidies your Likes You list — it's your own housekeeping, not a judgment, and the other person's ability to see or message you doesn't change. Blocking is a safety action: it stops someone from seeing your profile or messaging you anywhere in Spark, silently, and it removes your conversation, your match and your likes on both sides. You can lift the block later from your blocked list in Privacy settings, but what it removed doesn't come back. Use Pass for "not for me," and Block for someone you want out of your app entirely.

What happens to our conversation when I block someone?

It goes, for both of you — the messages, and any photos or voice messages you sent each other in the chat. Not hidden: actually removed. Your match and the likes between you go with it. Neither of you gets it back by unblocking, so if you might want those messages later, report them first — reporting keeps a copy for our safety team.

Two things stay yours, because blocking ends someone's access to your things, not your ownership of them: photos you sent stay in your own Stored Photos, and photos they sent stay in theirs. Neither of you can open the other's anymore.

I blocked someone and now they're not in my matches. Is that a bug?

No, that's meant to happen. Blocking undoes the connection completely, not just who can see who — the match goes, and so do the likes on both sides. If you unblock them and you're both still interested, you'd start over: you'd each have to like the other again.

Someone blocked me. Will I know?

Not in so many words — we never tell anyone they've been blocked. The conversation simply isn't there anymore, the same as if they'd deleted it or left Spark. You won't come across each other in Spark again unless they lift it.

Do I have to pay to control my own privacy or safety?

Never. Sharing or revoking access to a private album, using Safety Check-In, and blocking or reporting someone are all free for every member, forever. Spark only charges for extra reach and features — never for your own safety or control over your content.

If I turn on Incognito, can people I'm already chatting with still see me?

Yes, and that's deliberate. Incognito is about not being found by strangers, not about disappearing on people you already know: anyone you've liked, or anyone you're already in a conversation with, keeps seeing your name and photo, and can still open your profile. What changes is that you're out of Explore completely — even for the people who've liked you — and that nobody sees when you're online, not even the people you're talking to. If you'd rather someone couldn't reach you at all, blocking is the tool for that, and it ends everything between you.

What happens to Incognito mode when my Premium ends?

It switches off — Incognito and "Visible only to matches" are part of Premium, and they end when your membership or Day Pass does. That happens the moment it expires, and the app never hides it from you: the toggles in your Privacy settings switch off and the incognito badge on your profile picture disappears right away. If you have safety and pass notifications turned on, the Day Pass notification also tells you your profile is visible in Explore again — you're never quietly made findable without being told.

Browsing profiles

How do I see someone's other photos?

Swipe up or down on the big photo at the top of their profile to flip through their photos — the small dashes on the right edge show which one you're on and how many there are. You can also tap the photo to open it full screen and swipe through from there; when you close it, the profile stays on the photo you were looking at. Swiping anywhere below the photo just scrolls the rest of the profile, like always.

What is "Daily Picks"?

A small set of men chosen for you, put together again every day. We look at what you have in common to choose them. Once it's set for the day it stays put: closing the app and opening it again won't reshuffle it, on purpose. It's meant to be a considered handful, not something to keep spinning. And nobody pays to be there — you can't buy your way into someone's Daily Picks.

How far away can the people in Discover be?

Up to 100 kilometres, and we search outward from wherever you are — nearest people first. If you live somewhere busy you'll mostly see people close by, because the grid fills up long before it reaches that far. If you're somewhere quieter, it keeps looking further out so your grid isn't half empty.

Discover is empty — is something broken?

It depends what it says. "No one nearby right now" means we looked and there genuinely wasn't anyone to show in your area at that moment — pull the screen down to look again. "No one matches those filters" means there are people around, but your filters are ruling them all out, so try clearing one. "Couldn't load profiles" is the only one that means something actually went wrong, usually your connection; tap Try Again once you're back online.

How many filters can I use?

Three at a time, and you choose which three — online, age, what someone's looking for, height, body type, position, communities, relationship status, or goals and interests. Turn off one to make room for another. Premium lets you use all nine together.

I set a filter and now I see hardly anyone. Where did everyone go?

Two things are happening at once. Filters only match people who filled that part of their profile in — if someone left their body type blank, they won't show up in a body type search, because we don't guess on their behalf. And Spark looks through a set number of profiles near you rather than searching endlessly, so a very specific combination can come back with only a handful. Clearing one filter usually opens things up straight away.

Can people filter by health practices?

No, and nobody can search by them either. What you put there shows on your profile and nowhere else — it's there so you can say something once instead of repeating it in every conversation. It never affects who sees you, where you appear, or who you're matched with.

I travelled somewhere new — why am I still seeing people from where I was?

Spark checks where you are when you open the app, so give it a moment after you arrive and the grid will catch up on its own. If it hasn't, pull the Discover screen down to refresh and it'll look again straight away. The one thing that won't update it is leaving the app sitting in the background — Spark deliberately doesn't track your location while you're not using it (see below), so it finds out you've moved when you come back to it.

Likes and matches

I tapped the heart by mistake — can I take it back?

Mostly, yes. Tapping the filled heart again withdraws your like: it's removed, and it can't turn into a match later even if they like you back afterwards. The one thing we can't undo is the notification they may already have seen — once it's on their phone, it's theirs, and no app can reach in and unsend it. So they might know you liked them; they just won't be matched with you. If you like them again later it uses one of your daily likes, same as the first time.

Why does only one person show up unblurred in Likes You?

On the free plan you get one liker revealed each day — that's your newest one, the most recent person to like you. It's picked once and stays put for the rest of the day, so it won't swap out from under you. Everyone else stays blurred until the next day, or you can see all of them at once with Premium.

I passed on the person who was revealed today. Can I get another one?

Not until tomorrow, when a new one is revealed. Passing is just tidying up your own list — the person you passed on is never told, their like still stands, and if you change your mind you can still like them back from their profile and match as normal.

What's the number on the Likes tab?

How many new likes and new matches have come in since you last looked. It counts everything that's new, even on the free plan where you can only open one of them each day — we'd rather tell you honestly what's waiting than make you check. It clears once you've looked at that part of the screen, and the Matches half has its own dot, so looking at your likes doesn't clear matches you haven't seen yet.

Can I undo a match?

Yes. Open their profile and tap the filled heart — it'll ask you to confirm first. You'll stop appearing in each other's Matches, and voice messages get turned off for that chat. Your conversation stays exactly where it is, so nothing you've written disappears. They aren't told, and they don't get a notification about it. Worth knowing: they may still have liked you, so you can turn up in their Likes You list again, and liking them back later uses one of your daily likes as usual.

Someone disappeared from my matches — what happened?

We don't say which reason it was, on purpose. It could be that they withdrew the match, that one of you blocked the other, or that they deleted their account. What's certain is that it wasn't something that happened by accident, and that your conversation with them is unaffected unless they blocked you.

Someone liked me but I can't see them anywhere.

The most likely reason is that one of you has blocked the other. Blocked people never appear in your Likes You list or your matches, in either direction. It can also happen if they've deleted their account since liking you.

We matched, but I didn't get the celebration screen.

It sometimes doesn't get the chance to appear — usually when the match happens a moment after you tap, or your connection is slow. Nothing is lost: you'll get a notification about the match, and they'll be waiting in your Matches tab either way.

Privacy & visibility

Does Spark track where I am when I'm not using the app?

No, never. Spark only checks your location while you have the app open, and that's the reason it never asks to use your location "always" in the background. Other apps in this category do, and it does make their distances a little fresher — we'd rather not hold a record of everywhere you've been on days you never opened Spark. The trade-off is small and we think it's the right one: when you travel, your grid updates when you open the app instead of while you're on the way.

Can someone search for me by name?

No. Spark has no name search anywhere in browsing — you can only find people by exploring nearby. Search only works inside chats you're already part of.

How exact is the distance shown to other people?

Never exact. Distances always show rounded to whole units (like "< 1 km" or "3 mi"), never a precise figure. This is deliberate — exact distances have been used elsewhere to track down where someone actually lives, and Spark is built so that can't happen here. The rounding happens on our side before the distance ever reaches anyone's phone, so there is no finer number sitting in the app for someone to dig out.

Can I see distances in miles instead of kilometers?

Yes — Settings has a Miles/Kilometers switch, and it applies everywhere a distance appears: browse tiles, profiles, all of it. One small thing you might notice: because we round distances before they leave our servers (see above), miles are worked out from an already-rounded figure. So a distance shown as "4 mi" could be a little either side of exactly four. We'd rather be slightly coarse than hand out a precise location.

Can other members tell when I was last online?

No. There are only two things anyone can see: "Online now" if you have the app open, or "Active today" if you've used it in the last 24 hours. After that your profile simply shows nothing — never an exact time, and never a running count of how long you've been away. You get the benefit of showing you're around without anyone being able to track your habits.

Why do I see no activity status at all on some profiles?

It means one of a few things, and we deliberately don't tell you which: they haven't used the app in the last 24 hours, they've turned off their online status, or we have no activity recorded for them at all. All three look identical, so nobody can be singled out for hiding. We stop after 24 hours on purpose. A status counting ever further back — "last active nine days ago" — is very easy to read as an answer about you: that you're being ignored, or that someone saw your message and chose not to reply. Spark has no idea whether that's true. Someone might be on holiday, out of battery, taking a break, or have deleted the app. Rather than hand you a number you'd have to guess the meaning of, we show nothing and leave the decision to write to someone with you.

Someone shows as "Online now," but they're not replying. Are they ignoring me?

Not necessarily, and the status doesn't mean what it might look like. "Online now" means the app is open on their phone — not that they're reading, typing, or looking at your message. Someone can have Spark open on the table beside them while they cook, or have opened it and been interrupted. We deliberately don't track what anyone does inside the app, so the dot can't tell you whether someone saw something and chose not to answer. It only tells you they're around and reachable.

Will I still show as online if I have the app open but haven't touched it?

Yes. As long as Spark is open on your screen you'll show as online, whether you're actively browsing or not. We don't watch your taps or scrolling to decide this — the point of the green dot is "open for a conversation," not a score for how much you use the app.

I closed the app but still show as online for a few minutes. Why?

Your status fades out rather than switching off, and it clears within about ten minutes of you leaving. This is on purpose: without that buffer, glancing at a text for thirty seconds would drop you offline and back on again for everyone looking at your profile, turning an ordinary moment on your phone into something other people can watch. It also means nobody gets stuck showing as online forever if their phone dies or the app closes unexpectedly.

Someone I'm chatting with doesn't show any activity at all. Did they block me?

Almost certainly not. We only show activity from the last 24 hours — "Active today", or the green dot if someone is there right now. After that, nothing shows at all, for everyone. If someone had blocked you, you wouldn't see their profile in the first place.

If I hide my age or online status, does that show up correctly everywhere — including when I preview my own profile?

Yes. The "Preview Profile" view always shows your profile exactly as other members see it, including anything you've chosen to hide. What you see in preview is the truth, not a rosier version.

Will new members be singled out or made obvious as "new"?

No. Spark never labels anyone as new or puts them on a spotlighted "new here" shelf — that would draw exactly the kind of unwanted attention new members are least prepared for. New profiles do get a quiet boost in how often they're shown for their first couple of weeks, but nothing on screen ever announces that someone just joined.

If I hide my distance, can I still see how far away other people are?

Yes. The three settings under "What others see" only change how your own profile looks to other people — they never change what you see. Hide your distance and other members stop seeing how far away you are, while their distances carry on showing up for you exactly as before. The same goes for your age and your online status.

Discover is empty and says my location is off. What now?

Spark shows you people nearby, so it needs to know roughly where you are. If you turned location off — or never turned it on — the grid has nothing to show, and the screen will say so with a button through to your phone's settings.

Your exact position never leaves our servers. What other people see is a rounded distance, never a place, and you can hide even that under Privacy.

Everything else keeps working without location: your chats, your matches, your profile.

Turning location off also removes the position we had stored for you, so you stop appearing in other people's Discover as well. It is not just your own grid that goes quiet — you go quiet too.

If you have been away a while: a stored position stops counting after 30 days without opening Spark, so an account nobody has used for a month drops out of the grid. Open the app and you are back where you are — no setting to change, nothing lost.

How do I get a copy of my data?

Settings has a "Request My Data" button under Your Data. It opens an email to us with your account ID already filled in — send it, and we'll put together everything Spark holds about you and send it over. The law gives us a month; we aim to be quicker than that.

Deleting everything is different: that you can do yourself, straight away, with "Delete Account" in the same place.

If I change a privacy setting, does it apply on my other devices too?

Yes. Your privacy choices belong to you, not to one phone — they're stored with your account, so signing in somewhere else brings them with you. If you turned on Incognito on your phone and then sign in on a tablet, you stay hidden there too, without having to remember to set it again.

Why doesn't the app icon or app name look like a dating app?

By default, your home screen and lock screen stay deliberately discreet — the icon and name give nothing away at a glance. If you'd rather show pride instead, you can opt into a Pride-themed app icon in Settings. Either way, that choice is always yours, never the app's.

What does the number on the app icon count?

Everything waiting for you: unread messages, new likes and new matches added together. It's only ever a number — nothing on your home screen says whether it's a message or a like, so a glance at your phone gives nothing away. Open the app and it settles to the exact count.

Can I choose not to share my weight?

There's no weight field at all — deliberately. You can share your body type if you want to, without ever attaching a number to it.

Do I have to share my sexual position?

No. It's entirely optional, defaults to "prefer not to say," and if you do share it, it's used quietly to improve your matches — it's never displayed as a reason in your match explanations.

Safety

What happens after I report someone?

Your report goes to Spark's safety team, and a person reads it — not a filter. You get a confirmation the moment it reaches us. We don't write back afterwards to say what we decided, and that's on purpose: if we told you the outcome every time, you'd slowly be able to work out who was acted on and who wasn't, which is exactly what anonymous reporting is meant to prevent. Report it and let it go — it's with us.

Does the person reviewing my report see our messages?

Yes, if you had a conversation. When you report someone, a copy of your recent messages with them goes to the safety team along with the report — otherwise we'd be judging "this person harassed me" with nothing to look at. It's deleted as soon as your report has been dealt with, and it's never visible to anyone in the app, including you and the person you reported. If you two never messaged, there's nothing to send and the report works exactly the same.

None of the report reasons fit what happened. What do I do?

Pick "Something else" and a box opens where you can tell us in your own words. It's optional — if you'd rather not write it out, send the report anyway and we'll look at the account. Whatever you type goes only to the person reviewing it; it's never shown to the member you reported, so they can't recognise you from how you described it.

Will the person I reported find out it was me?

No. They're never told who reported them, or even that a report was made. That's what "anonymous" means here — it's about what they learn, not about whether Spark knows. We do see which account filed a report, because otherwise we couldn't spot someone misusing the report button.

Does reporting someone also block them?

No — they're two separate things you choose yourself. Reporting asks us to look at someone's behaviour and keeps a copy of your conversation for our safety team. Blocking is you deciding you'd rather not come across them, and it removes your conversation for both of you.

We keep them apart on purpose. A report should simply go through and reach us properly, and not everyone who reports also wants to block — sometimes you'd rather still see what someone does next. So if you also want them gone, block them from their profile. It takes one tap and you can do it whenever you like, before or after reporting.

What happens to someone who breaks the rules?

Depending on what happened: the content comes down, or the account is warned, suspended, or removed. If an account is being removed for good, it's first suspended and only actually deleted 14 days later, so there's time to appeal before anything is permanent. Anything involving someone underage, credible threats, or intimate content shared without consent skips all of that and is removed immediately.

I got a warning when I opened the app. What does that mean?

Someone reported you, we looked at it, and we decided it was worth a word rather than anything more. Nothing has happened to your account — you haven't lost access, nobody else can see it, and it isn't a strike that expires. Tap "I understand" and you're straight back in. You'll see it once and never again; we do keep a record on our side, so if something similar comes up later we'll know you've already been told.

My account was suspended. How do I find out why, and can I appeal?

Open the app — you'll see a screen explaining what happened, how long it lasts, and how to get in touch. We tell you there rather than by email because it's the one place that reliably reaches you; if you signed in with Apple's Hide My Email, we may not have a real address for you at all. To appeal, email support@hi-spark.app and tell us what happened. We'll look again.

If my account is being removed, how long do I have to appeal?

14 days, and it's worth treating that as a hard deadline. During those two weeks nothing has actually been deleted yet, so if we agree we got it wrong we can undo the whole thing and you pick up where you left off. Once the 14 days pass, the account and everything in it is permanently deleted — and at that point we can't restore it even if the appeal turns out to be right.

If someone takes a screenshot in our chat, will I know?

Yes. Spark tells you up front that screenshots in a conversation are visible to the other person, detects when one is taken, and shows a clear notice that the other person will be told. Nothing is silently captured behind your back — and Spark is honest that it can only detect screenshots, not physically prevent them, unlike apps that claim otherwise.

Can someone screen-record my private album without me knowing?

No — the content itself goes blank the moment screen recording or screen mirroring is active, so there's nothing to capture.

What is Safety Check-In?

Before a date, you pick a trusted contact from your address book and send them your plans — who you're meeting, until when, and optionally your location — over Messages or WhatsApp. Your contact doesn't need Spark. Sending those plans is how the check-in starts: the timer only begins once your message is on its way. If the message doesn't go out — say you cancel it — you can still choose to run the timer, and the timer screen will keep showing that your friend doesn't have your plans yet, with one tap to send them after all. When your timer ends, Spark asks whether you're okay and keeps that question on screen until you answer it. "I'm Safe" closes the loop: it offers to text your friend that all is well before the check-in ends, and extending the timer offers to send an update the same way. Your friend isn't alerted automatically if you don't respond — what protects you is that someone you trust knows exactly where you are and when to expect you.

Will my lock screen reveal private details if someone glances at my phone?

Not by default. Notifications only say "New activity on Spark" — no names, photos, or message content — unless you specifically turn on detailed previews yourself. The one exception is your own safety timers (like a Check-In ending), which are always shown clearly, because vagueness there could cost you.

How do I turn Spark's notifications on or off?

With the "Push Notifications" switch at the top of the notification settings in the app. If you've never been asked before, tapping it asks for your permission. If you've already answered yes or no once, your iPhone only lets you change that answer in its own Settings — so the switch takes you straight to Spark's notification page there, and shows your choice the moment you come back.

Why did a notification disappear before I tapped it?

Because you'd already seen what it was pointing at. When you open Spark and read a conversation, the notification for that conversation clears itself — whether you got there by tapping it or by opening the app yourself. Anything you haven't read yet stays put, so nothing goes missing.

Why do several messages from the same person show as one notification?

Each conversation keeps a single, up-to-date notification rather than stacking one per message. If someone sends you four messages in a row, you'll see the most recent one instead of four separate alerts — so a busy chat can't bury notifications from everyone else. All the messages are waiting in the conversation when you open it.

What happens when I tap a message notification?

Spark opens straight into that conversation, whether the app was closed or already running in the background. You don't have to find the chat yourself.

Do I have to pay to block or report someone?

No — blocking and reporting are free for everyone, always.

Messages & media

Can someone send me a photo or video I didn't ask for?

Not in a way you'd ever see without choosing to. Chat still has no way to send video directly — that only travels through a private album. A single photo can be sent directly, but it always arrives covered, the same as an album share: you decide whether to tap and look, and nothing ever displays itself without that choice.

Will I know if someone screenshots a photo I sent?

Yes. Your own photo in the conversation will say "Screenshotted" once they've taken one. We don't send you an alert about it and we don't count how many times — it's simply there next to the photo when you look. The other person knows this too: the moment they take the screenshot, we tell them you'll be told. Nobody is caught out by it.

Why does a message say "Sending…" instead of "Delivered"?

Because it hasn't arrived yet. "Sending…" means it's still on its way — a weak connection, or none at all. It changes to "Delivered" the moment it actually reaches the other person. We'd rather show you that honestly than say "Delivered" about something still sitting on your phone.

If I turn off read receipts, can people still tell when I've read their message?

No. Turning off "Send read receipts" in Privacy settings means we never record that you read anything — there's nothing for the other person's app to show, whatever they've paid for. It works the other way round too: switching it off means you won't see read receipts on your own messages either. Sending receipts is free for everyone; being able to see them is part of Spark Premium.

Why does my message still say "Delivered" when I know they've read it?

Most likely because they've turned off read receipts, which is entirely their choice and one we don't reveal — we won't tell you that someone has receipts switched off, because that would give away almost as much as the receipt itself. "Delivered" is also what you'll see if you're not on Premium, or if they simply haven't opened the chat yet.

Why does a photo take a moment to open the first time?

Because we don't download it until you tap. A photo someone sends you arrives covered, and we take that literally: the picture itself isn't fetched to your phone until you choose to look at it. That's a second or so of loading the first time, and it's instant if you open it again. It also means that if the sender takes back access before you've looked, there's nothing on your phone to take back — the photo never arrived in the first place.

If I've looked at a photo, is it saved on my phone?

No. A photo someone sent you stays only for as long as you have the app open — it's never saved to your phone's storage, and it isn't in your camera roll unless you saved it there yourself. Open the chat again the next day and we simply fetch it again, as long as the sender still allows it.

How do private albums work — can something just appear in my chat?

No. Sharing a private album is always a deliberate choice by the sender — they pick the album and how long you can see it. When it arrives in your chat, it stays covered until you choose to tap and view it. Nothing opens automatically.

What happens when I open an album someone shared with me?

It opens straight to the first photo, full screen. Swipe sideways to move through the rest — the small dashes at the top show you where you are in the album. Nothing is shown before you tap: the bubble in your chat stays covered until you choose to open it, and that choice is still yours alone. If the sender takes back access while you're looking, the album closes.

Can I watch a video someone shared in their album?

Yes. Videos play full screen, the same way photos open — tap the item with the play symbol on it. A video takes a moment longer to open than a photo, because it downloads fully before it starts rather than streaming. It's kept only while you're watching: closing the album removes it from your phone, and if the sender takes back access while you're looking, it closes and is removed straight away. Album labels tell you what's inside before you open — for example "2 photos · 1 video".

Where do I find albums people shared with me?

In the Albums tab at the top of your Chats screen — everyone who currently shares an album with you appears there, and their albums stay in the conversation where they arrived too. Tap someone to see the albums they've shared with you; if they've shared both of theirs, you'll see both. Each one shows a heavily blurred cover — enough to tell the albums apart, never enough to make anything out — and tapping opens it straight away. A small dot on the tab tells you when there's an album you haven't opened yet — including a second one from someone whose first album you've already seen. You'll always see everything shared with you, whatever your membership.

Can I take back access to an album I shared, and does that cost anything?

Yes, at any time, and it's completely free — for every member, not just Premium. There are two ways, depending on what you want. In My Profile, "Who has access" lists everyone who can currently open one of your albums, and you can quietly revoke anyone there — their bubble simply locks, and they're not told anything happened. Anyone who has removed your album on their own side drops off that list, so it only ever shows people who really still have access. Or press and hold the album bubble in that chat and choose "Delete for Everyone" to take back that one person's access and mark the moment as deleted — then they see a note that the album was deleted. Either way, other people you've shared the same album with aren't affected — and if you've shared both of your albums with the same person, taking back one leaves the other exactly as it was.

What happens when I tap the album bubble I sent?

It opens the album, so you can see exactly what you shared. Pressing and holding the bubble gives you the delete options. The full list of who has access to your albums lives in My Profile, under "Who has access."

Can I delete a message after I've sent it?

Yes — press and hold anything you've sent (a message, a photo, an album share, a meeting place) and pick one of two options. "Delete for Me" is just for your side: the other person notices nothing and keeps what you sent them, and on your side the message is replaced by a small note that you deleted it for yourself. "Delete for Everyone" takes it back: they lose access to whatever it was, and both sides see a short note in its place — theirs says the message was deleted, yours says you deleted it for everyone. Nothing ever silently vanishes from a conversation, on either side, and those notes don't disappear later on. There's no time limit: unlike some apps, you can delete for everyone whenever you want, days or weeks later. Right after either delete, a brief "Undo" appears in case you tapped it by mistake — after that, the note is permanent.

If I delete a photo they screenshotted, does the "Screenshotted" mark go away?

No, and that's on purpose. Deleting for everyone takes away their access to the photo — it can't undo a screenshot they already took. The note stays with the deleted message so your side never suggests something was taken back that wasn't.

If I delete something "for everyone," will the other person know?

They won't get a notification, but the spot in the conversation shows "This message was deleted" (or photo, or album) instead of the content. That's deliberate: things never disappear from someone's conversation without a trace. And to be fully honest: deleting can't undo what someone has already seen, saved, or screenshotted.

Can I remove an album someone shared with me?

Yes. Press and hold its tile in the Albums tab and choose "Remove Album" — it's free, instant, and quiet: they're never told. The tile disappears from your list right away, and Spark shows a brief "Undo" for a few seconds if you change your mind. The album bubble stays in that conversation, but it's locked and can't be opened anymore. If they share the album with you again later, it shows up again like any new share.

If that person shared both of their albums with you, the menu says "Remove Both Albums" — one tile stands for that person, so it gives up both at once. Their album bubbles stay in the conversation, locked, and if they share again later you'll see it arrive like any new share.

Is it safe to open a voice message from someone I haven't matched with?

Voice messages can only be sent once you've matched with someone. Unlike a photo, there's no way to show a "covered" preview of audio before you hear it — so Spark waits for mutual interest first, before that kind of moment is even possible.

Why can albums be shared before we match, but voice messages can't?

Each type of content is protected based on its actual risk. Text is open, since starting a conversation with someone new is normal here. Albums stay covered until you actively choose to view them, so the safeguard is built into how they arrive. Voice has no way to be "covered" first — you either hear it or you don't — so it's reserved for people you've already matched with.

Why does a voice message take a moment to start playing?

It's only downloaded when you tap play, never in the background - After that it plays straight away.

How do I react to a message?

Double-tap a message you've received to give it a spark — Spark's own little mark appears on the bubble. Double-tap it again to take the spark back. That's the only reaction there is: one warm, deliberate nod, instead of a row of emoji to pick from. You can spark what someone sent you, not your own messages.

Does the other person know when I spark their message?

They'll see the spark on their message the next time they look at the conversation — but nothing happens on their phone: no notification, no sound, and it doesn't show up in their chat list. A spark is a quiet nod, not a new message. The soft glint you hear when you give one plays only on your own phone, and follows your In-App Sounds setting and silent switch.

Does a video someone sent me play sound?

Not until you say so. Every video starts muted, with a crossed-out speaker in the top corner — tap it and the sound comes on, tap it again and it goes off. Each video starts muted again, so opening one in a quiet room is never a gamble. Once you do turn sound on, it plays even if your phone is on silent, because at that point it's something you asked for.

Why does Spark make sound when my phone is on silent?

Only for things you tap to hear: a voice message, or a video whose sound you switched on. The app's own little sounds work the other way round — the glint when you give a spark, the soft note when the grid refreshes. Those follow your silent switch and your In-App Sounds setting, and go quiet with them.

Can I spark a shared album or a voice message?

An album, yes — once you've actually viewed it. Before that, tapping a covered album does one thing only: open it when you choose to. After you've looked, a double-tap on the album in the chat gives it a spark, just like a message. Voice messages can't be sparked: tapping one plays it, so a double-tap there would get in the way — after listening, the best reply is your own words.

How do I reply to one specific message?

Swipe the message to the right (or use the Reply action with VoiceOver). It appears as a quote above the text field; write your reply and send, and the quote travels with it so it's clear what you're answering. Changed your mind? Tap the X next to the quote to drop it.

Can I send a photo I've sent before to someone else?

Yes. Tap "+" next to the message field and choose "Stored Photos" to see photos you've sent before. Tap one and it opens full size with a Send button, so you can be sure it's the right photo before it goes — the same step you get when you pick something from your camera roll. It arrives exactly like any other photo: covered until they choose to look.

How many photos can I keep in Stored Photos?

20, for everyone. Sending a photo is always free and unlimited — the limit only affects how many stay saved for you to send again. If your list is already full when you send a new photo, it still sends normally; it just won't be added to Stored Photos unless you free up room first. Nothing is ever removed automatically to make space.

How do I remove a photo from Stored Photos?

Press and hold its thumbnail and choose "Remove from List." It's free and instant, and only clears it from your resend list — photos you've already sent stay exactly where they are in your conversations. Spark shows a brief "Undo" for a few seconds if you change your mind.

Where do the suggested conversation openers come from?

They're generated from what you and the other person actually have in common — not generic lines. The idea is to give you a genuine starting point, not a script.

If I delete a conversation, does the other person lose it too?

No. Deleting a conversation only clears it from your own list — the match stays, and the other person keeps their conversation exactly as it was, including anything you'd shared with them. It's your own housekeeping, not an unmatch: they can still message you, and if they do, the conversation comes back to your list on its own — it just starts fresh from that point on. Your older messages from before you deleted aren't restored; deleting is undoable for a few seconds right after (tap "Undo" in the banner that appears), but once that's gone, that history is really gone, not just tucked out of view.

If I delete the same conversation twice, does "Undo" bring back the older messages I deleted the first time?

No, and this is deliberate. "Undo" only brings back what that particular delete just hid — never anything from an earlier delete you already let stand. If you cleared a conversation weeks ago, that person messaged you again, and you now delete and undo, you'll get the newer messages back and nothing more. Once a delete has gone through, it stays through: there's no combination of taps that resurfaces it.

I tapped "Undo" but the conversation stayed deleted. What happened?

Almost certainly the app was closed or restarted in the few seconds between deleting and undoing. When that happens we can't be certain of exactly what to bring back, and rather than guess — and risk restoring messages you'd deleted for good earlier — we leave the deletion as it is. It's rare, and it errs on the side of keeping deleted things deleted.

Can I pin a conversation so it stays at the top of my list?

Yes — swipe right on a conversation and choose Pin (swipe left to Delete). Pinned conversations always stay above the rest, most recently active one first. It's free, and there's no limit to how many you can pin.

Does pinning still work when I have no signal?

Yes. Pinning and unpinning take effect straight away, even with no connection at all, and it syncs by itself once you're back online — so it's there on your other devices too. One thing to know: if you pin while offline and then close Spark completely before you're back online, that pin won't have made it. Open Spark with a connection and pin again, and it sticks.

If I delete a pinned conversation and it comes back later, is it still pinned?

No. Deleting a conversation removes its pin along with everything else, so if that person messages you again weeks later, it arrives as a normal conversation in your list rather than jumping to the top. A pin you set before deciding to delete shouldn't outrank the list you've built since. If you undo the delete within those few seconds, the pin comes back with it — undo puts everything back exactly as it was.