Support

Written and answered by the person who made the app.

Your data

Where is it?

On your iPhone. With iCloud enabled it also syncs through your own private iCloud account, which only you can read. No Dote server stores it, so there is nothing for us to look up, hand over, or lose.

How do I move to a new phone?

Sign in to the same iCloud account and the vault syncs across on its own. To move it by hand instead, use the full JSON export in Settings and import the file on the new phone.

How do I delete everything?

Deleting the app removes the vault from that device. If you used sync, also remove Dote's data from iCloud: iOS Settings → your name → iCloud → Manage Account Storage.

What leaves my phone when I use AI?

Only what you ask for, only when you tap. For gift ideas, "Together" and the matchmaker: the details you saved about the chosen person or people — likes, no-gos, sizes, wishlist, past gifts, notes — without their names. For "Just say it": the sentence you typed. It goes through our relay to the model provider and comes straight back; nothing is stored on either side and nothing is used for training. Section 7 of the privacy policy lists every field. If a detail should never leave your phone, don't use the AI buttons for that person — everything else works the same.

AI suggestions

Where are the gift ideas?

Open a person and tap the Gift ideas card under their name. The ideas are built only from what you've saved, so a card with just a name and a birthday gets "Nothing to go on yet" — add a few likes, no-gos or past gifts first.

How do "Together" and the matchmaker work?

On the people list tap the Together button, pick two to six people, and ask whether they'd enjoy a home party, a dinner, a trip or a game night. With exactly two friends you can ask the matchmaker instead. It's for fun: it isn't offered for your parents, children or siblings, and the answer is one sentence, not a judgment.

"You've used this month's AI suggestions"

Free accounts get 2 suggestions a month, Dote Pro 30; the count resets on the 1st. "Just say it" capture does not count against it — see the next answer. If you're paying and still see 2, open the paywall and tap Restore purchases so the app can prove the subscription to our relay.

What is the number under the "Just say it" box?

Capture has its own monthly allowance, separate from AI suggestions and identical on every plan. It is not a feature limit — it is there so that nobody who has pulled our relay address out of the app can run it for free, and it is set far above what anyone reaches by typing. Recording a new person every day all month does not come close. If you ever do hit it, capture pauses until the 1st; everything else, including typing a person in by hand, keeps working.

An idea mentioned something they're allergic to

Please email us the idea (not the person). The app drops any idea whose text mentions a recorded allergy or no-go, and the model is told never to suggest anything that touches one — but wording can slip through. Every report tightens the filter.

Using Dote

I deleted someone by accident

Open Settings and tap Recycle bin. Deleted people wait there for 30 days; restoring one brings back their dates, sizes, notes and reminders. Anyone in the bin still counts toward the free limit — use "Delete forever" to free the slot immediately.

Reminders aren't arriving

Check three things: notifications are allowed for Dote in iOS Settings, the person actually has a date saved, and the date is within the next 14 days — that's when Dote schedules the reminder. Reminders are local notifications, so they work with no network and no server.

A birthday where I don't know the year

Choose No year in the year menu. The day and month are enough for a reminder; Dote simply won't show an age.

Paying

What does the paid version add?

The free version keeps up to 3 people, including anyone in the recycle bin, and 2 AI suggestions a month. Paying removes the people limit, adds full export and import, and raises AI suggestions to 30 a month. iCloud sync, all reminders, the widget, the Face ID lock and "Just say it" capture are free for everyone.

How do I cancel or get a refund?

Subscriptions are handled by Apple: iOS Settings → your name → Subscriptions. Cancelling stops the renewal and keeps everything you've saved — the vault returns to the free limits, and nothing is deleted. Refunds go through Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com.

I paid but the app still says Free

Open the paywall and tap Restore purchases, making sure you're signed in to the Apple Account that made the purchase.