Toldwell — Support

Toldwell supports iPhone and iPad on iOS/iPadOS 17 or later and Mac on macOS 14 or later. Cross-account sharing is currently for the controlled TestFlight beta.

A purchase is missing

Open Toldwell Settings and choose Restore Purchases. Use the Apple Account that bought Toldwell Founder. Apple handles purchases and refunds. The first three solo stories are free; Founder is a one-time purchase with no subscription.

A story is missing on another device

Check the intended Apple Account, iCloud availability, and network connection, then open Toldwell on both devices. TestFlight uses CloudKit’s Production environment. Shared stories refresh when Toldwell syncs; delivery is not instant.

Open a story or Family Tree to check its status. Open Questions > Question Uploads for the separate requests sent to each storyteller. Use Retry Sync after checking iCloud access or the connection. Saved to iCloud confirms that copy was accepted, not that anyone opened it. For an unresolved conflict, keep your local copy, check the other device, and contact support if retrying does not resolve it. Export an encrypted backup before making further changes.

Pair with one person and compare the four verification symbols. The Organizer reviews archive-sharing consent and sends that person a private Apple invitation. After the person accepts and opens Toldwell, bring the Organizer’s app to the foreground to finish account verification. Add each person separately using a separate Apple Account. Verified members can edit shared content; only the Organizer can delete a shared story for everyone.

The Organizer can add a custom question and choose one or more verified storytellers. Each receives a private encrypted request. Open Toldwell on both sides to sync the question and its answer. An encrypted .toldwellbundle is a deliberate transfer option when the required local keys and household verification are available. Send it through a trusted system sharing method and have the recipient import it from Vault. A household created by an older Toldwell version may first need its Organizer to update and open Toldwell online before shared stories or household backups can be published.

Remove a person through Toldwell’s per-person action. If recovery verification fails, removal stops so the Organizer does not lose archive access. Removal cannot erase copies that person already received.

Leave a household and keep or delete device copies

Open Family > Leave Household and choose whether to keep or delete the household’s copies on this device. Leaving may remain pending while offline; reopen Toldwell with iCloud available to finish. It does not delete other people’s stories or exported files.

Kept stories are labeled Local Copy. Kept family trees are available in Family Tree > Kept Family Trees and can be read without changing the current household tree. These copies are not automatically shared when you join another household. Use a current encrypted backup to preserve them across device loss; retained-copy backups require a compatible app version. Reconnecting is an explicit action, never an automatic reversal of your leave request.

Restore your stories or verify an existing backup key

Keep your encrypted backup and eight-word key separately. On a replacement device, import the backup. If Toldwell asks for recovery, open Vault > Restore with a Backup Key, enter the saved words, then import the same file again. Same-Apple-Account recovery can also use your synchronized iCloud Keychain identity when available.

If Vault asks you to Verify Backup Key, enter your existing eight words on the device that still has your stories. This checks or updates the recovery setup. Do not discard your old backup or words until a fresh-device restore has succeeded. Zehavi Works cannot recreate lost words or missing story files.

Save a memoir or audio archive

Use the memoir preview or Vault’s audio export and save or share the result before closing it. PDFs and audio archives are readable files, so choose their recipients carefully. Temporary exports expire within 24 hours; expired files are removed while Toldwell runs or on its next opening. Your saved/shared copies remain until you or the service holding them removes them. Encrypted backup exports remain in Documents until you remove them.

Recording or transcription does not work

Check microphone and speech-recognition permission in system Settings. Local transcription availability varies by device, language, and locale. You can type an answer when recording is unavailable. Audio export requires device authentication, and fails if required audio cannot be read.

Contact support

Email support@zehaviworks.com with the Toldwell version and build shown in Settings, device model, operating-system version, the action attempted, and exact error text. Do not attach private stories, audio archives, encrypted backups, pairing codes, or eight-word backup keys.

Published by Zehavi Works LLC.