Frequently asked questions
Short answers to common questions. For longer explanations, follow the links to the relevant guide.
General
Do I need to create an account?
No. DoseAlert works without an account, email, or sign-up. Install, add your medications, and you're set.
Is there a limit on how many medications I can add?
No. Unlimited medications, unlimited groups, unlimited history — during the trial and after purchase.
Does DoseAlert work without internet?
Yes. Once installed, everything except caregiver pairing works offline. Reminders fire, doses are tracked, and exports generate — all without internet. You only need a connection to set up caregiver pairing in the first place.
Trial and purchase
How does the free trial work?
7 days of full access to every feature when you first install. No credit card, no sign-up. After 7 days, a one-time $9.99 CAD purchase unlocks the app for life. No subscription. See Trial, purchase and refunds.
Is this a subscription?
No. DoseAlert is a one-time purchase. Pay once, use forever.
I bought it on an old phone — do I have to pay again on a new one?
No. Open DoseAlert, go to Settings > Restore purchases, and sign in with the same App Store or Google Play account. See Restore your purchase.
How do I get a refund?
Through Apple or Google, not directly. Apple: reportaproblem.apple.com. Google: Play Store > Account > Purchase history > DoseAlert > Request a refund.
Reminders
My reminders stopped working. What should I do?
Nine times out of ten, it's your phone's battery-saving features killing DoseAlert in the background. See Reminders are not firing for phone-specific instructions.
What are the different reminder styles?
Four styles: Quiet (silent), Vibrate only, Reminder with sound, Dose alarm (loud and persistent). Each medication can use up to four escalating reminders with different styles.
Can I respond to reminders from the lock screen?
Yes. Every reminder shows Taken, Later, and Skip buttons on your lock screen. Tap one without unlocking or opening the app.
What's the difference between fixed and floating intervals?
Fixed keeps reminders anchored to the schedule — 8 AM is 8 AM no matter when you took it. Floating shifts the next dose based on when you took the last one. Use fixed for most meds, floating when the gap between doses matters more than the clock.
Can reminders stay silent overnight?
Yes — set Quiet hours in Settings. Non-critical reminders go silent during the window; critical ones keep firing. See Quiet hours.
Scheduling
Can I set a taper or step-down schedule?
Yes. Choose the Taper schedule type and enter each step (dose + days). See Set up a taper.
How do PRN (as-needed) medications work?
They appear in a separate "As needed" section on the Today view with no scheduled reminders. Tap Taken when you take one. Optional cooldown timer prevents taking doses too close together. See As-needed (PRN) medications.
Can I set cycle schedules like birth control?
Yes. Choose Cycle and set days on / days off. DoseAlert tracks your cycle and only reminds during active days. See Cycle schedules.
Can I have different doses at different times of day?
Yes. On a Fixed times schedule, turn on Different dose at each time. See Different doses at different times.
Managing medications
How does medication grouping work?
Bundle medications taken at the same time into one reminder. Tap "All taken" to log them all in one go. See Groups.
How does pill inventory tracking work?
Enter your starting count and a refill threshold. DoseAlert deducts from the count each time you log Taken and reminds you when you're low. See Inventory and refills.
What does the "Not sure" button do?
Records the dose as uncertain. Use it when you genuinely can't remember whether you took the dose — better than guessing. Doesn't affect inventory. See Taken, Later, Skip, Not sure.
I marked something Taken by accident. How do I undo it?
Open the Pill Tracker, tap the day, find the entry in the Logged section, tap it, and tap Remove. Your inventory is restored automatically. See Fixing mistaken entries.
Family and caregivers
Can I manage medications for family members?
Yes. Tap Family and add a profile for each person. Each profile has its own medications, schedule, and history. All data stays on your device.
How does caregiver pairing work?
Generate a 6-digit code, share it with your family member, and they enter it on their phone. From then on, if you miss a dose, their phone gets an alert. No medication history or personal data is shared — just the specific missed-dose alert. See Caregiver pairing.
Data and privacy
Is my medication data private?
Yes. All data stays on your device. DoseAlert does not have a user account database, does not collect analytics of your medications, and does not share data with anyone. See Privacy and data.
How do I back up my data?
Settings > Back up data. DoseAlert makes a backup file you can save to iCloud, Google Drive, email, or anywhere else. See Backup and exports.
What happens to my data if I delete the app?
All data is lost, permanently. Back up first if you want to keep it.
How do I export a report for my doctor?
Pill Tracker > share icon in the top-right > pick PDF or CSV. See Export for your doctor.