LastBeacon User Guide
A comprehensive guide to understanding and using the LastBeacon personal safety application.
Table of Contents
- What is LastBeacon?
- How It Works
- Key Concepts
- Getting Started
- Using the App
- The Complete Flow
- Best Practices
- FAQ
What is LastBeacon?
LastBeacon is a personal safety app that ensures your important information reaches the right people if you can't check in.
The Problem it Solves:
- Passwords, accounts, and important documents locked away with no one knowing how to access them
- Critical messages never delivered to trusted contacts
- Important information lost when something unexpected happens
The Solution:
- Store encrypted notes, documents, and messages in a secure vault
- Set a check-in timer (e.g., weekly)
- If you don't check in, your designated contacts receive access to your vault items
How It Works
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ NORMAL OPERATION │
│ │
│ You ──→ Open App ──→ Tap "I'm Safe" ──→ Timer Resets │
│ ↑ │
│ │ │
│ (Repeat periodically) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ WHEN TIMER EXPIRES │
│ │
│ Timer Expires │
│ ↓ │
│ Guardians Notified ──→ "Is [User] okay?" │
│ ↓ │
│ 48-Hour Verification Window │
│ ↓ │
│ ┌──────────────────┬──────────────────┐ │
│ │ Guardian Says │ No Response OR │ │
│ │ "User is Fine" │ Confirms Emergency│ │
│ │ ↓ │ ↓ │ │
│ │ Release Stopped │ Vault Released │ │
│ │ Timer Paused │ to Recipients │ │
│ └──────────────────┴──────────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Key Concepts
1. The Heartbeat Timer
Your safety check-in mechanism.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Duration | How often you need to check in (1 day to 5 years) |
| Check-in | Tap "I'm Safe" button to reset the timer |
| Warnings | Receive alerts at 7 days, 3 days, 1 day, 4 hours, and 1 hour before expiry |
Choosing a Duration:
- 1-7 days: For those who want tight monitoring
- 30 days: Good balance for most users
- 90+ days: For long-term safety planning
2. Auto-Destruct Mode
A specialized security setting for high-risk environments.
Security Philosophy: "Denial over Disclosure"
While the standard mode is for people who want to pass data to trusted contacts, Auto-Destruct is for users who prioritize data erasure if they are no longer present.
| Feature | Standard Mode | Auto-Destruct Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger Result | Vault is released to recipients | Vault is IRREVOCABLY DELETED |
| Guardian Role | Verification buffer | Safety net to prevent accidental purge |
| Goal | Ensure data reaches loved ones | Ensure sensitive data never falls into the wrong hands |
Why users choose Auto-Destruct:
- Anti-Coercion: If a user is captured or coerced, they know that if they simply do nothing (stop checking in), the evidence or sensitive data will vanish forever. It removes the incentive for others to keep them detained or pressure them for access.
- Zero-Footprint: Some data is so sensitive that it should never exist without the owner's active presence. If the owner is unreachable, the data becomes a security risk. Destruction ensures no residual data stays on servers.
- Privacy Extreme: For users who don't have guardians they trust with 100% of their digital life, they prefer "total erasure" as the final state.
⚠️ WARNING: When Auto-Destruct is enabled, NO ONE will receive your data if the protocol triggers. All encrypted items and files will be permanently purged from all synchronized nodes globally.
3. Contacts vs Guardians
| Contacts (Recipients) | Guardians | |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Receive your vault items | Verify before release |
| When Active | After vault releases | When timer expires |
| Action Required | None - passive recipients | Must respond to verification |
| Limit | Unlimited | Maximum 3 |
| Who to Choose | Anyone who should receive items | Trusted people who know your situation |
Example Setup:
- Guardians: Spouse, sibling, best friend
- Recipients: Children, lawyer, extended family, specific friends
3. The Vault
Your encrypted storage for sensitive information.
Item Types:
| Type | Use For |
|---|---|
| Note | Text messages, passwords, instructions, letters |
| Document | PDFs, images, important files |
Categories:
| Category | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Time-Sensitive | Urgent information needed immediately | Account passwords, urgent instructions |
| Long-Term | Items for when it matters most | Personal letters, family history, photos |
4. Recipients per Item
Each vault item can be assigned to specific contacts:
- Private Note to Spouse: Assigned only to spouse
- Password List: Assigned to spouse + adult children
- Letter to Friend: Assigned only to that friend
- General Instructions: Assigned to all contacts
Getting Started
Step 1: Create Account
Option A: Standard Account (with email/password)
- Open the app
- Tap "Sign Up"
- Enter email and password
- Check your email for a 6-digit verification code
- Enter the code in the app to verify your account
- Choose your initial check-in interval
Option B: Anonymous Mode (no email required)
- Open the app
- Tap "Continue Anonymously"
- Save your 32-character recovery key securely
- Choose your initial check-in interval
💡 Anonymous Mode: Uses device ID only, no email/password required. Recovery key lets you restore your account on a new device.
Step 2: Add Guardians (Important!)
- Go to Contacts tab
- Tap + to add a contact
- Enter their name, email, and phone
- Toggle Guardian ON
- Repeat for 1-3 trusted people
⚠️ Without guardians, your vault will release automatically when the timer expires with no verification!
Step 3: Add Recipients
- Add more contacts (without Guardian toggle)
- These are people who will receive vault items
- Can include family, friends, lawyers, etc.
Step 4: Create Vault Items
- Go to Vault tab
- Tap + to add items
- Choose type: Note, Document, or GPS Location
- Choose category: Long-Term (default) or Time-Sensitive
- Assign recipients for each item
Vault Item Types:
- Note: Text messages, passwords, instructions
- Document: PDFs, images, files (encrypted storage)
- GPS Location: Current location with address and notes
Vault Management:
- Search: Find items by title or content
- Sort: By date, title, or category
- Bulk Operations: Select multiple items to delete or assign recipients
Step 5: Set Your Timer
- Go to Settings tab
- Tap "Check-in Interval"
- Choose a duration that fits your lifestyle
- Remember to check in regularly!
Using the App
Home Screen
┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│ Time Remaining │
│ 6d 23h 45m │
│ ████████████████░░░░ │
│ Status: Active │
│ │
│ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ │
│ │Check-in │ │ Expires │ │
│ │ 7 days │ │ Jan 30 │ │
│ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ │
│ │
│ [Adjust Timer] [Add Guardian] │
│ │
│ ┌──────────────┐ │
│ │ I'm Safe │ │
│ └──────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────┘
Actions:
- I'm Safe: Reset your timer (main action)
- Adjust Timer: Change check-in duration
- Add Guardian: Quick link to add guardians
Vault Screen
Creating a Note:
- Tap +
- Select "Note"
- Enter title (e.g., "Password List")
- Enter content
- Choose category (Long-Term or Time-Sensitive)
- Tap "Create"
- Open the note and assign recipients
Creating a Document:
- Tap +
- Select "Doc"
- Enter title
- Tap "Select File" to upload
- Choose category (Long-Term or Time-Sensitive)
- Tap "Create"
- Assign recipients
Assigning Recipients:
- Tap on any vault item
- In the Recipients section, tap "Add" or "Edit"
- Check the contacts who should receive this item
- Tap "Save"
Contacts Screen
Adding a Contact:
- Tap +
- Enter name, email, phone (optional)
- Toggle "Guardian" if they should verify your status
- Tap "Add"
Guardian vs Regular Contact:
- Guardians appear with a shield icon
- Guardians are listed in a separate section
- Both can be assigned as recipients
Settings Screen
Available Options:
- Check-in Interval: How often to check in
- Language: Switch between English, Spanish, or French
- Pause Timer: Temporarily stop the countdown
- Resume Timer: Restart after pausing
- Sign Out: Log out of the app
The Complete Flow
Scenario: Everything is Fine
Week 1: You check in → Timer resets to 7 days
Week 2: You check in → Timer resets to 7 days
Week 3: You check in → Timer resets to 7 days
... continues indefinitely
Scenario: You Forget to Check In
Day 7: Timer expires
↓
ALL guardians receive unique verification link via email
↓
Day 7-9: 48-hour verification window
↓
ANY guardian clicks "User is OK"
↓
Result: Release cancelled, timer paused
You receive notification to resume when ready
Scenario: Something Happens to You
Day 7: Timer expires
↓
ALL guardians receive verification request
↓
Day 7-9: Guardians either:
- Confirm emergency, OR
- Don't respond within 48 hours
↓
Day 9: Vault releases automatically
↓
Recipients receive:
- Email notification
- Access to their assigned items
- Urgent items highlighted
Guardian Verification Process (Detailed)
When your timer expires, here's exactly what happens:
1. Verification Requests Created
- Each guardian receives a unique, secure link
- Links are valid for 48 hours
- All guardians are notified simultaneously
2. Guardian's Verification Page When a guardian clicks the link, they see:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ⚠️ Action Required │
│ │
│ User: john@example.com │
│ Guardian: Jane Smith │
│ Time Remaining: 47h 30m │
│ │
│ This user has not checked in. │
│ Please verify their status: │
│ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────────────┐ │
│ │ ✓ User is OK │ │ ⚠ Confirm Emergency │ │
│ │ Cancel release│ │ Release vault │ │
│ └─────────────┘ └─────────────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
3. Response Logic
| Action | Result |
|---|---|
| Any ONE guardian clicks "User is OK" | Release immediately cancelled, timer paused |
| All guardians confirm emergency | Vault released immediately |
| No response within 48 hours | Vault released automatically |
| Guardian already responded | Cannot respond again |
4. Why Multiple Guardians Matter
- Redundancy: If one guardian is unavailable, others can respond
- Speed: Any single guardian can stop a false alarm
- Security: Multiple confirmations needed for immediate release
Auto Track (formerly Trip Mode)
Auto Track is a short-term safety feature for when you're traveling or in a temporary higher-risk situation. All location data is end-to-end encrypted.
How It Works
- Go to Home and tap Start Auto Track
- Set a duration (default: 72 hours)
- While active, your location is recorded as encrypted breadcrumbs every 30 minutes
- If the timer expires without you checking in, your guardians receive a pulse alert with your last known location
All breadcrumbs are encrypted on your device before being sent to the server — latitude, longitude, and address are stored as ciphertext that only you and your guardians can decrypt.
Multi-Device Support
Auto Track shows which device started the session. If you open the app on a different device, you'll see an "Other Device" badge on the banner. Ending an Auto Track from a non-origin device shows a confirmation dialog.
Pulse Alerts vs Vault Release
Auto Track uses pulse-only alerts by default — your vault is NOT released when the timer expires. Instead:
- Guardians receive a location-based safety check email
- Guardians can respond "They're OK" (dismisses alert) or "This is an emergency" (escalates to vault release)
- If no guardian responds within the escalation window (default 24 hours), the main safety timer resumes
Ending Auto Track
Tap I'm Back on the home screen to end the session. This cancels any pending pulse alerts and resumes your normal check-in timer.
Auto Track Settings
- Pulse Only (default ON): Timer expiry sends pulse alerts, not vault release
- Escalation Hours: How long guardians have to respond before escalation (default 24h)
Best Practices
1. Guardian Selection
✅ Do:
- Choose people who would know if something happened to you
- Select people in different locations (in case of local disasters)
- Pick people who check their email/phone regularly
❌ Don't:
- Choose only one guardian
- Select people who might be with you in an emergency
- Pick unreliable people who ignore messages
2. Timer Duration
| Your Situation | Recommended Duration |
|---|---|
| Live alone | 1-3 days |
| Live with family | 7-14 days |
| Travel frequently | 7 days |
| Long-term planning only | 30-90 days |
3. Vault Organization
Suggested Items:
- Master password list or password manager recovery info
- Bank and financial account details
- Insurance policy information
- Will & legal document locations
- Personal letters to loved ones
- Digital account credentials (email, social media)
- Instructions for pets, property, subscriptions
4. Regular Maintenance
- Monthly: Review and update vault items
- Quarterly: Verify guardian contact info is current
- Yearly: Review recipient assignments
FAQ
Q: What if I'm just on vacation and forget to check in?
A: Your guardians will be notified first. They can confirm you're okay and stop the release. You'll also receive warning notifications before the timer expires.
Q: Can guardians see my vault items?
A: Only if you assign them as recipients. Being a guardian only means they verify your status - it doesn't automatically give them access to items.
Q: What happens if all my guardians don't respond?
A: After the 48-hour window, the vault releases automatically. This ensures your information reaches recipients even if guardians are unavailable.
Q: Is my data encrypted?
A: Yes. All vault items are encrypted client-side before being stored. Even the server cannot read your content.
Q: Can I pause the timer temporarily?
A: Yes! Go to Settings → Pause Timer. Use this for planned situations where you won't be able to check in (surgery, remote travel, etc.).
Q: What if I want to remove access to an item?
A: Open the vault item, tap "Edit" in Recipients, uncheck the contacts, and save.
Q: Can the same person be both a Guardian and a Recipient?
A: Yes! Many users make their primary guardian also a recipient of important items.
Q: What is Anonymous Mode?
A: Anonymous Mode lets you use LastBeacon without an email or password. Your account is tied to your device ID only. You get a 32-character recovery key (formatted as XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX) that lets you restore your account on a new device.
Q: Can I switch from Anonymous Mode to email/password later?
A: Not currently. If you start in Anonymous Mode, you'll need to create a new standard account separately. Future updates may add account migration.
Q: What if I lose my recovery key?
A: Your recovery key is the ONLY way to restore an anonymous account. If you lose it and lose access to your device, your account cannot be recovered. Store it securely!
Q: Can I edit GPS locations after saving them?
A: Yes! Open the location item, tap "Edit", then tap "Update Location" to recapture your current GPS or manually edit the coordinates, address, and notes.
Support
For technical issues or questions:
- Email: support@lastbeacon.app
- Check the README.md for setup instructions
- Review the initial-summary.md for technical specifications
Important Disclaimers
LastBeacon is a supplementary safety tool. It is not a substitute for emergency services, law enforcement, or professional safety systems. If you are in immediate danger, contact local emergency services.
Vault release depends on email delivery, network availability, and third-party services. While we strive for reliability, no technology can guarantee 100% delivery. Users who store materials where failure could result in serious harm should maintain independent backup systems.
For full terms, see Terms of Service. For data handling details, see Privacy Policy.
LastBeacon - Leave Nothing Unsaid.