How TapAlive works
TapAlive follows a simple principle: as long as you check in, nothing happens. If you go quiet, someone is told. This page explains every step – from the check-in to the escalation.
1. The check-in principle
When you first open the app you set your check-in interval. That is the window in which you should confirm at least once – every 24 hours in the free version, freely adjustable with Plus and Premium.
From that moment a timer runs in the background. The home screen always shows how much time is left. A single tap on the large check-in button resets it. Nothing to type, nothing to confirm, no message to write.
Reminders before anything happens
So a check-in cannot slip through by accident, TapAlive reminds you in good time – 60 minutes and again 5 minutes before the deadline. These are local notifications: they are triggered on your device and work even without a connection.
You can also confirm manually at any time – for example before going to sleep, or when you know you will be away from your phone for a while.
Check-in
Everything fine?
Next check-in in7 h 24 min
One tap resets the timer.
Reminder
A nudge before it matters
Check-in due in 60 minutes
Open TapAlive and confirm.
Last reminder — 5 minutes
After this, your contacts are notified.
Reminders run on your device, even offline.
Alert
Your contacts know
No check-in received
Due at 08:00. Last known location attached.
Mumsent
Jonassent
Neighbour Inasent
Including a Google Maps location link.
2. The SOS process
An SOS can start in two ways: automatically, because your check-in did not arrive, or manually, because you triggered it yourself.
Triggering it manually
There are two ways to trigger a manual alert, and both work without looking at the screen:
- Press and hold: hold the SOS button until the countdown has finished.
- Shake: shake your phone firmly – useful when you cannot see the screen, for example in a jacket pocket.
The 5-second countdown
Before the alert goes out, a 5-second countdown runs. The screen fades from green through yellow to red, accompanied by vibration. That is deliberate: you can see and feel that something is about to happen – and you can cancel an accidental trigger with a single tap.
The colour fade from green to red shows how much time is left to cancel.
What is sent
If the countdown runs out, TapAlive sends an SMS to the emergency contacts you stored. That message contains:
- your first name and a note that an SOS was triggered,
- the date and time it was triggered,
- your last known location as a tappable Google Maps link.
With Premium the location is not sent once but updated every 30 seconds while an SOS is active. Premium also lets you attach an audio recording of up to 60 seconds.
Example message to your contacts
Lena triggered an emergency alert at 21:14.
Last known location:
maps.google.com/?q=51.4818,7.2162
Please get in touch. In an emergency call 112.
Delivered 21:14
Not a replacement for the emergency number An SOS through TapAlive reaches your private contacts – not a dispatch centre. If you are in acute danger, always call 110 or 112 first. Both numbers are available as quick dial in the app.
3. The escalation logic
Not every missed check-in is an emergency. Maybe the battery died, maybe the phone was on silent in a bag. That is why TapAlive works in stages.
Stage 1 – first alert
When the check-in interval expires without a confirmation from you, the first alert goes out. Your emergency contacts receive a factual message: that your check-in did not arrive, when it was due, and where you last were. The tone is deliberately restrained – usually a phone call is enough to clear things up.
Stage 2 – a clearer escalation after 6 hours
If you still do not respond, a second and more explicit notification follows 6 hours later. It points out that there has been no reaction since the first alert and recommends that your contacts check on you actively or get help.
If you have stored several contacts and set an order (Plus and Premium), TapAlive works through those priorities – so everyone knows who is first.
Stoppable at any time: a single check-in ends the escalation immediately. Your contacts then receive a short all-clear.
| Time | What happens | Who is told |
|---|---|---|
| −60 minutes | First reminder on your device | Only you |
| −5 minutes | Last reminder | Only you |
| 0 hours | First alert by SMS with last known location | Your emergency contacts |
| +6 hours | Escalation with a recommendation to act | Your emergency contacts |
| Any time | A check-in stops everything, all-clear is sent | Your emergency contacts |
4. The buddy system
A buddy is a trusted person who receives certain signals from you without an emergency having occurred. Both sides have to agree: the phone number is verified by SMS code before the connection becomes active. So nobody can add you as a buddy without being asked.
Battery warning
If your battery drops to 10 % or below, your buddy receives a short message. That matters, because an empty phone is the most common harmless explanation for a missed check-in – and at the same time exactly the situation in which you can no longer be reached. This message is sent at most twice per day and can be switched off at any time.
„Arrived safely“
Before heading home you let your buddy know in the app. When you arrive, you confirm with a tap and your buddy gets the all-clear. If the confirmation does not come, your buddy knows to check in on you.
5. When help is already on the way
Beacon mode
After an emergency call, every second rescuers spend looking for you counts. Beacon mode turns the flashlight into a rhythmic signal and shows a large SOS on the screen. In the dark, in a forest or in a large building that makes a real difference.
Community SOS (Premium)
With Premium your call for help additionally reaches other TapAlive users within 2 km. People who are nearby anyway can often be there faster than any other help. Taking part is voluntary and can be switched off in both directions – your exact position is only shared with the triggered alert, never before.
Location data is collected only during an SOS or a check-in – and only if you have agreed to location access. No location is collected in the background while the app is closed. All details are in the privacy policy.
Still have questions?
The FAQ covers background operation, data security and cancelling your subscription.