Help & Support

1. Contact us

The fastest way to get help is email:

• General support: [email protected]
• Security reports: [email protected] (see Report a security issue)
• Press & partnerships: [email protected]

Vela is made by danestves LLC, registered in Delaware, United States. We do not run a phone support line — for a privacy-first product handling sensitive health data, written communication lets us verify requests carefully and keep a clear record.

What to include in a support email

A few details help us solve your issue on the first reply:

• A one-line summary of what happened.
• The device (e.g., “iPhone 15 Pro, iOS 18.2”) and the Vela version (you can find it in Profile → About).
• If it’s a bug: what you did right before it happened, and what you expected instead.
• Never paste health data, journal entries, or partner identifiers. We don’t need them — and by design, we can’t decrypt them anyway. A sanitized description is always enough.

2. Account & sign-in

Do I need an account to use Vela?

No. Vela is local-first — the app works fully offline and stores everything on your device. You only need an account if you want to sync to another device, use Partner Mode, or subscribe to premium.

How do I sign in?

Vela only offers Sign in with Apple and Sign in with Google. We do not offer passwords or email/password sign-up. This is a deliberate security decision: fewer credentials means fewer ways your account can be compromised. Apple’s “Hide My Email” relay is fully supported.

I can’t sign in

A few things to try, in order:

1. Make sure you’re online — sign-in requires a network connection.
2. Confirm you’re using the same Apple or Google account you signed up with. Vela treats these as separate identities.
3. Close the app fully and reopen it. On iOS, swipe up from the bottom and dismiss Vela; on Android, use the app switcher.
4. Update to the latest version in the App Store or Play Store.

If none of that works, email [email protected] with your device model, OS version, and which provider (Apple or Google) you’re signing in with. Do not send screenshots containing your email address or provider tokens.

How do I delete my account?

You can delete your account and all server-side data at any time:

1. Open Vela and go to Profile → Privacy & security → Delete account.
2. Confirm the two-step prompt.

This immediately deletes your authentication record, any encrypted blobs we hold for sync, and any partner-mode session keys. Local data on your device is a separate control — use the Panic button (same screen) to wipe that as well.

Account deletion is permanent. If you later change your mind, you’ll need to start over.

Can I change the email tied to my account?

Your account identity is controlled by Apple or Google, not by Vela. To change it, update the email on the underlying Apple ID or Google Account. If you switch providers entirely (e.g., from Apple to Google), that’s a new account in Vela — we cannot merge them, because we can’t prove they belong to the same person without seeing your health data.

3. Your data & privacy

Where is my data stored?

By default, every entry — cycles, symptoms, mood, journal, garden state — lives only on your device, in an encrypted local database. It never touches our servers unless you explicitly turn on sync.

If you enable sync or Partner Mode, your device encrypts your data with keys derived on-device, then uploads the ciphertext to our servers (hosted in Helsinki, Finland). We store opaque blobs. We cannot read them. Even if legally compelled, we can only hand over ciphertext.

Full details: Privacy Policy.

How do I export my data?

Go to Profile → Privacy & security → Export my data. Vela produces a JSON file containing every entry on your device, saved through the system share sheet. You can back it up, move it to another service, or keep it for your records.

Export is a local operation — the file never touches our servers.

How do I import data from another app?

We’re actively working on import from common competitors (Apple Health, Clue, Flo). If your app can export to CSV or JSON, email [email protected] with a sample file (with sensitive entries removed) and we’ll let you know where things stand.

What is the Panic button?

The Panic button is a single action in Profile → Privacy & security that immediately wipes all local encryption keys and data from your device. No confirmation chains, no remote delay. Your device is left as if you’d just installed Vela fresh.

We designed the Panic button for people who live in regions where menstrual data privacy is a safety concern, not a preference. You should not need to use it — but if you do, it works instantly and completely.

Can someone at Vela read my cycle data?

No. The system is built so that we cannot. Encryption keys are derived on your device, from material only you possess. The servers we operate store ciphertext. Our code has no path to decrypt it. Our employees have no access they could use even if they wanted to.

This is called zero-knowledge architecture. It’s enforced in code, not just policy.

4. Cycle tracking & predictions

How does Vela predict my next period?

Vela uses a combination of Ogino-Knaus (a long-established cycle-length method) and a Weighted Moving Average (WMA) that gives more weight to your recent cycles. The more you log, the more accurate predictions become. All prediction math runs on your device — no cycle data is ever sent to a server for prediction.

Why are my predictions off?

A few common reasons:

• Not enough logged cycles. Predictions stabilize after three to four complete cycles. Before then, the estimate is wider.
• Irregular cycles. Vela flags patterns that fall outside a typical range using z-score analysis. Irregularity is normal and can be caused by stress, travel, hormonal changes, medication, or many other factors. Vela never makes a medical judgment — it just shows you the pattern.
• Recently changed birth control, stopped breastfeeding, or entered perimenopause. These all shift cycles significantly. Give it two to three months of logging before trusting predictions again.
• Missed logs. Predictions get sharper when you log the start and end of each period, not just the start.

What do the phases (Menstrual, Follicular, Ovulatory, Luteal) mean?

Vela uses the standard four-phase model of the menstrual cycle. Each phase is colored and iconed consistently across the app — Deep Rose → Petal Blush → Vela Gold → Warm Sienna. Tap any phase indicator on the Insights or Calendar screen for a plain-language explanation of what’s typically happening hormonally.

Phase information is educational, not medical. Vela is not a substitute for a healthcare provider.

Can I use Vela for fertility or contraception?

Vela shows a predicted fertile window to help you understand your cycle, but it is not approved as a contraceptive method and should not be used as one. If you are trying to conceive or to avoid pregnancy, pair Vela with a method your clinician recommends.

5. Subscriptions & billing

What does premium include?

Premium unlocks advanced insights, extended history, the full Garden experience, and Partner Mode sync. The free tier includes core tracking indefinitely — we believe cycle tracking itself should not be paywalled.

Pricing and exact feature lists are shown in the app before checkout and may vary by region.

How do I subscribe?

Subscriptions are processed through the App Store (iOS) or Play Store (Android), not by Vela directly. Tap Profile → Upgrade to Premium in the app. You’ll be prompted by the platform’s native purchase sheet.

We use RevenueCat to manage entitlements across platforms, but your payment method is held by Apple or Google — we never see your card details.

How do I restore purchases on a new device?

Open Vela, go to Profile → Subscription → Restore purchases, and sign in with the same Apple ID or Google Account you used to purchase. The entitlement will sync within a few seconds.

How do I cancel?

Cancellation is handled by Apple or Google — not by Vela, and not by emailing us.

• iOS: Settings → [your name] → Subscriptions → Vela → Cancel.
• Android: Play Store → Profile icon → Payments & subscriptions → Subscriptions → Vela → Cancel.

Canceling stops the next renewal. You keep premium access until the end of the current billing period.

How do refunds work?

Refunds are processed by Apple or Google under their respective policies:

• Apple: reportaproblem.apple.com
• Google: Play Store refund help

Vela cannot issue a refund directly. If a platform denies a refund and you believe there’s been an error on our side (for example, a feature you paid for isn’t working), email [email protected] and we’ll help you document the case for resubmission.

Does premium support Family Sharing?

Yes — on iOS, Vela subscriptions can be shared with your Apple Family group. Enable Family Sharing in the App Store subscription settings.

6. Partner mode

What is Partner Mode?

Partner Mode lets you share a selective, end-to-end encrypted view of your cycle with a partner, parent, or healthcare buddy — so they can be supportive without needing to ask. You choose exactly what they see.

Partner Mode uses an X25519 key exchange between your device and theirs. The server sees only a relay of encrypted payloads. Your partner cannot see anything you haven’t explicitly shared.

How do I invite a partner?

Open Profile → Partner mode → Invite. Vela generates a short, one-time invite code. Share it with your partner through any channel you trust — text, a messaging app, or in person. They enter it in their own copy of Vela.

Invite codes expire after 24 hours and can only be used once.

How do I revoke partner access?

Profile → Partner mode → Remove partner. Revocation is immediate. Vela rotates the session key on your side so that any cached data on the partner’s device becomes undecryptable.

Can my partner see my journal?

Only if you specifically share it. Partner Mode has granular permissions — cycle dates, symptoms, mood, journal, and phase information are each individually toggleable. The default is a minimal view (cycle dates and current phase). You can change this at any time.

7. The Garden

Why is my plant wilting?

Plants in the Garden reflect how consistently you’re logging — a gentle nudge, nothing more. A wilting plant means Vela hasn’t seen an entry in several days. Plants never die. Open the app, log anything (even a single mood), and the plant will begin recovering.

We designed the Garden to be non-punitive. It’s a companion, not a streak tracker that shames you.

How do I reset a plant?

Profile → Garden → Reset plant starts a fresh plant. Your previous plant is retired to your garden history.

I don’t want gamification — can I turn it off?

Yes. Profile → Appearance → Hide Garden tab removes the Garden tab from the bottom navigation. You can re-enable it any time.

8. Troubleshooting

The app won’t open, or it crashes on launch

1. Update to the latest version.
2. Restart your device (a full power cycle, not just a screen lock).
3. If the crash persists, email [email protected] with your device, OS, and Vela version. Do not reinstall yet — reinstalling can remove local data if sync is not enabled.

Sync is stuck or missing entries

• Make sure you’re signed in on both devices with the same provider (Apple or Google).
• Check that sync is enabled on both devices: Profile → Privacy & security → Sync.
• Give it a minute. Sync is intentionally batched to minimize server chatter.

If entries still don’t appear after a few minutes, email us with an approximate count of affected entries (never the entries themselves).

Notifications aren’t showing up

Open system settings and confirm notifications are allowed for Vela:

• iOS: Settings → Notifications → Vela → Allow Notifications.
• Android: Settings → Apps → Vela → Notifications.

Then in Vela, check Profile → Notifications for per-type toggles.

I lost my data after reinstalling

If sync was not enabled, local-only data cannot be recovered — the privacy guarantees that protect you also mean we genuinely don’t have a copy. Sorry. If sync was enabled, sign in again on a fresh install and your data will restore automatically.

9. Report a security issue

If you’ve found a security vulnerability, we want to hear from you.

Email: [email protected]

Please include:

• A description of the issue and where you found it (app version, platform, or URL).
• Steps to reproduce.
• The potential impact as you understand it.
• Any proof-of-concept code or screenshots.

We’ll acknowledge within 72 hours, triage within five business days, and keep you updated through resolution. We do not currently run a paid bug bounty, but we credit responsible reporters publicly (with your permission) once a fix ships.

Please do not:

• Publicly disclose a vulnerability before we’ve had a chance to fix it.
• Access data that isn’t yours (including running automated scans against live users).
• Use social engineering against our team or users.

10. Press, partnerships & business

• Press & media inquiries: [email protected]
• Partnerships & integrations: [email protected]
• Legal notices (DMCA, subpoenas, etc.): [email protected]

Vela is operated by danestves LLC, registered in the State of Delaware, United States. For a postal address suitable for legal correspondence, email [email protected] and we’ll provide the current registered agent details.

For everything else, start with [email protected] and we’ll route it.