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Your Ciao guide

Ciao brings messages, group conversations, voice and video calls, and Moments lasting 12 or 24 hours together. Start with the basics, then choose the extras that help you.

The guide is translated. Button names in brackets match the English labels currently shown in the app. Tap a heading to open its instructions.

Get the Android app v0.4.74
Install and create your account
  1. Tap Android app on the website and open the downloaded APK. Allow installation for that source only if Android asks. Install over an existing compatible Ciao instead of uninstalling it.
  2. Open Ciao → Create an account. Enter your name, email, phone number and a strong password. Correct any field marked with an error, then submit.
  3. Open the verification email and tap its link. Return to Ciao, then sign in using your email or Ciao ID. Google sign-in requires the server and device OAuth configuration; cancel and try normal sign-in if it cannot finish.
Inbox and starting a conversation
  1. Inbox shows your conversations, unread counts, search and filters. Tap a conversation to open it. Older messages load as you scroll upward; there are no numbered pages.
  2. Tap Start a conversation, enter a Ciao ID and verify it, or choose a contact. Accept an invitation before chatting. Direct chats connect two people; group chats have several members.
  3. Type your message, review it, then tap Send. The progress icon means it is going out; delivery and read icons update when the other device acknowledges it. Offline people may see it later.
Contacts and invitations
  1. Tap Contacts near the theme icon and allow contact access if you want it. Search by name or number; contacts who can be discovered on Ciao appear first.
  2. A person is matched only when their phone-discovery preference permits it. A saved number is not proof of identity: confirm who you are talking to before sharing sensitive information.
  3. For someone without Ciao, use Invite to share through SMS or WhatsApp. Carrier SMS and Ciao internet messages remain separate. Default-SMS replacement is disabled until MMS support is ready.
Photos, videos, files and voice messages
  1. Tap Attach for a photo, short video or file. Chat attachments have a 15 MB per-file limit. Photos are compressed and previews load when needed; tap a photo to enlarge or a video to play.
  2. Record a voice message, stop, then replay it before sending. After sending, tap its play button to listen again. Already downloaded audio and media can be available offline on that device.
  3. If Processing file lasts too long, keep the conversation open briefly and use Retry if shown. Never share a file you do not trust. Downloaded copies and someone else's saved copies are not erased simply by deleting your message.
Reactions, stickers, bookmarks and deletion
  1. Press and hold a message to open its actions. Choose a reaction, bookmark, report, or deletion where allowed. You can select several of your own messages before deleting.
  2. Deletion offers a five-second Undo window. Tap Undo to keep the messages. After the request is committed, the selected message records are permanently deleted; it is not a recycle bin.
  3. Open Stickers beside the composer and choose artwork. Stickers do not need a visible name. Long text uses See more to expand and Show less to collapse. Bookmark a message to find it again.
Chat details, themes and pinned chats
  1. Tap the information icon at the top of a conversation. The details sheet contains people, shared items, background, bubble options and available safety controls. Scroll inside the sheet to see all options.
  2. Choose a chat theme and bubble shape/colour. These are personal: they change your view, not the other person's. Pin a chat to keep it near the top; the standard limit is three, or ten with Extra pins.
  3. Leave conversation removes your membership, not the other people's accounts. Block prevents the supported contact interactions; Report submits only the content you choose for moderation.
Groups, invitations and privacy
  1. Choose Create group and select people from existing conversations, or verify their Ciao IDs. Give the group a name, description and a photo or avatar, then review invitations.
  2. Members appear in Details after they accept. Group admins can edit identity and discovery settings. A public group can appear in group search; a private one cannot be discovered that way.
  3. Share an invitation link only with people you want to join. Ciao-ID visibility needs both the group's policy and the individual's permission. Use Group space for enabled topics, polls and events.
Audio and video calls
  1. Open a direct or group conversation and tap the call icon. Choose Audio or Video. Audio starts with microphone only; Video can request both microphone and camera permission.
  2. The other person receives answer/decline controls when notification and call delivery are available. The Calls tab shows call history, not Quick Ciao creation. A direct call ends for both people when one hangs up; group calls can continue for remaining members.
  3. During a call use Mic, Camera, audio settings, camera effects and the layout controls. Enabling an effect loads it on demand. Device permissions, weak connections, blocked notifications or a force-stopped app can prevent ringing or video.
Audio profiles and camera effects
  1. Open Settings → Audio or the Audio control in a call. Compare the available profiles and choose one that sounds comfortable on your device. Echo protection stays enabled.
  2. Camera effects are chosen during video calls, not from a separate private-camera menu. Pick an available look/effect and allow loading to finish. Return to Original to remove it.
  3. Effects are optional and device-dependent. A screen background is not a replacement for the real camera background. Playing existing voice messages or updates does not make call microphone processing edit the recording.
Share and watch Moments
  1. At the top of Chats, tap + on your profile circle. Choose Text or Photo / video. Standard video clips can be up to one minute; Longer video updates in Sparks offers more.
  2. For media, choose Upload media first. When it is ready, review the caption, audience, 12- or 24-hour lifespan, reactions and saving controls. Tap Share update to publish; upload completion alone does not publish.
  3. Open a Moment to view it. Use the sound control on the profile circle. For your own Moments, open Views or the three-dot menu to delete. Other people may still capture copies; disappearing content cannot erase those copies.
Profile, availability and account settings
  1. Open Settings, then the relevant group: Profile, Privacy, Audio, Notifications or Security. Change your avatar/photo, name, account details and discovery preferences there. Uploaded profile photos must not exceed 2 MB.
  2. Tap your availability icon to choose Around, In my flow or A little space. A custom status can replace these or appear with them; custom wording can be changed once per week.
  3. Security includes password, sessions, supported authenticator setup and Google linking. Sign out from Settings. Never give another person your password, passkey or authenticator code; the Ciao name/logo is reserved for the official account.
App lock and hidden conversations
  1. Set an app lock in Settings → Security using a separate lock code, not your account password. Reopening the app asks for the lock code. Keep your account recovery details safe.
  2. Lock a conversation from its Details and set the requested private phrase/password. Locked chats are hidden from ordinary lists; enter the lock phrase in the supported inbox search/reveal flow to show them.
  3. To change or disable a lock, use its settings and the required current proof. Resetting a forgotten lock needs the account-security flow; it is not a way to read someone else's chats.
Notifications and being offline
  1. Allow notification permission and enable message/call notifications in Settings. Choose whether sender/message previews may appear on the phone's notification screen.
  2. Previously cached conversations, avatars and downloaded media can remain available offline. New messages, new downloads, account changes and calls need connectivity. An outgoing draft is not delivered until the server accepts it.
  3. If ringing fails, check network, Android notification settings and battery restrictions. A force-stopped/offline app cannot guarantee alerts. Do not disable your other SMS app expecting Ciao to replace MMS.
Ciao chat or carrier SMS
  1. Use the Ciao chat / SMS switch inside a conversation. Ciao chat uses internet; SMS uses your carrier and can incur charges. Choose a SIM when asked on a supported phone.
  2. Contacts without Ciao can be reached by the supported SMS flow. A recipient number must be available through a saved contact or permitted account information; Ciao does not bypass number privacy.
  3. Only supported SMS history is shown. Provider delivery reports depend on your carrier. Ciao is not yet a complete default SMS/MMS app; that switch stays disabled until MMS is ready.
Just meet, Quick Ciao and Artifact Studio
  1. Browser tools include Just meet for a simple room and Quick Ciao for shared work. Public browser sign-in/registration is temporarily paused; Android calls start from conversations and groups.
  2. In an accessible Quick Ciao, the host sets the room and people limit. Room tools include people/chat/signals, decisions, actions, questions, timers, notes, files and a live artifact presentation. Access depends on role and invitation.
  3. Artifact Studio edits documents with tables, links and images, while a presented artifact can be read by permitted participants. Editing requires a tablet or PC; phones cannot use the editor. Artifacts and evidence remain permission-controlled, not public files.
Official updates, advertising and safety
  1. The verified Ciao conversation carries official read-only updates. You cannot reply to it. Ads are clearly labelled placements; an advertising request does not automatically publish or charge you.
  2. To request an advertisement, open Advertise on the website and give your campaign/contact details. Ciao prepares the price and sends a quote for review.
  3. Block/report unwanted contact and review phone/Ciao-ID visibility in Settings. Private locks do not make screenshots impossible. Staff moderation receives only selected reported content, not unrestricted access to all chats.
Update the app without uninstalling
  1. From version 0.4.12, Ciao checks for a newer APK when opened. Use Update or Later, and tap ? to read What's new. Settings → App updates lets you check manually.
  2. Download with progress, optionally on Wi-Fi only. Continue using Ciao or close it normally; Android manages the download in the background. Tap the ready notification or reopen App updates.
  3. Allow installation for Ciao if Android requests it, return and tap Install again. Android asks for approval. A compatible same-signer update keeps app data; do not uninstall first. The current APK is test-signed, not a Play Store production release.

Sparks

Open Sparks in the bottom navigation. Choose an extra, switch it on, read its instructions, then open its tools or Customise. Features are not enabled automatically. A seven-day trial starts on first eligible access; after it ends, an entitlement is required. Purchases are unavailable until checkout is configured.

Translation and voice transcripts need separately configured private server services. A setup label means the service is unavailable, not that your phone is broken. Call backgrounds are screen palettes, not camera background replacement.

Together Studio
  1. Enable advanced templates and daily or weekly recurring plans.
  2. Open Together from the header or a shared plan. Joining, claiming, discussions, Decide and Bridge remain free.
  3. Recurring plans start in the original conversation. Nobody is assigned or joined automatically. Disable recurrence any time.
Ten pinned conversations
  1. Chat → Details → Pin. Keep up to ten pinned chats while this extra is enabled.
Custom chat folders
  1. Sparks → Organise chats → New folder. Name it, choose conversations, save, then use its chip in Inbox.
Automatic folder rules
  1. Enable Custom chat folders first. In Organise chats choose an Unread, Groups or Direct chats rule; matches update as conversations change.
Bookmark collections
  1. Sparks → Bookmark collections → Open tools. Name a collection, choose a chat and select messages. Collections cannot restore deleted or inaccessible messages.
Ciao animated stickers
  1. Enable Ciao animated stickers in Sparks, then open a chat and choose Stickers.
  2. Choose an official animated sticker. Previews load as needed and are cached on your phone.
  3. Only the sticker is sent, without its name. Recipients can view it without Sparks.
Animated emoji
  1. Enable Animated emoji in Sparks.
  2. Send a supported emoji on its own in a chat to see its animation.
  3. Reduced motion keeps the experience still. Normal text and unsupported emoji remain unchanged.
Ciao colour studio
  1. Enable Ciao colour studio in Sparks, then tap Customise.
  2. Preview eight light and dark accent palettes, then Save choices. Chat listings stay neutral.
  3. Only you see this choice. Choose Ciao Jade or disable the extra to restore the original accent. Wallpapers and message bubbles are unchanged.
Signature chat themes
  1. Customise → choose a signature palette → Save. It applies to your chat windows only. Disable it to return to individual backgrounds.
Personal bubble studio
  1. Customise → colour and shape → Save. Your outgoing bubbles use the choice; personal settings sync between your devices.
Animated avatars
  1. Customise → Breathe or Orbit. Your own avatar moves briefly in your app; reduced-motion settings stop the effect. This is not an animated photo upload.
Profile covers
  1. In Ciao, open Customise to choose your account cover palette.
  2. Open Settings → Profile → Your profile card to upload a banner photo.
  3. Choose which card fields to share. Your uploaded banner appears to other people only when you enable its sharing switch.
Custom reaction packs
  1. Customise → Expressive or Studio. Hold a message and choose an extra reaction; other conversation members see the reaction.
Personal sticker packs
  1. Customise → name a sticker and choose artwork → Save. Add up to sixteen; choose from your pack in chat Stickers. This is an emoji-art pack, not a photo editor.
Sticker motion studio
  1. Customise → Bounce, Header drop, Orbit, Ripple or Flip → arrivals, taps or both. Tap a sticker to replay. Old history does not celebrate; motion is local and short.
Celebration effects
  1. Customise → Rise, Confetti or Halo. React to a message; active viewers see a brief effect using their own preferences. Reduced motion is respected.
Update caption typefaces
  1. Customise → Standard, Serif, Mono or Bold. Share a photo/video update; Android viewers see the caption style. Expiry stays six hours.
Ciao Assist
  1. Open Ciao Assist in Sparks, or hold a maths message and choose Ciao Assist.
  2. Choose a maths tool and open its example before entering your expression or matrix.
  3. Only the selected problem is processed on the private server. General questions, reply drafting and web search remain unavailable until configured.
Ciao Fade
  1. Open a conversation, then tap the small Fade icon above the composer.
  2. Seen, Reply and timed messages are free. Enable this extra for activity, action, active call/meeting rules, collections and Open once.
  3. Choose whether to keep a content-free Trace. Open once supports private text/photos. Screenshots, recipient copies and backups cannot be erased by Ciao.
Scheduled messages
  1. Write text in a chat → Schedule → future date/time. Manage or cancel it in Sparks → Scheduled messages. Server scheduling and send-time permissions must still be available.
Personal quick replies
  1. Sparks → Quick replies: save a name and message. Chat → Quick replies above the composer → insert a reply. Review it before sending.
Private voice transcriptsServer setup needed
  1. When the local speech service is ready, hold a ready voice message → Transcribe voice → confirm processing. The encrypted transcript is private to you; original audio is unchanged.
Private message translation
  1. Hold text → Translate → select a language → confirm local server processing. Read the translation below the original. Requires the self-hosted LibreTranslate service; no external translation provider is used.
Extended media captions
  1. Attach a photo/video and write its caption. The extra raises attachment-caption capacity from 8,000 to 16,000 characters. Ordinary text messages and file-size checks keep their limits.
Media albums
  1. Tap the album icon beside Attach → choose up to twelve photos/videos → review → Send. Uploads run sequentially and each file stays within 15 MB.
Cross-device drafts
  1. In a chat choose Cloud draft to explicitly save, reload or restore text. Drafts are encrypted and private to your account; conflicts are not silently overwritten.
Group topics
  1. Group → Details → Group space. Admins create topics; members open one to filter/write topic messages. Close the topic chip to return to all messages.
Enhanced group polls
  1. Group space → New group tool → Poll. Admins add two to eight options and optional closing time. Members vote/change a vote until closing; totals do not reveal other individual votes.
Group event reminders
  1. Admin → Group space → create an event/date/time. Members select Going, Maybe or No. Going/Maybe reminders need the server scheduler, push worker and notification permission.
Group identity studio
  1. Admin → Group space → New group tool → Branding. Set title/accent for the group's shared identity; edit/remove it in Group space.
Privacy-safe group insights
  1. Admin → Group space → Activity insights. See active-member count and daily message totals for seven days, not individual read tracking or private-message inspection.
Reusable group templates
  1. Sparks → Group templates → Open tools. Save name/description/avatar preset, then Create group and choose people to invite. Existing history is not copied and members are not added silently.
Signature call backgrounds
  1. Customise → call-screen palette. It changes the area around avatars/video on your own call screen, not the background inside transmitted camera video.
Portrait lighting presets
  1. Customise → lighting preset, then Video call → Camera effects. Colour/lighting processing runs on-device at bounded resolution and pauses if too slow; it is not face retouching.
Personal call notes
  1. Sparks → Call notes → save a title and your notes. They sync privately across your devices. No call audio is recorded or transcribed.
On-device voice presets
  1. Customise or Call audio → Studio voice, Travel voice or Quiet voice. These adjust WebRTC processing/bitrate with echo protection; compare on your device, not a promise of perfect noise removal.
Personal call shortcuts
  1. Sparks → Call shortcuts → choose a conversation and Audio/Video. Tap the saved call icon; membership, blocking and device permissions still apply.
Opt-in meeting recaps
  1. In a call choose Save recap and confirm. Save confirmed decisions/actions or your own key points; read them in Sparks → Meeting recaps. This is not automatic audio transcription or an AI summary.
Longer video updates
  1. Choose an 80-second or two-minute limit in Customise.
  2. Open Updates → Add moment → Photo / video and choose a video. Drag the timeline handles to choose the shared segment.
  3. Ciao exports only your selected segment on your phone. Choose a 12-hour or 24-hour Moment lifespan.
Swipe studio
  1. Open Customise to choose conversation swipe actions and motion.
  2. Swipe a chat right to confirm deletion, archive it, or open its private lock form. Swipe left to archive by default.
  3. In messages, swipe right to reply and left to choose a forwarding destination. Delete always asks for confirmation; hiding requires your private phrase.
Inbox focus studio
  1. Customise → starting view All, Unread or Pinned → Comfortable/Compact rows. Inbox chips still change your view at any time; this setting deletes nothing.
Comfort reading
  1. Customise → message text size. Reopen a conversation to read comfortably. Only your display changes, not the message or another person's screen.
Your update rhythm
  1. Customise → photo time 5, 8 or 12 seconds → video sound on/off. Pause, navigate or change sound in the viewer. Videos and six-hour expiry keep their limits.
Personal call stage
  1. Customise → Focus or Grid → Fill or Contain. Contain shows the whole incoming video frame; Fill fills its tile. Change layout during a video call; audio calls do not open a camera.
Avatar studio
  1. In Sparks, enable Avatar studio. Open Settings → Profile → Avatar: ten choices are free, while the studio unlocks the expanded catalogue and Create a look. Preview a generated vector avatar, then tap Use avatar. Nothing is sent to an AI provider.
Update studio
  1. In Sparks, enable Update studio, then Customise. Choose rounded rows, cards or a grid for Updates; select a viewer-sheet theme and reaction pack. Open one of your updates and tap Views to see viewers’ avatars, replies and reactions. Changes affect only your display.
Profile colours
  1. Enable Profile colours, then tap Customise and choose a palette.
  2. Open a chat and tap the person name or photo. You can also tap an author on a group or personal post.
  3. Only you see your chosen colours. Other people see only the card fields you explicitly share, never your private sign-in email.