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Quick start checklist

1. Install toot from the App Store and launch the app. A short splash screen will prepare the audio engine.
2. Set the name others will see in Settings → Identity. You can update it whenever you like.
3. Grant microphone access when prompted. toot relies on listening for encoded sound to receive messages.
4. Optionally allow notifications so you see banners when a new toot arrives.

Microphone and audio access

toot uses a custom audio transport layer to encode data in audible or ultrasonic tones. The app needs:

• Microphone permission to capture nearby pulses. Without it, discovery and receiving will pause.
• Speaker output so transmissions can play. Keep the system volume above mute or switch to Audible mode for testing.
• Notifications if you want lock-screen or banner alerts. This can be toggled later in the Settings tab.

If you dismissed the initial prompts, open iOS Settings → toot to enable them again.

Notification preferences

Inside the Settings tab you can toggle banners, lock-screen presence, sounds, badges, and grouping. Use “Test Notification” to confirm your configuration. If you’d like quieter updates, disable sounds or switch to previews only when unlocked.

Send your first toot

1. From the Share tab, tap the large plus button.
2. Pick what you want to transmit—clipboard text, a custom note, a saved contact card, or a quick conversation.
3. Hold the device within a few feet of the recipient. Transmission takes a couple of seconds while the waveform plays.
4. Wait for the “Sent successfully!” confirmation. If you enabled notifications, the recipient will get an alert when their device decodes it.

Transmissions use whichever protocol you selected (Audible or Ultrasonic). You can change this anytime under Settings → Audio.

What the share sheet includes

• Share from Clipboard: Instantly send whatever text is currently copied.
• Share My Contact Card: Broadcast the details you saved in Settings → Contact Information.
• Start Conversation: Open a lightweight composer for multi-line chats.
• Share from Contacts: Pick another person’s info straight from your address book.
• Share a URL: Paste links with a quick validation step.
• Write a Custom Toot: Type anything before sending.

Prepare your contact card

Head to Settings → Contact Information to store your own details. When you choose “Share My Contact Card,” toot formats that saved name, phone, email, company, and title into a compact message ready for audio transmission.

Verify listening status

In Settings → Audio make sure “Listening for Toots” is enabled. The status row also confirms microphone permission and reports any audio errors. If the toggle is off, the app will stop decoding until you re-enable it.

You can switch between Audible and Ultrasonic modes here, adjust transmission volume, or enable Silent Mode if you want to mute outgoing tones temporarily.

Troubleshoot delivery

• Confirm microphone access is granted in iOS Settings and that no other recording app is active.
• Try toggling “Listening for Toots” off and back on to reset the audio session. This mirrors the in-app restart.
• Test with Audible mode to hear the waveform and verify audio is playing. Then switch back to Ultrasonic once confirmed.
• Keep devices within a few feet and avoid covering the speaker or microphone.
• If issues persist, fully quit and reopen the app so the audio engine re-initializes.