Account & Authentication

This guide covers creating an account, signing in, managing your password, and the partner invitation flow.

Account settings — Account management options

Creating an Account

Owner Sign Up (First Partner)

The first person to create a Couple Tools account becomes the owner. They can then invite their partner to join.

Steps:

Download the app and tap Get Started
Enter your information:
- Your Name - How you'll appear in the app
- Your Email - Used for sign-in and notifications
- Password - At least 8 characters
- Confirm Password - Re-enter your password
Enter your partner's information:
- Partner's Name - Their display name (they can change it later)
- Partner's Email - Where they'll receive the invitation
Couple Name - Auto-generated from both names, but you can customize it
- Tap the swap icon to flip the name order
- Edit directly to customize (e.g., "The Smiths")
Tap Create Account
Check your email for a verification link
Click the link to verify your email

After verification, you're signed in and taken to a short setup screen.

First-Time Setup (Onboarding)

After signing in for the first time, you'll be asked to confirm:

Country - Auto-detected from your device, tap to change
Timezone - Auto-detected from your device, tap to change

This ensures dates, times, and notifications work correctly for you. Both settings can be changed later in your profile.

Your partner will receive an invitation email.

Partner Sign Up (Invited Partner)

When you receive an invitation from your partner:

Option 1: From Email Link

Click the link in your invitation email
The app opens with your invitation code pre-filled
Enter your password and confirm it
Tap Join Account

Option 2: Manual Code Entry

Open the app and tap Join with Invite Code
Enter the 6-digit code from your invitation email
You'll see your partner's name and couple name
Enter your password and confirm it
Tap Join Account

Once you join, you'll have full access to your shared couple account.

Signing In

Open the app
Enter your email address
Enter your password
Tap Sign In

If you've previously signed in, the app may remember your email.

Sign-In Issues

"Invalid email or password"

Check that you're using the correct email
Verify your password is correct (case-sensitive)
If you forgot your password, use the reset option

"Email not verified"

Check your inbox for the verification email
Click the verification link
Try signing in again

"Account not found"

Verify you're using the email you signed up with
If you joined via invitation, make sure you completed sign-up

Password Reset

If you forgot your password:

On the sign-in screen, tap Forgot password?
Enter your email address
Tap Send Reset Link
Check your email for the reset link
Click the link - it opens the app
Enter your new password (at least 8 characters)
Confirm the new password
Tap Reset Password

The reset link expires after a limited time. If it expires, request a new one.

Email Verification

New accounts require email verification before you can use the app.

Why verification is required:

Confirms you own the email address
Enables password reset functionality
Allows us to send important account notifications

To verify:

Check your inbox for the verification email
Click the Verify Email link
The app will confirm your email is verified

Didn't receive the email?

Check your spam/junk folder
Verify you entered the correct email
Request a new verification email from the sign-in screen

Signing Out

Go to Settings (bottom right)
Scroll down and tap Log Out
Confirm you want to sign out

After signing out, you'll need to enter your credentials to sign back in.

Account Types

Owner

The person who created the couple account:

Can invite partners
Can replace partners (if needed)
Can delete the entire account
Full access to all features

Partner

The person who joined via invitation:

Full access to shared features
Can view and edit shared content
Cannot invite or replace partners
Cannot delete the couple account

Both users have equal access to all shared data - the distinction mainly affects administrative functions.

Managing Your Partner

Inviting a Partner

As the owner, you can invite a partner during sign-up or later:

Go to Settings > Couple Profile
Tap Invite Partner
Enter your partner's email
They'll receive an invitation with a 6-digit code
They have 72 hours to accept before the invite expires

Pending Invitations

If your partner hasn't accepted yet:

View the pending invite status in Couple Profile
Resend - Send a reminder email with a new code
Cancel - Remove the invitation and send to a different email

Partner Has Joined

Once your partner accepts:

You'll both see each other's profiles
Shared content syncs automatically
The invitation option is replaced with partner info

Replacing a Partner

In rare cases, you may need to change who has partner access:

Go to Settings > Couple Profile
Look for the Replace Partner option
Confirm the change (this removes current partner's access)
Send a new invitation

Note: This is a significant action. The removed partner loses access to the shared account.

Account Security

Password Requirements

Minimum 8 characters
We recommend using a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols
Don't reuse passwords from other accounts

Session Management

Sessions persist on your device until you sign out
Signing out on one device doesn't affect other devices
For security, sign out of devices you no longer use

Email Changes

To change your email address:

Contact support through the app
Verification will be required for security

Account Deletion

Account deletion has a 7-day cooling-off period to prevent accidental data loss.

Requesting Deletion

Go to Settings > Couple Profile
Scroll to Danger Zone
Tap Delete Account
Review the information about what happens
Tap Request Account Deletion
Confirm in the dialog

7-Day Cooling-Off Period

After you request deletion:

Account becomes read-only for 7 days
Both partners are notified and can download their data
You can restore the account during this period
After 7 days, all data is permanently deleted

During Deletion Pending

While your account is in the cooling-off period:

You'll see "Deletion Pending" with days remaining
The account is read-only (you cannot create or edit items)
Both partners can still view and export data
You'll see how many partners have requested restoration (X/2)

Restoring Your Account

If you change your mind:

Either partner can request restoration
Both partners must agree for the account to be restored
Once restored, the account returns to normal operation
You can see who has already requested restoration

What Gets Deleted

After 7 days, everything is permanently removed:

All your tasks, events, notes, and messages
All saved people, locations, and lists
Your profile and preferences
Partner's access (if you're the owner)
All media files (photos, documents)

Important: Use the Data Export feature in Settings > My Data before deletion to save a copy of your information.

Subscription & Access

Your access level depends on your subscription status:

Trial - Full access for 14 days
Subscribed - Full access while subscription is active
Lifetime - Full access permanently
Expired - Read-only access to existing data

When a subscription expires, you can still view your data but can't create or edit items. Renewing restores full access.

Tips

Use a strong password - Your account contains personal information worth protecting
Verify your email promptly - This ensures you can recover your account if needed
Keep your email updated - If you change email addresses, update your account
Complete partner setup - The app works best when both partners are active
Don't share your password - Each partner has their own login credentials
Sign out on shared devices - If you use a shared phone or tablet, sign out when done
Export your data - Before deleting your account, use the data export feature to save a copy

Last updated: December 2025