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Ihab Saloum edited this page Jan 9, 2026 · 1 revision

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) ❓

Common questions about StepSyncAI answered.


Getting Started

Q: Do I need to create an account?

A: No! StepSyncAI works without any account, login, or personal information. Just visit the site and start tracking.

Q: Is it free?

A: Yes, completely free. No premium tiers, no subscriptions, no ads. Open source and always will be.

Q: Can I use it on my phone?

A: Absolutely! StepSyncAI is mobile-optimized and installable as a PWA (Progressive Web App) on iOS and Android.

Q: Does it work offline?

A: Yes! After the first visit, the service worker caches the app so you can track data even without internet.


Privacy & Security

Q: Where is my data stored?

A: 100% in your browser's localStorage on YOUR device. It never leaves your device or gets sent to any server.

Q: Can you see my health data?

A: No. We literally cannot access your data. There's no backend server collecting anything. It's all local.

Q: What happens if I use private browsing mode?

A: Your data will be deleted when you close the browser tab/window. Use normal browsing mode for persistent data.

Q: Is my data encrypted?

A: localStorage is automatically encrypted by your browser if your device has full-disk encryption (FileVault on Mac, BitLocker on Windows). For extra security, we recommend enabling device encryption.

Q: What if someone steals my phone?

A: If your device is locked with a password/PIN/biometric, they can't access your browser data. Use a strong lock screen password.


Features

Q: Can I sync data across devices?

A: Not yet. Currently data is local only. Cloud sync is planned as an optional feature you can enable.

Q: Can I import data from other apps?

A: Not yet, but we're working on JSON import. You can manually export from other apps and import to StepSyncAI (coming soon).

Q: How accurate is the medication safety checker?

A: Our database includes 150+ medications and 65+ dangerous interaction pairs, validated against medical literature. However, it's not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Q: Can I track multiple people (family members)?

A: Not currently. StepSyncAI is designed for individual use. Multi-user support is on the roadmap.

Q: Does it integrate with Apple Health / Google Fit / Fitbit?

A: Not yet. Wearable integration is planned for future releases.


Data Management

Q: How do I backup my data?

A:

  1. Go to Dashboard
  2. Click "Export Data"
  3. Save the JSON file to your computer/cloud storage
  4. Re-import later (feature coming soon)

Q: How do I delete all my data?

A:

  1. Go to Dashboard
  2. Click "Sign Out"
  3. Confirm deletion
  4. All data is permanently erased

WARNING: This cannot be undone. Export your data first if you need a backup.

Q: Can I recover deleted data?

A: No. Once deleted (via Sign Out), data cannot be recovered. That's by design—privacy means true deletion.

Q: How much data can I store?

A: Browser localStorage typically allows 5-10MB. That's enough for years of daily tracking for most users.

Q: What happens when storage is full?

A: You'll get an error when trying to save new data. You can:

  • Delete old entries manually
  • Export and clear data
  • Upgrade to IndexedDB (planned) for unlimited storage

Technical

Q: What browsers are supported?

A: StepSyncAI works on:

  • ✅ Chrome 90+ (recommended)
  • ✅ Edge 90+
  • ✅ Firefox 88+
  • ✅ Safari 14+
  • ✅ Opera 76+
  • ✅ Brave (Chromium-based)

Basically any modern browser with localStorage and service worker support.

Q: Does it work on iOS?

A: Yes! Safari on iOS 14+ is fully supported. Install it as a PWA via Share → Add to Home Screen.

Q: Does it work on Android?

A: Yes! Chrome on Android is fully supported. Install via the "Add to Home screen" prompt.

Q: Why is Chart.js loaded from a CDN?

A: To keep the app lightweight and leverage browser caching. The CDN (jsDelivr) is one of the most reliable in the world.

Q: Can I self-host StepSyncAI?

A: Absolutely! It's open source. Clone the repo and host it anywhere:

git clone https://github.com/Isaloum/StepSyncAI.git
cd StepSyncAI
# Serve docs/ folder with any web server
python -m http.server 8000  # Python
# OR
npx http-server docs/       # Node.js

Q: How do I update to the latest version?

A: The app auto-updates when you reload. The service worker checks for new versions. Or:

  1. Clear browser cache
  2. Reload the page
  3. Latest version will load

Q: What's the file size?

A: Initial load: ~260KB (HTML/CSS/JS + Chart.js). Subsequent loads: <5KB (cached).


Medication Tracking

Q: How does dosage validation work?

A: The app parses your dosage (e.g., "1000 IU") and checks:

  1. Universal limits (>50,000mg is dangerous for any medication)
  2. Specific drug limits (e.g., Vitamin D >10,000 IU needs doctor approval)
  3. Unit normalization (converts µg to mcg, etc.)

Q: What if my medication isn't in the database?

A: You can still add it! The app will use universal safety checks (>50,000mg = critical). For specific validation, request addition with medical sources.

Q: Can I set medication reminders?

A: Not yet. This feature requires push notifications, which are planned but not yet implemented.

Q: How do I mark a medication as taken?

A:

  1. Go to Medication tab
  2. Find your medication card
  3. Click "Mark Taken"
  4. Button turns green (✅ Taken)

Q: Do medication statuses reset daily?

A: No, they don't auto-reset yet. You need to manually unmark them or add new instances. Auto-reset is planned.


Wellness Score

Q: How is the wellness score calculated?

A:

  • 25% from Mood (mood/10 × 25)
  • 25% from Sleep (hours/8 × 25, capped at 10 hours)
  • 25% from Exercise (minutes/30 × 25, capped at 60 minutes)
  • 25% from Medication Adherence (taken/total × 25)

Total: 0-100 score

Q: Why is my score low even though I feel good?

A: The score requires data in all four categories. If you're not tracking exercise or medications, those contribute 0 points. Focus on the categories that matter most to you.

Q: Can I customize the score weights?

A: Not yet, but it's on the roadmap. We want to let users prioritize what matters most to them.


Charts & Insights

Q: Why is my chart empty?

A: You need at least 2 days of data to see trends. Keep logging for a few days and the chart will populate.

Q: Can I customize the chart date range?

A: Not yet. Currently shows the last 7 days. Customizable ranges (30 days, 90 days, all-time) are planned.

Q: What do the chart colors mean?

A:

  • 🔵 Blue: Mood
  • 🟣 Purple: Sleep
  • 🟢 Green: Exercise
  • 🟡 Orange: Medication Adherence

Q: Can I export charts as images?

A: Not yet, but you can screenshot. Chart image export is planned.


Mobile Experience

Q: Why is the navigation at the bottom on mobile?

A: Research shows bottom navigation is easier to reach with thumbs on large phones. It's a UX best practice for mobile-first apps.

Q: Can I use swipe gestures to navigate?

A: Not yet, but swipe navigation is planned for the next version.

Q: Why does the app scroll to top when I switch tabs on mobile?

A: To ensure you see the full content of each tab. This prevents confusion when switching from a long scrolled section.


Contributing & Support

Q: Can I contribute code?

A: Yes! StepSyncAI is open source. Read the Contributing Guide to get started.

Q: I found a bug. How do I report it?

A: Open an issue on GitHub with:

  • Bug description
  • Steps to reproduce
  • Browser and OS
  • Screenshots (if applicable)

Q: Can I request a feature?

A: Absolutely! Open a feature request or join Discussions.

Q: How can I support the project?

A:

  • Star the repo
  • 🐛 Report bugs
  • 💡 Suggest features
  • 🔧 Contribute code
  • 📣 Share with friends/family
  • 💬 Answer questions in Discussions

Medical & Health

Q: Is StepSyncAI a medical device?

A: No. It's a personal wellness tracking tool, not a medical device. It's not FDA approved or intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition.

Q: Can I use it to diagnose depression/anxiety?

A: No. Only a licensed healthcare professional can diagnose mental health conditions. StepSyncAI can help you track patterns to discuss with your doctor.

Q: Should I stop taking my medications if the app says the dose is too high?

A: Absolutely not! Never change medications without consulting your doctor. The app's warnings are informational only.

Q: Can I share my data with my doctor?

A: Yes! Export your data (JSON format) and:

  • Email it (use secure email)
  • Print it out
  • Show graphs during appointment
  • Upload to patient portal (if supported)

Q: What if I'm in a mental health crisis?

A: StepSyncAI is NOT for emergencies. If you're in crisis:

  • 🇺🇸 US: Call 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
  • 🆘 Emergency: Call 911 or your local emergency number
  • 🌍 International: Find crisis resources

Troubleshooting

Q: The app won't load. What do I do?

A:

  1. Check internet connection (required for first load)
  2. Try a different browser
  3. Clear browser cache and reload
  4. Disable browser extensions
  5. Check browser console for errors (F12 → Console)

Q: My data disappeared. Can I recover it?

A:

  • If you exported recently: Import the JSON file (when feature is ready)
  • If you didn't export: Data is likely unrecoverable
  • Check if you're in the same browser (Chrome vs Firefox have separate localStorage)
  • Check if you're in private browsing mode (data auto-deletes)

Q: The wellness score isn't updating.

A:

  1. Refresh the page
  2. Log new data in all four categories
  3. Check browser console for errors
  4. Try clearing cache and reloading

Q: Charts aren't showing.

A:

  1. Ensure you have Chart.js loaded (check for CDN errors)
  2. Log at least 2 days of data
  3. Refresh the page
  4. Check browser console for errors
  5. Try disabling ad blockers (they might block CDN)

Miscellaneous

Q: Why is it called StepSyncAI?

A: "Step" refers to steps toward better health, "Sync" refers to synchronizing mind and body wellness, and "AI" is planned for future machine learning insights (not yet implemented).

Q: Is there a dark mode?

A: Yes! Dark mode is the default. Click the 🌙/☀️ button in the top-right to toggle.

Q: Can I change the language?

A: Not yet. Currently English only. Internationalization (i18n) is on the roadmap.

Q: Will it always be free?

A: Yes. StepSyncAI is open source (MIT License) and will always have a free, full-featured version. No ads, no premium tiers.


Still Have Questions?

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