Guides

Guide

How it connects

Whispurr is peer to peer: chats sync directly between the devices of the people in them, with no central server holding your messages. This guide explains how devices find each other, what happens when someone is offline, and how backups work.

Transports

A transport is a way for two devices to reach each other. Choose them in Device Settings › Transports. Whispurr uses whichever is available, and a single chat can use more than one at once.

TransportDefaultHow it connects
NetworkOnOver the internet and your local network. Devices connect directly when they can. When they can't, an encrypted relay passes the traffic along without being able to read it.
Nearby Wi-FiOffDirectly between nearby Apple devices over peer-to-peer Wi-Fi, with no router or internet needed. Fast enough for photos and video.
BluetoothOffDirectly between nearby devices over Bluetooth, with no internet needed.

Nearby Wi-Fi and Bluetooth only connect to people you already share a verified chat with. To meet someone new nearby, use Nearby Users. Each transport shows its status in settings, such as Ready · searching for verified peers or Connected to 2 peers. Turning every transport off keeps your chats on this device only.

Some examples

Mesh networking

In a group chat, every member's device holds the whole chat, so any member who has an update can pass it on. Members don't all need to reach each other at the same time: an update spreads from device to device until everyone has it.

You, Alex, Sam and Jo share a group chat. When the internet drops, nearby links connect you to Alex and Sam, and your update reaches Jo through Sam. Internet Wi-Fi Bluetooth Bluetooth YYou AAlex SSam JJo · out of range

Through a friend. Jo is out of range, but Sam isn’t. Your update reaches Jo through Sam’s phone, still end-to-end encrypted.

Updates stay encrypted end to end along the way, and only the chat's members can read them. Every copy ends up the same, whatever order changes arrive in.

Offline delivery

Peer to peer has one limit: two devices can only sync while both are online with Whispurr able to run. Offline delivery uses Courier, an optional service, to cover the gaps.

Say Bob messages Alice, "Movie at 7, should I buy tickets?", while her phone is off, and then goes to the gym with his phone switched off. Without offline delivery, Alice won't see the message until both phones are on at the same time. With it, Courier holds the encrypted update, Alice gets a notification as soon as her phone is back, and Bob sees her reply when he picks his phone up again.

Bob's device sends an encrypted update to Courier. Courier holds it and passes it to Alice's device when she comes online. Courier cannot read the update. Bobsends now Courierholds it, encryptedcan't read it Aliceoffline, then back encrypted update when she's online

Turn it on for a chat

  1. In the chat, open Chat Settings.
  2. Under Delivery and notifications, turn on Offline delivery and tap Enable.

To have it on for every new chat, turn on Persona Settings › Offline delivery for new chats. Solo chats don't need it.

Courier stores only encrypted changes, and only for a while. It can't read messages, but it can see when and how much a chat sends, along with network details such as IP addresses. If you'd rather not reveal that, leave offline delivery off: chats still sync whenever members are online together.

How notifications arrive

While Whispurr is open, it shows notifications itself. While it's closed, a notification needs offline delivery on for that chat.

  1. The sender's device leaves the encrypted update with Courier, along with a short preview sealed with the chat's key.
  2. Courier asks Whispurr's push service to wake your device through Apple's notification service. The push service keeps your device's push token encrypted and never sees which chat it's for or what it says.
  3. Your device decrypts the preview itself and shows it, if Show message previews is on. Otherwise you see "New message".

Calls to a closed app ring the same way, through the system call screen.

Backups and restore

Every device linked to your account already has a full copy of it. A backup device goes one step further: it's a Mac that keeps a full copy of your chats, photos and files, and answers when you restore your account with your recovery phrase. You can have up to four.

Your phone syncs to a Mac backup device. If the phone is lost, a new phone enters the recovery phrase and the Mac sends the account back. Your phonelost Mac at homebackup device New phonerecovery phrase kept in sync restores the account

Make a Mac a backup device

  1. Link the Mac to your account.
  2. On the Mac, open Account Settings › This Mac and turn on Use This Mac as a Backup Device. Turning on Open Whispurr at Login keeps it running after a restart.
  3. Keep the Mac on, with Whispurr open, and set it not to sleep. Its progress shows as items copied.

You can also choose a linked Mac from another device: Account Settings › Linked Devices, tap the Mac, and turn on Use as Backup Device. The Backup row in Account Settings shows when your account was last backed up, and to which device.

Restore your account

  1. On the new device, choose Restore an account from a backup device during setup, or Linked Accounts › Restore Account on the device home.
  2. Enter your 24-word recovery phrase and tap Restore.
  3. Whispurr looks for your backup device. It needs to be on, with Whispurr open and Network on.
  4. Check the account code and tap Restore and Switch. Your personas and chats are copied over, and your other accounts on this device are kept.
  5. Select any devices you no longer have and tap Remove, or tap Keep All Devices.

Without a backup device, your recovery phrase alone can't bring your chats back. Keep at least one working device linked, or set up a Mac as a backup device.