Frequently Asked Questions

How do I create an account?

1. Download HoardIQ from the App Store or Google Play Store
2. Open the app and tap "Create Account"
3. Enter your email address and password
4. Tap "Register"
5. You're ready to start organizing!

Is HoardIQ free to use?

Yes! HoardIQ has a free tier that includes:

• Create 1 home with unlimited rooms, storage, and items
• Add unlimited photos to your items
• Search and filter within your home
• 20 AI-powered analyses per month
• Barcode scanning
• Offline access (mobile app)

Premium is available via free trial or voucher during beta for unlimited homes, cross-home search, exports, and more. Paid Subscribe is not shipping yet.

How do I add my first item?

Method 1: AI-Powered Capture (Fastest!)

1. Tap the "+" button on the home screen
2. Select "Capture Item"
3. Point your camera at the item and take a photo
4. Our AI will analyze the photo and suggest name, category, description, and estimated value
5. Review the suggestion and tap "Approve" or edit details

Method 2: Manual Entry

1. Tap the "+" button
2. Select "Add Item Manually"
3. Fill in the item details
4. Tap "Save"

How do I create a new home?

1. Go to Settings → Manage Homes
2. Tap "+" to add a new home
3. Enter home details (name, description, address)
4. Tap "Create"

Multiple homes are a Premium feature.

How do I add rooms to my home?

1. Open the home from the home list
2. Tap "+" or "Add Room"
3. Enter room name and description
4. Tap "Create"

Can I organize items by storage units (closets, cabinets, shelves)?

Yes! HoardIQ lets you create storage units within rooms:

1. Open a room
2. Tap "+" or "Add Storage Unit"
3. Select the storage type (closet, cabinet, shelf, etc.)
4. Enter a name and description
5. Tap "Create"

Then, when adding items, assign them to a specific storage unit.

How does the AI photo analysis work?

When you capture a photo of an item:

1. The photo is sent to our AI service (via OpenRouter)
2. The AI analyzes the image and extracts item name, category, description, and estimated value
3. You review the suggestion and approve or edit

Privacy Note: Photos are processed temporarily and NOT stored by the AI service.

Is the AI analysis accurate?

AI suggestions are provided as a starting point. Accuracy depends on photo quality (well-lit, clear focus = better results), item type (common items = better recognition), and angle and background.

Always review AI suggestions before approving. You can edit any field.

Can I add multiple photos to an item?

Yes! You can add multiple photos to any item. Open the item, tap "Add Photo", and choose "Take Photo" or "Pick from Gallery".

How do I search for an item?

1. Tap the search icon (magnifying glass) on the home screen
2. Type a keyword (e.g., "laptop", "winter coat")
3. Filter results by room, storage unit, category, or tags

Can I scan barcodes to add items?

Yes! HoardIQ supports barcode scanning:

1. Tap the "+" button
2. Select "Scan Barcode"
3. Point your camera at the barcode
4. HoardIQ will look up the product info
5. Review and save

How do I organize items with tags?

Tags are flexible labels you can assign to items. When creating or editing an item, find the "Tags" field, type a tag (e.g., "winter", "fragile", "sold"), and press Enter to add it. Then search by tags to find all items with that tag.

How do I generate an insurance report?

1. Go to Settings → Export Data
2. Select the home you want to export
3. Choose export format (CSV or PDF)
4. Tap "Export"
5. Save or share the file

What's included in the insurance report?

The report includes home details (name, address), room list, and all items with name, description, category, purchase date, expiration date, estimated value, photos (if available), and location (room → storage unit).

Can I share my home inventory with family members?

Not in the current release. HoardIQ is built for solo home inventory — family sharing is not available yet.

How do I delete my account?

1. Go to Settings → Delete Account
2. Read the warning (this is permanent!)
3. Confirm by typing your password
4. Tap "Delete Account"

This will permanently delete your user account, all homes you own, and all inventory data (rooms, storage units, items, photos).

Can I export my data before deleting my account?

Yes! We recommend exporting your data before deletion. Go to Settings → Export Data, export all homes (CSV or PDF), and save the files to your device or cloud storage.

The app is running slowly. What can I do?

Try these steps:

1. Restart the app (close and reopen)
2. Check your internet connection
3. Update the app (check App Store/Google Play for updates)

If the problem persists, contact [email protected].

My photos aren't uploading. What's wrong?

Possible causes: internet connection issues, photo permissions not granted, very large photo files, or a temporary server issue. Check your connection and permissions, then try again.

The AI analysis isn't working. What should I do?

Check your internet connection, ensure the photo is clear (not blurry, well-lit), and try a different item. Contact support if the problem persists.

How do I get Premium access?

During beta, go to Settings → Premium / Redeem and enter a voucher code or start the trial if offered. Paid in-app Subscribe is not available yet.

How do I cancel a paid subscription?

There is no store subscription to cancel while IAP is not shipping. When paid subscriptions launch, cancel via Apple ID Subscriptions (iOS) or Google Play Subscriptions (Android).

Can I get a refund?

There are no paid in-app purchases yet. If you were charged incorrectly after IAP launches, contact [email protected] — refunds are processed by Apple/Google.

Is my data secure?

We implement industry-standard security measures: BCrypt password hashing (never stored in plain text), JWT tokens with short expiry, TLS 1.2+ encryption for all API communication, and SQL Server database with encrypted connections.

Do you sell my data to third parties?

No. We do NOT sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We only share data with service providers (OpenRouter for AI analysis, Matomo for self-hosted analytics) as described in our Privacy Policy.

Can I use the app offline?

Mobile app (iOS / Android): Yes! The mobile app supports full offline mode. You can capture items, browse your inventory, and make changes without an internet connection. Everything syncs automatically when you're back online. AI analysis and search require a connection, but your cached data is always available.

Web app (browser): No. The web app requires an internet connection for all features, including browsing, searching, and uploading photos. If you need offline access, download the mobile app.

How do I contact support?

Email: [email protected]

To help us resolve your issue faster, include your email address, device type and OS version, app version (found in Settings → About), and a description of the issue with screenshots if applicable.