How Heyimokay works
Heyimokay is a daily check-in app for people who live alone. The person checking in picks two time windows a day and taps one “I’m okay” button during each. If a window closes without a check-in, Heyimokay sends a text message and an email to up to six people they’ve chosen, so someone can call or stop by. There’s no account to create and no location tracking.
1. Set it up once
Setup happens on the Android phone of the person who will check in, and takes a few minutes:
- Install the app from heyimokay.com. Our step-by-step install guide covers each screen.
- Choose two check-in windows, one in the morning and one in the evening, at times that suit the day, for example 8–10 am and 6–8 pm.
- Add the circle: up to six family members, friends or neighbors, with their name, mobile number and email address.
There’s no sign-in and no password. The windows and the circle can be changed at any time.
2. Check in twice a day
When a window opens, the app shows one large “I’m okay” button. One tap and the check-in is done until the next window. If the window is about to close without a check-in, the phone shows a reminder.
Missed it? A late tap still counts: the person can check in after a window has closed to let the circle know they’re fine.
3. If a window closes without a check-in
As soon as a window closes without a tap, Heyimokay sends the same text message (SMS) and email to everyone in the circle at the same time. Because alerts arrive by text and email, people in the circle can use any phone, including an iPhone.
Most of the time the phone was simply in another room. It helps to agree in advance who checks first, usually the person who lives closest. Our guide on what to do when a parent doesn’t answer the phone sets out a calm plan, from a second call to a police welfare check.
A morning with Heyimokay
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 8:00 am | Margaret’s morning window opens. |
| 8:14 am | She taps “I’m okay”. Nothing is sent to anyone; there’s nothing to worry about. |
| Another day, 9:45 am | She hasn’t checked in, so her phone reminds her that the window closes soon. |
| 10:00 am | The window closes without a check-in. Her son, daughter and neighbor each get a text and an email. |
| 10:02 am | Her son calls. Her phone was in the kitchen. Margaret taps “I’m okay”. |
4. Pause when you’re away
Pause mode stops check-ins while the person is on vacation, in the hospital or away for any other reason, so nobody is alerted while they’re paused. Check-ins resume when the pause ends.
What the circle sees, and what nobody sees
The circle sees whether a check-in happened and when, and gets an alert when one is missed. Heyimokay stores the circle’s names, phone numbers and email addresses and the check-in times, on a server in the United States. It doesn’t collect location, messages, calls, other apps or health data, and there are no ads. The privacy policy has the details, including how to have data deleted.
What Heyimokay doesn’t do
- It isn’t an emergency service: nobody monitors it around the clock, and it doesn’t contact 911.
- It doesn’t detect falls. For people at real risk of falls, a medical alert system is the better choice; see our comparison with medical alert systems.
- It needs the phone to be on, charged and connected by mobile signal or wifi.
In an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.
What you need
- An Android phone for the person checking in, with mobile signal or wifi.
- Any phone with text messages or email for the people in the circle.
The app comes in several languages, including English and Spanish, and it’s free: no subscription and no ads. More answers are in the FAQ.