HeartSafeAlerts

Support

HeartSafeAlerts Support

Need help? You’re in the right place.

Support Channels

Best for:

GitHub Issues: https://github.com/brownsterbits/HeartSafeAlerts/issues

Why GitHub?

Response time: Usually within 48 hours

Email Support

Best for:

Email: bits@brownster.com

Response time: Within 48-72 hours

What to include:

  1. iOS version (Settings → General → About → Software Version)
  2. iPhone model (Settings → General → About → Model Name)
  3. App version (Settings → HeartSafeAlerts → Version)
  4. Heart rate monitor model (if using Bluetooth)
  5. Description of the problem
  6. Screenshots if applicable

Common Issues

Bluetooth Connection Problems

“Can’t find my heart rate monitor”

✅ Try these steps:

  1. Make sure your heart rate monitor is powered on
  2. Check that it’s in pairing mode (consult device manual)
  3. Wear the monitor (some activate only when worn)
  4. Ensure Bluetooth is enabled on iPhone (Settings → Bluetooth)
  5. Try refreshing: Tap status banner when disconnected
  6. Restart your iPhone
  7. Replace monitor battery if old

“Connection keeps dropping”

✅ Try these steps:

  1. Keep iPhone within 30 feet of heart rate monitor
  2. Avoid interference (microwaves, Wi-Fi routers, other Bluetooth devices)
  3. Check monitor battery level
  4. Ensure monitor is positioned correctly (chest straps need skin contact)
  5. Update to latest iOS version
  6. Restart Bluetooth: Settings → Bluetooth → Toggle off/on

Compatible Devices:

Not sure if your device is compatible? Check the manufacturer’s specifications for “Bluetooth LE” or “Bluetooth 4.0+” support.

Apple Watch / HealthKit Issues

“Can’t access Apple Watch heart rate”

✅ Try these steps:

  1. Grant HealthKit permission: Settings → Privacy & Security → Health → HeartSafeAlerts → Turn on “Heart Rate”
  2. Ensure Apple Watch is paired and unlocked
  3. Make sure Apple Watch is on your wrist (optical sensor requires skin contact)
  4. Check that Watch OS is up to date
  5. Open Health app on iPhone to verify heart rate data is being recorded
  6. Restart both iPhone and Apple Watch

“Apple Watch data seems delayed”

⚠️ This is normal. HealthKit updates are controlled by Apple Watch and may have delays of 5-30 seconds depending on:

💡 For real-time monitoring, use Bluetooth mode with a chest strap instead.

Alert Issues

“Not receiving alerts”

✅ Check these settings:

  1. In HeartSafeAlerts:
    • Settings → Enable Alerts (should be ON)
    • Settings → Sound Alerts (optional)
    • Settings → Vibration Alerts (optional)
    • Settings → Background Notifications (for alerts when app is closed)
  2. In iOS Settings:
    • Settings → Notifications → HeartSafeAlerts → Allow Notifications (should be ON)
    • Settings → Notifications → HeartSafeAlerts → Check “Lock Screen”, “Notification Center”, “Banners”
    • Settings → Focus → Check that HeartSafeAlerts is not silenced
  3. Check your thresholds:
    • Settings → Heart Rate Thresholds
    • Make sure min/max values make sense for your activity
    • Default: 60-100 BPM (adjust based on your needs)

“Getting too many alerts”

✅ Adjust these:

Data Source Selection

“Which should I use: Bluetooth or Apple Watch?”

Use Bluetooth if:

Use Apple Watch if:

Use Automatic if:

💡 Pro tip: Chest straps (like Polar H10) are more accurate than wrist-based sensors during high-intensity exercise.

App Performance

“App is draining battery”

⚠️ This is expected behavior. Continuous heart rate monitoring uses:

✅ To reduce battery usage:

Typical battery impact:

“App crashes or freezes”

✅ Try these steps:

  1. Force quit the app (swipe up from app switcher)
  2. Restart the app
  3. Restart your iPhone
  4. Update to latest iOS version
  5. Reinstall the app (Settings → General → iPhone Storage → HeartSafeAlerts → Delete App)

If crashes persist, report a bug with:

Dark Mode

“Want to use light mode”

HeartSafeAlerts follows your system appearance:

There’s no in-app toggle (this follows Apple’s design guidelines).

Feature Requests

Have an idea to make HeartSafeAlerts better?

We want to hear it!

Submit a feature request on GitHub

What to include:

  1. Problem: What are you trying to accomplish?
  2. Solution: How would you solve it?
  3. Use case: Why is this important to you?
  4. Priority: Is this a must-have or nice-to-have?

Popular requests shape our roadmap. Care Circle (coming Q2 2025) was influenced by user feedback!

Bug Reports

Found a bug? Help us fix it!

Report on GitHub

What to include:

  1. Expected behavior: What should happen?
  2. Actual behavior: What actually happens?
  3. Steps to reproduce: How can we trigger the bug?
  4. Environment:
    • iOS version
    • iPhone model
    • App version
    • Heart rate monitor model (if applicable)
  5. Screenshots/videos: Show us what’s wrong

Security bugs: Please email bits@brownster.com instead of posting publicly.

Open Source Contributions

HeartSafeAlerts is open source! Want to contribute?

GitHub Repository: https://github.com/brownsterbits/HeartSafeAlerts

How to contribute:

  1. Read CLAUDE.md for development guide
  2. Fork the repository
  3. Make your changes
  4. Submit a pull request
  5. We’ll review and merge if appropriate

Types of contributions we welcome:

Frequently Asked Questions

See our FAQ page for answers to common questions:

Future: Care Circle Support

When Care Circle launches (Q2 2025), subscribers will have additional support channels:

All current free features will continue to be supported through GitHub and email.

Emergency Situations

⚠️ IMPORTANT: HeartSafeAlerts is NOT for emergencies.

If you are experiencing:

CALL EMERGENCY SERVICES IMMEDIATELY

Do not wait for app alerts. Seek immediate medical attention.

Response Times

We’re a small team (solo developer + community), but we’re committed to helping:

We prioritize:

  1. Security issues
  2. Crash bugs
  3. Data accuracy problems
  4. Connection issues
  5. Feature requests

Community

Connect with other HeartSafeAlerts users:

GitHub Discussions: https://github.com/brownsterbits/HeartSafeAlerts/discussions

Reddit: r/HeartRateMonitoring (unofficial) Twitter: @HeartSafeAlerts (coming soon)

Version Information

Current Version: 2.0 Release Date: January 16, 2025 Minimum iOS: 18.4 Supported Devices: iPhone 8 or newer, Apple Watch Series 4 or newer

What’s New in 2.0:

Still Need Help?

We’re here to help!

📧 Email: bits@brownster.com 🐛 GitHub Issues: https://github.com/brownsterbits/HeartSafeAlerts/issues

Include:

Response time: 24-72 hours

HeartSafeAlerts Developed by Chad Brown Open Source: https://github.com/brownsterbits/HeartSafeAlerts Contact: bits@brownster.com

Making heart rate monitoring accessible to everyone.