Frequently Asked Questions

EchoWithin is a community platform born from a podcast group. It's a space where you can read and write blog posts, keep private encrypted notes, share surprises with friends, and engage in meaningful conversations.

Yes! The core experience is free, you can read posts, write notes, share content, and message other users at no cost. We also offer an optional Premium plan (KSH 50/month) that unlocks power-user features like note locking, blog space customization, scheduled messages, and more. Every new account gets a 1-day free trial of Premium.

Click Register and fill in your details, or sign in instantly with your Google account. No credit card or payment needed.

You can read all blog posts without an account. However, you need to sign in to write posts, leave comments, save favourites, use private notes, or send messages.

Click the + button or go to Create Post. Give your post a title, write your content (supports markdown formatting and images), add tags, and publish. Your post will appear on the blog for everyone to read.

Yes. Open your post, click the Edit button (pencil icon) to modify it, or Delete to remove it permanently. Only you and admins can edit or delete your posts.

Click the bookmark icon on any post. Saved posts appear in your Personal Space under the "Saved Posts" tab.

Hot Posts are ranked by a combination of likes, comments, views, and recency. Posts with sustained, high-quality engagement can stay on the hot list even if they're older.

Yes. All personal notes are end-to-end encrypted and only visible to you. Even administrators cannot read your notes. They are stored securely and decrypted only when you view them.

Notes support full markdown formatting: **bold**, *italic*, # headings, - bullet lists, [links](url), code blocks, and even math equations with LaTeX syntax.

You can move sensitive notes behind a PIN lock for an extra layer of privacy. Go to Profile Settings to set up your PIN, then use the lock icon on any note. Locked notes require your PIN to view and auto-lock after 5 minutes.

Yes! Click the History icon on any note to see all previous versions. You can compare changes side-by-side and restore any earlier version.

Click the Share icon on any note. You can choose read-only or edit access, set an expiry time, and optionally pick a surprise theme (like Birthday or Celebration) with music and visuals. A unique link is generated that you can send to anyone.

Surprise Notes let you turn any note into a special themed experience. Choose a celebration theme (Birthday, Anniversary, etc.), and the recipient sees your message with festive animations, music, and photos — perfect for long-distance surprises!

Only if you grant Edit permission when sharing. With edit access, collaborators can propose changes. Depending on your approval settings, changes are either applied automatically or queued for your review in the Activity tab.

In your Personal Space, shared notes show a green "Shared Link" badge. Click it to see all active links, then press the ✕ button next to any link to revoke it instantly.

EchoWithin has real-time messaging. Visit any user's profile and click "Message" to start a conversation. Messages are delivered instantly, and you'll see typing indicators and read receipts.

Yes, you can share images in chat. Click the attachment icon in the message input to upload a photo. You can also react to messages with emojis.

We use HTTPS encryption for all traffic, personal notes are end-to-end encrypted, passwords are securely hashed, and we enforce strict security headers (HSTS, CSP, XSS protection). We never sell your data.

Yes. Go to Profile Settings and scroll to the bottom. You'll find a "Delete Account" option that permanently removes your account and all associated data. This action is irreversible.

On the login page, click "Forgot Password?" and enter your email. You'll receive a reset link to set a new password. If you signed up with Google, you don't have a separate password — just use "Sign in with Google."

Yes! EchoWithin is available as a Progressive Web App (PWA) and as a native Android app. On your phone's browser, look for the "Install" or "Add to Home Screen" prompt. The app works offline and syncs when you reconnect.

Yes! Enable notifications in your browser or the app to receive alerts for new comments on your posts, replies to your comments, new messages, and collaboration activity on shared notes. You can manage your preferences in Profile Settings.

Premium (KSH 50/month) unlocks:

• Unlimited notes (vs 50 on Free)
• 100,000 characters per note (vs 20,000)
• Note Locking — protect sensitive notes behind a PIN
• Blog Space — customise your profile with a tagline, pinned posts, and social links
• Scheduled Messages — send DMs at a future time
• Unlimited share links and surprise notes
• Extended version history (365 days vs 7 days)
• Auto-approve collaboration on shared notes

Yes! Every new account gets a 1-day free trial of Premium — no credit card required. You'll get full access to all Premium features during the trial period.

Your account simply switches to the Free plan. You won't lose any data — all your notes, messages, and shared links remain intact. Premium-only features (locking, blog space, scheduled messages) become unavailable until you subscribe, but everything else works as normal.

Yes, you can cancel at any time from your Profile Settings. Your Premium access continues until the end of the billing period, and you'll revert to the Free plan after that. No data is ever deleted when downgrading.

No. Your locked notes remain safely locked and encrypted. You just won't be able to lock or unlock new notes until you resubscribe. Your existing locked notes are always accessible with your PIN.