Every question, answered

MyGuardian records what is happening to you and explains your rights while it happens. Say your phrase or press SOS, and it starts recording, streams live to the people you trust, saves where you are, and gives you plain-language legal guidance in the moment.

MyGuardian is live and available to everyone. Download it free:

• iPhone: MyGuardian on the App Store
• Android: MyGuardian on Google Play

Install, sign in with your Google account, and you're protected in about five minutes, see the Getting Started guide.

You'll need:

• An iPhone (iOS 13 or later) or Android phone with a working camera, microphone, and GPS
• A Google account, MyGuardian saves your recordings, transcripts, and AI summaries directly to your own Google Drive, so you stay in control of your data
• Camera, microphone, location, and contacts permissions enabled for the app

During setup you'll also train your custom wake phrase and designate your trusted emergency contacts.

Arrest Mode is free. Forever. Core civil rights protection (voice-activated recording, streaming to trusted contacts, and real-time legal guidance) is available at no cost. Premium features, such as the one-tap Attorney Hotline, are available on paid tiers. Enterprise and government plans are priced separately, contact enterprise@myguardianinc.com.

MyGuardian currently supports 10 languages: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Russian, Korean, Vietnamese, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese, with real-time transcription at 95%+ speech-to-text accuracy. Set your preferred language during onboarding or change it anytime in Settings.

Yes, MyGuardian's legal guidance covers all 50 US states plus US territories. The AI tailors its guidance to your jurisdiction using your location, including differences in recording consent laws.

MyGuardian is your personal safety companion, and it is worth being precise about what that means. It is a documentation tool, not a safety device, and it cannot guarantee protection from harm. What it does is record what happens to you, alert the people you trust, and explain your rights in the moment. The app's SOS page has a one-tap emergency call button. If you are in immediate danger, call your local emergency number first, then let MyGuardian document the rest.

Arrest Mode is MyGuardian's free core protection feature. When activated by your custom voice phrase or manually, it immediately begins secure recording, starts live streaming to your trusted contacts, logs your GPS location, and provides real-time AI legal guidance tailored to your situation and jurisdiction.

During onboarding (or anytime in Settings → Voice Activation), you'll choose a custom phrase and repeat it a few times so MyGuardian can train on your voice. Choose a phrase you wouldn't say in everyday conversation but could say naturally under stress. With a trained phrase, the false-positive rate is under 0.1%.

MyGuardian activates in under 3 seconds from the moment your wake phrase is detected, even when your phone screen is locked. A 30-second rolling audio buffer means the moments before activation are captured too.

While voice activation is armed, MyGuardian keeps a rolling 30-second audio buffer on your device. When you trigger Arrest Mode, that buffer is attached to the start of your recording, so the context leading up to the encounter is preserved, not lost.

Yes. Recording and voice activation work offline. Your recordings and alerts are queued locally on your device and automatically uploaded and delivered as soon as a connection is available. And when your connection is weak rather than absent, adaptive bitrate streaming keeps your live stream flowing to trusted contacts.

Yes, voice activation works even with a locked screen. You don't need to unlock, open the app, or touch your phone at all. This is by design: reaching for your phone during an encounter can escalate the situation.

False activations are rare (under 0.1% with a trained phrase), but if it happens you can cancel the session from the app. Your trusted contacts will be notified that the alert was a false alarm, and you can delete the recording from your Google Drive at any time.

Video records at 1080p @ 30fps or 720p @ 60fps, with an AI-enhanced night mode for low-light scenarios. Audio uses spatial capture with noise-isolated vocals, so speech stays clear even with background noise like traffic or crowds.

Every recording is protected by an evidence chain designed for court:

• SHA-256 hashing per frame and for the full file, so any tampering is detectable
• Blockchain-notarized timestamps that independently verify when the recording was made
• Automatic GPS and timestamping embedded in the record
• Real-time transcription creating a written record alongside the video

Recordings are retained in secure cloud storage for 7 years. Copies saved to your own Google Drive are yours indefinitely. You can access, manage, share, or delete them anytime directly from Drive.

Yes. MyGuardian supports court-compatible export formats, packaging your video, audio, transcript, hashes, and timestamp notarization together so your attorney can establish authenticity.

MyGuardian's recording engine automatically detects personally identifiable information in footage, faces, license plates, and addresses, which helps when you need to share a recording publicly or with media while protecting bystanders' privacy.

Recordings, transcripts, and AI summaries are saved to your own Google Drive, protected by Google's encryption-at-rest infrastructure, and backed up to MyGuardian's encrypted cloud for the evidence chain. You are always in control of the copies in your Drive.

The moment Arrest Mode activates, MyGuardian streams live video and audio simultaneously to your designated trusted contacts and to encrypted cloud storage. Adaptive bitrate ensures the stream keeps flowing even on poor connections. End-to-end encryption ensures only your chosen contacts can view it.

You can designate up to 5 trusted contacts to receive your live feed and emergency alerts.

Go to Settings → Trusted Contacts in the app. Important: you must get each contact's express consent before adding them, they'll be receiving emergency alerts and live streams on your behalf, so make sure they know what to expect and what you'd want them to do.

When Arrest Mode triggers, your contacts receive an immediate notification with a secure link to your live video/audio stream, plus your GPS location. They can watch in real time and act on your behalf, for example, coming to the scene or contacting an attorney.

No. MyGuardian Inc. is not a law firm, and the information the app provides is legal information, not legal advice. Using MyGuardian does not create an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney. The app's lawyer-connection features are an introductory referral service.

The legal AI detects and adapts to common encounter types, including traffic stops, searches, arrests, and protests, responding with contextual prompts in under 2 seconds, tuned to your jurisdiction.

The Attorney Hotline is a premium feature that gives you one-tap connection to an attorney during or after an encounter. MyGuardian's lawyer connections are an introductory service. Attorneys are independent and not employed or vetted by MyGuardian Inc.

In general, courts have recognized a right to record police performing official duties in public, but laws vary, especially around recording private conversations. Some states require one-party consent, others all-party consent. MyGuardian's jurisdiction-aware prompts help you understand your local rules, but you are responsible for complying with the recording laws where you are. When in doubt, consult a local attorney.

MyGuardian is built to produce evidence-grade documentation, hashed, timestamped, transcribed, and exportable in court-compatible formats. Admissibility is always decided by the court and depends on your case and jurisdiction, so work with your attorney on how to introduce a recording.

Access is designed to stay in your hands: you and the trusted contacts you designate are the only people who can view your live streams and recordings. Streams are encrypted end to end, and your files live in your own Google Drive under your control. MyGuardian also retains an encrypted evidence copy (that's what powers the 7-year evidence chain), and we never sell your data, disclosing it only in the limited circumstances described in our Privacy Policy, such as a valid legal request.

MyGuardian is designed to be a conduit, keeping server-side data minimal:

• Google account basics (name, email, profile photo) for sign-in
• Your designated emergency contacts
• Incident metadata (event type, time, location)
• AI chatbot queries and usage analytics

Your recordings, transcripts, and summaries go to your own Google Drive, not to MyGuardian's servers as your primary storage.

No. MyGuardian does not sell your data. Data is shared only with your emergency contacts when you trigger an alert, with the Google services that power your account, with legal support if you use "Engage Lawyer," with infrastructure providers bound by confidentiality, or in response to valid legal requests.

Recordings and streams use military-grade end-to-end encryption. Data in transit and at rest on MyGuardian's servers is encrypted with industry-standard measures, and files in your Google Drive are protected by Google's encryption-at-rest infrastructure.

You can delete recordings and summaries anytime directly from your Google Drive. To delete your account, use Settings → Account → Delete Account in the app or email support@myguardianinc.com. Account deletion removes your data from MyGuardian's servers; content already in your own Google Drive stays under your control until you delete it there.

Open Settings → Connected Accounts, tap Connect Google Drive, and sign in with your Google account. Approve the Drive permission when Google asks, this lets MyGuardian create and manage its own MyGuardian folder in your Drive, where your recordings, transcripts, and AI summaries are saved. MyGuardian only accesses the folder it creates, not the rest of your Drive.

This is Google's third-party access protection. In order of likelihood:

1. If it's a work or school account, your admin may block third-party apps (see the next question)
2. Check your phone's date & time are set to automatic, a skewed clock breaks Google sign-in
3. Update MyGuardian to the latest version, sign-in fixes ship in updates
4. In your phone's Google account settings, remove and re-add the account, then try again

Still blocked? Email support@myguardianinc.com with a screenshot of the exact Google error.

Google Workspace administrators can restrict which third-party apps may access Drive. If you see "Your administrator has blocked this app" (or the connection silently fails only on that account), you have two options: ask your admin to allowlist MyGuardian for Drive access, or, usually simpler, connect a personal Google account instead. For a personal-safety app, a personal account also means your recordings aren't stored in an employer-controlled Drive.

That's Google's 2-Step Verification, not MyGuardian. Complete the prompt with your usual second factor (Google prompt on another device, authenticator code, SMS, or passkey). If codes never arrive, check that your number is current at myaccount.google.com → Security. Once you're signed in and Drive is connected, MyGuardian stays authorized, you won't be asked again unless you revoke MyGuardian's access in your Google Account settings.

Your protection doesn't stop. Recordings continue to be captured, held safely in the local queue and MyGuardian's encrypted cloud (part of the 7-year evidence retention). What pauses is the copy into your Drive. To resume syncing: free up Drive space or upgrade your Google storage plan (Google One), then open MyGuardian, queued items upload automatically. Note that Drive storage is billed by Google under your own plan, not by MyGuardian.

Go to Settings → Connected Accounts, disconnect the current account, and sign in with the one you want. Recordings already saved stay in the previous account's Drive, they are not moved automatically. If you need them consolidated, use Google Drive's own sharing or download/re-upload between accounts.

If you removed MyGuardian at myaccount.google.com → Security → Third-party apps & services, the app can no longer save to your Drive. Reconnect in Settings → Connected Accounts, one fresh sign-in restores everything, and any recordings queued in the meantime upload automatically.

Best practice: leave the MyGuardian folder where the app created it. If it was renamed or moved, new recordings may land in a freshly created folder, splitting your archive across two places. If you deleted it, check Drive → Trash, Google keeps deleted files for 30 days, and restoring the folder restores your recordings. Remember MyGuardian's encrypted cloud still holds the evidence copies either way.

Your recordings go to your Google Drive and MyGuardian's encrypted cloud, not iCloud, regardless of device. iCloud's role is limited to Apple's normal device backup: your MyGuardian settings may be included in your iPhone's iCloud backup, which helps when you restore to a new phone. A full iCloud storage plan does not affect your recordings or your protection.

Not yet, a Google account is currently required, because Drive is where your recordings, transcripts, and summaries are stored under your own control. iCloud Drive support is on our radar; if it matters to you, tell us at support@myguardianinc.com, feature requests genuinely shape the roadmap.

Install MyGuardian from the App Store or Google Play and sign in with the same Google account, your recordings are already in your Drive, so nothing is lost. Then take two minutes to:

• Retrain your wake phrase on the new phone's microphone
• Re-grant permissions (microphone Always Allow, location Always + Precise, camera, contacts)
• Confirm your trusted contacts and run a test alert

iPhone-to-iPhone restores via iCloud backup can carry settings over, but always re-check permissions, iOS resets some of them on a new device.

Not for MyGuardian: recordings never depend on iCloud. The warning only means your iPhone's device backup to iCloud is paused. It's still worth fixing for general peace of mind (Settings → your name → iCloud → Manage Storage), so your phone, including MyGuardian's settings, stays backed up.

You must be 18 or older to use MyGuardian.

Your Google account is what keeps you in control: recordings, transcripts, and AI summaries save directly to your Google Drive rather than living primarily on MyGuardian's servers. Google sign-in (OAuth) also secures your identity without MyGuardian storing a password. Note that any Google Drive storage costs are billed by Google under your own plan.

Arrest Mode (voice-activated recording, live streaming to trusted contacts, real-time legal guidance, and evidence-grade documentation) is free forever. Premium tiers add features like the one-tap Attorney Hotline. For current premium pricing, check the app or email support@myguardianinc.com.

No, MyGuardian is out of beta and live for everyone. No invitation needed: just download the app from the App Store or Google Play and sign in. Thanks for being an early supporter.

MyGuardian Enterprise provides on-demand recording and AI analysis of critical situations, creating factual records that prove due diligence, disprove false claims, and protect organizations against unjust liability. It includes one-tap incident recording with automatic GPS/timestamps, AI analysis of footage and digital logs, SOC 2 compliant immutable cloud storage with full audit trails, and exportable evidence packages with insurance integration.

Current focus areas are property management (counter slip-and-fall claims, document hazards), healthcare (AI analysis of care logs, protocol verification), and manufacturing & warehousing (injury recording, safety compliance documentation).

Yes, MyGuardian offers tools for public defenders and transparency initiatives. Reach out via enterprise@myguardianinc.com to discuss your agency's needs.

Email enterprise@myguardianinc.com or use the contact form at myguardianinc.com/contact. The team typically responds within 24 hours.

1. Check that microphone permission is set to Always Allow for MyGuardian
2. Confirm voice activation is armed in the app (the shield indicator should be active)
3. Retrain your wake phrase in Settings → Voice Activation, especially if you set it up in a quiet room but use it in noisy environments
4. Disable aggressive battery-optimization settings for MyGuardian, which can suspend background listening

Still stuck? Email support@myguardianinc.com with your device model and OS version.

1. Check your connection, offline recordings queue locally and upload when you're back online
2. Confirm your Google Drive has available storage space
3. Re-link your Google account in Settings → Connected Accounts if the Drive connection expired

If a recording appears lost, contact support@myguardianinc.com right away, queued local copies may still be recoverable.

1. Verify each contact's phone number and email in Settings → Trusted Contacts
2. Ask contacts to check spam/junk folders and to allowlist MyGuardian notifications
3. Run a test alert from Settings so everyone knows what a real alert looks like

On very poor connections the stream degrades before it drops (adaptive bitrate), and the full recording still uploads once you're back online.

Always-on voice activation uses low-power listening, but background usage varies by device. Try updating to the latest app version, and consider arming voice activation situationally (e.g., when driving) rather than 24/7 if battery is a concern. Send feedback to support@myguardianinc.com. Reports like this directly shape our optimization work.

Make sure location permission is set to Always with Precise Location enabled. GPS accuracy can degrade indoors, in dense urban areas, or in vehicles. MyGuardian logs location continuously during an incident, so the track usually corrects as signal improves.

Your reports matter. Email support@myguardianinc.com with:

• Your device model and OS version
• What you were doing when the issue occurred
• A screenshot or screen recording, if you have one

The team typically responds within 24 hours.

This is almost always an iOS setting, not the app. Check three things: Settings → MyGuardian → Microphone must be set to Always Allow, Background App Refresh must be on for MyGuardian, and Low Power Mode should be off when you want always-on protection (iOS throttles background audio to save battery). After changing any of these, open the app once so voice activation re-arms.

iOS Focus modes silence notifications by default, including trusted-contact alerts. Go to Settings → Focus, open each mode you use (Sleep, Work, Driving), and add MyGuardian under Allowed Apps. Also enable Time Sensitive Notifications so alerts break through. Your trusted contacts should do the same on their phones, so your emergency alerts reach them.

Major iOS updates can reset app permissions and audio sessions. Restart your phone, then verify Settings → MyGuardian → Microphone: Always Allow is still set. Open MyGuardian, retrain your wake phrase in Settings → Voice Activation, and run a test activation. If it still fails, update MyGuardian in the App Store, compatibility fixes ship within days of each iOS release.

Android aggressively stops background apps to save battery. Go to Settings → Apps → MyGuardian → Battery and choose Unrestricted. On Samsung, also add MyGuardian to Never sleeping apps (Battery → Background usage limits). On Xiaomi, enable Autostart for MyGuardian. On Huawei, add it to Protected apps. Without these, the system can silently stop voice activation while your screen is off.

Recent Android versions include system-wide privacy switches. Swipe down to Quick Settings and check that Mic access and Camera access are on, when they're off, no app can record, including MyGuardian. Then confirm Settings → Apps → MyGuardian → Permissions grants Microphone, Camera, and Location, with microphone set to Allow all the time for voice activation with the screen locked.

Task-killer and "booster" apps (cleaners, RAM optimizers, some antivirus suites) treat always-on listening as something to shut down. Open the third-party app's settings and add MyGuardian to its whitelist, ignore list, or exceptions, and remove it from any deep sleep or hibernation list. If the app offers no exceptions, we recommend uninstalling it, modern iOS and Android manage memory well on their own, and your protection is worth more than the storage it frees.