FAQ & support
Getting access
Townwell is invite-only — how do I join?
During the private alpha, access is by invitation only. A community admin who uses Townwell can send you an invite; there's no public self-serve signup yet. Have a question or think your group should be on the alpha list? Use the contact form.
I accepted an invite but can't see the community.
Make sure you're signed in with the account that was invited. If you created a different account (or a new one), the invite is tied to the email/account it was sent to. Reach out via the contact form if it still doesn't show up.
Encryption & privacy
What does "end-to-end encrypted" actually mean here?
Your posts, events, documents, and direct messages are encrypted on your device before they're sent to Townwell's servers, so the servers only ever store ciphertext (scrambled data) — we can't read your content. See Privacy & encryption for the full plain-language explainer.
If I lose my password, can you reset it for me?
Because content is end-to-end encrypted, nobody can reset your password for you — only your recovery key lets you regain access if you forget it. Never lose your recovery key. This is a deliberate privacy trade-off: if Townwell could reset your password, Townwell could also read your data.
Plans & limits
Is Townwell free?
It's free during the private alpha (payments aren't enabled yet). As the product matures there will be optional plans, but no one will be charged while it's in alpha. See Pricing for the direction.
Are there limits on what I can post or store?
To keep shared community feeds readable, there's a per-day posting limit on community feeds. Storage has a cap per account/community, and some activities (like posts, events, and document storage) have softer limits that are shown and warned about as you approach them. Nothing is enforced as a paid charge during the alpha.
Payments
Do I owe anything / will I be charged?
No. Billing is not enabled during the private alpha. If Townwell ever introduces paid plans, that change will be communicated clearly and nothing will be billed to you without explicit notice.
Mobile & the app
Can I install Townwell as an app on my phone?
Yes. Townwell is a progressive web app (PWA), so you can add it to your home screen and it runs full-screen like a native app — with push notifications. See Install the mobile app for step-by-step instructions for iPhone (Safari) and Android (Chrome).
Reporting & safety
How do I report a post, image, or message?
Feed posts have one Report action: open the post's ⋮ menu and choose Report, then pick a reason. Most reasons send it to your community's admins; a few — illegal media, malware, or threats of imminent harm — go straight to the Townwell safety team. To report a direct message, open the conversation's ⋮ menu and choose Report (direct-message reports go to your community's admins only). You can follow your reports and their outcomes in the community's Reports area. See Reporting content & safety for the full guide, including how to report a child-safety concern.
Support
Still stuck, or have feedback? The fastest way to reach a human is the contact form — it goes straight to the Townwell team's support inbox.