Dead man's switch app
A dead man's switch on your phone, that texts the people you love.
Check in by opening the app. As long as you do, nothing happens. If you stop, you are reminded first, then your own message is texted to the people you chose. They do not need the app, an account or an email inbox.
Free on iPhone and Android. US and Canadian phone numbers.
What a dead man's switch is
A dead man's switch is a mechanism that acts when its operator stops responding. Trains have had them for over a century: if the driver lets go of the handle, the brakes come on. The same idea works for people. Instead of relying on someone to notice that you have gone quiet, you set something up that notices for you.
If You Read This is that idea in an app. Your check-in is simply opening it. The switch is a deadline that moves forward each time you do. And what it does when it fires is the part most people care about: it sends your words to the people you chose, by text, so they know what happened and what to do. More on the history of the dead man's switch.
At a glance
How this dead man's switch works
| How you check in | Just open the app. No button, no code, no email link to click. |
|---|---|
| How often | Every 24 hours on the free plan. Any window from 1 hour to 1 month on Pro and Max. |
| Before it fires | A reminder you choose, plus a final reminder 30 minutes before the deadline, by push and text. |
| When it fires | Within about a minute of your deadline, even if your phone is dead or lost. |
| What it sends | Your own message, by text message (SMS). One per contact on Pro, with last known location. Files on Max. |
| Who it reaches | Anyone with a US or Canadian phone number. They never need the app or an account. |
| What it costs | Free for one contact. Pro $7.99 a month, Max $10 a month, each with a 7-day free trial. |
Why text, not email
A message that is read in minutes, not days.
Many dead man's switch services send an email. Email gets filtered, buried and read days later, if at all. A text message lands on the lock screen of any phone, including a basic phone, and is usually read within minutes.
That matters when the message says “I didn't come back from my hike, here is where I parked”. It also matters when it says “I love you”: it arrives as a text from you, in a thread they will keep.
What people use it for
One switch, many reasons.
If something happens at home
Someone nearby finds out the same day, with your address and who has a key.
Learn more →Going out aloneIf you do not come back
Your trip plan reaches someone the moment you are overdue.
Learn more →Last wordsIf you can no longer say it
A message for each person you love, private until it is needed.
Learn more →Questions
Dead man's switch questions
What is a dead man's switch app?
A dead man's switch app sends a message you prepared in advance if you stop checking in. You check in regularly; as long as you do, nothing happens. If you stop, the app assumes something is wrong and acts on its own, so nobody has to notice your silence first.
Does it send texts or emails?
Texts. If You Read This delivers your message by SMS, because a text is read within minutes and works on any phone. Many dead man's switch services send email instead, which can sit unread for days.
Is there a dead man's switch for iPhone?
Yes. If You Read This is on the App Store for iPhone and on Google Play for Android. The check-in, reminders and alert work the same on both.
What if my phone is off when the deadline passes?
Your message still goes out. The deadline is kept on our servers, not on your phone, which is what makes a dead man's switch reliable.
Can it send different messages to different people?
Yes, on Pro and Max. Each contact gets their own message. On Max you can also attach photos, videos, audio and files, which contacts open through a private link.
Can I use it to share passwords?
Please do not. If You Read This is built for personal messages to the people you love, not for storing passwords, financial details or legal documents. Use a password manager's emergency access feature for that, and use your message to tell people where to look.
Got a text from If You Read This?
Someone who cares about you chose you as a contact. You do not need the app or an account, and you can reply STOP at any time. If they ever miss a check-in, their message comes to you in a text. If they also left photos or files, the text includes a private link, and you can find it again here if you lose it.
Free to start
Set it up in five minutes.
Write your message, choose who gets it, and open the app once a day. If you ever stop, the people who matter most will hear from you.
Free plan forever. Works with US and Canadian phone numbers.