Frequently Asked Questions
Getting Started
What is EchoesOf?
EchoesOf is a grief-centered platform that helps families preserve recordings, photos, videos, and messages during terminal illness and bereavement. It's a place to capture what matters most — a voice, a laugh, a story — so it's never lost.
Who is EchoesOf for?
EchoesOf is designed for:
- Families facing terminal illness — capturing what remains while there is still time
- Bereaved families — preserving and sharing recordings and memories
- Extended families — gathering contributions from people who knew and loved the same person
How do I create an account?
Visit the registration page and sign up with your email address. You must be 18 or older to create an account. After registering, you'll receive a verification email — click the link inside to activate your account.
How do I create a family vault?
After logging in, go to Families and select Create Family. Give your family a name and you'll be ready to start adding members and uploading recordings.
Can I invite other family members?
Yes. From your family page, select Invite Member and enter their email address. They'll receive an invitation link to join your family vault.
Privacy & Security
Who can see my family's recordings?
Only members of your family vault can access your recordings. Recordings are not publicly visible and are never shared with third parties.
How are my files stored?
All files are stored encrypted in AWS S3 with access controls. Signed URLs are used for playback, meaning direct access to your files without authentication is not possible.
Can I delete my data?
Yes. You can delete individual recordings at any time. You can also request full account and data deletion from your profile settings. Deleted data is retained for 3 years per our COPPA compliance policy before permanent deletion, but is inaccessible to all users during that period.
Do you share data with third parties?
No. We do not sell or share your personal data with third parties. See our Privacy Policy for full details.
For Families with Minors
Can children use EchoesOf?
Children under 13 cannot create accounts. Teens aged 13–17 can be added as supervised members of a family vault by a parent or guardian who holds an adult account. Child accounts have restricted access and cannot upload content without parental approval.
What is COPPA compliance?
The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a US federal law that protects the privacy of children under 13. EchoesOf is built with COPPA compliance from the ground up — we require adult account holders, implement age verification, and maintain detailed audit logs of all data access involving minors.
How do I add a child or teen to my family?
From your family page, select Invite Member and choose the supervised minor option. You'll be asked to confirm your relationship and consent to the minor's access level.
Recordings & Media
What file types are supported?
EchoesOf supports:
- Video — MP4, MOV, AVI, and other common formats (up to 500 MB)
- Photos — JPG, PNG, HEIC, and other image formats (up to 50 MB)
- Audio — MP3, M4A, WAV, and other audio formats (up to 100 MB)
- Documents — PDF and common document formats (up to 25 MB)
How long does video processing take?
Videos are transcoded after upload to ensure they play on all devices. Processing typically takes 1–5 minutes depending on file size and length. You'll see a "Processing" status on the recording until it's ready.
Can I record directly in the app?
Yes. Use the Record button to capture video or audio directly from your device's camera or microphone without leaving the app.
Sharing & Guest Access
Can someone contribute without creating an account?
Yes. Family members can generate a guest upload link that allows anyone to contribute a recording without signing up. Guest uploads go into your family vault for you to review.
How long do guest links last?
Guest upload links expire after 7 days by default. You can generate a new link at any time.
Account & Billing
Is EchoesOf free?
EchoesOf is currently in beta. Pricing details will be announced before the full launch.
How do I change my email or password?
Go to Account Settings from the user menu in the top right corner. From there you can update your email address, change your password, and manage other account details.
What happens to my data if I cancel?
Your data remains accessible for 30 days after cancellation. After that period, it is moved to a deletion queue per our retention policy. You can export your data at any time before cancellation.
Support
I have a question that's not answered here.
Visit our Support page to send us a message, or email us directly at support@echoesof.life. A real person reads every message.
I found a bug or something isn't working.
Use the Report a Bug option on the home page (when logged in), or email support@echoesof.life with a description of what you're seeing.