iOS App Guide

Balance works great on iPhone and iPad. This guide will help you install, set up, and get the most from the iOS app.

System Requirements

Minimum Requirements

• iOS 14.0 or later - Check Settings > General > About > Software Version
• iPhone 8 or newer - Or equivalent hardware
• iPad - Most models from 2017 or later
• Internet connection - For syncing transactions
• Apple ID - To download from App Store

Recommended

• iOS 17 or later - Latest features and security
• iPhone X or newer - For Face ID support
• 50 MB free storage - For app installation
• Wi-Fi or cellular data - For bank syncing

Download & Installation

From the App Store

1. Open App Store on your iPhone or iPad
2. Tap Search tab at bottom
3. Search for “Balance Budget”
4. Find Balance Budget (look for our blue logo)
5. Tap “Get” or the cloud download icon
6. Authenticate - Face ID, Touch ID, or Apple ID password
7. Wait for download - Usually 30-60 seconds
8. Tap “Open” when complete

Direct link: Search for “Balance Budget” or visit balancebudget.app and tap “Download”

First Launch

1. Tap Balance icon on your home screen
2. Allow notifications (optional but recommended for future features)
3. Sign in or Create account
4. Grant permissions if requested:
   • Face ID/Touch ID - For secure biometric login
   • Notifications - For future transaction alerts

iOS-Specific Features

Face ID & Touch ID

Biometric authentication for quick, secure access:

Setup:

1. Log in with email and password
2. After successful login, prompt appears: “Enable Face ID?”
3. Tap “Enable”
4. Authenticate once with Face ID/Touch ID
5. Future logins use biometric instead of password

Benefits:

• Instant login (no typing)
• More secure than password
• Works offline
• Convenient for couples (each uses their biometric)

Learn more about biometric authentication →

3D Touch / Haptic Touch

Quick actions from home screen:

1. Long press Balance app icon

2. Quick action menu appears:

   • Add Transaction
   • View Budget
   • View Transactions
   • View Accounts

3. Tap action to jump directly to that screen

Haptic feedback:

• Subtle vibrations confirm actions
• Feels responsive and natural
• Can be disabled in iOS Settings > Sounds & Haptics

Widgets (Coming Soon)

Balance will support iOS widgets:

• Small widget - Budget progress
• Medium widget - Recent transactions
• Large widget - Full budget overview
• Lock screen widgets - Quick budget view

Current status: In development

Siri Shortcuts (Planned)

Future support for Siri commands:

• “Hey Siri, show my Balance budget”
• “Hey Siri, add a transaction to Balance”
• “Hey Siri, how much have I spent on groceries?”

iPad Support

Balance works on iPad with:

• Full screen support - Optimized for larger display
• Portrait and landscape - Both orientations
• Split screen - Use Balance alongside other apps
• Slide Over - Quick access while using other apps
• Stage Manager - Multi-window support (iPadOS 16+)

Note: iPad version uses same layout as iPhone (not a unique iPad interface yet).

iOS Settings & Permissions

Manage App Permissions

To check permissions:

1. Open iOS Settings
2. Scroll to Balance
3. Review permissions:
   • Face ID & Touch ID - Biometric login
   • Notifications - Push alerts (coming soon)
   • Cellular Data - Allow syncing on cellular
   • Background App Refresh - Keep data updated

Face ID & Touch ID Permission

Enable biometric authentication:

1. Settings > Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode)
2. Scroll to “Use Face ID For”
3. Ensure toggle is on
4. In Balance app, enable biometric login

Troubleshooting:

• If Face ID not working, check permission in iOS Settings
• Try disabling and re-enabling in Balance settings
• Restart iPhone if issues persist

Notifications Permission

When notifications launch:

1. Settings > Notifications > Balance
2. Allow Notifications toggle ON
3. Choose style:
   • Lock Screen - Show on lock screen
   • Banners - Show at top of screen
   • Sounds - Play notification sound
   • Badges - Show count on app icon

Background App Refresh

Keep Balance updated:

1. Settings > General > Background App Refresh
2. Ensure enabled globally
3. Find Balance in list
4. Toggle ON

Why enable:

• Syncs transactions in background
• Faster app launch
• Up-to-date data when you open app
• Minimal battery impact

Cellular Data

Allow syncing on cellular:

1. Settings > Cellular
2. Scroll to Balance
3. Toggle ON

Why enable:

• Sync transactions without Wi-Fi
• Always have latest data
• Especially important if you don’t have regular Wi-Fi access

Note: Balance uses minimal data (a few MB per month).

iOS Gestures & Navigation

Standard iOS Gestures

Balance follows iOS conventions:

Back navigation:

• Swipe from left edge - Go back
• Or tap back button in top left

Pull to refresh:

• Pull down on transaction list
• Release to refresh transactions

Dismiss keyboards:

• Tap outside text field
• Swipe down on keyboard

Scroll:

• Swipe up/down to scroll
• Tap status bar to scroll to top

Balance-Specific Gestures

Transaction selection:

• Long press transaction - Enter selection mode
• Tap multiple transactions to select
• Bottom bar shows count and total

Category selection:

• Tap category to assign to transaction
• Tap multiple for split transactions

Syncing & Data

How Syncing Works on iOS

Automatic syncing:

• When you open the app
• When you pull to refresh
• In background (if Background App Refresh enabled)
• 1-2 times daily (automatic)

Manual sync:

1. Go to Transactions tab
2. Pull down on transaction list
3. Release when you see “Checking for new transactions…”
4. Wait 10-30 seconds
5. New transactions appear

Data Storage

Where your data is stored:

• Cloud - Primary storage on Balance servers
• Device cache - For offline access and speed
• Secure keychain - Biometric credentials only

Data safety:

• Encrypted in transit (TLS)
• Encrypted at rest (AES-256)
• Regular backups
• Synced across all your devices

If you delete the app:

• Data remains in cloud
• Reinstall and log in to restore
• Nothing lost

Performance & Battery

Optimizing Performance

For best performance:

• Keep iOS updated - Latest version
• Keep Balance updated - Check App Store
• Restart app occasionally - Force quit and reopen
• Clear cache - Delete and reinstall if sluggish
• Good internet connection - For syncing

Battery Considerations

Balance is designed to be battery-efficient:

Battery usage:

• Normal use - Minimal impact (<1% per day)
• Background sync - Very efficient
• Face ID - Less battery than typing passwords
• Location - Balance doesn’t use location services

If battery drains:

• Check iOS Settings > Battery
• Balance shouldn’t be in top users
• Contact support if unusually high

Troubleshooting iOS Issues

App Crashes or Freezes

Solutions:

1. Force quit app:

   • Swipe up from bottom (or double-click home)
   • Swipe up on Balance preview
   • Reopen app

2. Restart iPhone:

   • Hold power button + volume
   • Slide to power off
   • Power back on

3. Update app:

   • Check App Store for updates
   • Install latest version

4. Reinstall app:

   • Delete Balance app
   • Restart iPhone
   • Download from App Store
   • Log back in

5. Contact support - If issues persist

Face ID Not Working

Solutions:

1. Check Face ID enabled in iOS Settings
2. Ensure face not obscured (mask, sunglasses)
3. Clean TrueDepth camera
4. Disable and re-enable in Balance settings
5. Try password login first, then re-enable Face ID

Syncing Issues

Solutions:

1. Check internet connection - Wi-Fi or cellular
2. Pull to refresh manually
3. Check Background App Refresh - Should be enabled
4. Log out and back in
5. Update app - Latest version from App Store

Cannot Download from App Store

Solutions:

1. Check iOS version - Need iOS 14 or later
2. Sign in to App Store - With your Apple ID
3. Check payment method - Even for free apps
4. Restart iPhone
5. Check Apple ID restrictions

iOS Updates & Compatibility

When Apple Releases iOS Updates

Should you update?

• Generally yes, for security
• Wait a few days if you prefer stability
• Balance typically works with beta versions
• We test and update for new iOS releases

After iOS update:

• Balance should work normally
• May need to restart app
• Occasionally might need app update
• Report any issues to support

Future iOS Features

Balance will take advantage of new iOS features:

• iOS 18 features - As they become available
• Live Activities - Transaction tracking
• Widgets - Home screen and lock screen
• App Intents - Siri integration
• Focus Modes - Budget-specific modes

iPad-Specific Tips

Making the Most of iPad

iPad advantages:

• Larger screen - Easier to view transactions
• Split screen - Balance + banking app
• Keyboard support - Faster transaction entry
• Better for setup - Initial budgeting easier

Using Split Screen:

1. Open Balance
2. Swipe up from bottom
3. Drag another app to side
4. Both apps visible at once

Keyboard shortcuts (coming):

• May add keyboard shortcuts for iPad users
• Currently touch-optimized

iCloud Sync

Note: Balance doesn’t use iCloud sync

• Balance-specific sync - Uses Balance servers
• Works cross-platform - Syncs with Android and web
• Always current - Real-time updates
• More reliable - Not dependent on iCloud

Transferring to New iPhone

Easy Transfer Process

Option 1: Automatic (Quick Start):

1. Place new iPhone near old iPhone
2. Follow Quick Start prompts
3. Transfer everything
4. Balance transfers automatically
5. Important: Open Balance and log in
6. Biometric login will need to be set up again

Option 2: iCloud Backup:

1. Backup old iPhone to iCloud
2. Set up new iPhone
3. Restore from iCloud backup
4. Download Balance from App Store (automatic)
5. Open and log in
6. Re-enable biometric login

Option 3: Manual:

1. Download Balance on new iPhone
2. Log in with email and password
3. All data appears (synced from cloud)
4. Set up biometric login
5. Done!

What transfers:

• All your budgets and categories
• All transactions
• Bank connections
• Settings and preferences

What doesn’t transfer:

• Biometric login (must re-enable)
• Device-specific settings

Apple Watch (Coming Soon)

Balance may add Apple Watch support:

Potential features:

• Quick budget view
• Recent transactions
• Add manual transaction
• Budget progress complications
• Haptic alerts for budget warnings

Current status: Under consideration based on user demand

Common Questions

Q: Does Balance work on iPad?
A: Yes! Balance works on iPad with the same interface as iPhone.

Q: Can I use Balance on multiple iOS devices?
A: Yes, log in on all your devices. Data syncs automatically.

Q: Does Face ID use my actual face data?
A: No, biometric data stays on your device. Balance only knows if authentication succeeded.

Q: Why doesn’t Balance have an iPad-specific interface?
A: We’re focused on core features first. iPad-optimized UI may come in the future.

Q: Does Balance work on Apple Watch?
A: Not yet, but it’s being considered for future development.

Q: Can I use Balance with Siri?
A: Not yet, but Siri Shortcuts are planned for a future update.

Q: How much data does Balance use?
A: Very little - typically just a few MB per month for syncing transactions.

Q: Will Balance drain my battery?
A: No, Balance is optimized to be battery-efficient and shouldn’t noticeably impact battery life.

Getting Help

In-App Support

Contact from Balance app:

• Settings menu
• Tap “Help & Support”
• Opens email to support@balancebudget.app

Additional Resources

• Android App Guide - For Android users
• Mobile vs Web Differences - Platform comparison
• Biometric Login - Face ID/Touch ID setup
• Troubleshooting - Fix common problems

Need help? Contact our team - we’re here to assist!