Getting Started with CipherChat
New to CipherChat? Learn how to create your account, set up your profile, and send your first message in minutes.
Getting Started with CipherChat
Welcome to CipherChat — a free social platform where you can chat, call, stream, post, and build a community. This guide walks you through everything you need to get started.
Step 1: Create Your Account
When you first open CipherChat, you'll see a welcome screen. Choose a unique username (lowercase letters, numbers, underscores, and hyphens only). Your username is your identity on the platform — other users will mention you with @yourname.
You can also log in with an existing account if you've set a password on a previous device. New devices sync your DM and private-group message history automatically, even with Google sign-in. Read the device sync guide.
Step 2: Set Up Your Profile
After choosing your username, tap the profile icon to edit your profile. Here you can:
- Upload a profile picture (available to all users)
- Add a display name (shown on your profile and in DMs)
- Write a short bio (up to 150 characters)
- Set your country and timezone so message times display correctly
- Choose whether your profile is public or private
- Set a notification email to get alerts for DMs and follows
Step 3: Start Chatting
The Global Chat is the main chatroom where everyone can talk. Type your message and press send. You can also:
- Send images by tapping the image icon
- Create polls by tapping the poll icon
- Reply to specific messages by tapping the reply arrow
- React to messages with emoji
- Mention other users by typing @ followed by their username
Step 4: Explore Features
Use the bottom navigation to explore:
- Rooms — Create or join group chats
- Posts — Share text, images, and YouTube videos
- People — Find and follow other users
- Livestreams — Watch or start live video streams
- Badges — See all available badges and how to earn them
Step 5: Stay Active
Log in every day to build your streak. After 15 consecutive days, you'll automatically earn the Active User badge. Your streak is shown in the top navigation bar.
That's it — you're ready to go! If you have questions, check out our other help articles or ask in the Global Chat.