Question 1

Is Shtello Legacy for any age?

Accepted Answer

Yes. People use it to leave messages for a child's future birthdays, for grandchildren, for a partner, and for family after they're gone. Anyone who can use a phone or computer can record, and a family member or caregiver can help someone who needs it.

Question 2

Do you use AI to recreate my voice or face?

Accepted Answer

No, and we never will. Every message on Shtello Legacy is recorded by you, in your own words, voice and face. We may add AI tools that help you think of what to say, but we will never use AI to generate your voice, your face, or your words.

Question 3

Can someone help my parent or grandparent record a message?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A family member, caregiver or care-community staff member can sit with them, open the camera and press record. The message is still theirs, and only the people they choose will ever see it.

Question 4

Can I schedule a message for a future milestone, like an 18th birthday?

Accepted Answer

Yes. On Keepsake and above you can choose any future date, such as a birthday, graduation or wedding day, and the message is delivered on that day. You can also leave messages to be delivered through the check-in.

Question 5

What is the Legacy guide?

Accepted Answer

When you record, tap Legacy guide. Tell it who the message is for, your relationship, and the moment, and it suggests questions to answer on camera. The question you pick stays on screen while you record. It only suggests questions; it never writes or speaks for you, and we never send names, videos or letters to the AI that suggests them.

Question 6

Is there an easier view for older eyes?

Accepted Answer

Yes. In the app, tap Easy view at the top of the screen for much larger text, bigger buttons, stronger contrast, and a simple home screen with one Record button. It stays on for that device until you turn it off.

Question 7

What if I get tired while recording?

Accepted Answer

Tap Rest a moment. Recording pauses and the clock stops. When you're ready, tap Continue and it carries on in the same message. A family member or caregiver can tap it for you.

Question 8

Do videos have captions?

Accepted Answer

Yes. New messages get captions generated automatically from your own voice, so loved ones who are hard of hearing can follow every word. Viewers can turn them on or off in the player.

Question 9

Can I set a message for a specific birthday?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When choosing the date, enter their birthday and tap an age like 16th, 18th or 21st. The delivery date is set for you, and you can still adjust it.

Question 10

Can I make a time capsule with my child?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Choose Kid capsule in the app, sit together and record, then seal it until a birthday you pick. Tap their age, like 18th, and the date is set for you.

Question 11

What is 52 firsts?

Accepted Answer

A set of 52 prompts for new parents, from the day they were born to their second birthday and beyond. Record each one when it happens, at your own pace. Each is kept private and suggested to arrive on your child's 18th birthday.

Question 12

Can someone reply to a message I leave them?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When your message reaches them, they can tap Record a reply and send you a video message back, delivered to the email on your account.

Question 13

Is there a mobile app?

Accepted Answer

Shtello Legacy works in the browser on any phone, tablet or computer, so there's nothing to download. Native iPhone and Android apps are in development.

Question 14

What new features are coming?

Accepted Answer

We're building caption translation, trustees who confirm before a check-in release, and native iPhone and Android apps. None of these are live yet. Join the early-access list below and we'll invite you as each one launches.

Question 15

What is a message?

Accepted Answer

A message is a single video you record (or upload) with a title and a written letter. You choose who receives it and when.

Question 16

What is the check-in?

Accepted Answer

A 30-day clock. Every time you visit Shtello Legacy, the clock resets. If it ever reaches zero and you don't reset within 14 more days, any messages queued for the check-in are sent out.

Question 17

Will my messages be sent if I'm just on vacation?

Accepted Answer

Only if you ignore reminders for over 44 days. We'll nudge you at 21, 14, 7, 3, 2, and 1 days before zero, and again every day during the 14-day grace period.

Question 18

Can my recipients keep my videos?

Accepted Answer

Yes, their own. Once a message has been delivered, the person you left it for can save it and keep it, because it is theirs. Nobody else can view it or take a copy.

Question 19

What if I never recorded a message and just want to receive one?

Accepted Answer

Receiving is free and you don't need a paid membership.

Question 20

Where are my videos stored?

Accepted Answer

Encrypted on US-based servers (Supabase / Mux on AWS US regions).

Question 21

Can I cancel my membership?

Accepted Answer

Yes, any time, from your profile. Cancelling doesn't delete your account or your messages.

Question 22

Can I change my mind about a message I sent?

Accepted Answer

Yes. As long as it hasn't been delivered, you can edit the title, description, recipients, delivery date, or delete the message entirely.

Question 23

What happens to my messages when I pass away?

Accepted Answer

Shtello Legacy uses your check-in as a gentle check-in. If you stop checking in for 30 days and don't respond to our reminders over the next 14 days, every message you set to the check-in is sent to the people you chose. Messages you gave a specific date are always sent on that date. You don't need to do anything else now, just record your messages and choose who gets them.

Question 24

What if I stop paying, or Shtello Legacy shuts down?

Accepted Answer

Any message you've already recorded and scheduled on a paid plan will still be delivered, even if your payment stops, your card expires, or you forget about us for years. We will never lock you out of messages you've already created.

Question 25

How do I record a message? Is it hard?

Accepted Answer

1. Press Record. 2. Allow your camera and microphone when your browser asks. 3. Press Start recording, you get a short countdown. 4. Talk to the camera. 5. Press Stop. If you don't like it, press Discard and re-record as many times as you want. Nobody sees anything until you choose to save and send it.

Question 26

How do I choose who receives a message, and can I change it later?

Accepted Answer

When you make a message you add recipients by name and email or phone. You can add one person or several. As long as a message hasn't been delivered yet, you can add, remove, or change recipients any time from My Messages.

Question 27

How do I reset my 30-day check-in?

Accepted Answer

Just open the app, that's it. Simply signing in resets your clock to 30 days. You'll also see a Reset button on your home screen you can press any time, and we'll email and text you reminders well before the deadline.

Question 28

Who can see my messages? Can staff or family read them?

Accepted Answer

Only the specific people you choose as recipients, and only after a message is delivered. No one else, not other residents, not staff, not even our team, can watch your videos. They're encrypted, and the only person who can ever save a copy is the person you left it for.

Question 29

Is this safe and legitimate?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Your videos are encrypted and stored on secure US servers. We never sell your information, and receiving a message is always free, no one will ever ask a recipient for money or card details.

Question 30

The camera or microphone won't turn on, what do I do?

Accepted Answer

Your browser needs permission. When it asks, choose Allow. If you accidentally said no, look for the small camera icon in your browser's address bar and switch it to Allow, then press Open camera again. Still stuck? Use Get help and we'll walk you through it.

Question 31

What's the difference between the plans?

Accepted Answer

Free keeps 1 message for up to 3 people, with 15 minutes of video storage. Keepsake is $4.99/month billed annually ($59.88/year) and unlocks unlimited messages and recipients, videos up to 15 minutes each, scheduled delivery dates, and 60 minutes of storage. Heirloom is $8.99/month billed annually ($107.88/year) with 120 minutes of storage, HD video and more. Legacy is a one-time $389, yours for life with no renewals ever, and its 120 minutes of storage never expire. Retirement homes and care communities have their own tailored pricing, just contact us. You can start free and upgrade any time.

Question 32

How much video can I store? What is the vault?

Accepted Answer

Your vault is the total minutes of video your plan holds. Free includes 15 minutes, Keepsake 60, and Heirloom and Legacy both include 120 minutes. On Legacy, those minutes never expire. Only video counts against it. Your written letters, recipients, titles and delivery dates are free and unlimited on every paid plan. For scale, 120 minutes is about 40 three-minute messages. Each message can be up to 15 minutes long on a paid plan, and up to 3 minutes on Free.

Question 33

Why is there a limit at all? Why not unlimited?

Accepted Answer

Because we keep your videos for as long as they need to be kept, sometimes for decades, and we would rather tell you the truth than promise an unlimited we could never honor. Every minute you store, we have to fund forever. A clear number lets us guarantee that your messages really will be there in twenty years.

Question 34

Can I buy more minutes?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and which block you get depends on your plan. On Legacy you can add 60 minutes for a one-time $99, and those minutes are permanent, with no renewals ever. On Heirloom you can add 30 minutes for $2.99 a month, add another block whenever you need one, and cancel any time. Being straight with you: renting 60 minutes on Heirloom means two blocks, so the one-time Legacy block works out cheaper after about a year and a half.

Question 35

I'm on Keepsake and I ran out of room. What do I do?

Accepted Answer

Move up to Heirloom. It doubles your vault from 60 to 120 minutes for about $4 more a month, and it lets you add 30-minute blocks on top for $2.99 a month whenever you need them. We deliberately don't sell add-on minutes on Keepsake, because upgrading gets you more room for less money than an add-on would.

Question 36

What happens if my vault gets full?

Accepted Answer

Nothing bad. We never delete a message to free up space, and a full vault never stops a delivery. Everything you have already recorded stays exactly where it is, and everything you have scheduled still arrives on time. You just cannot add new video until you add minutes or delete a message you no longer want.

Question 37

Do you offer plans for retirement homes, care facilities or hospices?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We work with senior living communities, nursing and memory care, and hospice and palliative care teams to get residents set up with help from staff, we train your team, and we tailor pricing to each community rather than charging per person. Every resident who enrolls gets a permanent vault and a guaranteed delivery, even if the community's program later ends. If you run or work with a care community, reach out through Contact us and we'll put together something that's fair for you and your residents.

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