Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Download AuPairSync from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android)
2. Open the app and tap "Sign Up"
3. Choose your role (Parent/Host Family or Au Pair)
4. Complete the registration form
5. Verify your email address
6. Follow the in-app setup wizard

New users: Check out our Getting Started Guide.

A family can have more than one parent, and there is no limit on the number. Open Settings → Family Management and tap "Invite another parent", then enter their email address. If they already have an AuPairSync account, they are added to your family straight away. If not, they get the family's parent invitation code, a six-character code that is separate from the au pair code and can also be scanned as a QR code, and they enter it when they sign up.

Every parent has the same rights: inviting and removing members, managing the subscription, and seeing all family data. The only rule is that a family cannot remove its last parent. One subscription covers the whole family, so a second parent does not need one of their own.

A family can also have more than one au pair at a time, though most families have one. When an au pair leaves, a parent archives her from Family Management. That moves her open tasks to someone else, keeps her handover notes, and issues a fresh au pair code for the next one.

What is not possible: AuPairSync has two roles, parent and au pair. There is no separate, more limited role for a grandparent, a babysitter or another helper. Anyone you invite as a parent sees and can change everything in the family, including the subscription and the other parents. For someone who should not have that, add them as an emergency contact on the child profile instead, which stores their details without giving them an account.

Yes! QR code joining is the fastest way to connect with your host family:

1. Ask the parent to open Settings → Family Management → Invite Au Pair
2. They'll see a QR code on their screen
3. Open AuPairSync on your device and tap "Join Family"
4. Tap "Scan QR Code" and point your camera at the parent's screen
5. You're instantly connected — no typing needed

Alternative: You can also enter the invitation code manually if scanning isn't possible.

1. Go to your Au Pair Profile
2. Tap Language School
3. Enter the school name, address, and contact details
4. Add your class schedule (days and times)
5. Tap "Save"

This helps your host family plan around your school hours and know who to contact if needed.

1. Go to your Au Pair Profile → Visa Information
2. Enter your visa type and expiry date
3. AuPairSync will send you reminders as the expiry date approaches

Tip: Start the renewal process at least 3 months before your visa expires. Both you and your host family will receive notifications.

Yes! While designed for au pair households, families can use it for general household coordination. Simply don't invite an au pair and use the parent account for all family management.

Yes. Choose "Customize dashboard" at the top of the dashboard, drag the cards into your order and hide the ones you do not need. Only your own dashboard changes; the other family members keep theirs. "Needs your attention" stays near the top.

Hiding a card switches nothing off: the feature stays where it was in the app. You can show hidden cards again or restore the default layout.

1. Tap the Calendar tab
2. Tap the "+" button
3. Enter event details (title, date, time, location, description)
4. Assign to family members and link to children
5. Tap "Save"

Events sync instantly to all devices.

1. Create a new event and link it to one child
2. Tap "Repeat"
3. Choose every week, every other week or every month on that day
4. Tap "Save"

A repeating event becomes a recurring activity for that child. In the child's profile under "Recurring Activities" you can add more days with their own times, set an end date and enter school holidays when it doesn't take place.

Changing it later: open any date of the series and tap "Edit". A parent then picks which dates to change:

• "Thu, Oct 8 only" (the date you opened) - changes just that date; every other date stays as it was
• "All dates" - changes the time, title, place, drop-off and pick-up for the whole series

Dates you already changed on their own keep their changes when you edit all dates. An au pair can change single dates, not the whole series.

1. Open Calendar tab
2. Tap filter icon (funnel)
3. Select filters (specific child, family member, or event type)
4. Tap "Apply Filter"

Tip: Filters save automatically.

Apple Calendar (iPhone and iPad): Settings → Calendar → Apple Calendar Sync, then turn on "Sync to Apple Calendar". Your family's events appear in a separate AuPairSync calendar.

Some changes travel back. If you change an event's title, time or location, or a routine's start time, in Apple Calendar, the change goes back to AuPairSync for everyone in the family. Other edits, such as notes you add in Apple Calendar, are replaced at the next sync, so write notes in AuPairSync.

Deleting an event in Apple Calendar does not delete it in AuPairSync: it reappears at the next sync. That calendar is a view of the family calendar, so to remove an event for everyone, delete it in the app.

Android (from version 3.7): Settings → Google Calendar Sync shows your family's events in your phone's calendar. It works one way, from AuPairSync to the calendar: changes you make in the calendar app are overwritten at the next sync, so make them in AuPairSync. Before the update, Android has no calendar sync.

1. Create or edit event
2. Tap "Location" → Enter address
3. Tap "Notes" → Add parking info, instructions, contacts
4. Tap "Save"

Yes, for an event that matters. When you create or edit the event, a parent switches on "Ask to confirm drop-off and pick-up". It is off by default, and it works when the drop-off or the pick-up names a specific person.

That person accepts or declines (with a reason if they like) and later marks the child as "Collected" or "Dropped off". Parents get a notification when someone declines and when the child is collected, and if the answer is still missing, one reminder goes out three hours before. A declined drop-off or pick-up shows under "Needs your attention". In a series, each date is answered on its own.

Open the appointment in the calendar and choose "Preparation packet". A parent picks the child and the person the packet is for, then writes the instructions, the questions to ask and the things to bring, or starts from a packing template. Up to five documents can be linked. It works for appointments saved in the calendar; routines and recurring activities keep their packing lists.

The packet stays a draft until a parent chooses "Review and publish"; only then can the assigned person open it. That person ticks off the things to bring and marks the packet as ready. If a parent changes the packet later, it goes back to draft. After the appointment, the assigned person or a parent can write a note and propose a follow-up task. A parent reviews the proposal, and the task is created only once it is approved.

You pick your program: US au pair (J-1) with 45 hours a week and 10 a day, US EduCare (J-1) with 30 and 10, or Germany with 30 hours a week and 6 hours a day as general guidance. The app shows where the limits come from: the source, its edition and the rule version.

When an event or babysitting is planned, the app checks the planned hours of the day and the week and says when they go over the limit. A submitted week keeps the rule version it was checked against, and the monthly report names the rule source and the rule version. This is guidance, not legal advice; check your contract and your program's requirements.

Deleting from the event itself only ever affects that one date:

• Skip - The activity doesn't take place that day; the rest of the series stays
• Delete This Event Only - Removes just that date. The confirmation names it, for example "Delete Swim class on Thu, Oct 8? This will only affect this specific date, not the entire series."

To end the whole series, open the child's profile, go to "Recurring Activities" and set an end date or delete the activity there.

Warning: Deleted events cannot be recovered.

Yes. A dish in the meal plan can carry up to 10 tags that your household chooses, and two preparation times in minutes: active, for the hands-on part, and total, from start to finish.

When you pick a dish, filter by tags and by time to find one that fits the evening. Dishes without these details stay in your library and are shown separately.

Yes! Tap camera icon → Take photo or choose from library → Add caption → Send

Limit: 10 photos per message

Conversations linked to specific children, tasks, or events.

Use for:

• Discussing child's specific needs
• Coordinating event details
• Task questions

Benefits: Organized by topic, preserved context

Yes:

• Sent - Single checkmark
• Delivered - Double checkmark
• Read - Blue checkmarks

Read receipts cannot be disabled for family accountability.

Yes! Long-press any message to add an emoji reaction. Reactions are a quick way to acknowledge messages without typing a reply — great for confirming you've seen a task update or schedule change.

Edit: Not supported. Double-check before sending!

Delete: You can delete from your view, but messages remain visible to others to prevent information loss.

1. Tap Tasks tab → "+"
2. Enter title and description
3. Assign to family member
4. Set due date (optional)
5. Link to child (optional)
6. Tap "Save"

Assignee receives instant notification.

1. Open the task
2. Tap "Mark Complete"
3. Add completion notes or photos (optional)
4. Tap "Done"

Only if a parent asks for an answer. A parent switches this on for a chore when creating or editing it. The assignee then accepts or declines it in the task details, and can give a reason when declining.

A declined chore stays assigned and open, so the parents see it and decide what happens next: change it, give it to someone else or talk to your au pair. The assignee has to accept before the chore can be ticked off. Chores that do not ask for an answer work as before.

Yes, for a household break. A parent opens the Tasks tab, taps the "⋯" menu and chooses "Pause recurring chores", then picks the recurring chores and the first and last day. Before you confirm, the app lists the occurrences that will be skipped.

Each chore picks up again by itself on its next scheduled date, and the skipped occurrences are not made up afterwards. A pause can be edited or ended early, and completed chores stay in the history. It covers daily and weekly recurring chores, not one-off tasks, shopping lists or babysitting requests.

Yes! After completing a task/activity:

1. Tap "Add Photos"
2. Select up to 10 photos
3. Add caption/notes
4. Tap "Save"

Parents can view all documented activities in child profiles.

Yes! All completed tasks show who completed them and when. View task history in the Tasks tab — filter by assignee to see your au pair's completed work.

Working hours have their own hours log: your au pair records their time and submits it week by week, and you confirm each week.

1. Tap the Tasks tab
2. Tap "+" and select the Shopping category
3. Add items — include brand names, quantities, and notes if helpful
4. Optionally attach reference photos (e.g. product packaging)
5. Assign the list to the person doing the shopping
6. Tap "Save"

Tip: Items can be checked off in real time while shopping — the whole family sees progress instantly.

1. Go to Shopping tab → Expenses
2. Tap "Submit Expense"
3. Enter the amount and select a category
4. Take or attach a photo of the receipt
5. Add a description (optional)
6. Tap "Submit"

The parent/host family receives an instant notification to review the expense.

Yes! When submitting an expense, tap the camera icon to take a photo of the receipt directly, or choose an existing photo from your library. Receipt photos are attached to the expense claim so the parent can verify the amount.

Tip: Take the photo right after purchasing — receipts fade quickly!

AuPairSync supports these expense categories:

• Shopping — groceries, household items
• Babysitting — extra hours, special activities
• Other — transportation, supplies, miscellaneous

Currency is set per family in Settings → Family → Currency. All expenses use the family's configured currency.

Go to Shopping tab → Expenses to see all your submitted expenses. Filter by status:

• Awaiting — submitted but not yet reviewed
• Approved — approved, pending reimbursement
• Reimbursed — paid and closed
• Rejected — declined with reason

The total outstanding amount is shown at the top of the Expenses view.

Au pairs can:

• View all information
• Add notes and observations
• Document activities with photos

Au pairs cannot:

• Edit core profile data
• Change allergies or medical info
• Modify emergency contacts

1. Open child profile → Routines
2. Tap "Add Routine"
3. Select type (Morning, Meal, Nap, Bedtime)
4. Add time, duration, steps, and notes
5. Tap "Save"

Yes. A parent can attach a packing list when setting up or editing a routine. Every date of the routine gets its own copy, a parent or your au pair ticks the items off, and the next date starts unticked.

Recurring activities, such as swimming or soccer practice, can have a packing list in the same way.

1. Child profile → Emergency Contacts
2. Tap "Add Contact"
3. Enter name, relationship, phone, email, address
4. Set priority (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
5. Tap "Save"

Recommended: Both parents, grandparents, neighbor, pediatrician

1. Go to your Profile → Documents
2. Tap "Add Document"
3. Select the document type
4. Take a photo or choose a file from your device
5. Add an optional expiry date (for visa, insurance, etc.)
6. Tap "Save"

Documents are encrypted immediately upon upload. You'll receive reminders before documents with expiry dates expire.

AuPairSync supports 9 document types:

• Passport
• Visa
• Work permit / residence permit
• Insurance documents
• Medical certificate
• Police clearance
• Education certificate
• Au pair contract
• Other (for anything else)

Each document type can have an expiry date for automatic reminders.

Access depends on who uploaded the document:

• Au pair's own documents — the au pair has full access (view, edit, delete)
• Documents uploaded by parents — parents control access per document
• Child-related documents — visible to both parents and au pair (read-only for au pair)

Parents can review which documents their au pair has uploaded via the family dashboard.

Yes, for example a passport, a visa or proof of insurance. In Au Pair Profiles, open the au pair and choose "Request document" under Documents. Say what the document is for, set a due date and name the parent who reviews it. The au pair gets a notification, finds the request in My Documents and uploads a new file or uses a document she uploaded herself earlier, if it is of the requested type.

The reviewing parent marks it as reviewed or asks for a replacement, and the parent who asked can cancel the request. Each request keeps its history. A request gives no one additional access to documents.

Only your family members (the parents and any au pairs) can see your data.

AuPairSync does NOT:

• Share data with other families
• Make profiles public
• Sell data to third parties
• Use data for advertising

If a parent connects an AI app such as Claude or ChatGPT, that app can read part of your family's plans as well (see the next two questions).

See our Privacy Policy for details.

Only if a parent allows it. A parent can connect Claude or ChatGPT to AuPairSync and ask it about the family's plans. When connecting, the sign-in page has two boxes, both unticked:

• "Allow creating events, tasks and announcements" - the AI app can add calendar events and tasks and post announcements to the family when the parent asks it. Before it posts, it shows the parent the exact title and text and who will be notified, and posts only after the parent confirms
• "Allow changing and deleting" - it can change, cancel, complete, reopen or delete events and tasks, with the same rights that parent has in the app, and asks for a yes before it cancels or deletes anything. It cannot change or delete announcements

With neither box ticked, the app can only read. A connection never gains these rights on its own; the parent has to connect the app again and tick the box. That includes announcements: a connection from before they were added on October 4, 2026 can neither read nor post them. An AI app can read eight areas, the announcements among them, but never who read, acknowledged or hid one. A posted announcement notifies everyone in the family, the au pair included, and posts are limited per connection and per family. An AI app can't write anything else: no notes, shopping lists, babysitting requests or time off, and nothing about health, documents or chats.

From version 3.6, anything an AI app added or changed shows a small sparkle and "Added by" or "Changed by" with the app's name. On an announcement, the apps show the AI app's name from version 3.7. Under Settings → Legal → Connected AI apps, each app's Activity tab lists everything it did, and you can revoke its access there at any time.

More on the AI apps page and in section 2.5 of our Privacy Policy.

Yes, at any time. An au pair can see which AI apps are connected under Settings → Legal → Connected AI apps, along with what they can read about her: her schedule, her tasks, her time-off dates and the amount and date of her expenses. Never her notes, messages, documents or passport.

To object, she writes to privacy@aupairsync.com. We then leave her expenses and time off out of what connected AI apps can read, show her only as "au pair" without her name, and no AI app can assign her any more. The family can still assign her in the app. The family's calendar, tasks and shopping lists stay readable for the AI app, including entries she is assigned to and titles she wrote.

AuPairSync does not notify an au pair when a parent connects an AI app, so tell her when you connect one.

Security Measures:

• Encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS)
• Encrypted storage (Firebase Security)
• Secure authentication (OAuth)
• GDPR & CCPA compliant
• Regular security audits

Hosted on Google Cloud (SOC 2 certified)

⚠️ Warning: Account deletion is permanent and cannot be undone.

1. Settings → Account
2. Tap "Delete Account"
3. Review what will be deleted
4. Type "DELETE" to confirm
5. Tap "Permanently Delete"

Data permanently removed within 30 days (GDPR compliance)

Yes!

1. Settings → Privacy & Data → Export My Data
2. Save or share the JSON file from the share sheet

The file contains the personal data AuPairSync stores about you: profile, messages, expenses, requests and consent history.

Free for 30 days, then €4.99 a month for the whole family.

• No credit card needed to start.
• Au pairs never pay: the host family's subscription covers them.
• Families who used AuPairSync before the subscription launched keep it free.
• The subscription covers the whole family on every phone. It is bought in the app: on iPhone through the App Store, on Android through Google Play.

Your data is safe!

• All data transfers automatically to full version
• No re-entry required
• Zero data loss
• 30 days notice before any changes
• Option to export data if you don't subscribe

We will never delete data without notice.

Yes, cancel anytime. You cancel in the store you bought through:

1. iPhone: Settings → Your Name (Apple ID) → Subscriptions → AuPairSync → "Cancel Subscription"
2. Android: Play Store → your profile → Payments & subscriptions → Subscriptions → AuPairSync → "Cancel subscription"

Other family members don't need to do anything.

What happens:

• Access continues until end of billing period
• Data retained for 30 days
• Can export data before cancellation

Refund: Refunds are handled by the store: Apple for App Store purchases, Google for Google Play purchases.

Early adopters: Grandfathered pricing

Price increases:

• 60 days notice before any changes
• Can cancel anytime, no long-term commitment

Currently Supported:

• iPhone (iOS 17+, iPhone 12 and newer)
• iPad (iPadOS 17+)
• Android (Android 8.0+, via Google Play)

Not Supported:

• Web browser
• Desktop apps

Requirements: iOS 17.0+ or Android 8.0+, 100 MB storage, internet connection

AuPairSync comes in English, German, Spanish, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Dutch and Simplified Chinese, on iPhone and on Android.

Everyone uses the app in their own language, so you and your au pair can each pick yours. Notifications and emails come in your language too. Simplified Chinese is a machine translation with a glossary and has not been reviewed by a native speaker yet. This website is available in English and German.

Yes. The Android app is on Google Play, and Android phones and iPhones can be in the same family.

The subscription covers the whole family on every phone. It is bought in the app: on iPhone through the App Store, on Android through Google Play. Questions? Write to support@aupairsync.com.

Yes! AuPairSync supports three theme options:

• Light — classic bright interface
• Dark — easy on the eyes at night
• System — follows your iPhone's appearance setting (default)

Change it in Settings → Appearance.

Limited offline functionality:

Works offline:

• View existing events, profiles, tasks, messages
• View cached photos

Requires internet:

• Creating events/tasks, sending messages
• Real-time sync, uploading photos

Changes made offline sync when connection restored.

Automatic (recommended):

iPhone: Settings → App Store → Enable "App Updates"

Android: Google Play → Profile icon → Settings → Network preferences → "Auto-update apps"

Manual:

iPhone: App Store → Profile icon → Find AuPairSync → Tap "Update"

Android: Google Play → Profile icon → Manage apps & device → Updates available → AuPairSync → Tap "Update"

Updates: Automatic updates via the App Store and Google Play

Quick fixes:

1. Check internet connection
2. Pull down to refresh
3. Force-quit and reopen app
4. Log out and log back in
5. Restart iPhone

If still not working, contact support with details.

Common solutions:

1. Settings → AuPairSync → Photos → "All Photos"
2. Check file size (max 10 MB per photo)
3. Verify storage space on iPhone
4. Try switching Wi-Fi/cellular
5. Force-quit and retry

1. Open AuPairSync → Sign In
2. Tap "Forgot Password?"
3. Enter email address
4. Check email for reset link
5. Click link and create new password

Didn't receive email? Check spam or wait 5 min and retry.

Immediate steps:

1. Force-quit app (swipe up from app switcher)
2. Restart iPhone
3. Reopen AuPairSync

If crashes persist:

1. Update iOS to latest version
2. Update AuPairSync to latest version
3. Settings → General → iPhone Storage → AuPairSync → Offload App → Reinstall

Email support@aupairsync.com with crash details

1. Check filters (tap funnel icon → Clear All Filters)
2. Verify correct family account login
3. Pull down to refresh
4. Log out and log back in

If events disappeared unexpectedly, contact support.