Last updated: 2026-10-19
Frequently Asked Questions#
About Lack Lustre#
What is Lack Lustre?#
Lack Lustre is a quiet, private space for words that matter. Our app helps you capture, store, and share important notes or messages with complete control over your data.
Why should I trust you?#
Lack Lustre started with a simple, personal question shared by friends and family: what happens to our digital lives if something happens to us? This is a service we use ourselves, and one we built to solve a real problem. From the beginning, we’ve focused on care, security, and respect for privacy.
The integrity the project started with is the integrity we intend to maintain.
How can I get support?#
You can reach our support team directly through the app. We aim to respond quickly and personally to all requests.
Is Lack Lustre available in multiple languages?#
Yes. The app and this website support several languages, and we continue to expand our language options.
Why does the app look a bit plain?#
We’re at the very start of this journey, and we’ve had to make some intentional choices about where to focus first.
Our energy has gone into building a reliable, secure foundation — the parts you don’t see, but that matter most. Design and polish are important to us too, and we’re actively working toward making the app look as good as it feels to use.
Thanks for bearing with us while we get there 😊
Roles#
What is a Letter Author?#
A Letter Author is the person who writes and stores letters in the app.
What can a Letter Author do?#
They can write, update, and manage their letters, and choose recipients who will receive them.
What is a Trusted Contact?#
A Trusted Contact is someone you designate to confirm your letters should be released.
What does a Trusted Contact need to do?#
Their only responsibility is to notify us that your letters should be released. Once confirmed, your letters will be shared with the method and people you’ve chosen.
How do I choose a Trusted Contact?#
Pick someone you trust deeply, such as a close friend or family member, who will be able to act responsibly on your behalf.
Can I have multiple Trusted Contacts?#
Yes. You can assign multiple Trusted Contacts to provide flexibility and peace of mind.
Can a Trusted Contact read my letters?#
No. They cannot access any aspect of your letters or change their contents. They only confirm the release of your letters.
Can a Letter Author change their Trusted Contacts?#
Yes. A Letter Author can update or replace their Trusted Contacts at any time.
What is a Release Contact?#
A Release Contact is the counterpart of a Trusted Contact. If you are a Release Contact, it means that person has trusted you to confirm when their letters should be released to the recipients they have chosen.
Writing and Delivering Letters#
What does pick-up delivery mean?#
Pick-up delivery means a message is made available for access outside of the app. The recipient can retrieve the message using the provided letter details or QR code, without needing a Lack Lustre account or subscription. This option is designed for situations where simple, anonymous and direct access is preferred.
What does in-app delivery mean?#
In-app delivery means the message is delivered directly to a specific Lack Lustre user and can be accessed securely within the app. The recipient does not need a subscription to receive the message, only an account. This option is more convenient, as the recipient does not need to manage separate passwords or letter access codes.
What does email delivery mean?#
Email delivery means the recipient will receive an email notification with a secure link to retrieve the letter.
The letter itself is not included in the email. It can only be opened through the secure retrieval link.
Why do email letters use a secure link for retrieval?#
Email letters are sent as a secure retrieval link instead of including the full letter in the email itself.
This helps protect the privacy of the letter. While email is usually encrypted while it is being sent, it can still be stored by email providers according to their own retention policies.
Lack Lustre keeps the letter behind a secure link so only the intended recipient can open and read what was written for them.
Which delivery option is more secure?#
Letters sealed with an author-defined password offer the highest level of isolation. The password is never stored by Lack Lustre and must be shared by the author with the intended recipient. Without it, the letter cannot be decrypted or accessed.
In-app and email delivery prioritizes convenience. To deliver the message to a specific user account, the system must temporarily decrypt and process the message as part of the delivery flow. This is done securely, but it means the system is involved in the delivery process.
All options are secure by design. The difference lies in the trade-off between maximum isolation (password-sealed pick-up letters) and ease of access (in-app and email delivery), allowing senders to choose what best fits their needs.
How are a Letter Author’s letters protected?#
Letters are securely encrypted. Only the chosen recipients will receive them once the Trusted Contact confirms their release.
Security and Privacy#
How secure is the service?#
We use industry-standard encryption, secure authentication, and AWS best practices to protect your information. Our team also holds security certifications and follows strict codes of ethics.
Can Lack Lustre staff read my letters?#
No. Letters prepared for pick-up are sealed with a password that is never stored by Lack Lustre. Without that password, the letter cannot be decrypted.
Letters sent via in-app delivery are protected using industry-standard encryption aligned with AWS best practices. Access to the encryption keys is strictly limited to the systems required to securely process delivery to the intended recipient only. Also see Which delivery option is more secure?
Where is my data stored?#
Currently, your data is stored securely in the AWS Oregon region (USA). In the future, we will provide options for other regions so you can choose where your data lives.
Do you use cookies or trackers?#
No. We do not use cookies, tracking pixels, or third-party analytics tools. Your privacy is our highest priority.
Account and Access#
Can I access my account on multiple devices?#
Yes. You can log in to your account on any supported device, and your letters will stay synced across them.
What happens if I forget my login password?#
You can reset your password at any time by requesting a reset link to your registered email. For security, the link will expire after a short time.
What happens if I forget my letter password?#
If you forget the password for a letter, unfortunately the letter is permanently inaccessible. For security and privacy reasons, we never store or keep a copy of your passwords. This ensures that only you, and the people you choose to share it with, can access your content.
Please make sure to save your letter passwords in a secure place. Once lost, there is no way for us to recover or reset it.
My contact never received my invite#
If you invited someone to Lack Lustre who wasn’t a member at the time, they won’t receive the invite after signing up. Please delete the pending invite from your contacts and send a new invitation.
I unsubscribed from receiving letters. How can I resubscribe?#
You can resubscribe by signing up for Lack Lustre in the app.
Once you register and confirm your email address, you will be able to receive Lack Lustres again. You can unsubscribe again at any time.
If you previously reported Lack Lustre emails as spam, or made a complaint through your email provider, please contact support so we can help restore email delivery.
Signing in with Apple or Google#
Can I sign in with Apple or Google?#
Yes. On the login screen, tap Sign in with Apple or Sign in with Google. On the sign-up screen, the same buttons read Sign up with Apple and Sign up with Google. Either one works: if you are new, your account is created straight away, with no confirmation email needed. If you already have an account, you are signed in.
On iPhone you can use Apple or Google. On Android, only Google is available.
I already have an account. Can I start using Apple or Google?#
Yes, as long as your Apple or Google account uses the same email address as your Lack Lustre account. The first time, the app asks for your Lack Lustre password once to confirm the account is yours. After that, one tap is enough, and your password keeps working too. If your account has no password yet, the app asks you to set one first, then try again.
When adding Apple to an existing account, choose Share My Email when Apple asks. If you hide your email, Apple gives us a different address and we cannot tell it is you, so a new, empty account is created instead.
We send you an email whenever a new sign-in method is added to your account, so you will know if it wasn’t you.
Can I use both Apple and Google?#
Yes. You can add one Apple account and one Google account to your Lack Lustre account, as long as both use the same email address. This is not possible if you chose to hide your email from Apple.
Do I need a password if I sign in with Apple or Google?#
No, but we recommend setting one as a backup. It lets you sign in on a device where your Apple or Google sign-in isn’t available, and keeps you in control if you ever lose access to your Apple or Google account.
In the app, open Settings (the gear icon on the Home screen) and choose Set a Password. We will send a reset link to your email address so you can choose one.
I signed up with Apple on my iPhone. How do I sign in on Android?#
Set a password first (see above). Then sign in on Android with your email address and that password. If you chose Share My Email when you signed up with Apple, you can also use Sign in with Google, as long as your Google account uses the same email address. The first time, the app asks for your password once to confirm it is you.
If you chose to hide your email from Apple, your email address for Lack Lustre is the private Apple address shown at the top of Settings, under your display name. Use that address to sign in on Android. The reset link also goes to that address, so Apple’s email forwarding must be switched on.
In that case, do not use Sign in with Google. Google shares your real email address, which does not match your private Apple address, so we cannot tell it is you. A new, empty account would be created instead.
What is “Hide My Email” and how does it affect Lack Lustre?#
When you sign in with Apple, you can choose to hide your real email address. Apple then gives us a private address (ending in @privaterelay.appleid.com) that forwards to your own inbox. We use that address for every email we send you, including important notices about your letters. We remind you of this once when you sign up.
- Keep email forwarding switched on for Lack Lustre in your Apple ID settings. If it is turned off, our emails will not reach you. The app shows a warning if this happens.
- Share your private address with your contacts. People who want to add you as a Trusted Contact or letter recipient must invite this private address, not your real one. You can find it at the top of Settings, under your display name. Invitations sent to any other address will not reach your account.
- Your accounts cannot be linked. We link Apple and Google sign-in by matching email addresses, and your private address never matches your real one. You cannot add Google sign-in to an account created with Hide My Email, and you cannot use Hide My Email to add Apple to an existing account; see I already have an account.
What does Lack Lustre receive from Apple or Google?#
Only what is needed to sign you in: your email address and your first name, which we use to suggest a display name you can change straight away. We do not keep your last name or profile picture, and we never see your Apple or Google password.
For Apple, we also keep a secure key whose only purpose is to disconnect Lack Lustre from your Apple ID when you delete your account. It is stored encrypted and cannot be used to read anything in your Apple account.
Like with any app you sign in to this way, Apple or Google will know that you use Lack Lustre. If you prefer they don’t, sign up with your email address and a password instead.
What happens to my letters if my Apple or Google account is closed?#
Nothing changes. Your Lack Lustre account, letters, contacts and release arrangements stay exactly as they are. Closing an Apple or Google account never deletes your Lack Lustre account. This matters because an Apple or Google account can be closed long before your letters are due to be delivered.
To make sure you can always sign in yourself, set a password as a backup.
Can I remove Apple or Google sign-in from my account?#
Yes. Please contact support through the app and we will help you. Make sure you have set a password first, so you can still sign in afterwards.
If you received an email about a sign-in method you did not add, contact support straight away and change your Apple ID or Google password.
Subscriptions#
Do you offer subscriptions?#
Yes. Subscriptions and in-app purchases are managed securely through RevenueCat, integrated with the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
How many letters can I write?#
Without a subscription, you can write one letter. With a subscription, you can create as many letters as you need, subject to fair use limits.
Do I need a subscription to receive letters?#
No. Letters that are prepared for pickup can be accessed on the website using the provided letter details or QR code, without an account or subscription. Letters sent for in-app delivery also do not require the recipient to have a subscription.
Do I need a subscription to be a Trusted Contact?#
No. Any registered Lack Lustre user can be designated as a Trusted Contact. A subscription is not required for this role.
What happens if my subscription expires?#
If your subscription expires, you will no longer be able to create new letters or edit existing letters.
Your existing letters will remain safely stored and will still be delivered according to their schedule. You and your trusted contacts can also continue to release letters according to the schedules you already set.
Data Lifecycle and Service Longevity#
Can I delete my account and data?#
Absolutely. You are in full control of your data. You can request deletion from within the app, and we will permanently erase your account and stored information.
What happens to my letters if I delete my account?#
When you delete your account, all associated account information, new and scheduled letters, and related metadata are permanently removed from the active system. Letters that were delivered remain with the recipient.
As part of our disaster recovery strategy, encrypted backups are retained for a limited time in dedicated AWS accounts. Any remaining data in these backups is automatically rotated out and permanently deleted within 12 months.
What happens if Lack Lustre shuts down?#
We are committed to long-term availability. In the unlikely event of major service changes, we would provide clear advance notice and practical guidance so users can access or export their content in a timely manner.