Questions
Plain answers, in plain words.
What WillThis is, how the seal works, and what happens in the hard cases. Short answers, honest ones.
What is WillThis?
WillThis is a vault for your words. You record a message — video, audio, or written words. You pick the person. You pick the day. We keep it sealed and safe until that day comes. Then we deliver it, in your own voice. People use it for birthdays, weddings, graduations, and letters to the person they will one day be.
How does a timelock work?
You write or record a message. You name the person it is for. You pick the day and the time. There are four times each day: 6:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 7:00 PM. Then you seal it. Once a message is sealed, no one else can open it early. Not even us. When the day comes, we deliver it to the person you named.
What is the key my family gets?
Each person you seal messages for can have a key of their own. The key is a card with their name and a code on it. The code points to all you have sealed for them — one key per person, for all of it. The key holds no secrets. It is a pointer, not a way in. You can design it in the Key Studio and print it free at home today. An engraved metal keepsake key is in preparation. If a key is lost, we cancel the old code and strike a new one. The key is only a pointer, so a lost key never means lost messages.
Can WillThis read my sealed messages?
No. When you seal a message, it is scrambled so that only the right key can read it. That scramble is called encryption. The key is split into three parts. One part is locked with your password. One part goes to a trusted contact you choose. One part is held by WillThis. Any two parts can open the seal. One part alone opens nothing. We hold just one part, so on our own we can never read what you sealed. On the day you choose, our part and your trusted contact's part are brought together to open it for delivery — the only time the seal ever opens. That is not a rule we promise to follow. It is how the math works.
What if I forget my password?
Forgot your password? It happens. Tap Forgot password on the sign-in page. We email you a link. With the link, you set a new password. Your messages still deliver on time, just as you planned. One honest note. To open a sealed lock early, or change its trusted contact, you need the password it was sealed with. A reset cannot bring the old one back. So write yours down somewhere safe.
What is two-factor, and should I turn it on?
Your password is one key. Two-factor adds a second key. The second key is a code in an app on your phone. The code is new every 30 seconds. A thief may steal your password. But they do not have your phone. No phone, no code, no way in. Yes, turn it on. It takes two minutes. You will find it in the Security tab once you sign in. When you turn it on, we give you ten backup codes. Write them on paper, and keep the paper somewhere safe.
What if I lose my phone and my backup codes?
You can still get back in. On the sign-in page, tap Lost your phone and your codes? We start a wait of 48 hours. We email you at once, and the email has a Cancel link. If you did not ask for the reset, tap Cancel, and nothing will change. If the wait runs out, two-factor turns off. Then you can sign in with just your password. Turn two-factor on again in the Security tab, and save your new backup codes. The wait is the guard: it gives the true owner two full days to stop a stranger.
What happens to my messages if I cancel my plan?
Your messages still deliver. A plan lets you make new seals. It never holds back the ones you have made. Each message you sealed while your plan was live goes out on its day, just as you set it. Plans gate what you can make next. They never gate what you have already sent on its way. And if you come back later, your vault is still there.
What if WillThis the company goes away?
We plan to be here for decades. But we are a young company, and we will not dress that up. So your words have a way out that does not need us. You can download your archive as one locked file — a .wtbackup file. The file is scrambled. It opens with a recovery phrase that only you hold. Keep the file and the phrase somewhere safe. Then your stories can be opened with or without us. Your seals have a second safety net. Any two of the three key parts can open them. Two of those parts live outside WillThis. This page tells the full story.
Can my family read a message without an account?
Yes. When a message is delivered, your person gets a claim code. They go to the sign-in page and type the code where it asks, Have an access code? The message opens on a page they can read but not change. No account. No password. No cost. If they want a vault of their own, they can claim a free account with the same code.
How much does it cost?
The pilot is free. Paid plans unlock more seals and more room. Explorer is free. Start sealing, with limits. Lock is $9 a month. More seals, more room, and Milestone Messages. Legacy is $29 a month. More room still, and the full studio. Lifetime is $199 for the first 100 who join. After that, it is $499. One account and one login open all three doors: WillThis, TimeProofMemories, and My PostCrypt. You can also buy one-time packages, just once, and give them as gifts. Keys you print at home are free. Engraved metal keepsake keys are in preparation. They are not part of any plan.
Can I give WillThis as a gift?
Yes. In the app, you can buy a one-time package and get a gift code. Give the code to your person. They type it in, and it is theirs. (Plans are for your own account — no gift code comes with a plan.) You can also design a key for them in the Key Studio and print it free at home. Then you can present it in person: a key they can hold, for words they will open years from now. Our gift page shows how it works.
Still have a question? Write to us at AskWillThis@Gmail.com — a person reads every note. And for the deep version of how we plan to last, read our longevity promise.