Getting Started
Pacts doesn't need an account. Open the app, go through four short setup screens, and make your first pact.
How Pacts fits together
Pacts uses three kinds of items. You only need pacts. Goals and protocols are optional.
| Item | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Pact | A specific commitment with a start, an end and a schedule. This is what you check in on. | "Read 20 pages", every day, 30 days |
| Goal | A broader aspiration with no deadline. You link pacts to it. | "Read more, scroll less" |
| Protocol | A personal rule. It can carry an effect that shapes your pacts. | "I don't skip two days in a row" |
First launch
The first time you open Pacts, you see four screens:
- Welcome. Tap Get started. By continuing, you agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, which are linked on this screen.
- How it works. A short summary of protocols, goals and pacts. Tap Continue.
- Make it yours. Pick an appearance (Light, Dark, Extra Dark or System), an accent color, and a button text color. Tap Continue.
- Set up your experience. Turn on Reminders to allow notifications, and choose whether to use Milestones. Tap Let's go, or Skip to finish without changing anything.
You can change all of these later in More > Customization. See Customization.
The tabs
| Tab | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Today | Pacts due today, plus any past day you want to review or catch up on. See Today. |
| Pacts | All your pacts: active and paused. Create, search and open pacts here. See Pacts. |
| Goals | Your goals and the pacts linked to them. See Goals. |
| Protocols | Your personal rules and their effects. See Protocols. |
| More | Insights, Milestones, Research, Customization, Settings, help and legal links. |
If you don't use goals or protocols, you can hide their tabs in More > Customization > Navigation.
Make your first pact
- Open the Pacts tab and tap +.
- Under Pact Title, finish the sentence "I commit to...".
- Optionally add a Pact Description.
- Choose a Frequency: Every day, Weekdays, Weekends or Specific days.
- Set the duration with the slider or a preset like 1 mo, and pick a start date if it isn't today.
- Choose a Check-in Schedule and the time you want to check in.
- Tap Create Pact.
The pact shows up in Today on the days it's active. For every option, see Pacts.
Check in
On the Today tab, tap the checkbox next to a pact to mark it done. Tap it again to clear it. Swipe the card left for Missed and Done, or right to log a detailed entry. See Today and Check-ins and entries.
Add a goal or a protocol
- Goal: open the Goals tab, tap +, finish the sentence "I want to...", and pick any existing pacts to link. Tap Add Goal. See Goals.
- Protocol: open the Protocols tab, tap +, write your rule under Commitment, and optionally pick an effect. Tap Add Protocol. See Protocols.
Suggestions on the Today tab
Until you've made your first pact, goal and protocol, the Today tab shows a Suggestions card for each one you're missing. Tap the x on a card to dismiss it. For the goal and protocol cards, you can choose Remind me in 3 days or Never show again. Dismissed cards are listed under the bell icon at the top of Today.
To turn these cards off, go to More > Customization > Hints & Tips and turn off Show Active Hints.
Get help
In More > Help, you can open this documentation, or email support with Email Support, Report an Issue or Request a Feature. You can also write to support@oddomens.com.