Question 1

What is Fernweh?

Accepted Answer

Fernweh is a private messaging app that combines everyday messaging with offline mesh networking. It works like the messaging apps you already know, but it keeps working even when there's no internet or cell signal.

Question 2

Is Fernweh free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Fernweh is free to use. We don't show ads, and we don't sell your personal data.

Question 3

What platforms does Fernweh support?

Accepted Answer

Fernweh is available on iOS and Android.

Question 4

Do I need a phone number?

Accepted Answer

No. You can sign up with either an email address or a phone number, whichever you prefer. We send a one-time code to confirm it, then you pick a unique username.

Question 5

Do both people need the app?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Fernweh messages are exchanged between Fernweh apps, so everyone in a conversation needs Fernweh installed. This is also what makes offline mesh possible: nearby Fernweh phones relay messages for each other.

Question 6

How do I add people?

Accepted Answer

Share your username or scan a friend's QR code, privately sync your contacts, or discover people nearby over the mesh. Contact sync hashes phone numbers on your device, so your address book is never uploaded in the clear.

Question 7

Is Fernweh really private and encrypted?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Messages and calls are end-to-end encrypted by default using MLS (IETF RFC 9420). Only you and the people in your conversation can read your messages. Our servers can't, and there are no backdoors. This stays true even when messages travel offline over the mesh.

Question 8

What data does Fernweh collect?

Accepted Answer

Very little. We keep the account info you sign up with (your email and/or phone number) and some minimal, anonymized analytics to improve the app. We do not collect the content of your messages or upload your contact list in the clear, and we don't sell your personal data or show ads.

Question 9

If I lose my phone, what happens to my history?

Accepted Answer

Your message history is stored encrypted on your device, not in our cloud. That means a lost phone doesn't hand your conversations to anyone, but it also means we can't recover past messages on your behalf.

Question 10

Can governments access my messages?

Accepted Answer

No. With end-to-end encryption, we can't hand over your message content because we don't have access to it. Even under legal pressure, we simply don't have the keys.

Question 11

How does offline mesh messaging work?

Accepted Answer

When there's no internet, Fernweh connects directly to nearby phones over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and relays your messages through them, hopping device to device until they reach the recipient. Fernweh switches between online and offline automatically, so you don't have to think about it, and your messages stay end-to-end encrypted either way.

Question 12

How far does offline reach?

Accepted Answer

There's no hard, guaranteed distance. Messages hop from device to device, so the more Fernweh users nearby, and the closer you are, the better it works. Closer is always more reliable.

Question 13

Does it work with no SIM or Wi-Fi?

Accepted Answer

Yes. As long as there are nearby Fernweh phones to relay through, you can message over the mesh with no signal, no SIM, and no Wi-Fi network, for example at a festival, on a flight, or during an outage.

Question 14

Do I need to enable mesh manually?

Accepted Answer

Fernweh switches between internet and mesh automatically based on what's available. Just make sure Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Fernweh's nearby/location permissions are enabled so your phone can find and relay through nearby devices.

Question 15

What encryption does Fernweh use?

Accepted Answer

Fernweh uses MLS, the Messaging Layer Security standard defined in IETF RFC 9420. It's a modern, peer-reviewed protocol built for end-to-end encrypted messaging at scale, including large group chats. There are no backdoors.

Question 16

Does Fernweh have group chats and calls?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Fernweh supports direct and group chats, plus 1:1 and group voice and video calls, all end-to-end encrypted. Calls need a working connection, so they aren't available over the offline mesh.

Question 17

What else can Fernweh do?

Accepted Answer

Beyond text, you can send media and voice messages, schedule messages, organize chats into folders, search your history, and lock individual chats or the whole app with biometrics.

Question 18

Where is my message history kept?

Accepted Answer

Your history is stored encrypted on your device. It isn't held in our cloud, which keeps it private, but it also means it lives with the device you signed in on.

Frequently Asked
Questions

Getting Started

Privacy & Security

Mesh Networking

Features & Technical

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