A Kautio check-in follows a fixed order once it is scheduled: it becomes Active at the activity start, opens a grace window for you when the Send first check-in after time is up, and, if you don't respond, notifies your tiers one at a time, each after its own grace window, with your wait between tiers before each later one. Kautio's servers keep this time, so the schedule continues whether or not your phone is on. Kautio is not an emergency service. If your contacts are notified, it means a timer wasn't stopped, nothing more. Kautio contacts only the people you chose, and it can't promise any outcome.

A Kautio check-in moves through the same steps every time. This example uses Send first check-in after set to 30 min, Grace window set to 5 min, Wait between tiers set to 30 min, and two tiers of contacts (Tier 1 and Tier 2), with no response from you. Times are counted from the activity start.

The earliest your first contacts can be notified is: activity start + Send first check-in after + Grace window. In the example, that's 35 minutes after the activity start. Each later tier can be notified, at the earliest, Wait between tiers + Grace window after the one before: Tier 2 at 70 minutes in the example.

Each step has its own section in this chapter:

The grace window is the time Kautio gives you to respond each time it checks in on you during a check-in: 1, 2, 5, 10, or 15 minutes, as set by the check-in's Grace window setting (5 minutes by default; see Scheduling a check-in › Grace window). Every window in a check-in has the same length. Kautio's servers time the window, and it is never extended.

When a window opens:

If you don't respond before the grace window ends, that tier is notified: Tier 1 after the first window, Tier 2 after the next, and so on. Opening the notification or the app isn't a response; only Snooze or Dismiss is, in the app or by pressing 1 or 2 on a Kautio call.

Snoozing a Kautio check-in delays it by your wait between tiers. Snooze appears only while a grace window is open, at any tier.

Snoozing a Kautio check-in closes the grace window that is open and starts a new one later; it never adds time to the open window.

Dismissing a Kautio check-in ends an Active check-in and cancels every tier that hasn't been notified yet.

To dismiss, tap Dismiss. The Dismiss check-in? dialog says "This cancels all remaining tiers." followed by either "Your follow-up stays on schedule." (when a follow-up is open) or "Your contacts will not be notified further." Tap Dismiss to confirm, or Keep active to go back.

Dismissing from the check-in's card on the Check-ins tab shows the same dialog, with the same follow-up wording.

If at least one contact had already been notified, the Let your contacts know sheet opens next. See When a check-in comes due › Sending "all good" to your contacts.

A dismissed Kautio check-in shows Cancelled if no contact had been notified yet, and Dismissed if at least one contact had been notified. For example, dismissing during your first grace window, before Tier 1 is notified, gives Cancelled.

The notification you get reads "[title] — check-in cancelled" or "[title] — check-in dismissed", and says either "Your follow-up is still scheduled." or "No further notifications will be sent."

No. Dismissing a Kautio check-in never stops its follow-up, including a dismiss in the first grace window that shows Cancelled. A follow-up stops only when you tap Clear follow-up, or when the check-in is cancelled before its start (with Cancel check-in, or by pausing or ending its repeating series). See Tiers and follow-up › Clearing a follow-up.

When Kautio notifies a tier of your contacts, it means a timer wasn't stopped, nothing more. It doesn't mean Kautio knows anything about where you are or what is happening. Kautio contacts only the people you chose for that tier. It contacts no one else, and it is not an emergency service.

When a tier is notified:

For what your contacts see, see Got a text from Kautio?.

The Kautio "all good" text tells contacts who were already notified that you checked in. It is offered only when at least one contact was notified: after you dismiss, or after every tier has been notified.

The text your contacts receive reads: "Kautio: [name] has checked in for "[title]" and wanted you to know they are all good." The preview on the sheet is worded differently; this is the text that is sent.

A Kautio check-in runs on Kautio's servers, not on your phone. If your phone is off, out of battery, or has no signal, the check-in continues: windows open and close on time, and contacts are notified on schedule.

Kautio sends you these notifications about your check-ins.

Kautio Pro repeating series have three more notifications: "Recurring check-ins paused", "Recurring check-ins ended", and "Recurring check-in contacts changed". See Presets and repeating check-ins (Pro).

Kautio has no notification settings screen in the app. To manage notifications, use your phone's settings. See Troubleshooting › I didn't get a notification when my check-in came due.

The Kautio "[title] is starting" notification arrives at the activity start and is your heads-up for the first check-in: it says when Kautio first checks in on you and, when Tier 1 has contacts, how long your grace window is.

It is the only heads-up before your first check-in. Kautio sends no reminder while a grace window is open: the "Check-in time" notification, and the call if Also call me is on, come as the window opens.

Every Kautio check-in shows one of six states. Complete, Cancelled, and Dismissed are final: a check-in never leaves them.

On the Check-ins tab, check-ins are grouped under Live & upcoming and Past.