Heywaver

Support

Type what you need or tap a card, then show it big or have your phone say it out loud. Here’s how each part works.

Getting started

• Hub: “hey” and your name, the mode you’re in, your intro and your go-to cards. Tap your intro to show it; tap a card to use it.
• Card: type anything, then tap the expand arrows to show it full screen, or tap Speak to say it out loud.
• Full-screen card: Flip turns it 180° to face the person across from you, and the star saves it. Tap anywhere on the card to hide its buttons, and tap again to bring them back. (With VoiceOver on, a tap never hides them; use the Hide buttons action instead.) The screen stays on while the card is showing.
• Library: browse and search all your cards, including the ones you’ve saved.
• Modes: tap the mode name at the top of the Hub (like “Everyday mode”) to switch: Everyday, Café, Meeting, Medical, Travel and Restaurant. You can make up to three modes of your own.

Customizing

• Customize Card: on the Card screen or the full-screen card, tap the sliders to change the font and colors. Reset puts them back.
• Settings: tap Settings at the top of the Hub to change your name, intro, identity, Signing and Access.
• Dark theme: Heywaver follows your iPhone’s Light or Dark setting. To pick one for Heywaver alone, use the Dark theme switch in Settings.

Access

Settings → Access: pick what you use: a sign language interpreter (ASL), a Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI), a tactile or close-vision interpreter, a support service provider (SSP), live captions (CART), an oral interpreter, or cued speech. Each one adds cards for asking for it, like “Please book a tactile interpreter for my appointment.” If none apply, pick None for me.

Share a card as an image

Customize Card → Share as image: send the card by Messages, AirDrop or another app, or choose Save Image to keep it in Photos. The image shows your words, your name if you’ve set one, and “Sent with heywaver.com”. The first time you save one, iOS asks once to let Heywaver add to your Photos. Heywaver can only add images; it can’t see your photos.

Flash and Shake to get attention

• Flash: on the full-screen card, tap the lightning bolt and the screen flashes, swapping the text and background colors, so someone across the room looks up. Tap it again to stop. Choose how fast it flashes in Customize Card, under Speed.
• Shake to get attention: turn it on in Customize Card. Then a shake on the Card screen or the full-screen card starts the flash.
• If flashing bothers you: turn on Dim Flashing Lights in your iPhone’s settings (Accessibility → Motion) and the flash becomes a slow, soft pulse. With Reduce Motion on, it always flashes at its slowest speed.

Voice

Settings → Voice: choose “A woman’s voice” or “A man’s voice”, and how fast it speaks. Heywaver uses the best voice of each kind on your iPhone and shows its name under each choice. Speak uses your iPhone’s own voices, so it works offline.

Fuller voices are a free download. Open the Settings app, then Accessibility → Read & Speak → Voices → English. (On some iPhones, Read & Speak is called Spoken Content.) Tap a voice, then the download button beside it. Come back to Heywaver and it uses the new voice.

Can’t hear it? Turn the volume up with the buttons on the side of your iPhone. When the sound is going to AirPods, hearing aids or a car instead of your iPhone’s speaker, the Card screen says so under Speak (“Speak plays on” and the device’s name). Tap the button beside it and pick iPhone to play it out loud from your phone.

Delete all data

Settings → Help and privacy → Delete all data: erases your name, intro, saved cards, modes and settings, and Heywaver starts fresh. It can’t be undone. Deleting the app does the same. Card images you saved stay in Photos until you delete them there.

Accessibility

Heywaver works with VoiceOver, Voice Control and the largest text sizes, follows your iPhone’s Dark and Reduce Motion settings, and has a high-contrast, readable design. If anything gets in your way, tell us at hello@heywaver.com. We read every message.

Frequently asked

Does Heywaver work offline?

Yes. Everything works without a connection, including Speak.

Do I need an account?

No. There’s no sign-up and nothing to log into.

Is my data private?

Yes. Your words stay on your iPhone unless you share a card. Read the Privacy Policy.

Does Heywaver use the microphone?

No. Heywaver never listens. It shows and speaks only what you type or tap.

How do I speak a card aloud?

Open a card and tap Speak; your phone says it for you.

Need help?

Email hello@heywaver.com and we'll get back to you.