Getting Started
First Time Setup
System Requirements
Requires iOS 15.1 or later. Home Screen widgets require iOS 18 or later. HabitForge stores everything locally on your device — there's no account to create and no cross-device sync.
Quick Start Checklist
- Grant notification permissions for reminders.
- Create your first habit or expense category.
- Set up your budget goals (optional).
- Add the iOS widget to your home screen.
Habits & AI Intelligence
How does the AI tracking work?
HabitForge analyzes your habit completion history on your device to
surface patterns like your most productive time of day — no AI required. If you add
your own Google Gemini API key in Settings → AI Features, the app can also generate
deeper AI-powered habit and expense insights.
Are my habits private?
Yes. All habit data stays on your device — HabitForge has no account
system, no cloud sync, and no servers of ours that store your data. AI insights are
off unless you add your own Gemini API key; when enabled, only the specific habit or
expense text you're viewing is sent directly to Google's Gemini API to generate that
recommendation.
Finance & Budget
How does natural language expense logging work?
Simply type naturally, like "Bought coffee for $5" or "Lunch $12.50".
The app automatically parses the category (Food/Drink) and the amount, saving you from
manual data entry.
Can I export my financial data?
Yes. Open Finance → Reports and use Export to save your expenses as a
CSV or PDF. Your habit calendar can be exported separately from the Calendar tab as a
CSV or PDF file.
How is the 'Financial Health Score' calculated?
It is a proprietary metric based on your adherence to budget limits,
savings rate vs. income, and consistency in tracking expenses.
Privacy & Data
Where is my data stored?
Everything — habits, finance logs, and progress history — is stored
locally on your device only. There's no account, no cloud backend, and no dashboard
that mirrors your data anywhere else. Because there's no sync, data doesn't currently
move to a new device automatically; export your data first (see Finance → Reports and
the Calendar tab) if you're switching phones.
What does the AI actually process?
Gemini-powered features only receive the specific text needed to
answer your request, such as a habit note or budgeting prompt. HabitForge uses that
context to generate a recommendation rather than to build an advertising profile, and
nothing is sent unless you've added your own Gemini API key.
Can I export or delete everything?
Yes. Export financial data as CSV or PDF from Finance → Reports, and
your habit calendar from the Calendar tab. To erase everything, go to Settings → Reset
All Data — this permanently deletes all habits, expenses, and settings from the
device, so export anything you want to keep first.
Gamification
How do I level up my character?
You earn XP by completing habits and logging expenses daily. Maintaining
streaks provides an XP multiplier.
What are Quests?
Quests are daily or weekly challenges (e.g., "Complete all morning
habits before 10 AM"). Completing them rewards you with badges and extra XP.
What is the Game tab?
Completing your scheduled habits earns flight allowance you can spend
in Starforge, a built-in arcade space-shooter reached from the Game tab. Pick a ship,
fly daily contracts, and build ship mastery over time — it's a reward for staying
consistent, not a separate app.
Widgets
How do I add the Home Screen widget?
Long press your home screen > Tap the '+' icon > Search 'HabitForge' >
Select size > Tap 'Add Widget'.
Does HabitForge sync across devices?
No — HabitForge stores data locally per device with no account or
cloud sync, so habits and expenses added on one iPhone won't appear on another. If
you're moving to a new device, export your data first from Finance → Reports and the
Calendar tab.
Widget is not updating
Widgets rely on iOS background refresh budgeting. Opening the main app
forces a widget refresh immediately.
Troubleshooting
App feels slow or laggy
This can happen if you have thousands of entries on an older device. Try
archiving old data via Settings to improve performance.
AI Recommendations aren't appearing
Pattern-based recommendations need a few days of habit history before
they appear — keep tracking and they'll show up automatically. Gemini-powered
insights also require you to add your own API key first, in Settings → AI
Features.
Contact Support
Have a bug report or feature request? We'd love to hear from you.
HabitForge v2.0.0 • Support refreshed July 2026