Effective October 12, 2026

Original app setup walkthrough

The walkthrough and figures below describe the original app. Virtual Halo 3.0 SMS features remain in development and become available only after release.

1. Download Virtual Halo from the iOS App Store
2. Open Virtual Halo on your iPhone
3. Click on the yellow "Sign Up" button
4. Enter your email address and a password you would like to use for your Virtual Halo account; enter your password a second time in the "confirm password" box.
5. Click the yellow "Sign Up" button at the bottom of the screen (if you already have a Virtual Halo account, click the "Login" link at the bottom of the screen.
6. On the next screen, you need to enter your First Name, Last Name and your mobile phone number (this is how your emergency contacts will know who you are).
7. Click on the blue "Continue" button at the bottom of the screen where you will be taken to a screen requesting you to set your PIN
8. Click on the blue "Set PIN" button at the bottom of the screen and then select a 4-digit PIN. You will then be asked to confirm your PIN.
9. To use Virtual Halo, you will need at least one emergency contact. On this next screen, select the yellow "Add Contact" button.
10. Your iPhone will ask for you to give Virtual Halo permission to access your contacts; all this does is open your contacts so that you can choose who you would like to have as your Emergency Contacts; Virtual Halo does not save any contacts you do not choose as Emergency Contacts, nor do we have access to your contacts. Choose an Emergency Contact you would like.
11. Once you have chosen your Emergency Contact, select the blue "Start Using Virtual Halo" button at the bottom of the screen.

Virtual Halo 3.0 emergency-contact text confirmation

Ask your emergency contact for permission before sending an invitation. After saving the contact, tap Invite by Text, review the personal invitation and send it through your phone's messaging app. Your contact opens the private link, reviews the SMS disclosures and selects Opt In to Text Alerts. Virtual Halo then sends a confirmation asking them to reply YES followed by their unique invitation code. The Text connection remains Pending Approval until that reply is verified. App connections have a separate approval; either direction must be requested and approved independently. The invitation page also offers an app download when the appropriate version is available.

Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Contacts can reply STOP to opt out or HELP for assistance. Read the SMS Terms and Privacy Policy.