PROVE IT setup · about 2 minutes

Got your stickers? Let’s set them up.

Grab your case of PROVE IT Stickers and your iPhone. Your first alert will be running in about 2 minutes.

Get the free app
Free for iPhone. No subscription.

Rather watch than read? Watch the 1-minute video ↓

Not sure what your first alert should be? Get alert ideas ↓
Step by step

Set up your first alert.

Each picture flips through the taps. About 2 minutes, start to finish.

  1. 1

    Open the app. Tap “I already have stickers.”

    Then tap Set up your first alert.

  2. 2Required

    Allow alarms and notifications.

    PROVE IT asks for these as you go. Here’s what each one is for:

    • Alarms (required): lets your alert ring like a real alarm, even when a Focus is on.
    • Notifications (required): so your alerts show up on your screen.
    • Location (optional): only if you want an alert to ring just at home. See step 7.
  3. 3

    Pick the time and the days.

    Every day, weekdays, or just once.

  4. 4

    Name it. Pick a sound.

    Preview Nudge, Rally and Holy sh*t. Choose Holy sh*t if you’re brave.

  5. 5Don’t skip

    Test it before you stick it.

    Metal can block the signal. Keep the backing on and hold the sticker right where it’ll live. Tap Scan a tag to pair and hold the top-back of your iPhone to it. It paired? That spot works. No luck? Move it a few inches away from metal and try again.

  6. 6

    Peel and stick.

    Peel the backing and press it on. It’s 3M adhesive, so it stays put.

  7. 7Optional · we recommend it

    Only ring at home.

    So your “wash the dishes” alert doesn’t go off at the movies. Turn on Only trigger when I’m at a location and tap Current location. When iPhone asks, allow location, then tap Change to Always Allow. It only works with Always, because PROVE IT checks where you are even when the app is closed.

  8. 8

    Tap Set it. Done.

    When it goes off, walk to the sticker and tap. Silence. Proved it. Really can’t? You get 3 free bail outs.

  9. !Tip

    Alarm sounding quiet?

    iPhone lowers alarm volume when you look at the screen. Go to Settings → Face ID & Passcode, then:

    Turn off Attention Aware Features
Rather watch?

Your first alert, start to finish.

About a minute: unbox, pair a sticker, allow alarms and notifications, then tap to make it stop.
Optional

What alert should you set first?

Let us help you decide. Tap what you want help with for a few ideas. Start with one or two, then add more once they stick.

  • “Take your meds”

    When 8:00 AM, every day

    Stick it: On the pill bottle

    ⚠️ Metal alert: Metal pill tin? Stick it on the shelf or wall right next to it.

  • “Eat lunch”

    When 12:30 PM, weekdays

    Stick it: On the wall next to the fridge

    ⚠️ Metal alert: Not on the fridge door. It’s metal. The wall or cabinet beside it works.

  • “Log off work”

    When 5:30 PM, weekdays

    Stick it: On the desk, away from your laptop

    ⚠️ Metal alert: Not on the laptop itself. Most are metal.

  • “Plan tomorrow”

    When 8:30 PM, Sunday–Thursday

    Stick it: On your planner

  • “Don’t forget your keys”

    When Before you usually leave

    Stick it: On the wall next to the key hook

Before you peel: pair every sticker while you hold it in its spot. If it pairs there, the spot works. Metal nearby can block the signal.

Back to the steps ↑Change the time, name and sound any time in the app.

Stuck? Fixes.

My sticker won’t scan.

Hold the top-back of your iPhone against the sticker for a second. Metal underneath or nearby can block the signal, so try a spot a few inches away from any metal, or the wall right next to it. Still nothing? Email hi@shelpful.com.

I tapped the sticker and the alarm kept going.

Each alert only stops for the sticker it’s paired with, so double-check it’s the right one. Still stuck? Email hi@shelpful.com. One of our co-founders reads every email.

I lost a sticker, or want to use a different one.

Open the alert, tap Scan again to replace and pair a new one from your case. Stuck? Email hi@shelpful.com. One of our co-founders reads every email.

Can I move a sticker after I stick it?

It’s 3M adhesive and meant to stay put, so re-sticking can weaken it. But you do you. Some people skip the adhesive and just set the sticker near the spot.

Do the stickers need charging?

No. Your phone powers the sticker for the split second you tap.

Does it work on Android?

Not yet. We’re working on it. Join the Android waitlist →

Is there a subscription?

No. The app is free and the stickers are a one-time buy.
What happens when you tap

One tap stops the alarm

One tap stops the alarm 1. Tap the top-back of your phone to the sticker 2. Antenna: Receives a mini burst of power from your phone’s electromagnetic field. No battery inside. 3. Chip: Wakes up and sends back its unique ID. “Hi, I’m PROVE IT sticker 03712. Open the app, it’s me.” 4. PROVE IT recognizes the ID. Your paired alarm stops. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU TAP One tap stops the alarm INSIDE THE STICKER walk over and tap it 7:00 1 Tap the top-back of your phone to the sticker 2 ANTENNA Receives a mini burst of power from your phone’s electromagnetic field. No battery inside. 3 CHIP Wakes up and sends back its unique ID. “Hi, I’m PROVE IT sticker 03712. Open the app, it’s me.” 4 PROVE IT recognizes the ID. Your paired alarm stops. PROVE IT.™ STICKER SHEET 01 · NOT TO SCALE
Level up · optional

Trigger PROVE IT with Apple Shortcuts.

Some moments don’t happen at a set time: opening Instagram, getting home, plugging in your phone. With Shortcuts, those moments can start a PROVE IT alert that only your sticker can stop.

Ideas to steal

  • When I stop my iPhone alarm
    5 minutes to get out of bed

    Sticker on the bathroom mirror

  • When I open Instagram
    20 minutes, then “Enough. Go work.”

    Sticker on your desk

  • When I get home
    5 minutes to hang up my keys

    Sticker on the key hook by the door

  • When my phone goes on the charger at night
    10 minutes to floss and take my meds

    Sticker on the bathroom mirror

  • When my Work Focus turns on
    50 minutes, then stand up and drink water

    Sticker in the kitchen

  • When my buddy texts me “MOVE”
    30 minutes to go for a walk

    Sticker on the shoe bench

How to set one up

  1. Open the Shortcuts app, tap Automation, then tap + to make a new one.
  2. Pick your trigger: an app opening, getting home, your alarm stopping, your charger connecting, a Focus turning on and more.
  3. Choose Run Immediately if it’s offered, so it starts without asking you first.
  4. Add the PROVE IT action Schedule a PROVE IT Alert. On iOS 27, tap Edit first (see below).
  5. Fill in the delay, the sticker, the label and the sound. Tap Done.
  6. Test it once. Then forget about it until it rings.
On iOS 27?

Shortcuts now starts you off with a text box to describe your shortcut, and it doesn’t list PROVE IT there yet. Tap Edit to open the full editor, then add the PROVE IT action.

Apple Shortcuts automation: when I arrive at Home between 8:00 and 8:40 AM, schedule a PROVE IT alert in 5 minutes using the key hook by the door sticker
A real one: get home, then 5 minutes to hang up your keys.
PROVE IT
Schedule a PROVE IT Alert
Delay
How long after the trigger, from 0 to 500 minutes
Sticker
Which PROVE IT Sticker stops it
Label
What the alert says
Sound
Nudge, Rally or Holy sh*t

Save it as a regular shortcut instead, and you can start it with Siri too.

iOS decides when automations run, so pick “Run Immediately” where it’s offered, and test new ones once. Your 3 free bail outs work on Shortcuts alerts too.

Still stuck?

Email us. One of our co-founders reads every email.

Email hi@shelpful.com
Usually within a business day.