FAQs

Do I need to prepare anything before I start?

Not at all. There's no preparation needed. Just pick a topic that interests you and start chatting. We'll ask simple questions — you talk, we listen. You can stop any time and come back whenever you like.

What kind of stories can I share?

Anything you'd like to remember or pass on. Childhood stories, career highlights, family stories, travel adventures, funny moments — there's no right or wrong topic. Most people start with something simple like a favourite pet or where they grew up.

How long does a conversation take?

As long as you like. A single conversation might take 5 minutes or 30 minutes. You can stop at any point and your progress is saved. You can always come back and continue later.

Do I need to be a good writer?

No. You just type your answers in plain, everyday language. Our AI takes your words and turns them into a polished, readable story. You don't need to worry about grammar, spelling, or structure.

What kinds of things can I upload during a conversation?

You can attach documents (PDF, Word, text files), audio recordings (MP3, M4A, WAV), and photos directly into a conversation using the Attach button. There's a 50MB file size limit per upload. The AI will read, transcribe, or interpret whatever you share and weave it into the conversation naturally.

Is my data really private?

Yes. Your stories are encrypted in transit and at rest. They're stored on Australian servers and are never used to train AI models. Only you can see your stories — not even our team can access them. For full details, visit our Privacy Policy.

Who can see my stories?

Only you. Your stories are completely private. No one else — not even our team — can see your content unless you specifically share it.

Is my data safe?

Yes. All your data is encrypted and stored on secure servers in Sydney, Australia. We use the same level of encryption as banks and financial institutions.

Will my stories be used to train AI?

No. Your stories and personal information are never used to train AI models. This is a firm commitment.

Can I delete my stories?

Yes, at any time. You can delete individual stories from your dashboard, or contact us to delete your entire account and all associated data.

Can I download my stories?

Yes. You can download any individual story from its detail page, or download all your stories at once from your dashboard. Your stories are exported as text files that you can keep, print, or share however you like.

What happens to my data if the service shuts down?

We would give you advance notice and the opportunity to download all your content before any shutdown.

What if I accidentally enter fictional content?

Our AI is trained to recognise real stories and life stories. If you share something that looks like it came from a book, movie, or TV show, the AI will politely let you know and ask for a genuine story instead. We take authenticity seriously — your stories should be yours.

What happens if something goes wrong?

Before I Forget relies on AI services that occasionally experience brief outages. If you see an error while saving or generating a story, try again in a minute. Your conversation text is preserved until you leave the page. If problems persist, review the guidance on this page and try again shortly.

What are the different ways I can share my stories?

There are three ways:

1. Have a conversation — type back and forth with our AI interviewer, who asks you questions about your chosen topic
2. Upload a recording — upload a voice memo or audio recording and we'll transcribe it automatically
3. Upload a document — upload handwritten notes, letters, typed documents, or photos of written text and we'll read them for you

What is a "polished story"?

When you save a conversation, you can choose to have AI transform your back-and-forth chat into a smooth, readable narrative — written in your voice, using your words, but organised and polished. You can review and edit it before saving.

Can I choose how my polished story is written?

Yes. You can choose:

• First person ("I remember...") or third person ("Andrew remembers...")
• Length — from a brief summary to a detailed narrative, or sized for a 3 or 5-minute speech
• Audience — tailored for family, grandchildren, a funeral, a birthday celebration, or any other occasion
• Focus — emphasise particular aspects like funny stories, career achievements, or a specific time period

What does "Continue This Story" do?

If you want to add more to a story you've already started, click "Continue This Story" and we'll pick up where you left off. This is great for adding details across multiple sessions.

Can I combine multiple stories into one?

Yes. Use the "Combine stories" feature on your dashboard to select two or more stories and merge them into one flowing narrative or a story with chapters.

What file types can I upload?

• Documents: PDF, Word (.docx), text files (.txt), and images of handwritten text (.jpg, .png)
• Audio: MP3, M4A, WAV, and WEBM files up to 100MB

Can the AI read handwriting?

Yes, in most cases. Our AI can read both typed and handwritten text. Very faded or heavily cursive handwriting may be less accurate, but you can always review and correct the results.

What's the difference between a snippet, a story, and an adapted story?

A snippet is the raw material — everything you share through conversation, voice, photos, or documents. A story is what the AI creates when it polishes a snippet into a readable narrative. An adapted story is tailored for a specific audience, length, or tone. Your original story always stays intact.

Can I plan what stories to capture next?

Yes. When you use Editorial Review, the AI suggests topics across three categories: finishing stories you've started, going deeper on stories you've told, and exploring new life topics. You choose 2–4 and they save to your dashboard as a simple tracker with status badges and one-click start buttons.

What is Editorial Review?

It's your personal editorial review. The AI reads everything in your collection — stories, photos, documents, recordings — and gives you a concise review covering what themes are emerging, what connections it's found between your stories, and where to focus next. It also helps you plan your next stories with intelligent suggestions based on your actual content.

How often should I use it?

As often as you like, but it's most useful after you've captured a few stories. Each time you come back, the review updates to reflect your latest content. It's a great way to see how your collection is growing and what's worth exploring next.

Does it cost anything extra?

No. Editorial Review is included for all users during beta.

What is Before I Forget?

Before I Forget is a platform that helps people preserve their life stories in a way that's easy, private, and beautiful. We believe every person's story is worth keeping, and we use AI to make the process as simple as having a conversation.

Is this service free?

During our current testing phase, yes. We may introduce paid plans in the future, but we will always give you advance notice of any changes.

Is this an Australian service?

Yes. Before I Forget is built and operated in Australia, and all data is stored in Australia.

How do I get help or give feedback?

Need help? Use the in-app bug report option from your dashboard, and we'll review it as quickly as we can. Your feedback helps us improve.