Frequently asked questions
Not finding your answer here? Write to us at n.garcia@terredeshommessuisse.ch.
Counting my kilometres
Does the app count my steps all day?
No. You have to start a session with the central button, and finish it when you get back. Steps taken outside a session are not counted.
This is the question that comes up most: people install the app expecting it to run in the background, then wonder why they have zero kilometres after a week.
Do my steps count if I put my phone away, or if the app closes?
Yes, as long as the session is running. The counting happens in the phone itself rather than in the app, so if the system stops the app while you walk, the total is picked up again when you come back.
You can put the phone in your pocket and forget about it.
Where does the distance come from?
From an estimate based on your steps, not from GPS. The app assumes a stride of 0.75 m walking and 1 m running.
If you want an exact figure — a route you know, a smartwatch — enter the distance by hand.
Does running count?
Yes. For every session you choose between Walk and Run. The kilometres add up the same way on the leaderboards.
My steps are not being counted properly
Three causes, most common first:
- Access to the step counter was not granted. Check in your phone’s settings that the app is allowed to read motion data.
- Battery saver is on. On some Android phones it puts the sensors to sleep.
- The phone is not on you. In a backpack on the ground, it counts nothing.
I use a smartwatch
The app does not connect to watches. Read the distance off your watch and enter it by hand: New session, then type in the kilometres.
Can I record a walk from yesterday?
Yes. When you enter a session by hand, you choose the start and end date and time.
I made a mistake in a session
Open it from the Sessions tab, then Edit this session. You can also delete it, but deleting is permanent.
Signing up and signing in
My company is not recognised
There are two ways in:
- your work e-mail address: if its domain is registered, your company is found for you;
- an access code, which you enter if your address does not match.
The code comes from whoever is running the challenge at your company. Capital letters matter.
I did not receive the verification code
The six-digit code arrives by e-mail and expires after 30 minutes.
- Look in your junk folder.
- Ask for a new one with Resend code.
- If nothing arrives after a few minutes, write to us: some company mail filters hold our messages back, and we can get you through.
I have forgotten my password
On the sign-in screen, Forgotten password?, then follow the link you receive by e-mail. The same remark applies if the message does not arrive.
Can I take part without a smartphone?
Yes, with the web version, from any browser. You can follow your progress and enter your walks by hand.
Automatic step counting needs the mobile app: a browser has no access to the phone’s step counter.
Teams and leaderboards
How do I join a team?
Profile > Team management > Join a team, then enter the code a colleague gave you. You can also create your own.
Can I be in more than one team?
No, one at a time. You can leave yours to join another; your kilometres come with you.
Do I have to be in a team to take part?
No. Without a team, your kilometres still count for you and for your company.
When do the leaderboards update?
As sessions come in. If you cannot see your latest walk, pull the screen down to refresh it.
I would rather my name did not appear
Turn on anonymous mode in the settings. Your name disappears from the leaderboards, and your kilometres go on counting for your team and your company.
One reservation: anonymous mode acts on the app’s leaderboards, not on your company’s portal. Whoever runs the challenge there still sees your name.
My data
Who can see my kilometres?
Your colleagues, on your company’s leaderboards — unless you are in anonymous mode. Whoever runs the challenge at your company sees the list of participants by name, and their totals, anonymous mode or not.
Other companies only see your company’s total, never individual people.
How do I delete my account?
You do it yourself, without going through us: Profile, at the very bottom of the screen, Delete my account. You confirm twice, then enter your password.
Deletion is immediate and final. Your account, your sessions and your team membership go, and your kilometres are taken out of the figures. Nothing can be recovered afterwards.
How long is my data kept?
Terre des Hommes Suisse erases participants’ data at the end of each edition. For the detail of what is kept and for how long, write to us.
The edition is over — can I still see my history?
Yes, for as long as your account exists.