How to Use an AI Companion on Mobile Without Assuming It Is a Native App

Choose the verified access route first

Begin every session by confirming the exact domain in the browser address bar. A verified access route means the URL matches the official service domain and is served over HTTPS. Avoid third-party app-store listings that merely link to a web experience; these can introduce additional tracking or modified behavior. On mobile, open the browser directly and navigate to the service rather than following a deep link that might mask the true origin. This step establishes the boundary between the published service and any intermediary. The EU Commission's AI Act overview, applicable since August 2026, requires clear information that the user is interacting with a machine; the domain itself is the first observable signal of that transparency. If the displayed URL differs from the expected official domain, close the tab and restart from a bookmarked entry point. This decision action prevents phishing vectors and ensures subsequent steps operate on the intended endpoint.

Install a web shortcut only through the browser's controls

Never search an app store for the companion. Instead, use the browser’s own menu to create a shortcut. On iOS, open Safari, navigate to the verified domain, tap the Share icon, select “Add to Home Screen,” edit the suggested name if desired, then tap Add. The resulting icon launches the site as a web app. On Android, open Chrome, visit the same domain, tap the menu (three dots), and choose “Install app” or “Add to Home Screen” depending on the progressive web app manifest. These routes are documented by the platform owners and prove only the installation path, not offline functionality, push notification reliability, or native sandboxing. The linked guide /research/ai-girlfriend-pwa-install-android.html details the exact Chrome Android menu sequence observed on current builds; the companion guide /research/ai-girlfriend-pwa-install-iphone.html covers Safari behavior. After creation, note the icon appearance and the launch URL shown in any edit screen. This observable check confirms the shortcut was created by the browser, not a native installer.

Complete the Mobile Companion Access Receipt

Use the blank template below as a reader-run documentation tool. Fill each field only after direct observation on your device. The receipt functions as a personal checklist, not a diagnostic, privacy guarantee, or legal record. Local applicability of any regulatory requirement remains unresolved until checked with current law.

Mobile Companion Access Receipt (blank – complete yourself)

- Official domain / store listing observed: ____________________________

- iOS / Android version & browser version: ____________________________

- Access route used (Safari Share → Add, Chrome Install, other): ____________________________

- Icon label and visual appearance: ____________________________

- Launch URL shown on long-press or edit: ____________________________

- Login persistence after force-close and reopen (yes / no / re-prompt): ____________________________

- Notification availability & test result (allowed / blocked / delivered / silent): ____________________________

- Camera / photos permission request observed (yes / no / scope): ____________________________

- Offline frame / history / new-message result when airplane mode enabled: ____________________________

- Background behavior after reader-chosen idle period (messages received / retained / lost): ____________________________

- Removal result (icon deleted, data retained, login state): ____________________________

- Account state after removal (still active / logged out): ____________________________

- Billing owner / status (self / family / active subscription / free limit): ____________________________

- Next action (reader-chosen re-test / data-rights request / delete account): ____________________________

Date completed: ________________ Signature (your initials): ________________

This matrix forces separate verification of each claim rather than assumption. Update it whenever the browser, OS, or service policy changes.

Test login, permissions and notifications separately

After adding the shortcut, open it and log in with your credentials. Observe whether the session persists when the web app is force-closed via the app switcher and relaunched. Test notifications by sending a test message from another device or waiting for an automated system message; record whether the browser or OS shows a permission prompt and whether the notification arrives while the shortcut is not in foreground. Camera or photo permissions must be granted explicitly; note the exact scope requested (e.g., “while using the app” versus “one-time”). These tests are independent: login success does not imply notification capability, and permission grants do not guarantee background delivery. The UK ICO guidance on data minimisation and children’s design duties underscores that each permission should be limited to its stated purpose; an 18+ label alone does not establish compliance. Log every grant or denial in the receipt to maintain an evidence boundary.

Check offline and background behavior rather than assuming it

Enable airplane mode or disable all networks, then open the shortcut. Observe whether any loaded history remains visible, whether a new message can actually be sent and whether the interface displays an offline state. Next, leave the web app in the background for a period you choose and record what happens. Apple and Google’s installation instructions do not promise persistent background execution, notification delivery or offline service behavior. Treat each result as device-, browser- and version-specific and repeat the check after a relevant update.

Remove access without confusing account and billing

To remove the shortcut, long-press the home-screen icon and choose “Delete” or “Remove from Home Screen.” This action affects only the launcher icon; it does not delete the underlying account, chat history, or cancel any active billing. Separately, if you wish to delete data, navigate to the account settings inside the web app and choose the distinct “Delete account” or “Delete chat” options. Billing management occurs through the original payment method or the service’s billing portal; removing an icon has no effect on subscriptions. The AISoul product offers fixed non-renewing Passes (7 days $4.99, 30 days $8.99, 90 days $19.99, annual $49.99) and a daily free limit of 50 messages plus 5 eligible finite-gallery photos; these are commercial limits, not health recommendations. Document the post-removal account state and billing status in the receipt so the distinction remains observable.

Questions about using an AI companion on mobile

Can I use an AI companion in a phone browser?

Yes. Open the verified domain in Safari, Chrome, or another modern mobile browser. The full interface is available without installing any shortcut, although the experience may lack persistent login or home-screen icon convenience. All core functions—messaging within daily limits, viewing eligible gallery images, and managing account settings—operate inside the browser tab. Test login persistence and refresh behavior on your specific browser version, as session handling differs between iOS and Android. The service is not a native app; browser use makes that boundary explicit.

How do I add an AI companion to my Home Screen?

Use the browser’s native controls only. On iPhone, follow the steps in Apple’s documentation: tap the Share button, choose “Add to Home Screen,” then confirm. On Android, open the Chrome menu and select “Install app” or “Add to Home Screen.” Both routes are described at the official support pages linked below. After addition, verify the launch URL matches the verified domain. Do not use third-party utilities that promise “native-like” installation; they may alter permissions or tracking.

Will a mobile web app work offline?

Limited offline capability may exist depending on the service worker and cached assets, but new messages cannot be sent and real-time responses are impossible without a network. Test by enabling airplane mode and recording whether any chat history remains readable and whether the interface clearly indicates offline status. Results vary by device, browser version, and service updates; assume nothing. The receipt’s offline frame/history/new-message fields capture your exact observation on the check date.

Are browser permissions the same as native-app permissions?

No. Browser permissions are scoped to the web origin and session, typically narrower than native-app entitlements. Camera or photo access requires an explicit per-origin grant that can be revoked in browser settings. Notifications, if supported, route through the browser’s push service rather than a native push token. The UK ICO notes that data-minimisation principles still apply; each permission should serve a stated purpose. Record the exact permission prompt language and outcome in the receipt rather than assuming parity with native apps.

Does deleting the icon cancel the account or payment?

No. Deleting the home-screen shortcut removes only the launcher icon. Your account, chat history, usage data, and any active pass remain untouched. To cancel a pass or delete data, use the separate account and billing controls inside the web app. The AISoul privacy policy at /privacy.html details how account deletion, data-rights requests, and billing cancellation are handled as distinct actions. Always verify the post-removal account state before assuming any change to billing or data.

Apple and Google sources, unknowns and AISoul disclosure

Evidence routes for reproducing this page's checks: Android PWA installation guide; iPhone web-app installation guide; AISoul Privacy Policy; Apple iPhone web-app instructions; Google Chrome Android web-app guidance.

Apple’s official iPhone guide documents its Add to Home Screen flow. Google’s Chrome Android guidance explains its install and add-to-home-screen options. These sources prove only the installation routes; they do not establish offline behavior, notification reliability, privacy guarantees or billing integration.

Several unknowns remain on any given device: exact service-worker update cadence, background fetch success rate under battery-optimization rules, and long-term permission drift after OS updates. “Unknown” means verify live; never assume absence of capability equals safety. NIMH’s Caring for Your Mental Health page distinguishes everyday self-care from professional support and does not endorse any AI product or prescribe usage limits. WHO’s 2025 global report on social connection highlights the importance of preserving human relationships but does not claim any companion causes or cures loneliness. The Fang et al. study found an association between heavier voluntary chatbot use and worse psychosocial outcomes in one experimental cohort, yet association is not causation and the paper is not an AISoul product test. No OpenAI documentation defines emotional attachment as a ChatGPT feature or clinical benefit. The TAKE IT DOWN Act (Public Law 119-12) and the EU AI Act impose specific transparency and removal obligations whose exact application to any single service requires current local legal review.

AISoul publishes these pages and has a commercial interest. It is an adults-only browser companion using one active fictional adult female character. It is not a therapist, crisis service, human partner, dating service, public bot marketplace, native app, live-call product or exact prompt-to-image/video generator. AISoul stores account, chat, usage, payment and technical data, uses external AI providers, HTTPS and hashed passwords, and makes no E2EE, anonymity, medical-benefit or absolute-security claim. Chat deletion, account deletion, billing and a data-rights request are separate unless current policy says otherwise. A vendor page proves what the vendor publishes, not performance.