From the moment you open Zerolog until the session ends, everything follows three words: with consent, briefly, leave no trace.
01
On first launch you enter your phone number and receive a 6-digit SMS code (OTP). This step prevents fake accounts and spam. After verification your number is not stored long-term; it isn't shown on your profile and isn't shared with anyone.
02
Pick a unique @username (profanity-filtered, 5 changes/month) and a display name. Your avatar is auto-generated or chosen from the gallery. The profile is deliberately minimal — that's all you need to talk.
03
The app finds nearby devices over Bluetooth and local network; it works with no signal too. If you have internet, an end-to-end encrypted channel opens in parallel for remote peers. You can also find people by scanning a QR, comparing a 6-digit PIN, or searching a username.
04
Pick a person; a request notification goes to the other side. They see it on screen and accept or decline. No channel opens until they accept. After pairing, both devices show a matching safety code — same digits means no one is in the middle.
05
You pick a message lifetime (TTL): burn on read, seconds, minutes, hours, or wipe-on-session. This sets how long new messages live and can be changed anytime.
06
Open the chat. Send text, photos, videos, stickers, and files. Over the internet content is end-to-end encrypted; over close range it goes device to device. Messages live in RAM only — never written to disk.
07
Make an encrypted voice call with the same peer, or start one of 13 games — Tic Tac Toe, Backgammon, Chess, Okey, Battleship and more. All over the same connection, playable without internet.
08
If someone bothers you, block them in one tap — the chat is wiped from both devices. Report abuse with categories (spam, harassment, abuse, fake account) and track its status from inside the app.
09
When messages' lifetime ends they're wiped from both devices. When you close the app, active sessions and messages disappear. In an emergency, Panic Wipe clears everything in one tap. Nothing is left behind.