Support
How can we help?
Here are answers to the questions people ask most. If yours is not here, write to us. We read every email.
Write to usQuestions
Settings are behind the gear icon on the You tab.
How do I add a bench?
On the map, tap + and move the map until the pin sits on the bench. Then set the direction: stand behind the bench, point your phone the way it looks and tap Lock. You can also pick the direction by hand. Add a photo of the view, a name and vibes, then tap Save.
Without an account the bench stays on your phone. Sign in under Settings and everyone can see it.
Why wasn’t my photo accepted?
Photos here show benches and the views from them. Your iPhone checks each photo before it is added and turns it down if:
- a person is the main subject (people next to the bench are fine),
- it has a QR code or a barcode,
- it is mostly text, a link or a phone number,
- it is a screenshot or a document.
Pick a shot where the bench or the view comes first.
Do I need an account?
Not to look around. The map, the sun, vibes, check-ins and saved benches all work without one. To publish benches, reviews and photos, sign in with Apple or Google under Settings.
How do I get a reminder before sunset?
Turn it on under Settings → Notifications. Bench Spotter reminds you 30 minutes before the best light and tells you how many benches face it. You get at most one reminder a day.
How does it know when the light is best?
For each bench the app works out where the sun is at that exact spot (sunrise, golden hour, sunset) and compares it with the direction the bench faces. The cloud forecast for that hour tells you if the sky will cooperate. The sun is calculated on your phone, so that part works offline.
How do I report a bench, a review or a person?
Tap ⋯ on the bench, the review or the spotter’s profile and choose Report. A person reads every report within a day. The author is not told who reported it. Anything that breaks the rules is removed.
How do I block someone, and how do I undo it?
Open their profile, or the ⋯ menu on their bench or review, and choose Block. Their benches and reviews disappear for you right away. To undo it, go to Settings → Blocked → Unblock.
How do I edit or delete what I posted?
Open your bench. Edit bench and Delete this bench are at the bottom of the page. To remove a review, open it from the bench and tap Delete review. Deleted benches and reviews disappear for everyone.
How do I delete my account?
Go to Settings → Delete account. Your account is closed for good and your reviews are removed. Benches you added stay on the map without your name. The phone forgets your name, photo and account.
Can’t open the app? Write to us.
Which languages does it support?
English, Russian, German, French and Spanish. The app uses your iPhone’s language. To switch, go to Settings → Language.
What happens to my data?
No ads, no tracking and no analytics of our own. What leaves your phone, where it goes and why is described in the privacy policy.
Community rules
People fill in the Bench Spotter map together. These five rules keep it a good place.
Benches only
A photo shows a bench, a seat or the view from it. No portraits, no screenshots, nothing explicit.
Be kind
Review the place, not people. No insults, slurs or threats in any language.
Real places
Put the pin where the bench actually is, somewhere anyone can sit. No private yards and no made-up spots.
Nothing personal
Don’t post other people’s faces, license plates or addresses without asking them.
Report and block
See something wrong? Report it from the ⋯ menu or block the person. Every report is read within a day.
Anything that breaks these rules is removed. People who keep breaking them lose the right to post.
Still have a question?
Write to support@benchspotter.app. Tell us what happened and add a screenshot if you can. We read every email, and every report within a day.