FAQ

No, there is not one at the moment.

The meditation session cannot be paused, but only stopped by pressing the 00 bubble.

If you have any particular reason for the feature to be available please argument it by sending some feedback via the App and we will see what we can do to help.

The App does not block calls. We recommend putting your device in “airplane” mode before starting a meditation session, in order to avoid any type of notifications. For the time being, you will have to unable the feature manually. In the future, resources permitting, we will try to implement the feature directly in the App, as to give the chance to meditators to unable it automatically, if so wished.

Unfortunately, due to the change of platform and device, the App sometimes experiences problems. There’s a workaround by changing the App file access permissions, but it does not always work. The best is to remove and reinstall the App fresh from Google Play, which will provide a version suitable for your device.

Currently, Android runs on thousands of different mobile phone models and brands. With limited resources, it’s very hard for us to test the App on all devices. We rely on the feedback you leave via the App, to work out solutions and make the App as efficient as possible. Having said that, we have realized that most complaints come from users who have not upgraded the App to the latest version. Please visit the App page on Google Play and update the App right now.

Also, at every App upgrade, do not forget to re-instate your sound file reference via the Sounds screen, which might have been lost during installation or for some other reason. Furthermore, some device models require storage permissions for the App, which must be allowed manually by accessing the App info via the Android Apps Settings, continuing to Permissions, and checking the Storage Permission. Please note that only certain sound file types work and that excessively large files might create memory leaks with the App, nothing we can do about it.

If the problem persists, do not hesitate to get in touch via the feedback feature of the App. We’ll try our best to help.

We apologize for the quality of the pre-loaded sound files. We know they are not the best :-). You can upload your own sound files by choosing “your own sound clip” option on the Sounds library screen and following the instructions. As far as the loudness or softness of sounds, you can also use the volume lever within the same screen to mitigate the problem of a low-quality sound.

Go to settings on the phone, tap on Accessibility and turn off security services like Norton or anti-virus software. Try using the App again and, if necessary, re-install. Manufacturers are starting to ship handsets with pre-installed virus protection software, affecting some users.

Also, a few devices experience some problems not allowing the Vipassana Meditation Timer app to perform its tasks on the main running Android execution thread. In some instances, it is due to memory swap and reclaims by Android or to some other app running on top of the Vipassana Meditation Timer App. For instance, a cleaning app or messaging app could run in the foreground (on top but hidden to the user). We do not have the resources to provide a custom solution as it would require looking into the device itself. Instead, we recommend ensuring that Vipassana Meditation Timer is the only app running while meditating. Ideally, Wi-Fi or Connectivity is turned off by starting the Airplane Mode or Flight mode. We recommend to “pin the app” to the top of the Android stack by simply selecting the “running apps” touch button on the device and touching the Pin on the Vipassana Meditation Timer App. For more info on pinning, see YouTube video.

New in Android Marshmallow is a feature called “Doze mode,” which prevents certain tasks from running if your phone has been sitting idle for a while. You can disable Doze mode for the Vipassana Meditation Timer app by opening the Settings and tapping Battery. Tap the Options menu button (the three dots in the upper right), then tap Battery optimization. Tap the downward-pointing arrow, then tap All apps from the menu that appears. Next, tap the Vipassana Meditation Timer entry and in the box that appears, tap Don’t optimize. Once you’re done, tap Done.

We have originally created the Vipassana Meditation Timer App as a support tool for our meditation community. Since the App launch on Google Play, thousands of people have started using it for daily meditation practice, and we are very glad about it. A portion of users has requested for meditation instructions. Unfortunately, we have no facility or expertise to provide online tuition.

We are here to help. Please do not hesitate to let us know about any problems or suggestions for improvement you might have. The App is equipped with a Feedback feature. You can find it at the end of the session screen or in the About screen; feel free to use it to get in touch with us. We are able to reply to most messages within a few hours. Our aim is to improve the App, in its functionality and make it efficiently usable for as many meditators as possible. Your help is essential, and please do not hesitate to get in touch. Also, we are always looking for ways to finance development and maintenance. To contribute monetarily, purchase one of our Meditation Beads. We’d really appreciate it.

To be clear, you do not have to log in with Google to use the App and start a meditation session. Log-in with Google has been implemented to recognize a user who has opted-in the Advanced Features of the App. We do not have the facilities to store and protect your data, so we have integrated with the Google Login service instead of asking you for your email and a password. Google takes care of your login details, confirms your identity, and returns to the App a success or failure flag and a number identifier that we cannot relate to any person at all. We apologize for the inconvenience. We will try to find an easier way in the future.