Pay Buddy Pro — Frequently Asked Questions
|
Note Version: v1.0.0 Last updated: 2026-07-21 |
Setup & Compatibility
What devices does Pay Buddy Pro support? Pay Buddy Pro runs on iPhone (iOS 15 and later) and Android phones (Android 12 and later).
Do I need an internet connection? No. Every core feature — onboarding, scanning, editing, and syncing — works entirely offline. Internet is only needed to download the app from the store.
Do I need to create an account? No account, login, or sign-up is required. All profiles, images, and sync history are stored locally on your phone.
Which STYL badge models are supported? Pay Buddy Pro is designed for STYL e-ink badge devices. Check your product packaging or the in-app Device Guide for your specific model.
Bluetooth & Connectivity
Why isn't my badge appearing in the scan list? Make sure the badge is powered on and in pairing mode (press its button once — the blue light flashes), Bluetooth is enabled on your phone, and you're within about 5 metres. The scan stops after 20 seconds if nothing is found — tap Scan again to retry.
Why does the scan show a code instead of a device name? Badges are listed by their hardware (MAC) address, e.g. A1:B2:C3:D4:E5:F6. This is normal — the badge does not broadcast a friendly name.
The app asked for Bluetooth permission — do I need to allow it? Yes. Without Bluetooth permission the app cannot scan or sync. On Android 12+ this appears as Nearby devices; on older Android it's Location; on iOS it's Bluetooth. If you denied it, re-enable it from the system Settings app and return — scanning resumes automatically.
A "Bluetooth is Off" dialog appeared. What now? Bluetooth is disabled on your phone. Turn it back on from Control Centre / Quick Settings and the scan or sync restarts automatically.
Can I use the app if Bluetooth is turned off? Yes — you can browse and edit images offline. You just can't scan or sync until Bluetooth is on.
Profiles & Devices
What is a profile? A profile is a named record — with a display name and an emoji icon — assigned to one or more badges. It lets you manage several badges (e.g. for different team members) from one phone.
How many profiles and badges can I have? Up to 50 profiles and 100 badges. When you reach the device limit, a Device Limit Reached message appears — remove a badge before adding another.
Can one profile have multiple badges? Yes. A profile can be assigned to many badges. Renaming the profile updates all of them.
What happens if I delete a profile? The profile is removed and its badges move to No Profile. The badges themselves keep whatever image was last synced to them.
Can I rename a badge after adding it? Yes — open the badge's detail screen from the Users tab and rename it. Nicknames must be unique.
Why is my name rejected? Names support letters, numbers, and spaces (English and Chinese), up to 50 characters. Emoji, line breaks, and special characters are not allowed. Use the emoji picker (separate from the name field) to add a profile icon.
Can I pick any emoji for a profile? You choose from a fixed set of 20 emoji. If you don't pick one, the default 🎯 is used.
Images & Design
What image formats can I import? JPEG and PNG only, up to 20 MB. Other formats (HEIC, GIF, WebP, etc.) show an Unsupported File Format message.
Can I take a photo instead of importing one? Yes. The Customise → Library tab offers Capture with Camera as well as Import from Gallery (camera and photo permissions apply) — tap Upload First Image if the library is empty.
How many images can I save, and what order are they in? Up to 30 saved images, shown newest-first in the Saved tab. When full, delete an existing one before saving a new image.
What presets are included? 60 built-in presets across six categories — Popular, Cartoon, Animal, Portrait, Art, and Landscape (10 each; "Popular" was previously labelled "Hot"). Presets can't be deleted.
Can I add text to an image? Yes. In the editor, tap Add Text to overlay English or Chinese text, with a choice of three fonts (Dot Matrix, Bold, Outline), three positions (Top, Center, Bottom), and four colours (black, white, red, yellow). Text wraps automatically.
Why does my image look different on the badge than on my phone? The badge is a four-colour e-ink display (black, white, red, yellow) at 200 × 200 px. Your image is kept in full colour in the app, and a four-colour version is generated automatically when you sync. The on-badge result is the converted version.
Are my saved images backed up? No — they're stored locally on your phone only. Uninstalling the app or wiping data deletes them permanently.
Syncing
How long does a sync take? A standard image transfers in under a minute, often just a few seconds, depending on signal strength.
The sync failed. What do I do? Bring your phone within a metre or two of the badge, keep the app in the foreground, and tap Retry — your image, device, and slot are pre-filled. See troubleshooting for more.
Can I use the phone while syncing? Keep Pay Buddy Pro in the foreground with the screen on. Backgrounding the app, locking the screen, or taking a call can interrupt the BLE transfer.
What is a slot? A slot is one of six numbered image memory locations on the badge. Pre-load several images into different slots and switch between them using the badge button (hold 2 seconds to advance).
Can I sync different images to different slots? Yes. On the Choose a Slot sheet, pick a slot (1–6) for each sync. Syncing to a slot overwrites whatever was there; other slots are untouched.
Do I have to save an image before syncing it? No. Sync and Save are independent — you can sync the current edit without saving it. A synced-but-unsaved image won't appear in the Saved tab.
Why don't I get to pick a device when syncing? If you have only one badge, it's selected automatically. With several, tap the device row in the My Devices list at the bottom of the editor to choose the target — editing and syncing happen on the same screen, so there's no separate device-picker step.
Settings & Configuration
What languages does the app support? English, 中文 (Chinese), and Bahasa Melayu. Change it in Settings → Language; it applies instantly and persists.
Do I need to restart the app after changing the language? No — the UI switches immediately.
Does Pay Buddy Pro support Dark Mode? Yes. Go to Settings → Appearance and choose Dark Theme, Light Theme, or System Default (matches your phone's OS setting). The change applies instantly.
How do I wipe all my data? Settings → Wipe All Local Data, then confirm twice. This permanently deletes all profiles, saved images, sync history, and onboarding state. It does not revoke OS permissions, change your language, or alter images already on your badges.
Where can I find the app version? Settings → About shows the version, display format, connectivity, and other product info. Unconfirmed values show "Unavailable".
Payments & Tracking
Does the app handle payments? No. Smart Buddy NFC payment is handled entirely by the badge's physical chip and card slot. Pay Buddy Pro never collects, stores, or processes payment credentials. See the Device Guide → Payment Privacy.
How do I locate my badge if I misplace it? Use the Locate Device screen — it shows whether the badge is nearby and links to Apple Find My (iOS) or Google Find Hub (Android). Only one tracking network can be active per device at a time.
Privacy & Data
Does Pay Buddy Pro collect personal data? No personal data leaves your device. Everything is stored locally.
Where is my data stored? On your phone, in local storage (encrypted secure storage for sensitive values). Nothing is sent to any server.
What happens to my data if I uninstall the app? All locally stored data is deleted with the app. Your badges are unaffected — they keep their last synced images.