MabMess installation guide
Android
After downloading, tap Install and let the phone do the work. The phone will object that the app is unofficial – right after you tap “Continue”, it scans the app for viruses and then installs it successfully. The check is required because the app is not officially signed by Google. If it were, it would not be free.
Several dialogs will pop up in the app. For the app to work properly I recommend confirming all of them. Once you allow the app to run in the background, you need to turn off the battery saver and set “No restrictions” – otherwise no messages will arrive once the phone goes to sleep.
The next step is phone number verification – the app asks for access to your contacts in order to verify the number. You will receive a verification SMS and enter the code. The app then asks whether you want to allow notifications.
These steps are done only once. The app checks its version automatically – when a new version is released, it notifies you itself. After downloading the update you just tap the downloaded file and choose Update.
iOS
On an iPhone you will not find the app in the App Store – it is installed through the TestFlight app (Apple’s official tool for testing apps, free to download from the App Store as usual).
Steps:
- Download the TestFlight app from the App Store (if you do not have it yet).
- Tap the invitation/link you received from me (either a direct link or an invitation code in the TestFlight app).
- TestFlight will prompt you to install MabMess – tap Accept and then Install.
- The app downloads and installs just as if it came from the App Store – you will see a normal icon on your home screen.
On first launch the app asks for several permissions one after another: notifications, contacts (for number verification), camera and microphone (photos, videos, calls) and Face ID / Touch ID if you lock the app in the settings. Then a verification SMS arrives – you enter the code and the app is ready to use.
Important: apps installed via TestFlight are valid for 90 days from the last update – that is Apple’s limitation, not the app’s. If after a longer time the app stops working with a message that it has “expired”, simply open TestFlight again and update/reinstall the app the same way.
Updates: the app notifies you itself when a new version is available – just open the TestFlight app, where you will see an Update button next to MabMess.
Windows
- Download the file MabMess-Windows.zip (or the .exe installer, whichever is currently available) and extract it to any folder.
- Run mabmess.exe.
- Windows may show a blue window “Windows protected your PC” (SmartScreen) – click “More info”, then “Run anyway”.
The app starts. On first launch it asks for your phone number – enter it and a verification SMS is sent to your mobile (the Windows app cannot receive SMS itself; the code arrives on your phone).
Tip: you can pin the app to the taskbar or create a desktop shortcut so you do not have to look for it in the extracted folder next time.
Updates: the app notifies you that a new version is available – download the new version the same way and replace the old .exe/folder with the new one.
Troubleshooting – Android
- The app keeps showing a dialog and will not go any further – close the app completely via Recent apps and start it again, or restart the phone.
- The app cannot be updated – check the “Install from unknown sources” permission for MabMess (Settings → Apps → MabMess → Install unknown apps).
- The app crashes / closes by itself – try a restart, check that you have the latest version, or write to me via the contact form describing what you were doing.
- Messages do not arrive while the phone is asleep – allow “No restrictions” for the battery and enable Autostart (Xiaomi, OnePlus, Samsung etc.).
Troubleshooting – iOS
- The app says it has expired – that is normal (TestFlight, 90 days); reinstall/update it via TestFlight.
- The invitation did not arrive / I cannot see the app – check that TestFlight is up to date and that you opened the invitation on the same device.
- Notifications do not arrive – Settings → Notifications → MabMess → notifications on, sound/banner.
- The app crashes – close it completely and start it again, or write to me via the contact form.
Troubleshooting – Windows
- The app is running in Task Manager but the window does not appear – quit it and start it again, update your graphics drivers and Windows.
- The app is blocked by a security error – besides SmartScreen, Smart App Control (Windows Security) may block it too – add the app as an exception or run it as administrator.
- The app cannot update automatically – download the new version and replace the old one (close the app first).
- The app crashes – write to me via the contact form describing what the app was doing before the crash.
Contact
If you cannot figure out the app, it gives you a problem you cannot find here, or you have a suggestion for improvement – please write to me via the contact form. I answer everything I receive.
