# How AFK Works - Anonymous Peer Anxiety Support in Six Steps > How AFK works: tap a category, write a request, get replies from real people in minutes, mark Appreciated. Auto-closes after 30 minutes or 10 replies. Source: https://animafelix.com/afk/how-it-works/ How AFK works # You tap a category, real people reply You tap the type of anxiety you are feeling, your request goes to other AFK users, and replies arrive in your inbox, usually within minutes. ## Before you start Three things to know before your first AFK request. None of them are surprises, but they are easier to handle if you see them coming. - Sign-in is Google or Apple. No new password. First-time users may pass through a short shared onboarding flow. - The AFK app interface is currently English-only. These web pages are translated to English, Romanian, and Ukrainian. - AFK is for anxious moments. If you are in immediate crisis or danger, use a crisis service - the trust and safety page lists numbers. ## The six steps, in order This is exactly what happens after you install AFK. Nothing is hidden behind onboarding screens. - ### Sign in with Google or Apple Tap the AFK icon. Pick Apple Sign-In or Google Sign-In on the welcome screen. First-time users may pass through a short shared onboarding before landing in the app. - ### Tap the anxiety category that fits the moment Eight categories: Financial, Relationships, Work, Education, Health, Social, General, Parenting. Picking the closest one helps supporters find requests they have something to say about. - ### Write a short request and send it Anonymous to you. Visible to other AFK users in the Give Support tab. While you wait, the app shows a 4-4-6 breathing guide you can use (4 seconds in, 4 hold, 6 out). Your request lives in your "Me" inbox while you wait. - ### Replies arrive from supporters Each reply shows a first name and a country flag, for example "John 🇷🇴". Another person, not a bot. Replies are one-shot messages - you cannot reply back to a specific supporter inside AFK. - ### Mark each reply Appreciated, Not helpful, or Reported Tap Appreciated on replies that helped - the supporter gets a push notification and sees a small green "Appreciated" label on their message. Not helpful is a quiet signal that the reply did not land. Reported flags content for moderation. - ### Your request auto-closes After 30 minutes or 10 replies, whichever comes first, AFK closes the request. Your reply history stays in the app so you can revisit what people wrote you. AFK allows up to three new support requests per hour per account. ## What supporters see A common worry: who is actually reading my request? Here is the full picture. ### Supporters see - The anxiety category you picked. - The text of your request. - How long ago you posted it. ### Supporters do not see - Your name, photo, or any profile information. - Other requests you have posted. - Any way to message you outside the request. ## How fast you should expect a reply - During typical hours, expect the first reply within a few minutes. More than one reply is normal. - Low-traffic hours, especially overnight in your region, can be slower. - The auto-close rule is 30 minutes or 10 replies, whichever comes first. - If your request closes without replies, you can post a new one - up to three per hour. Read the full trust and safety page → ## Safety and moderation in one paragraph AFK relies on community plus a moderation queue. If a reply is unhelpful, hostile, preachy, contact-sharing, or otherwise crosses a line, tap Reported. Our team reviews flagged replies and removes content that violates the community guidelines summarized on the Give Support page. AFK does not currently offer a per-supporter block feature - Reported is the shipped safety control today. Read trust and safety in full → ## Frequently asked questions ### What if no one responds to my request? Most requests get one or more replies within minutes during typical hours, but supporter availability is not constant. If your request auto-closes without replies, you can post a new one - AFK allows up to three support requests per hour per account. Posting during peak hours in your region tends to get faster responses. ### Can I reply to a specific reply? No. Each reply in AFK is a one-shot message. You can mark replies Appreciated, Not helpful, or Reported, but you cannot send a follow-up message to a specific supporter. That design choice keeps things light and reduces the risk of conversations turning into something they should not be. ### Are AFK messages encrypted? AFK uses TLS for transport-layer encryption between your device and our backend. Messages are stored on our servers (Firebase / Google Cloud) so we can deliver them to other AFK users and review reports. See the [privacy policy](/privacy/) for the full picture. ### What happens when I mark a reply Reported? Reported replies are queued for moderation. Our team reviews them and removes content that violates community guidelines. Reported content is also retained for safety investigations and to respond to law-enforcement or regulator requests where required. Repeat offenders are removed from AFK entirely. ### Are AFK replies written by real people or by AI? Real people. Every reply you receive on AFK is written by another AFK user from their phone. You see the supporter's first name and a country flag on each reply card. ### Can I delete a request after I post it? Requests auto-close after 30 minutes or 10 replies. You can delete the request thread from your "Me" inbox at any time, which removes it from your history. See the [delete account](/delete/) page if you want to remove your full account and history. ### Do I need notifications turned on? Recommended but not required. Notifications are how you learn that a reply arrived (or that a reply you sent was marked Appreciated). You can still check the "Me" inbox manually if you prefer notifications off. ## Ready to try AFK? Free on iOS and Android. Anonymous to ask. Real people on the other side. Download AFK Read trust and safety