Zello FAQs

The app consumes 20 KB (KiloBytes) per hour when idle.

Zello will use between 12kbps and 45 kbps (kilo bits per second) when talking, depending on the connection type.

The audio encoder is chosen based on the connection type of both the sender and receiver.

If both are using WiFi, it will will use 45 kpbs.If either are using 2G, it'll switch to 12 kbps.

If using ZelloWork, the active data rate can be configured in the range between 8 kbps and 40 kbps.

Average monthly data usage is generally from 70-100 MB, although individual usage may vary.

Call Alert is a very useful feature to get a hold of someone quickly for emergencies and urgent matters. Call Alerts are a standard feature in the Zello Free app.

The Call Alert feature is identified as a bell located on the right side of the talk screen. It is also available on the History/Conversation screen of iOS devices. If you do not see this icon, the feature might be disabled. Contact your network Admin to see if it can be enabled.

You can use Call Alert in 2 ways:

1. Tap on the Call Alert icon to open a text window and type a text message before sending. Once sent, the recipient will hear 3 loud beeps in succession and will see your text message. The beeps are repeated every 1 minute until responded to. To respond, the recipient can either talk, text, or dismiss the Call Alert.

2. Long press on the Call Alert icon to immediately send a default message "Zello me! and persistent audio alerts to the contact.

We do not manufacture or sell accessories; however, we partner with several accessory manufacturers to provide our users with a wide variety of hands-free options. We support devices including rugged phones, network radios, headsets, speaker/mics, and remote buttons. Accessories are classified as certified (integrated with Zello) or uncertified (off the shelf).

Zello Certified Accessories

Certified accessories have been tested in-house to work with Zello in push-to-talk mode while running in the background. Zello will do its best to provide technical support for these accessories after purchase.

Uncertified Accessories

Other Bluetooth and wired accessories may work with Zello under certain conditions, but we cannot guarantee they will work or provide any technical assistance. They may also be limited to working in toggle mode or foreground mode only.

If you plan to use an uncertified device, we recommend purchasing a few to test with and confirm that it works as expected before purchasing in bulk. Many devices will list the Zello logo on their website and/or packaging, but only items on our Certified Accessories list have been tested and validated by Zello.

Off-the-shelf Bluetooth or wired accessories may work under these conditions:

The Bluetooth device has a handset profile and hands-free profile available for playback and recording. If you can make a phone call, you can likely use Zello on it

The wired headset includes a microphone that can be used for recording and playback

The wired headset allows you to make a phone call. The answer/end button can be used for Zello in toggle mode. This includes all standard Apple headsets, as well as Android-compatible wired headsets

Some Bluetooth devices that use the audio/video remote control profile can be used to map a forward/backward button for Zello use.

To avoid Standby, leave the app running and keep the phone connected.

Updated October 19, 2018

WELCOME TO ZELLO!

This user's guide is a great way to learn about many Zello's features. These instructions are valid for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad devices running iOS 8 and above.

If you only want to use Zello for one-to-one or small group conversations between friends, family, or people you know, you only need to read SECTION 1.

If you want to talk to extended groups of people you may not know, either privately or publicly, using our Channels feature, also read SECTION 2.

Click on any task to jump to that section:

SECTION 1: USER ACCOUNT TASKS

Installing Zello

Creating a new account

Logging into an existing account

Accessing the Main Menu screen

Doing an Echo sound test

Changing account profile settings

Adding contacts

Deleting a contact

Talking to contacts

Sending images, texts, call alerts, and location

Changing your status

Listening to new messages

Managing Options settings

Deleting your account

Creating private Group Conversations

SECTION 2: CHANNEL TASKS

Adding channels to the Channels list

Deleting a channel from your Channels list

Talking in a channel

Using Solo Status

Muting a channel

Sending texts, images, location, and channel alerts

Viewing channel history/conversation, sharing and deleting messages

Creating your own channel

Inviting more contacts and sharing your channel

Editing channel settings

Adding channel Admins, Mods, and managing subscribers

Managing blocked and trusted users, Admins andMods

Talking to all channel admins and mods

Sending channel alerts

Receiving channel alerts

ZELLO ICONS

You will see these icons used throughout the app. This legend explains each icon's meaning:

Contact us!

SECTION 1: USER ACCOUNT TASKS

Installing Zello

To install Zello, go to the iTunes App Store on your iPhone, iPod, or iPad and search for Zello. Tap GET to begin the installation. Tap OPENto open the Zello app. After installing, the Zello "Z" icon badge appears on your home screen. You can tap the badge to launch Zello.

You're on your way enjoying live conversations!

You can use Zello to communicate with other users who also have Zello installed on their iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, or Windows PC.

Creating a new account

If this is your first time using Zello, follow these steps to create a new Zello account:

From the Welcome to Zelloscreen:

Tap Sign up

Enter your desired username, password, email, and optional phone number. Usernames must be at least 5 characters long, use Latin characters, and unique. Please note that ausername cannot be changedafterwards. Your email and phone number will be kept private, and we will not email or phone you. The email is used to retrieve usernames and reset passwords. Also, your Zello contacts can search for you by using your email or phone number.

Tap Sign up.

Your account is created, and you're ready to start talking or continue adding information to your account profile. If you'd rather complete the account profile details at a later time, tap Skip this, I'll do it later.

Logging into an existing account

If you've created a Zello account on another device or platform, tap Log Inon the Welcome to Zelloscreen and follow the prompts to log in.

NOTE: If you are using ZelloWork and not the free app, tap ZelloWork at the bottom. See user guides at ZelloWork Support.

If youforgot your password or username,do the following:

From the Welcome to Zello screen:

Tap blueForgot?prompt

Enter the email associated with your Zello account. Youll receive an email with instructions and your Zello username(s)

Go to your email app to look for the email from Zello. Also, check your junk or spam folders

Click the link in the email to reset your password

Enter the new password twice.

Now youre set with your new password.

Accessing the Main Menu screen

The MainMenu screen is Zello Central. You can access and manage all the options in Zello from the Main Menu. The Menu icon is represented by 3 horizontal lines. Tap on the icon to go the Main Menu from any screen. You can also use your finger to swipe between screens in Zello. For example, swipe the screen to go to and from the Main Menu to another screen within Zello. Recent screens visited are displayed in the far right column. Tap on any to return to that screen. Tap on theSpeakeroption to adjust the volume and select the audio output device.

Doing an Echo sound test

Tap Contactsfrom the Main Menu. From here you can add contacts or tap echoto do a sound test.

Do this sound test to confirm others can hear you. Tap the contact namedechoand then press and hold the big orange talk button until the circle turns solid red, which indicates you are transmitting. Say anything, sing a song, or tell a story. Let go of the talk button to play back what you just recorded. The circle will be solid green when playing back. If you can't hear anything, verify your microphone is on and turned up to a comfortable volume. Also, make sure you've granted Zello access to the microphone in your phone's Settings.

Changing account profile settings

Want to make changes to your user account profile? On the Main Menu, tap your profile picture at the top left corner to open the account profile.

Tap anywhere within the picture frame to display the camera icon to add, change, or delete the profile picture.

You can create an alias name to display instead of your username by filling in the Namefield. The alias can be changed at any time. Fill in the other fields as desired and/or record an audio introduction for yourself.

Adding contacts

Now add contacts to fill up your Contacts page. Tap the Add icon (+)at the lower right corner of the screen to add a contact.

You have three ways to add a contact.

Search for Zello contacts

Address book

Scan QR code.

Searching for contacts

Search for current Zello users to add to your Contacts list. Enter their Zello username, email, or phone number in the search bar and tap the Searchbutton. If the user is not found, you can send an invite by email or text message:

If the user has a Zello account, it will appear in the search results. Tap the username and the contact's account profile is displayed. Tap Addat the upper right of the contact's account profile. Zello will then send a connection request to the user.

Using the Address Book to add contacts

You can also use your Address Book to add contacts:

From the Main Menu, select Contacts

Select "+" to add a contact

Tap Address Bookto access your contacts

Select the contacts you want to invite or add to your Contacts list

Tap Doneat upper right corner.

For contacts who don't have a recognized Zello account, an email message appears with all the information filled in for you. Edit the email if you'd like and then tap Sendto send the email invitation.

For contacts who have Zello accounts, Zello sends a connection request. As soon as they go online, they will see a contact request at the top of their Contacts list marked by a gray circle with a question mark and "Requesting authorization" notice. When selected, the contact will be presented with options to Accept, decline Not now, or to permanentlyBlockyour connection request. If they accept your request, they will appear in your Contacts list with a status of Available or Busy.

Scanning a QR code to add contacts

Scanning another user's QR code is the fastest way to add contacts:

From the Main Menu, select Contacts

Select "+" to add a contact

Select Scan QR code

Focus the scanner on the QR code of the contact you want to add until in focus and voila!, the contact will be added.

Deleting a contact

Todelete a contact:

From Main Menu screen, select Contacts

Tap Editat the upper right-hand corner of the Contacts screen.

Tap the red Delete icon to the left of the contact and then tap the red Deletetab. When finished, tap Done.

Talking to contacts

When your contacts appear as Available online (solid green circle), you can contact them. Tap the username, then press and hold the talk button until it turns from orange to solid red to talk. Release the button when you're done talking. The talk button circle turns solid green when the contact replies. If the person is Available, you should get a reply soon.

When someone is Busy(solid orange circle), Zello sends a them a text and vibrate notification and saves your message in their Recents and History for later listening. If a contact shows Standby(empty green circle), it means the user doesn't have the app running or the connection has been lost, but you still can send offline messages to the user. As soon as the user is back inAvailablestatus, any missed messages are automatically played.

If the contact is Offline, no messages can be sent or saved in the contact's History.

Sending images, texts, call alerts, and location

You can send images, texts, call alerts (with persistent audio alerts) or share your present location with other contacts from the talk screen and/or History screen.

From the talk screen, send images by tapping on the camera icon or send Call Alerts by tapping on the bell icon.

To send texts, images, locations, or call alerts from History, tap on the History icon (white chat balloon) at the upper right corner of the talk screen. You will see icons for sending an image, location, or call alert located left of the text field at the bottom.

Changing your status

When your status isAvailable, all incoming messages play in real-time unless you change your status.

If you do not want to be disturbed, set your status to Busy tomute audio and save your messages toRecents. You will still receive text and vibrate alerts for incoming messages while in Busy status. Tap open Recents on the Main Menu to see red message counters next to channels or contacts with unheard messages. Tap on the channel or contact's History to play the messages.

When youre inOffline status, Zello does not receive or save new messages. It retains the messages you already had prior to going Offline. Also, when you initially go Offline, other users see you in Standby mode, and they can still send you offline messages for up to a week.If youdon'tuse Zello for one week or longer, it will automatically change your status to Offline.

Solo status allows you to listen/talk with one contact or channel while muting conversations from other contacts and channels. You can go into Recents or History and replay any missed conversations at a later time.

To change your status, tapStatusfrom the Main Menu and select your new status. You can also change your status directly on the talk screen by toggling between statuses at the bottom.

Listening to new messages

If you have missed messages, you will see the number of missed messages in red in Recents.

Here are the steps to listen to messages:

From the Main Menu, tap Recents

Tap the name of a channel or contact

Tap the History icon (white chat balloon) at the upper right corner

Tap the first message to play it and all following messages.

The message plays and scrolls to the next message unless you tap the Pause icon. You can speed up the replay with 1.25x or 1.5x speed settings.

Managing Options settings

Less frequently changed account settings are located in Options on the Main Menu.The options available are briefly described below:

Audio:Controls audio settings, Bluetooth, recording and playback amplifiers, microphone boost

Alert tones /vibrate: Controls audio, vibrate, and text alerts and notifications. You can customize audio alerts from here

History: Delete and manage history for audio messages, images, and texts for the current account or all history on the device. Note that user messages, images, and texts are not stored on Zello's servers and only on user devices. Once deleted, they cannot be recovered

Push To Talk button: Controls where the talk button is activated: on phone, headset, or remote Bluetooth device. Also allows to you switch between Toggle or Push-and-hold modes

Restrictions:Allows parental controls by creating a 4-digit passcode which is required to access certain functions. This prevents kids from inviting or accessing unauthorized contacts and channels or creating/changing accounts and channels

Themes: Select from 3 themes, Classic light, dark, or camo theme

Support: Contains the current version, advanced network settings, and enables problem report submissions.

Deleting your account

To delete your account and data from our servers:

From the Main Menu, tap on your profile picture to open the account profile

Scroll to the bottom and tap the red Delete account option

You can also sign into zello.com and delete your account from there.

Once deleted, the username becomes locked so no one else can use the name. All channel and contact information is also removed.

Creating private Group Conversations

You can create group conversations on-the-fly for quick, private conversations between selected Zello contacts. Only members of the group can invite other participants. There is no profile or password required in group conversations. Members can leave and delete the group at any time or rename the group. To create a group conversation:

From Main Menu, tap Recents

Tap "+" icon at the lower right corner to begin adding members from your Contacts list

Tap Start to create the Group and start talking

To add participants, tap the drop-down menu on the talk screen.

Groups are only accessed from Recents. To delete a Group, swipe the Group name to the left and tap Delete.

Group conversations can also be created by going into Contacts, selecting a contact and then tapping the Pull-down menu on the talk screen and selecting Add participants.

SECTION 2: CHANNEL TASKS

You can use Zello to talk to your friends and family privately with group conversations as described previously, or join one of many public or private Zello channels. Channels are live talk forums created and moderated by other Zello users. There are tens of thousands of Zello channels to choose from. But if you can't find a channel you're interested in joining, just create your own!

Adding channels to the Channels list

You can add channels in two ways: You can add existing channels by searching by name, keywords,or by scanning the channel's QR code as described below:

Searching for channels to add

You can talk with people from around the world or locally, in groups of up to 3500, by joining an existing channel. Follow these steps to find and join a channel that interests you.

From the Main Menu, select Channels

Tap "+" at the bottom right corner

Tap Find a channel

Type in keywords or the name of a channel in the Search field and tap Search

Select the channel(s) you are interested in adding

On the channel's profile screen, tap Addat the upper right corner to add the channel to your Channel list

The channel talk screen will display, where you can connect to the channel and begin talking.

Adding a channel by scanning its QR code

The fastest way to add a channel is by scanning the channel's QR code, which is located at the bottom right of the channel profile picture. Once displayed, Zello users next to you can add your channel by going to their Channels screen:

From the Main Menu, select Channels

Tap "+" at the bottom right corner

Select Scan QR code

Focus the green scanner square directly on the QR code to add the channel.

You can also send the QR code by making a screenshot of it or print it out so remote Zello users can scan it.

Deleting a channel from your Channels list

On the Main menu, select Channels

Tap Edit at upper right corner

Tap the red circle with minus sign located next to the channel you want to delete. Tap the red Delete tab that displays on the right.

Repeat step 3 if you have more channels to delete

Tap Done when finished.

Talking in a channel

To talk in the channel, tap on the channel name from the Channels list. Make sure you are connected (power icon is blue) and then push and hold the talk button until solid red to talk. Release when done talking. As long as no one else is trying to talk, you can talk away without interruption. If others are trying to talk, the talk time before interruption is set by the owner in the channel profile (from 1 second to 10 minutes). Do not press the talk button rapidly without speaking, or you will receive an error message indicating too many empty messages have been sent.

Using Solo mode

When youre connected to multiple channels, you'll hear every conversation for all active channels. This can become very confusing if messages from multiple channels are transmitted at the same time. To listen and talk in one channel without interruptions, do the following.

Tap the name of the channel in the Channel list. The talk screen will display

At the bottom, toggle the Status until you see the blue Solo status

You can also go to the Main Menu and change theStatus to Solo from there.

Muting a channel

You can also selectively mute channels from the talk screen by tapping the gray Pull-down arrow to the right of the channel profile picture.

The messages from muted channels will be stored in Recents and History.

Creating your own channel

You can create your own channel to discuss an interest, activities, or just about anything goes (as long as you follow Community guidelines ). Follow these steps to create your channel. Once created, you become the "owner" of the channel. Users who join the channel are your "subscribers". There is no limit to the number of subscribers per channel, but only 3500 can be connected at one time.

From the Main Menu, select Channels

Tap "+" sign at the lower right corner

Tap Create channel

Fill out fields and select settings for your channel profile. All settings can be changed at any time by the owner. A subset of settings can be changed by admins. Key settings are described below:

Name: Enter a name for the channel (required)

Description: Enter a description of the channel. If you want to make it easier for people to find your channel and stay on topic, ensure the description explains the topic of the channel and includes related keywords

Premium Channel: Indicate if the channel will be a paid Premium channel

Voice intro: Add a voice intro for new subscribers to hear

Channel alerts: Turn on/off channel alerts for subscribers

Type: This is yourchannel type. This setting is important, as it determines how public or private your channel will be. These are the channel types: Anyone can talk (public,open), Listen only (broadcast type), Zelect, and Zelect+. Only "trusted" users can talk in Zelect type channels, but new users can listen. Only trusted users can hear AND talk in Zelect+ type channels. Users are made "trusted" by the admins and mods on the channel. For more information about channel types, see Channel Types FAQ

18+: You can mark your channel as 18+(content not suitable for kids). 18+ channels will not display in Filtered trending

Show in trending:This will display your channel on one of two public trending lists: Filtered (general audience) or All (general audience and explicit or 18+).Turn this setting Off if you want your channel kept private.Read more about Trending channels

Allow voting: Allow subscribers to vote thumbs up or down for other user's messages

Require verified email:Turn this On for added security and subscriber verification

Require verified phone number: Turn this On for added security and subscriber verification

Require password: Turn this On for added privacy, so unauthorized users cannot join or listen

Fill out other settings as needed. Not all fields are required, and fields can be edited at a later time.

Happy with your channel settings? Tap Save at upper right corner and start inviting contacts to your new channel.

Inviting more contacts and sharing your channel

To invite existing Zello contacts or share a channel with non-Zello users:

From the channel talk screen, select History (white chat balloon)

Select Usersat bottom

Tap Inviteor Shareicon at the bottom.

There is also a QR code located at the lower right corner of the channel profile picture which can be sent to other Zello users and scanned in to join the channel.

Editing channel settings

Want to make changes to your channel? There are two ways to open the channel profile and edit it. You must be the owner to edit all channel settings. Admins have limited access to edit the channel picture, description, and assign or delete mods.

From the Main Menu, select Channels and then tap on the channel avatar (profile picture) to open and edit the channel profile

From the channel talk screen, tap History (white chat balloon) and then select Profile at the bottom to open and edit the channel profile

Adding channel Admins and Mods and managing subscribers

A well-moderated channel attracts more subscribers. Owners can assign Admins and Mods to help moderate channel activity by removing disruptive users and pre-screening users in Zelect and Zelect+ type channels.

From the Main Menu, select Channelsand then tap on thechannel name.

From the channel talk screen, tap on the History icon (white chat balloon) at upper right corner. Select Usersat the bottom. Only users who are online and connected to the channel are displayed

Tap on the profile picture (avatar) of the user that you want to manage. The user's account profile will be displayed

You will see a list of options to select from.

Mods can mute, prohibit talking, block, trust, and bounce disruptive users, while admins can also create/remove mods, and change the channel picture and description. Channel owners have the highest authority and can change any settings or add and remove mods and admins.

Admins and Mods can also select subscribers directly from the History/Conversation screen to manage by tapping on their profile picture. This is handy if the person has recently left a message on the channel and you need take action quickly.

Managing lists of blocked, muted, trusted users, admins andmods

To see and manage users in these lists, go to the Channel Profilescreen and scroll to the bottom. You can also delete the channel from here. You must be an owner, mod, or admin to see these options.

Sending texts, images, location, and channel alerts

NOTE: The owner must first turn these options On from the channel profile settings. They are Off by default.

On the channel talk screen, tap on History icon at the upper right corner

At the bottom of the History screen, to the left of the text field, are icons to share images, share location, and send a channel alert.

Viewing channel history, sharing and deleting messages

To view and listen to the channel history/conversations:

On the channel talk screen, tap on the History icon at the upper right corner

The list of all received messages, texts, and images sent are displayed, with the newest ones at the bottom. Selecting a message will automatically play all following messages unless you tap Pause. You can also speed up the playback with 1.25x or 1.5x speed settings

To share or delete a message, tap the More Options icon (3 dots) to the right of the text field at the bottom. Read more about the message share feature here.

Tap either Share voice messages or Delete messages. You can share up to 20 messages at a time. Deleted messages are not recoverable once they are removed.

Talking to all channel admins and mods

If you are the owner, admin, or mod in a channel, you can talk to other admins and moderators without subscribers hearing. Tap the gray drop-down arrow from the channel talk screen. Then select Moderators.

Sending channel alerts

Channels alerts can be sent by the owner and admins to subscribers who have opted to receive them. Channel alerts can be used to inform subscribers of current or upcoming events on the channel:

From the channel talk screen, tap on Channel Alert (bell icon)

Select who you want to send the alert to

Type the alert message and tap Send.

NOTE: Only subscribers who have opted to receive channel alerts will receive them.

Opt-in to receive channel alerts

To maintain privacy, subscribers have to opt-in to receive channel alerts. To opt-in, users should:

Go to the channel talk screen, select the History icon at the upper right corner

Select Profileat the bottom

Select Channel Alerts

Select from 1 of 4 settings to specify when to receive channel alerts: None, when In channel, when In Zello, or Always

Now it's time to have some fun!

This quick start guide should kick-start your Zello experience. When you're ready to dig deeper and discover more features, check out our Support site

If you are interested in using ZelloWork, our paid subscription service for business,

Thanks for using Zello!

Zello mimics a walkie-talkie, where messages are played in real-time. To prevent audio from playing and just receive notifications, change your Status setting to "Busy". When in Busy status, all messages are sent to your History/Conversation screen (chat balloon icon), where you can play them at a later time.

In Android, the Status option is in the app menu (3 vertical dots) at right upper corner of main screen. You can also go to Options>Behavior to set it so Status is automatically changed to Busy whenever you silence your phone.

In iOS (iPhone, iPod, iPad), the Status option is located on the Main Menu near the top. The Status can also be toggled from the bottom of the Talk Screen.

1. Pair the Bluetooth device with your phone

2. Open "Options" > "Push-to-talk button"

3. Choose the "Bluetooth PTT control device" from the drop down menu

4. Make sure that the bluetooth icon is selected in the bottom left corner

Ever since our launch, we have taken extra precautions to ensure that Zello remains a safe and fun environment for all its users. We value your privacy and security. Also, we hate spam and will never spam your phone contacts. To ensure you will never receive unwanted contacts or be subjected to unwanted spam, there are several features built into Zello to reduce this kind of activity:

Safety Measures:

When adding contacts, always make sure you know who the person is before accepting friend requests. You can add contacts by using their Zello username (if they have one), e-mail invites, or SMS invites. However, the other person has to accept your request before they can be added to your contact list. This prevents unwanted people or strangers from being added automatically to your Contacts list. If you receive a friend request, or authorization request, you can accept, decline, or block the request. A Decline is a temporary state, and you may be asked again. A Block is permanent, and prevents any further invites from that person.

If you use Zello for group chats between your friends, family, and co-workers, it is highly recommended you use a password-protected or private channel. If you use any other channel type and you do not decline to be shown on the Trending List, your channel may be shown on the Trending List for all to see and hear. Private password-protected channels are never shown on the Trending List.

To prevent people attempting to hack your account, never give out your password for either your Zello account or your email password. Hackers can conceivably try to reset your password using the password recovery feature (which requires your e-mail) and then take over your account. Ensure your passwords are strong. The longer and more complicated, the less likely a hacker can guess your password. For added security, go to zello.com and make sure to verify your email and check off "Allow email and password change only through zello.com website". This will send you a email whenever someone attempts to change your email without your knowledge. If you encounter a hacking experience, report it immediately to [email protected] .

Report violations and abusive behavior by using the flagging feature. On each user profile and channel profile there is a little red flag icon next to the profile picture. If you see a user or channel violating the terms of service or community guidelines as stated in www.zello.com, you can report them by tapping on the red flag. Violations will be sent to, and tracked by, our support team. If warranted, severe violations involving child endangerment and illegal activities will be forwarded to law enforcement.

Using Zello Parental Controls:

The most important safety feature if you are the parent of a young child is the parental control settings, found in the Settings option on the main menu. This is called Restrictions/lock under the IPhone Settings option and Restrictions under Android Options. With the Restrictions/lock feature, you can lock the settings for using Contacts and Channels with a passcode that only you (and your spouse) know. For example, if you want your child to have only certain contacts and certain channels, add those for your child first and then use Restrictions to turn OFF the ability to see the Trending List, add/remove contacts, receive invites, add/remove channels, receive channel invites, or modify accounts. This feature will give you peace of mind that your child will not do or see things not appropriate for them. Kids love Zello because it acts just like a walkie-talkie and is so easy that even a 3-year-old could use it. Use parental controls to keep it a safe and fun experience for them and one less worry for you.

Starting in June 2017 all private voice messages in Zello are end-to-end encrypted when you are using version of the app released after 06/06/2017. Voice in public channels is not encrypted as they are open to the public and anyone can listen.

Please note that we use encryption for all communications in ZelloWork version.

Channels are unique to Zello. No other app can do what Zello channels can do. You can think of a Zello channel as a hyped-up CB radio channel. It allows you to communicate with other people, up to 5000 at a time. People who have Zello installed can add (subscribe to) an unlimited number of existing channels or create their own channels. There is no limit to the number of subscribers allowed per channel. Zello channels can help in coordination, information sharing, or as a social radio platform.

Coordination

A Zello channel is perfect for coordinating large groups of people who are scattered in a wide area. For example, Zello can be used to coordinate groups traveling together, in car rallies, attending weddings, amusement parks, sports events, and even large political rallies. Zello replaces the need for 2-way radios and is ideal for businesses that have employees located in many different areas of the city, state, or world. Companies using Zello and Zello@Work include freight and moving companies, taxi services, delivery services, hospitals, law enforcement agencies, restaurants, and construction companies, to name a few.

Sharing

Sharing information is another major use for channels. Say you are a hobbyist and you like to restore cars. You can create your own channel called Car Restoration Club and invite your friends to join your channel and chat about car restoration. You can make this a private channel by using a password, or open it up for anybody to participate by making it an Anybody can talk or Zelect channel type. If youdon'twant to create a channel and rather join an existing channel, you can use the Find channel function. You can find existing topic-specific channels by typing in keywords or topics, such as "cars" for our previous example. A listing of all the channels containing the keyword(s) will display to select from. There are over 200,000 active channels on Zello, so you are bound to find something interesting to participate in. You can also find channels to join by listening to channels displayed in the Trending Lists. If you find a channel you like, go to the channel profile and select "Add."

Social Radio

Zello can also be a social radio platform for you or a business. This can be a great way to advertise your business. If you are an aspiring radio host, you can use Zello for podcasting or doing radio shows. For this type of show, you would use the Listen only or broadcast-only channel type. Only the owner and mods can talk, but anybody can listen. Make sure to promote your Zello podcast or radio show through social media (YouTube, Twitter, Facebook), with the times and dates of the broadcasts. Invite guest speakers and make them mods so they can participate in an interactive chat with each other. Send out invites to people who would be interested in listening to your podcasts or radio shows.

If you need step-by-step information on how to use channels, go to the User Guides for IPhone and Android located in the Support forum http://support.zello.com/home

To access your settings, select Options from the menu.

Audio

You can change or turn off audio features.

Bluetooth: Turns support for Bluetooth accessories on and off.

Mix with other audio: When this option is turned on, Zello's audio will not interrupt audio from other apps (such as the Music app). Instead, it will mix with them. If this option is turned off, Zello may stop or interrupt audio from other non-mixed apps.

Airplay mode: Enables you to broadcast Zello over Apple Airplay. You cannot send messages when this mode is enabled.

Playback amplifier (dB):Move slider to the left to lower amplification or to the right to increase amplification.

Recording amplifier (dB):Move slider to the left to lower amplification or to the right to increase amplification.

Microphone boost:Move slider to the left to lower microphone sensitivity or to the right to increase sensitivity.

Alert tones / vibrate

Audio

You can change or turn off audio features.

Alert volume:Move the slider to the left make the audio alerts softer or to the right to make alerts louder.

Ready to send:Indicates you can talk.

Talk button up:Indicatesyou'vereleased the talk button.

Incoming message:You have a message.

Incoming message ended: Youve reached the end of the message.

Error:An error has occurred.

Incoming alert:You have an call alert.

Channel alert: You have a channel alert.

Connection lost:Youve been disconnected from the network.

Connection restored:Youre reconnected to the network.

Signed in from a difference device:Your account is logged in to Zello on another device.

Image messaging: You've received an image from a contact or channel.

Delivery delayed:The message cannot be sent real-time because there is no Internet connection to send and/or receive. Once the connection is restored, the message will be sent automatically.

Customize alerts: Allows you to use your own sound clips or another alert tone from our library instead of the default alert tone.

Vibrate

You can change or turn off vibration alerts iOS plays when you get a call, alert, message or other event.

Ready to send:Indicates you can talk.

Incoming message:New message received.

Missed message:Missed message when in Busy mode.

Visual

Incoming message when in the background:When Zelloisn'tin front, a popup appears notifying you have a message.

History

Keep message history:Allow or disallow saving messages in history.

Save sent images to "Photos": Sent images are saved to your library.

Current account (your account name):The number in parenthesis tells you how many bytes you have saved in history for the current account. Select Delete to clear history for this account. You cannot restore messages once they are cleared.

- History

- Image History

All: The number in parenthesis tells you how many bytes you have saved in history for all accounts on the device. Select Delete to clear history for all accounts. You cannot restore messages once they are cleared.

- History

- Image History

Push To Talk button

Action: There are 2 types of action you can set for the talk button (the big circle on the talk screen), "Toggle" or "Push and Hold" mode:

- Toggle: Press once to start transmission and then once again to stop transmission. This is convenient when speaking for more than a few seconds and you don't want to keep your finger on the touchscreen.

- Push and hold: Press and hold finger on the talk button until it turns solid red to transmit. Release when done transmitting. The circle turns solid orange when not transmitting, and solid green when receiving a message.

Wireless Zello button: Turns on support for wireless Bluetooth buttons for hands-free operation of Zello and ZelloWork. The CodaWheel and CodaClick requires this option. Use the wireless buttons with any headset of your choice.

Headset / remote control: Use the headset or remote control button as the PTT button. If a user has a headset plugged into the audio connector that supports remote control, the user can use it to control the talk screen. The play button can work like the talk button and fast forward and reverse buttons can switch between recent contacts.

Change status to "Available" on Push To Talk button press: If you are in Busy mode, this option automatically changes your status to Available when you touch the talk button.

Restrictions

Restrictions lock:Primarily used for parental control, this option allows you to lock your settings and prevent changes by unauthorized users. Select Enable lock and enter a PIN to use to lock your settings.

Trending:Select Filtered to view trending channels appropriate for general audience. Select "All" to see both Filtered and 18+ channels. Select "Off" to remove trending lists entirely..

Image messaging:Allow or disallow the sending of images to contacts and channels.

Show all photos:Allow or disallow the displaying of photos received from contacts or channels.

Add or remove contact:Allow or disallow adding and removing contacts.

Contact invitations:Allow or disallow receiving connection (contact) invitations.

Add or remove channels:Allow or disallow adding and removing channels.

Channel invitations:Allow or disallow receiving channel invitations.

Modify Zello Accounts:Allow or disallow editing of Zello accounts.

Themes

Allows you to select from 1 of 3 themes: Default light, Classic dark, or camouflage.

Support

Help: Allows you toopen a support ticket to request help or ask questions about Zello. Also provides links to the Zello Knowledge Base and forums.

Report a problem:Submit problem reports immediately after a problem occurs to send a log file from the device to Support for debugging purposes.

Third party info:Information about the third party apps Zello uses.

Advanced network:Settings for advanced users who want to modify Zello call delivery and networking variables.

- Asynchronous message delivery:

- Call pre-setup

Networking (Mobile)

- Use TCP only

- Keep alive interval(s)

Networking (WiFi)

- Use TCP only

- Keep alive interval(s)

If you are planning to upgrade to iOS 13, be aware that Zello and Zello Work may not reliably work in the background any longer. iOS 13 may unexpectedly terminate Zello and not notify the user.

While the app is closed, any messages received from one-on-one contacts will generate push notifications. Missed messages from contacts will be queued and played once the user is re-connected. However, any channel messages will not be sent, queued, or saved to your history while you are disconnected. There is no way to recover the missed channel messages.

If Zello has been terminated, you will need to manually restart Zello.

We have been working with Apple to resolve the issue causing this behavior, but there is no workaround yet. We will post here with updates as we have them available. In the meantime, do not upgrade to iOS 13 until further notice. There is no way to revert to an older iOS once upgrade is completed.

UPDATE 9/28: With expedited help from Apple, we were able to isolate the cause of this issue. We implemented a workaround in version 4.74 which is in beta on TestFlight right now. Once we know how well the workaround is working for a broader audience, we will decide our next step.

UPDATE 10/10: Version 4.74 is now available in the App Store and offers some improvement, but we are working on another update which should perform even better. Stayed tuned for updates.

UPDATE 10/22: Version 4.75 is now available in the App Store and should improve this issue considerably. Please submit a problem report if you still experience disconnections while running in the background. To submit a report, go to Options > Support > Report a problem.

You can use Zello with the RG650's dedicated PTT button located on the left side of the device. To enable the PTT button to use Zello, follow these instructions:

On the home screen, swipe up to see the applications installed on the device. Tap the CustomKey app to open it.

Make sure the PTT option is turned on as shown below.

If Zello is not already installed, go to Google Play and download it. Once installed and you have created an account, test the button by going to CONTACTS> echo. Press and hold the yellow PTT button on the left side of the RG650 to make sure the audio is replayed and heard.

VOX feature is only available on the PC app.

The purpose of VOX mode is to allow you communicating without using a keyboard at all, which could be very useful sometimes although it might require some upfront configuration. You can switch between PTT and VOX modes on the fly using the hotkeys.

Turning VOX mode on

Before you can use VOX you should turn it on and probably tweak some settings. Go to Tools > Options>VOX. Check the box toTurn on VOX for handsfree:

Click OK. Now its enabled and you can close the settings. However if you start speaking now nothing would happen. This is because in order to keep the flexibility you can switch on the fly between push-to-talk and VOX modes.

Using VOX

To activate VOX use Handsfree keyboard shortcut (Ctrl + F7 unless you re-assigned it) or click a small button with the lock icon on the main screen:

When VOX is active, this button turns red:

Now when you say something itll start transmitting it automatically. When transmission is active the left side of the button turns red too (same way as it does when you use push-to-talk):

Clicking the lock icon again, pushing F7 or Ctrl + F7 switches it back to the push-to-talk mode.

Tweaking VOX settings

Its possible that VOX didnt work perfectly with default settings picked up every tiny sound or the opposite didnt react even to loud voice. It happens because every sound card and environment is different and its hard to configure algorithm parameters automatically. Here comes the new VOX tab in the options:

Youve got four parameters to play with. Here is what they do:

Activation threshold allows you to set the sound level above which the transmission starts. If you need to increase the sensitivity move the slider left and vice versa.De-activation threshold sets the sound level below which the transmission stops. Itcan'texceed Activation threshold and usually should be quite a bit lower.

Please note that the decibels (dB) scale is logarithmic and 20dB on the scale corresponds to 10x difference in signal levels so adjust carefully.

The good news is that you rarely need to modify Trigger time or Relaxation time but if you really want to here is the explanation.

Trigger time (in milliseconds) sets a typical reaction time of the algorithm. In order to skip very short sound impulses (such as mouse clicks) VOX filters out the sounds, which are shorter than trigger time set in this parameter. Increasing it makes VOX slower to respond, which helps to reduce unwanted transmissions but also proportionally increases transmission delay.Relaxation time (in milliseconds) is the counterpart to the Trigger time. It sets a typical time the algorithm takes to switch off. The parameter should be high enough to allow you the normal pauses between words without splitting the message.

The convenient way to play with the Settings is to activate VOX first (using echo as your guinea pig), and then open VOX settings. Using that approach you can try any new combination by pressing Apply without leaving the settings screen (hotkeys doesnt work when Options is active).

If, after playing with it, you disable VOX in settings, Handsfree hotkey works as a simple transmission toggle.

Solo status/mode lets you listen to a selected contact and ignore messages from other contacts or channels so you won't be interrupted.

When you select a contact and activate Solo mode, you'll receive real-time messages from the selected contact. All messages from other contacts/channels go into history.

Groupsare meant for private conversations between multiple people you know and have listed as Zello contacts. Members must be invited to join a group. Group names are not searchable.

Channelsare are designed for private or public conversations with multiple people you may not know. You can invite people to join the channel by using your contacts list or address book. You can also share the channels URL or QR code using social media, emails, or SMS texts. Users can find and join your channel by searching on its name.

Both group and channel options offer live audio, texting, persistent alerts, image and location sharing, as well as history.

How Else do Groups Differ from Channels?

GROUPS

Groups require fewer steps to create than channels. Groups are best for quick on-the-fly chats with other Zello users. Creating a group is a simple 3-step process:

Go toRECENTSon the main menu

Tap on the + icon at the bottom right

Select contacts to add and tap Start at the upper right.

Thats it! There is no group profile required. Once the group is created, an audio alert is sent to all invited members. The group will automatically appear at the top of each members RECENTS list. Unlike channels, there is no owner, admins or mods. The group can be renamed by its members. Each member can invite their own contacts to the group. No authorization, invite confirmation, or password is needed to join. Members can disconnect/reconnect or delete the group at any time. Once deleted, members cannot rejoin the group. They must be re-invited to the group. Group conversations are private and encrypted end-to-end.

CHANNELS

Channels offer more options in the way of privacy, pre-screening users, and moderation tools. Subsequently, there are more steps involved when creating a public or private channel. A channel profile must be created by the channels creator. The creator becomes the owner of the channel. Channels are permanent until deleted by the owner. The profile contains information such as the channel type, languages supported, general description, location/texting/image options, and requirements for users who want to join.

The owner may require new users to provide a verbal request, verified phone/emails, or a channel password in order to join. The owner can assign mods and admins to help moderate the channel. Subscribers can disconnect/reconnect or delete the channel at any time. Once deleted, the channel can be re-added if needed. Channel conversations are only partially encrypted since channels can be public.

Do I Need a Group or a Channel?

These considerations will help you determine whether you should create a group or a channel:

Create a group conversation if:

You are talking to family and friends. For example, to plan a ski trip or catch up with friends from school

The number of people in the group is small

Everyone knows everyone else

You need fully encrypted messaging.

This Support FAQ provides more information aboutcreating groups.

Create a channel if:

You want to reach people you do not know personally

You want an anonymous platform to discuss various topics of interest

You want to pre-approve, manage and monitor subscribers in the channel

You want to reach a large number of people (up to 6000).

Our User Guides explain how to create and use channels.

Once created, your groups will be listed underRECENTSand channels underCHANNELS. Both options are located on the main menu for Android and iOS devices.

Still have questions about groups and channels? Email [email protected] and well be happy to help!

With the announcement of the new iMessage voice messaging feature in iOS8, you may ask yourself, why should I use Zello now that I can send voice messages from my iPhone? You may also wonder how Zello is different from all those other voice messaging apps out there, such as Whatsapp, WeChat, Viber, etc. Simply put, Zello is a true push-to-talk (PTT) walkie-talkie app, while other apps use recorded messages.

Read on to learn why this matters and other reasons for using Zello for voice communications instead of iMessage or other apps with voice messaging:

Zello is live. Apps with voice messaging use recorded audio. Since Zello uses live streaming audio, its much faster. Instead of you having to record a message, save it, send it, and then wait for a response, Zello is real-time. Lag is virtually nonexistent between the time you speak and when the message is heard. This is extremely important in situations when time is critical, and the message needs to be heard immediately.

Zello runs across multiple platforms, on either Wi-Fi or data, on any carrier. With iMessage, youcan'ttalk to your friends who have Android or Windows PC. You can only talk to other iOS8 users.

On iMessage, there is no history, share message, or channel feature. There is no way to play back a history of your iMessages or share them with other users. Zello is the only PTT app that offers a channel feature where you can talk to and meet new people across the world.

Zello sound quality is superior. Zello uses Codec Opus. Compare the sound quality with recorded messaging apps, and you will hear the difference.

Zello is free, with no gimmicks or spam. Zello will never charge you, post ads, or spam you and your friends.

Zello minimizes disruptions in your busy life. Zello offers status and notification settings you can customize to avoid being disturbed, and missed messages can be saved to history.

Zello uses data.

No. Zello works only over WiFi orcellular data connection.

Bluetooth button allows to use Zello with Bluetooth headset.

iOS 12.4+ users may experience longer than usual delays when trying to use accessories with Zello in the background.It may take from 2-7 seconds for recording to begin. Wired accessories will generally be faster, from 2-5 seconds; Bluetooth accessories will be slowest, from 5-7 seconds.

This behavior is the result of a workaround for a bug which was introduced by Apple in iOS 12.4+. The bug effectivelyprevents voice appsfrom recording in the background. Apple has acknowledged this is an issue on their side and are working on a fix; however, there is no firm date on when it will be available.

Unfortunately, we are not able to avoid or reduce the startup delay. In the meantime, we recommend using wired accessories or keeping Zello in the foreground.

We are aware that Zello disconnects when the app is put in the background on Huawei devices. We are currently investigating this issue. We apologize for any inconvenience and will post any updates here as we have them.

UPDATE 10/10/19: Huawei devices use their own customized software (EMUI) which is a modified version of the Android OS used on other Android phones. Currently, there is no way for us to control how Zello works on EMUI, and we will be unable to devise any workaround for problems that are specific to Huawei devices.

Select "echo" in your contacts list, press and hold PTT button while speaking. Release the button and your message will be sent back to you.

There are 5 channel types in Zello that can be set during Channel creation:

Anyone can talk

Listen only

Zelect

Zelect+

Password protected.

When creating a channel, be sure to select the type of channel you want. Keep in mind that if you choose Anyone can talk that means ANYBODY can listen and talk, including people you may not want in your channel. You and your moderators will need to constantly monitor your channel to block people (trolls) who disrupt the channel. If you love drama and maximum exposure, choose this channel type.

If you want to use Zello as a public service announcement service, radio show, and do not want others talking except admin and mods, Listen only which is the same as a broadcast-only channel, would be the choice for you. We have many weather, traffic, and scanner channels using Listen only.

The Zelect channel gives admins and mods the most flexibility. In Zelect mode, only the admin, mods, and trusted users can talk, but anybody can listen when first joining the channel. In Zelect+ mode, new users cannot listen OR talk. If you are a new user and want to participate, you have to get approved as a trusted user by the admin or a mod. If you want to keep your channel open, butdon'twant to monitor it 24/7 to block disruptive people, choose Zelect or Zelect+.

For the ultimate in privacy, select the Password protect field when creating your channel. Only users who know the password will be able to listen and talk on your channel. If your channel is mainly used for group chats between friends, family, or co-workers, set your channel as password protected.

If you create a channel with one type and decide to change to another type later, or want to temporarily change the channel type, simply go to the channel profile page and edit the channel type setting. The change is instantaneous. You can change the channel type as often as needed. For instance, you can set it to Anybody can talk during peak hours when multiple moderators are available to block and then switch it to Zelect or Listen only at night.

Within the channel profile settings, channel owners can turn on or off the ability for users to post images or text, and can also require users to verify their phone and email before they can join the channel. Users can red flag any inappropriate images, posts, or profile pictures while on the channel. Zello Support reviews these flagged items on a regular basis. Post your community guidelines in your channel profile description, so people know what to expect.

We want Zello channels to be fun and welcoming to all, so please see the Community and Moderator Guidelines in the Zello Support Forum for more info and Happy Channeling!

When your Status is set to Busy, the app does not play incoming messages immediately. It saves them to your history.

To listen to incoming messages in real time, change your Status to Available.

Yes it is. The application doesn't use your voice or SMS credits and sends voice using data connection or WiFi. However some mobile operators will charge for data separately so be sure to check with your mobile carrier on rates and data caps of your service plan. The app uses ~110kB per minute talking, and ~20kB per hourwhen idle.

Select the contact, group, or channel you want to talk to

Press and hold the touchscreen push-to-talk (PTT) button.

After you hear the beep and see the ring turn solid red, start talking.

Let go of the button to stop transmitting.

Make sure to wait for the beep before speaking. Hold the push-to-talk button until you finish talking. Also check your phone's homescreen Settings and make sure you've granted microphone access to Zello. You can perform an audio test with the "Echo" contact to hear yourself and adjust the volume if needed.

Were working to improve Zellos impact on battery life. Right now the application has to keep data connection open to receive incoming messages, which uses more power.

To increase battery life, use a WiFi connection when possible. When not using the app, exit completely by choosing Menu > Exit command on Android or set Status to Offline on iOS. On Android, you will be still able to receive offline messages.

No. Please read our Privacy Policy

Theres no option to change a username.You can create a new account with a different username. You can also create an alias name by filling in the "Name" field located in the account profile. The alias will be displayed instead of the username on contact lists. The alias can be changed at any time. However, the original username is needed to log into the account.

If you already have a Zello account, you can use the password recovery tool to reset your password or retrieve your username. Reset Password

Also see I forgot my username. Help!

Yes. We have a paid version of Zello for business called Zellowork. Here are the differences between the free app and ZelloWork

Zello is for

iPhone/iPad

Android

Windows PC

Yes, the option to Share Location is now available for contacts, groups and channels.

Yes.

Android: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Bulgarian, Galician, Hebrew, Indonesian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish and Spanish.

Windows: Chinese, Czech, English, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Arabic, Bulgarian, Dutch, Hebrew, Indonesian, Japanese, Portuguese and Swedish.

iOS: Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, Hebrew, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

Use Forgot password tool to reset your password. You must provide the e-mail address which you used when creating your account.

The email with instruction and your Zello username(s) will be sent to you.

See also I forgot my username. Help!

First delete a contact from your contact-list using Delete contact option. If you see a repeat authorization request from that user, select Block from menu.

Use Add a contact feature in menu and enter a Zello user ID, e-mail, or phone number into the search bar and tap the "Search" button. If the user is not found, you can send an e-mail or text message invite. If the user has an account, tap the user ID and Zello will send a connection request. The person you added will need to approve your request before you can start communicating.

If you use Zello on iPhone or Android, you can also use 'Address book' to add contacts.Tap "Address Book" to see two tabs:

All contacts. Opens your address book on your phone.

Contacts on Zello. Lists contacts from your address book who have Zello accounts. Tap the names of the people you want to add or invite to Zello, then tap "Done".

For contacts who have Zello accounts, Zello sends an connection request. After they agree to connect, they appear in your contact list with Available or Busy status.

For contacts who don't have a recognized Zello account, an e-mail message appears with all the information filled in for you. Edit the e-mail if you like and then tap "Send" to send the e-mail invitation.

You may also use the QR Code Scanner to add a contact. Scan their QR code which can be found under their profile picture.

The app automatically detects and uses your phone's language setting.

Not at this time, but it may be in the future.

Yes. When installed on removable media (such as USB drive) Zello Windows app will recognize that and will work in portable mode.

Channels are like radio channels, everyone connected can talk with everyone. Groups are a way to combine your contacts.

Yes, you can create your own password-protected channel and then invite your friends to join it.

After you sent a contact request to someone you're awaiting authorization from that person.

As soon as the user goes online, he or she will see a notice with an option to either confirm or decline the contact request. After / if the user approves your request, the "awaiting authorization" status will change to Available or Busy. Now you can start communicating.

No. After logout, you can still receive offline messages.

When in the background Zello uses ~20 kB per hour with default settings and less if in Options>Support>Advanced network settings you set the keep-alive interval to the maximum value and turn on "Use TCP only"

Yes, we support concurrent calls. In that situation the later message is queued and played as soon as the current incoming or outgoing message is completed. This feature is easy enough to test and doesn't require any extra actions from user.

No, you can communicate only with Zello users.

Yes, the app works over Internet satellite link.

Zello works worldwide, wherever you have Internet connection access (cellular data or WiFi).