Bosk help and FAQ
Short answers to common questions. The full guide, with screen-by-screen tips, is in the app at bosk.world/help. Still stuck? Write to support@bosk.world.
Identifying Species
How Close Should I Get To Wildlife?
Closer than you need is too close. Zoom and crop instead. If the animal stops feeding, stares at you or moves away, back off slowly. Never approach nests, dens or young. See Photographing Wildlife Responsibly in the Guide.
Why Did My Sighting Not Save?
The result was probably medium or low confidence. Those save nothing until you tap "This is it". If you closed the screen at the shortlist, the identification was discarded. Take the photo again and confirm it.
What Does "Not Sure — Is It One Of These?" Mean?
Bosk could not settle on one species, so it shows a shortlist. Tap a candidate to see its photo and details, then tap "This is it" to save. If none fit, tap "None of these" and try again from another angle or closer in.
Bosk Was Confident But Wrong. Can I Undo It?
Yes. High-confidence results save straight away, so tap "Wrong ID? Delete and try again" under the result. You can also delete the sighting later from Field Guide > Sightings.
Why Can I Not Log A Sighting Manually?
Manual entry is for administrators only. Every sighting in a regular account comes from a photo or audio ID, which keeps shared maps and feeds reliable. If you could not photograph it, it cannot be added.
Audio ID Did Not Recognise My Recording. Why?
Audio ID covers birds only. It will not identify a mammal, amphibian or insect. If it was a bird, wind, traffic and distance are the usual problems. Get closer, stand still, and record 10 to 15 seconds of one bird.
Does Bosk Accept iPhone Photos?
Yes. HEIC and HEIF work alongside JPEG, PNG and WebP, so you can use a photo straight from your camera roll. If a file is still refused, it may be corrupted. Try another photo.
How Do I Get Better Results?
Fill the frame, keep it in focus and avoid a background the same colour as the subject. Crop tightly before you submit, because only the visible area is sent. For plants, shoot leaves and flowers. For birds, get the head and bill.
Can I Trust A Fungi ID Enough To Eat It?
No. Every fungi result carries a warning for this reason. A photo cannot show spore print, smell, habitat or cut flesh, which separate edible species from dangerous lookalikes. Use the result as a lead for further research, never as permission to eat.
What Is The "How It's Used" Note On Plants And Fungi?
It is an AI-generated note on whether a species is edible, has medicinal use or other common uses. It shows only on plant and fungus pages, and only when Bosk has something to say. It is not verified by a professional. Confirm the identification and check with a qualified expert before eating, treating or using anything.
I Have Run Out Of Identifications This Month. What Now?
Free accounts get 20 a month, resetting on the first. Your remaining count shows on your Profile and each result. Your photo will identify just as well once the allowance renews. You can also invite a friend: when they save their first species you each get 7 days of Pro. On the web you can buy an ID pack under Plan & Billing or at the limit prompt. Bought IDs never expire.
Your Lists
What Is The Difference Between My Wild List And My Watchlist?
Your Wild List is what you have seen: one entry per species, dated to your first ID, built automatically. Your Watchlist is what you hope to see: species you tapped Watch on, so Bosk can alert you when one turns up nearby. They never write to each other.
Why Does My Sighting Count Not Match My Species Count?
Sightings counts every identification, so the same Robin on ten mornings is ten sightings. The Wild List counts distinct species, so it is one. The Wild List number is always the smaller one.
How Do I Add A Species To My Wild List?
You cannot add one by hand. A species appears automatically, dated to the sighting, the first time you identify it.
How Do I Start Watching A Species?
Open its page in the Field Guide and tap Watch (the eye). It reads Watching, joins your Watching tab, and you get alerts when it is recorded within your radius. Tap again to stop. To keep it but silence alerts, mute its bell in Settings > Watchlist.
Can I Watch A Species I Have Never Seen?
Yes, that is what the Watchlist is for. On another member's profile, "spotted by them, not by you" lets you add what they have found straight to your Watchlist.
Can I Edit Or Delete A Sighting?
Yes. Open it from Field Guide > Sightings or from a map pin. You can edit the field note on its page, and delete it from the Sightings list. Field notes are private to you.
How Do I Export My Records?
Settings > Your Data > Download CSV exports your sightings, free on every plan. Pro accounts can also download the Nature Report there, a document of your photos, Wild List and notes.
Where Do I Find My Sightings, Wild List And Calendar?
In the Field Guide, on the Sightings tab. Switch between My Sightings, Friends and Community. The stats bar opens your Wild List and Calendar. Tap the pin on any row to see it on the Map.
What Are Field Notes On The Bosk Website?
Field Notes (bosk.world/field-notes) is Bosk's own publication: stories about noticing species and places, and updates from the team. It is separate from your personal records, which live on the Sightings tab in the Field Guide.
Walks
How Do I Record A Walk?
Open Walks, start a recording and walk. Sightings you identify attach to it automatically. Pause when you stop, and tap Finish to see the summary. Location must stay allowed for the whole walk.
What Is A Nature Score?
It measures how good a walk was, not how long. Distance, rarity of finds, number of groups covered and time of day all count, and dawn and dusk earn a bonus. Tap the score on the summary for the breakdown.
Can I Get My Route Into Strava Or Komoot?
Yes. Tap Export GPX on a finished walk. The file works with Strava, Komoot, Apple Health and anything else that reads GPX.
Why Can I Not Save Another Walk?
Free accounts can record four walks a month. The count resets on the 1st. Upgrade to Pro to remove the limit.
Who Can See My Walks?
Nobody, unless you share. Each finished walk has a share switch. On, your accepted friends can see it. Off, it is private again.
Will Recording A Walk Drain My Battery?
Yes, noticeably on a long walk. Carry a power bank. Pause instead of force-quitting, which stops the GPS but keeps the recording.
Community
How Do I Add A Friend?
Open Community > Friends, search for their username and send a request. They have to accept before you see each other's shared activity. If they are not on Bosk yet, you can invite them by email or link.
Why Can I Not Add More Friends?
Free accounts allow ten friends. Remove someone or upgrade to Pro. Existing friendships are never removed.
Why Are My Sightings Not In The Community Feed?
Community sharing is off by default. Turn on "Show My Sightings In Community Feed" in Settings > Privacy and future sightings will appear in the feed and on community maps.
How Do I Block Someone?
Open their profile and use the block control. They can no longer send you requests or interact with your activity. Blocked users are listed in Settings, where you can unblock them.
What Is Friends' Week?
An optional weekly board of who found the most species. It is private unless you tap Join The Weekly Board, and friends only see you if they joined too. You can leave any time.
How Does Booking On The Marketplace Work?
Send a request for a date. Nothing is charged yet. If the host accepts a paid booking, you pay through Stripe within a limited window. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund. If the host cancels, you are always refunded.
How Do Marketplace Reviews And Ratings Work?
After a confirmed event, guests get a "How Was It?" notification the next evening and can leave 1 to 5 stars and a comment under Bookings. Hosts get a public rating and review count. You can delete your own review.
What Is A Trusted Host?
A host with at least 5 completed bookings, reviews from 5 different guests and an average of 4.5 stars or higher. Their new listings go live straight away instead of waiting for Bosk to review them. We can still pause a listing at any time.
Account & Plan
What Do I Get With Pro?
Pro lifts the limits on identifications (up to 1,000 a month, fair use), walks and friends. It adds the Nature Report and Rare Species Nearby alerts. Range maps, similar species and CSV export are free for everyone.
How Do I Manage Or Cancel My Subscription?
On the web, use Plan & Billing in your account menu. In the iOS or Android app, the App Store or Google Play handles your subscription, so cancel in your device's subscription settings.
How Does The Family Plan Work?
One subscription gives Pro to five separate accounts. The subscriber invites up to four others by email or link from Settings. Invites expire after 14 days. Everyone keeps their own sightings and profile.
How Do I Change My Email Or Password?
Both are in Settings. Changing your email needs your current password, and the new address must not already be in use. If you forgot your password, use the reset link on the login screen.
Can I Switch To Miles?
Yes. Settings > Distance Unit offers Automatic, Kilometres or Miles. It applies to walks, nearby places, search radii and alerts, and also to sizes and elevation.
Does Bosk Have A Dark Mode?
Yes. Settings > Appearance offers Light, System and Dark. System follows your device.
Privacy & Data
Who Can See My Sightings?
By default, you and your accepted friends. The wider public sees them only if you turn on community sharing in Settings > Privacy.
Can Other People Hear My Recordings?
No. Your sound recordings are always private. They can pick up voices and conversations, so Bosk never shows or plays them to anyone else, whatever your sharing settings say. Other people can see the species and the sighting details you share, never the audio. Delete a sighting and its recording goes with it.
Can I Share Sightings Without My Name?
Yes. Turn on Share Anonymously in Settings. Your sightings still appear in the feed and on maps, without your username.
Does Bosk Publish My Exact Location?
A shared sighting carries the coordinates where it was recorded, which is how community maps work, and Share Anonymously does not hide them. If you would rather not share locations, turn community sharing off.
How Do I Stop Notifications At Night?
Settings > Notifications > Quiet Hours holds back push notifications between the times you set. You can also switch off the Push channel for any category.
Can I Delete My Account?
Yes. Settings > Danger Zone > Delete Account. Type your username to confirm. Deletion is immediate and permanent, and removes your sightings, Wild List, Watchlist, walks, badges and friendships. Export your CSV first if you want a copy.
Why Does Bosk Want Camera, Microphone And Location?
Camera for photo ID, microphone for audio ID, and location to map sightings, record walks and calculate alerts. Each is requested when you first use the feature. Refusing one leaves the rest working.
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