Help

What's going wrong?

Pick the issue that sounds closest. Every answer starts with the fix.

It’s not responding

Your operator may need a quick restart. Here’s what to do.

I can’t scan the WhatsApp QR code

Step-by-step for iPhone and Android, plus what to do if it keeps expiring.

My AI key isn’t working

Provider-specific guides and the most common mistakes people make.

I want to add another messaging app

How to connect WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, and more.

How much is this costing me?

A clear breakdown of what you’re paying and how to check anytime.

I want to stop using this

Clear, respectful steps. Your data was always yours.

It’s not responding

Try this first

Open your dashboard and click the Restart button. Wait 30 seconds, then send another message.

If it still doesn't respond:

  1. 1Check your AI key. Open your dashboard, go to Settings, and look for a green “Connected” label next to your AI provider. If it says “Error,” your key may have expired. See how to fix it below.
  2. 2Check your messaging app. In your dashboard, look at the channel status. If it says “Disconnected,” you may need to re-scan the QR code (WhatsApp) or re-authorize the bot (Telegram/Discord).
  3. 3Wait 30 seconds and try again. Sometimes AI providers have brief slowdowns. A short wait usually resolves it.

If none of these work, message us on Telegram and we'll sort it out.

I can’t scan the WhatsApp QR code

Quick fix

If the QR code looks faded or frozen, click Refresh QR Code in your dashboard. A new one will appear in a few seconds.

On iPhone

  1. 1Open WhatsApp on your phone.
  2. 2Tap Settings (bottom right).
  3. 3Tap Linked Devices.
  4. 4Tap Link a Device.
  5. 5Use Face ID or your passcode when prompted.
  6. 6Point your camera at the QR code on your dashboard.

On Android

  1. 1Open WhatsApp on your phone.
  2. 2Tap the three dots (top right).
  3. 3Tap Linked Devices.
  4. 4Tap Link a Device.
  5. 5Point your camera at the QR code on your dashboard.

Good to know

  • The QR code refreshes automatically every 60 seconds. If it expires, just wait for the new one.
  • Your phone must stay connected to the internet for WhatsApp to work. It doesn't need to be on the same network as your server.
  • If the camera won't focus, move your phone back a few inches and hold steady.
  • WhatsApp allows up to 4 linked devices at once. Your operator counts as one.

My AI key isn’t working

Try this first

Open your dashboard, go to Settings, and re-enter your AI key. Make sure there are no extra spaces before or after the key when you paste it.

Get a new key from your provider

AnthropicRecommended
  1. 1Go to console.anthropic.com and sign in.
  2. 2Click "API Keys" in the left sidebar.
  3. 3Click "Create Key" and give it a name.
  4. 4Copy the key (it starts with sk-ant-).
  5. 5Paste it in your dashboard under Settings.
OpenAI
  1. 1Go to platform.openai.com and sign in.
  2. 2Click "API Keys" in the left sidebar.
  3. 3Click "Create new secret key."
  4. 4Copy the key (it starts with sk-).
  5. 5Paste it in your dashboard under Settings.
Google
  1. 1Go to aistudio.google.com and sign in.
  2. 2Click "Get API key."
  3. 3Click "Create API key."
  4. 4Copy the key (it starts with AIzaSy).
  5. 5Paste it in your dashboard under Settings.

Common mistakes

  • Extra spaces. When you copy-paste, sometimes a space gets added at the start or end. Delete any spaces before saving.
  • Expired key. Some providers let keys expire. Create a new one and paste it in.
  • No credit on your AI account. Most providers require a payment method before the key will work. Check your provider's billing page.
  • Wrong provider selected. Make sure the provider in your Settings matches the key you pasted. An Anthropic key won't work if OpenAI is selected.

I want to add another messaging app

You can add as many messaging apps as you want. Open your dashboard, go to Settings > Channels, and pick the one you'd like to add.

WhatsApp
  1. 1In your dashboard, click "Add Channel" and select WhatsApp.
  2. 2A QR code will appear on screen.
  3. 3Open WhatsApp on your phone, go to Linked Devices, and scan the code.
  4. 4Once scanned, you’ll see "Connected" in your dashboard.
Telegram
  1. 1In your dashboard, click "Add Channel" and select Telegram.
  2. 2Click "Generate code."
  3. 3Open Telegram and message @stayaheadlife.
  4. 4Send the 6-digit code once.
  5. 5Click "Refresh status" in your dashboard to confirm it says Connected.
Discord
  1. 1In your dashboard, click "Add Channel" and select Discord.
  2. 2Click the invite link that appears.
  3. 3Choose which Discord server to add your operator to.
  4. 4Click "Authorize." Your operator will appear in that server.
Slack
  1. 1In your dashboard, click "Add Channel" and select Slack.
  2. 2Click the authorization link.
  3. 3Choose your Slack workspace and a channel.
  4. 4Click "Allow." Your operator will start listening in that channel.

You can remove a channel anytime from Settings > Channels. Your conversation history for that channel stays saved.

How much is this costing me?

Quickest way to check

Send your operator this message: “How much have I spent this month?”

It will check your AI provider usage and give you a plain-English answer.

Where the money goes

Cloud server

~$6-12/mo

This is fixed. It runs 24/7 regardless of how much you use your operator. You pay your cloud provider (DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Railway) directly.

AI usage

~$5-20/mo

This scales with how much you talk. Light use is closer to $5. Heavy daily use is closer to $20. You pay your AI provider (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google) directly.

Set a spending limit

In your dashboard, go to Settings > Budget and set a monthly cap. Your operator will let you know when you're getting close, and will pause if you hit the limit. You can adjust it anytime.

StayAhead itself is free during early access. You only pay for the cloud and AI services you choose. See the full pricing breakdown.

I want to stop using this

We're sorry to see you go. Here's how to shut everything down cleanly. No hoops to jump through.

Step by step

  1. 1Disconnect your messaging apps. In your dashboard, go to Settings > Channels and click “Disconnect” next to each one. For WhatsApp, you can also go to WhatsApp > Linked Devices on your phone and remove the linked device.
  2. 2Delete your server. Log in to your cloud provider (DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Railway) and delete the server. This stops all charges immediately.
  3. 3Remove your AI key (optional). Go to your AI provider's website and delete the API key you created. This prevents any further AI charges.

About your data

Your conversations, memory, and files were always stored on your server — never ours. When you delete the server, everything goes with it. There's nothing to request from us because we never had your data.

Want to save your data first?

Before deleting your server, open your dashboard and go to Settings > Export. You can download all your conversations and memories as a file you keep forever.

If you change your mind later, you can always set up a new operator from scratch. Your messaging apps will connect again just like the first time.

Still stuck?

We respond to every message. Tell us what's happening and we'll help you fix it.

Message us on Telegram

Or email [email protected]

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