Friends

Overview

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another.

Hebrews 10:24-25

The Bible reminds us again and again that we need relationships with people we can trust. You need close friends who will encourage you, inspire you, challenge you, love you, and pray for you. And they need you to do the same for them.

Add Friends

Android, iOS:

1. Bottom right: Select More (≡), or tap your profile picture/initials, then Friends.
2. If you have any Friend Requests:

• Select Accept on the ones you want to be Friends with.
• Select Ignore on the ones you don’t want to accept (your friends will not know or be notified that their request was declined until they search your name again).

1. Top: Select Add Friends. The Add Friends screen gives you five ways to add new Friends:
   1. Search for your friends who have a YouVersion account.
      1. Select 🔍, type a friend’s name, or their complete email address, and Search on it.
      2. Select Add next to any friends you want to join in the Bible App.
      • They’ll see your request in their Friend Requests.
   2. Invite friends from your Contacts on your device.
      1. Select Contacts or Connect with Contacts.
         To get contact suggestions for the first time, the Bible App may request access to them.
      2. Select Add next to any friends you want to join in the Bible App (only contacts that have a YouVersion account will appear).
   3. Invite friends from your Facebook account.
      1. Select Facebook or Connect with Friends next to the Facebook logo.
         If it’s the first time, you will be prompt to sign in on Facebook on the web. You can select a name and view their profile to make sure you’re sending your request to the correct person.
      2. Follow the prompts.
   4. Request friendships from people on your Suggested Friends list.
      1. Select Add next to any friends you want to join in the Bible App.
   5. Share your profile link with any friend
      1. Select the share icon next to ‘Invite friends to join you on YouVersion’ and share it using any other app (WhatsApp, Email, iMessage…)

Accept or Decline a Friend Request

1. Android, iOS:
   Bottom right: Select ≡ (More), Friends.

• Select Accept on the ones you want to be Friends with.
• Select Ignore or Decline on the ones you don’t want to accept (your friends will not know or be notified that their request was declined until they search your name again.)

1. If you have any Friend Requests:

Top right: Select your Profile Picture or First Initial, then Friends.

• Select Accept on the ones you want to be Friends with.
• Select Ignore or Decline on the ones you don’t want to accept.

For the 2 platforms, when a friend request is received, there will be a red dot on the notification bell at the top Tap the bell and then you will see the request, tap it to open and then accept or decline

Engage with Friends’ Bible Activity

The Home screen displays recent activity in the Bible App from you and your Friends. Activity from your Friends—such as starting a Plan, highlighting a Bible passage, creating a Verse Image, etc.—displays on individual cards in your feed. You can engage with these cards by liking your Friends’ activity, encouraging them with comments, and more.

Post a Comment

1. Android, iOS:
   Select the Comment icon (a talk bubble) : Select the Comment box and then to send on iOS tap ‘Post’ and on Android tap the Send icon (a paper airplane).
2. Type your Comment in the comment box and click return or enter on your keyboard.

Delete a Comment

You can remove any Comment that you posted, and you can remove Comments posted on your Bible activity (such as Highlights, Bookmarks, Verse Images, etc...).

Locate the Comment you want to remove.

1. Android:
   Long-press on the Comment.
   iOS:
   Swipe the comment from right to left and then tap delete

Adjust Friend Notifications

Android, iOS:

1. Bottom right: Select ≡ (More), or the notification bell icon at the top, then tap the Settings gear icon, then either Email Notifications or Push Notifications.
2. In the Friends section, switch each Friend event to On or Off, as desired.
3. Top left: Select ← or <.

Bible.com:

1. Top right: Select your Profile Picture or First Initial, then account settings or profile, then Settings.
2. Left: Select Manage Notifications.
3. Select Email or Mobile checkboxes to turn On or Off each friend event, as desired.
4. Bottom: When you finish adjusting notifications, select Update Notifications.

Remove a Friend

Android:

1. Bottom right: Select ≡ (More), Friends.
2. Select the Friend you want to remove.
3. Top right: Select ⠇, Unfriend.
4. Select Unfriend to remove this Friend.
   OR
   Tap on the screen outside the drop down list to cancel

iOS:

1. Bottom right: Select ≡ (More), Friends.
2. Top right: Select Edit.
3. Select the ⊖ (large minus button) next to the Friend you want to remove.
4. Select Unfriend to remove this Friend.
   OR
   Select Cancel to go back.
5. Top right: When you have finished removing Friends, select Done.

Or after step 1, select a friend and then tap on ‘Friend’ then ‘Unfriend’ or ‘cancel’

Block a User

Android, iOS:

1. Bottom right: Select ≡ (More), Friends.
2. Select 🔍.
3. Type the name of the person you want to block, or a portion of their name, and Search on it.
4. Find the person you want to block, and select their name. Their profile displays.
5. Top right: Select ︙ or ⋯, then Block.
6. Select Block to block this user.
   OR
   Select Cancel to go back.

Unblock a User

Android, iOS:

1. Bottom right: Select ≡ (More), Friends.
2. Select 🔍.
3. Type the name of the person you want to unblock, or a portion of their name, and Search on it.
4. Find the person you want to unblock, and select their name. Their profile displays.
5. Select Unblock or tap the 3 dots at the top and then unfriend.

Report a User

Android, iOS:

1. Bottom right: Select ≡ (More), Friends.
2. Select 🔍.
3. Type the name of the person you want to report, or a portion of their name, and Search on it.
4. Find the person you want to report, and select their name. Their profile displays.
5. Top right: Select ︙ or ⋯, then Report.
6. Select the Reason you are reporting this user.
   YouVersion Community Support will receive a notification and investigate the reported account for the reason given.
   OR
   Select X to go back.

Privacy for Bible App Friendships

This section addresses your privacy specifically with regard to your YouVersion Friends. Refer to YouVersion’s Privacy Policy for more details.

NO ONE besides you can see:

• Your Bookmark Titles and Labels
• Notes that you mark as Private or Draft
• Your activity from Plans that you start as By Myself, Private
• Your activity from Plans whose Settings you configure as Privacy > Private
  You can check Plan Settings under Plans, My Plans, select Plan, ⋮ or ⋯, Settings.

ONLY people who are on your YouVersion Friends list can see:

• Your YouVersion profile
• Your YouVersion Friends list
• Your Bookmarks, Highlights, and Verse Images, as well as Comments and Likes on those things
• Your Badges and your Milestones on each badge
• Notes that you mark as Friends Only or Public
• Your activity from Plans that you start as Visible to Friends
• Your activity from Plans whose Settings are Privacy: Friends Only

People who are NOT on your YouVersion Friends list CANNOT see:

• Your Badges, Bookmarks, Highlights, and Verse Images, nor can they see Comments and Likes on those things

ANYONE on YouVersion CAN see:

• Notes that you mark as Public
• The name and image on your YouVersion Profile (so that friends can find you through search)
  If you would like to maximize your privacy:
  - Use a nickname that only your friends in real life know
  - Do not use a photo of yourself for your profile image
  Of course, people can see items that you post in spaces outside of YouVersion’s control (such as on social media).