ZBubble β€” User Guide

Everything you need to get started and master ZBubble.

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Overview

ZBubble lets you leave playful hidden bubble messages in real-world locations and discover surprises around you. Bubbles are fixed to the spot where they’re created β€” they don’t move. Explore, pop bubbles nearby, and connect with people in a fun, location-first way.

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Getting Started

  • Install from Google Play. App Store coming soon.
  • Grant location permissions for discovering bubbles around you.
  • Enable notifications to get alerts about nearby bubbles and interactions.
  • Open the app and follow the on-screen prompts to sign in.
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Account & Authentication

  • Sign in with your email; enter the 6-digit verification code.
  • You can paste OTP digits; single-digit cells auto-advance.
  • After verifying, choose a unique nickname and finish your profile basics.
  • If OTP doesn’t arrive: check coverage, wait a minute, then request again.
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Bubbles: Create, Discover, Pop

  • Create: Drop a bubble at your current location and add a mood or media to set the vibe.
  • Discover: Explore the map and your Memory Map to find bubbles around you. Walk closer to reveal and interact.
  • Open/Pop: When in range, tap to pop and view its content.
  • Location integrity: Bubble locations can't be edited later; this keeps the experience authentic.
  • Bubble Types: Choose from Public, Private, SOS, Silver, Golden, Diamond, or Surprise bubbles. Each type has different features, ranges, and costs.
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Surprise Bubbles

  • What are Surprise Bubbles? Special bubbles that contain collectible items! When someone opens your surprise bubble, they receive the item you put inside.
  • Creating Surprise Bubbles: Purchase items from the Item Shop with points, then select an item when creating a surprise bubble. Items are one-time use - they're consumed when used to create a bubble.
  • Opening Surprise Bubbles: Surprise bubbles are free to open! When you open a surprise bubble created by another user, you receive the item inside and it's added to your collection.
  • AR Support: You can create surprise bubbles directly from AR mode with full item selection support.
  • Important: You cannot collect items from your own surprise bubbles - only from bubbles created by other users. This encourages sharing and discovery!
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Item Shop

  • Buying Items: Visit the Item Shop to purchase collectible items with points. Items come in three rarities: Common (10 points), Rare (25 points), and Unique (50 points).
  • Using Items: Purchased items can be used to create surprise bubbles. When you create a surprise bubble with a purchased item, it is consumed (one-time use).
  • Item Inventory: View your purchased items when creating a surprise bubble. The shop shows how many of each item you own.
  • Access: Find the Item Shop from the home screen or collection screen. You can also access it directly when creating a surprise bubble if you don't have any items.
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Collection System

  • What is a Collection? Your collection displays items you've received from opening surprise bubbles created by other users.
  • Collecting Items: Open surprise bubbles created by others to collect items. Each item you receive is added to your collection for display.
  • Display Only: Collection items are for display only - they cannot be reused or used to create new bubbles. They represent your achievements and discoveries.
  • Viewing Your Collection: Access your collection from the home screen or profile. See all the unique items you've collected from surprise bubbles.
  • Note: You cannot collect items from your own surprise bubbles. This encourages you to explore and open bubbles created by others!
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Notifications

  • Single delete: Swipe or use the delete action on an item.
  • Clear all: Use the toolbar action to remove all notifications.
  • Duplicate prevention: We avoid sending duplicate push notifications for the same bubble and user.
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Profile

  • Set your name and avatar from the profile screen.
  • For other users, we display the most accurate name from available fields.
  • Your own profile updates reflect everywhere, including your profile page.
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Friends, Followers & Following

  • View followers and following lists with names and avatars.
  • Avatars are shown when available; otherwise, we fall back to initials.
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Group Chats & Challenges

  • Create and manage groups: Start group chats, add or remove members, and assign or remove admins to keep your groups organized.
  • Group icons: Group admins can pick and upload a custom image as the group icon so each chat has its own identity.
  • Group challenges: Create challenges inside a group such as creating, discovering, or opening bubbles β€” including special goals like opening golden bubbles.
  • Progress tracking: See how many tasks each member has completed in the challenge, plus the best progress in the group.
  • Cancel challenges: Group admins and challenge creators can cancel a challenge when it’s no longer needed.
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Achievements & Rewards

  • Unlocking achievements: Progress through the app by creating, discovering, and opening bubbles, and by being active in the community.
  • Claim prize points: When you complete an achievement, a button appears allowing you to receive the reward points.
  • One-time claim: Each achievement’s prize can be claimed only once, even if you continue to progress beyond the requirement.
  • Track your progress: The achievements screen shows which achievements are locked, in progress, or completed and claimed.
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Analytics & Stats

  • Likes received: The β€œlikes received” counter only increases over time and does not go down even if bubbles are deleted.
  • Messages sent: See the real number of messages you’ve sent across chats so you can understand how active you are.
  • Bubble activity: View how many bubbles you’ve created, discovered, and opened as part of your overall statistics.
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Store & Purchases

  • Buy: Choose a package and confirm the purchase.
  • Cancel: If you cancel from the store modal, tap Cancel in-app to stop loading immediately.
  • Buy again: You can purchase the same package multiple times.
  • If a purchase seems stuck, use the Cancel button and try again.
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Credits & Points

  • Credits: Premium currency used to create premium bubbles (Silver, Golden, Diamond). Tap the credits area on the home screen to refresh your balance instantly.
  • Points: Earn points by creating and opening bubbles. Use points to purchase items from the Item Shop. Points are displayed on the home screen.
  • Earning Points:
    • Creating bubbles: 5-50 points depending on bubble type
    • Opening bubbles: 1-10 points depending on bubble type
    • Discovering bubbles: Additional points for first discovery
  • Credits to Points Conversion: Convert your credits to points from the collection screen. This allows you to use premium currency to buy items for surprise bubbles.
  • Your balances sync from the cloud to ensure accuracy across all devices.
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Privacy & Safety

  • Read our Privacy Policy to learn how we handle data.
  • See Safety Guidelines for safe and respectful usage.
  • Report harmful content via in-app reporting or contact channels below.
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Troubleshooting

  • Didn’t navigate after OTP? Wait a moment; the app will auto-continue when your session is ready. If it persists, restart the app and try again.
  • No bubbles nearby? Ensure location is enabled and you have a good GPS signal.
  • Notifications not showing? Confirm notification permissions are enabled in system settings.
  • Purchase stuck? Use the in-app Cancel button and reattempt.
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FAQ

  • Can I move a bubble after creating it? No. Locations are fixed to preserve authenticity.
  • Can I delete notifications in bulk? Yes. Use Clear All in the notifications screen.
  • Can I buy the same package more than once? Yes, multiple purchases are supported.
  • Does the app work without location? Limited. Discovery depends on your location.
  • Can I reuse items from my collection? No. Collection items are display-only. You can only use purchased items from the shop to create surprise bubbles.
  • Can I collect items from my own surprise bubbles? No. You can only collect items from surprise bubbles created by other users. This encourages exploration and sharing!
  • How do I get more points? Earn points by creating and opening bubbles. You can also convert credits to points from the collection screen.
  • Are surprise bubbles free to open? Yes! Surprise bubbles are completely free to open. You just need to be within range (25m) to open them.
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Need Help?

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