Support

Using the app

The screen is three large buttons stacked top to bottom, plus a smaller row at the bottom. Press a button and listen. Each press gives a short vibration so you know it registered.

Intersection — the top button

Says the nearest street corner, how far away it is, and which direction to walk. When the compass is steady you also get a clock direction, like “at your 2 o’clock,” measured from the way you are facing.

Address — the middle button

Says the nearest building number and street name, then repeats the number one digit at a time so it can be written down or read aloud without confusion.

Food — the bottom button

Says the two or three closest restaurants, cafes, and grocery stores, each with distance and direction, closest first.

Repeat

Press a button first, then turn on Repeat. The app repeats that same button automatically as you walk, with a fresh location every time. Press a different button while Repeat is on and Repeat moves to that button. Press Repeat again to turn it off.

Asking Siri

You can get the same three answers without touching the phone, and without opening the app. Say “Hey Siri” followed by one of:

• “What’s my nearest intersection in CurbCues”
• “What’s my address in CurbCues”
• “What food is nearby in CurbCues”

The words “in CurbCues” are required — Apple needs the app name in the phrase. CurbCues replies “CurbCues working” straight away, then speaks the answer a moment later in its own voice. This works with the phone locked and in your pocket.

Settings

Opens a screen where you can set how often announcements repeat (30 seconds, 1 minute, or 2 minutes) and how fast the voice talks (0.75x to 2x). Tapping a speed plays a sample at that speed. Press Save to keep your choices, or Close to leave them as they were.

When something goes wrong

Nothing is spoken when I press a button

• Turn the volume up with the side buttons. The ring/silent switch does not mute CurbCues, but the volume level does.
• If Bluetooth headphones or a car stereo are connected, the announcement may be playing there.
• Open the iPhone Settings app, choose CurbCues, then Location, and make sure it is set to While Using the App.

It says my location is not accurate

GPS struggles between tall buildings, under bridges, and indoors. Move into the open and wait a few seconds, then press again. CurbCues warns you rather than reading out an answer it cannot stand behind.

No intersection was found

You may be mid-block, in a parking lot, or on a road that is not fully mapped. Walk a little and try again. Street corner data comes from OpenStreetMap, which is detailed in towns and cities and thinner in rural areas.

The cross street is wrong

Street names come from public map data, and occasionally that data is out of date. If a corner is consistently wrong, email us the two street names and the town — the underlying map can be corrected, and that fix helps everyone.

Announcements overlap in Repeat mode

Food is the longest announcement, and at 30 seconds it can start again before you have finished listening. Open Settings and change the repeat interval to 1 or 2 minutes.

Siri does not answer

Open CurbCues once and allow location access — Siri cannot get your location until you have. If the phrases are not recognised at all, check the Shortcuts app for CurbCues; iOS sometimes takes a few minutes after installing to register them.

The voice is too fast or too slow

Open Settings and try the speech speeds. Each one plays a sample when you tap it, so you can judge by ear. Remember to press Save.

Requirements

• iPhone running a current version of iOS
• Location Services turned on
• An internet connection, for street corner and business lookups

A word about safety

CurbCues describes what is around you. It does not detect traffic, signals, crosswalks, obstacles, or hazards, and it cannot tell you when it is safe to cross. Use it alongside a cane, a guide dog, and your own orientation and mobility training — never in place of them.