Support

Contact us

Email: support@categorush.app

We usually reply within two working days. To help us fix a problem quickly, please include:

• your device (for example “iPhone 14” or “iPad Air”) and its iOS version;
• the Categorush version, shown at the bottom of the app's settings screen;
• the game language and mode you were in when it happened;
• what you expected, and what happened instead.

Please don't send passwords or personal details — we never need them, because Categorush has no accounts.

Playing the game

How does a round work?

Everyone gets the same random letter. Then you race through a list of categories — Animal, Food, Country and so on — typing a word that starts with that letter before the timer runs out. Each category has its own countdown, between 5 and 15 seconds depending on your settings. When the round finishes, everyone's answers are revealed one at a time and scored together.

How is scoring worked out?

• 10 points for a correct word.
• 5 points instead if another player gave the same word — think of something nobody else will.
• +5 bonus for the fastest correct answer in a category.
• The rare letters I, J, K, N and O double your whole score for that category.
• If two players finish on the same points, the tie is broken by whoever answered faster overall.

My word was rejected — why?

A word has to start with the round's letter (accents don't matter — Éclair counts for E, Ø counts for O). After that, the game filters out obvious non-words: anything shorter than two letters, anything that's the same character repeated, and anything with no vowel in it. If you think a real word was rejected unfairly, please email us the word and its language — we do fix these.

What is Easy vs Hard?

Easy leaves out the five rare letters (I, J, K, N, O) so words are simpler to think of. Hard uses the full 19-letter set. Neither changes the timer; use the seconds-per-word setting for that.

What does kid mode do?

Kid mode adds 5 seconds to every word and shows a picture hint next to each category, so younger players can keep up. You can switch it on for the whole room from the game settings before you start.

Rooms and multiplayer

How do I play with other people?

One person taps Create Game and gets a room code. Everyone else taps Join Game and types that code. Up to 6 players can be in a room. Only the host can change the settings and start the game.

Do we all need to be in the same place?

No. Anyone with the room code and an internet connection can join. If you are all in the same place and would rather share one device, use Pass & Play instead — it works with no internet connection at all.

“Room not found” when I enter the code

Usually one of three things: the code was mistyped (they are case-insensitive, but 0 and O are easy to confuse), the host closed the room, or the room has already finished. Ask the host to create a fresh room. If the code is definitely right and it still fails, check that the joining device has a working internet connection.

Someone dropped out mid-game

The game carries on without them and their unanswered categories score zero. They can rejoin with the same code while the room is still open.

Is there a chat?

No. Players can only submit single-word answers, which appear during the reveal. There is no free-text messaging in Categorush — a deliberate choice, since children play it.

Microphone and speech

Why does Categorush ask for the microphone?

Only so you can say an answer instead of typing it, which is much easier for younger players. It is entirely optional. If you say no to the permission prompt, everything else in the game works normally — you just type.

I said no by mistake. How do I turn it back on?

Open the iOS Settings app, scroll down to Categorush, and switch on Microphone and Speech Recognition. Both are needed for spoken answers.

Does my voice get recorded or uploaded?

Categorush never records audio, never saves it, and never sends it to our servers. Transcription is done by Apple's Speech framework, on-device wherever your device and language support it. See the privacy policy for the full detail, including the one case where iOS itself may send a snippet to Apple.

Speech isn't recognising my answers

Check that the game language matches the language you are speaking — the recogniser is set to the game's language, so saying an English word during a Dansk game will not match. Background noise and a covered microphone are the other usual causes.

Languages

Which languages are supported?

English, Español, Français, Deutsch and Dansk. Everything is translated — the interface, the category names, the word suggestions and the fun facts.

Can we play in a language none of us speaks well?

Yes, and plenty of people do exactly that to practise. Turn kid mode on for the extra seconds, and use Easy difficulty to avoid the rare letters.

Progress and data

How do I reset my progress?

Use Reset progress in the app's settings. This clears your XP, level, streak and word book on that device. It cannot be undone.

Does my progress sync between my iPhone and iPad?

No. Progress is stored on each device separately, because Categorush has no accounts and no server-side profile. Restoring an iCloud device backup to a new device brings that device's progress with it.

I deleted the app — can I get my word book back?

Only from an iCloud or computer backup taken before you deleted it. We hold no copy of your data, so there is nothing we can restore for you. This is the trade-off that comes with collecting nothing.

How do I request deletion of my data?

Deleting the app removes everything, immediately and completely. If you would like written confirmation that we hold nothing about you, email support@categorush.app and we will send it.

Press kit

Writing about Categorush? We would be glad to help. Email press@categorush.app and we will send logos, screenshots at every required size, a short and long description, and can arrange a promo code for review.

The basics, if that is all you need:

Privacy

Categorush collects no personal data. The full privacy policy explains exactly what is stored on your device, what multiplayer sends, and how the microphone is used.