> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://aftercaredocs.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Using AfterCare Offline Without an Account

> Learn how AfterCare's three runtime modes — Full, Sync, and Local — determine what you can do without a server or an account.

AfterCare is designed to load and be usable under any conditions — including with no internet connection and no account. When the app starts, it silently checks what services are available and picks the best mode automatically. You do not need to configure anything. If neither the AfterCare service nor cloud sync is available, the app falls back to **Local mode** and stores everything in your browser. No configuration produces a blank page or a crash.

## The three modes

AfterCare detects which mode to use at startup, in priority order:

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Full mode" icon="server" href="#full-mode-the-complete-experience">
    The AfterCare service is reachable. You get the complete experience: upload paperwork, run the processing pipeline, and receive a full recovery guide. Caregiver sync is available.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Sync mode" icon="cloud" href="#sync-mode-your-account-any-device">
    Cloud sync is configured. Your account and any existing recovery guides sync across your devices, but the processing pipeline is not running — you can view guides you already have, not create new ones from raw paperwork.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Local mode" icon="device-mobile" href="#local-mode-no-account-required">
    No external service is configured. Everything stays in your browser. No sign-in required, no data leaves your device. Your guide loads and is fully readable.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### Full mode — the complete experience

Full mode is active when the AfterCare service answers a health check at startup. This is the mode you get when using the hosted app at [aftercare-web-eta.vercel.app](https://aftercare-web-eta.vercel.app) while connected to the internet.

What you can do in Full mode:

* **Upload discharge paperwork** (PDF or a photo of a page) and have it automatically turned into a structured recovery guide.
* View your medications with schedule, upcoming appointments, a care timeline, and a pinned emergency screen.
* Sync your guide to your account so caregivers in your care circle can see it.
* Resume a previous session — if you close the tab and return, AfterCare replays the processing stream so you pick up where you left off.

<Warning>
  Document processing — turning a PDF or photo into a recovery plan — requires the AfterCare service to be available. If the service is unreachable and you are in Sync or Local mode, you can still read guides you have already generated, but you cannot create new ones from raw paperwork until the service comes back online.
</Warning>

### Sync mode — your account, any device

Sync mode is active when cloud sync credentials are present but the AfterCare processing service is not reachable. Your account and data are stored in the cloud, so opening AfterCare on a new device shows your existing recovery guides immediately after you sign in.

What you can do in Sync mode:

* **Sign in and sign out** with your email and password.
* View recovery guides you have already generated.
* Access your data on any device you own.

What is not available in Sync mode:

* Uploading and processing new paperwork (requires Full mode).
* Creating a new recovery guide from scratch.

### Local mode — no account required

Local mode activates automatically when no other service is configured. Everything AfterCare saves — document metadata, your recovery guide content — stays in your browser's local storage on your device. Nothing is sent to any server.

<Note>
  In Local mode, your data does not persist across different browsers or devices. If you switch browsers or use a different phone, you will start fresh. Clear your browser data and your local guide is gone. For cross-device access, you need Full or Sync mode.
</Note>

What you can do in Local mode:

* **Open and read** any recovery guide that was already generated (for example, one generated in Full mode that you saved locally).
* Use AfterCare with no account and no internet connection.
* Keep your data entirely private — it never leaves your device.

## Mode upgrades happen automatically

If AfterCare starts in Local mode because the service was temporarily asleep, it keeps quietly checking in the background. Free-tier hosting can take up to a minute to wake after an idle period. When the service responds, AfterCare upgrades to Full mode on its own — no page reload required.

<Tip>
  If you notice a status indicator in the app showing **Saved on this device** when you expected **Connected to the AfterCare service**, wait a minute and check again. The app will upgrade itself once the service wakes.
</Tip>


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