# Repair check-ins

> After a fight, when you both want to talk but neither of you knows where to start. A repair check-in is a 20-minute version of the weekly reveal, designed for the day after.

A repair check-in is the same simultaneous-reveal mechanic as the weekly check-in, but compressed. Instead of writing through a whole week, both of you write for about 10 minutes, mark ready, and reveal. It's designed for the conversation you want to have the day after a fight.

## When to use it

- After a hard argument when you've both cooled off but the air still feels heavy
- After something one of you said that landed wrong
- After a difficult conversation that ended with "let's talk about it later"
- After a misunderstanding that snowballed
- Any time you both want to communicate but neither of you knows how to start

## How it differs from the weekly check-in

| | Weekly check-in | Repair check-in |
|---|---|---|
| Cadence | Once a week | On-demand |
| Writing window | The full week | About 10 minutes |
| Prompts | Open | Repair-specific |
| Reveal | Same simultaneous mechanic | Same |
| Conversation starters | Standard | Tuned for repair conversations |

## How it works

1. Either of you taps **+ Start a repair check-in** on the home tab.
2. The other partner gets a notification: "Sam started a repair check-in. They want to talk."
3. Each of you writes one to three entries with repair-specific prompts:
   - **What I felt during the conflict** (not who was right)
   - **What I needed and didn't ask for**
   - **What I'd do differently next time**
   - **One thing I appreciated even in the middle of it** (optional)
4. Both of you mark ready.
5. The reveal opens — both of you see everything at the same time.
6. The conversation starters are tuned for repair, for example:
   - "You both wrote about feeling unheard. What would help you feel heard now?"
   - "Sam wrote about needing space. Casey wrote about feeling pushed away. How do those two coexist?"

## Why "repair," not "fight resolution"

We picked the word **repair** on purpose. Repair is a real concept in relationship research — it's the small moves that bring you back from a rupture. Open Heart's repair check-in isn't about deciding who was right. It's about giving you both a structure for getting back to each other.

The prompts reflect that. There's no "what your partner did wrong" prompt, deliberately.

## Privacy

The same protection as your weekly entries. Repair check-in entries are locked on your phone before they leave it. Nothing about the repair flow is more or less visible to us than the weekly flow.

## When it might not be the right tool

- **In active crisis.** If you or your partner are in immediate danger or someone is at risk, please use the [crisis resources](/docs/privacy/crisis-resources). The repair check-in is for healthy couples processing a normal hard moment.
- **In a pattern of harm.** If the same fight keeps happening despite repair attempts, an app isn't enough. A couples therapist is the right next step.
- **When one partner doesn't want to.** Repair only works if both of you opt in. The notification is a request, not a demand. If your partner declines, give them space.

## Related

- [The simultaneous reveal](/docs/features/simultaneous-reveal)
- [Crisis resources](/docs/privacy/crisis-resources)
- [Recommending Open Heart to clients (for therapists)](/docs/for-therapists/recommending-app)