Frequently asked questions

A website and an app provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) that you can download for free and use to obtain humanitarian services.

The ICRC is an independent, neutral organisation ensuring humanitarian protection and assistance for victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence.

Yes, Redsafe is designed and managed entirely by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

You can download RedSafe on your phone via Google Play or the Apple App Store, depending on which phone you have. You do need a smartphone to download the app.

Yes, you need a smartphone. However, you can also access it on the web with limited functionalities. https://redsafe.icrc.org

Information as Aid (for assistance and protective measures).

Digital Vault (for uploading and safely storing digital copies of your most important documents and contacts).

Map of services (locate humanitarian services on a map to see their description, contact details and type of service they offer).

Alerts (receive alerts from the ICRC on your phone).

Messages (Send and receive pre-defined messages including geolocation, selfies and contact information with other app users).

Yes, you can use Information as Aid, Map of Services and receive alerts without registering, but if you want to use the Digital Vault or the messages service you need to register.

If you want to register to be able to use the Digital Vault, you will need to provide an e-mail address and/or a phone number. You can choose which details to fill in in "settings".

Yes, you can still use RedSafe when you go to a different country. You can select the country for which you want to receive Information as Aid or see the point of interest map. Please note that RedSafe is only available for a limited number of countries at the moment.

Yes, certain features of RedSafe are available offline. For example, you can choose articles from Information as Aid that you want to access offline. You can also download the point of interest information or documents from your Digital Vault that you want accessible offline.

You can access all your personal information by logging in with your details to the RedSafe website. You will then be able to access your articles and your Digital Vault documents. You will not be able to scan and upload documents from the website.

To be able to scan and upload documents you will need to download the app on your new smartphone and log in with your details.

RedSafe is governed by ICRC Data Protection rules which protect and secure all personal data given to the ICRC for humanitarian purposes. Your personal data is safely stored on ICRC servers.

RedSafe only keeps data (such as contacts and metadata) in an encrypted, and anonymous manner for a certain period of time in case you disappear and a family member approaches the Red Cross to search for you.

Only a limited number of authorised ICRC staff members have access to certain data. This data is not shared with non-authorised staff nor with external organisations, authorities, etc.

No, your data is not shared with other organisations or any other external entities.

All the data sent from the phone to the platform is encrypted and therefore cannot be read by external parties.

Yes, all data is encrypted and unreadable by external parties.

Yes, you can cancel your RedSafe account whenever you want to.

Yes, the content of the Digital Vault will be deleted if you chose to cancel your account. The rest of your information will be stored in an encrypted and anonymous manner, for use in case you disappear and a family member approaches the Red Cross to search for you.

Click 'forgot username' on the login screen. You will be asked to provide your email address or phone number. If you haven't registered an email or a phone number, or if the process does not work for any other reason, then please send an email to redsafesupport@icrc.org. Include a phone number or email address on which we can reach you.

Click 'forgot password' on the login screen. You will be asked to provide your email address or to answer security questions. If you haven't registered an email address or setup your security questions, or if the process does not work for any other reason, then please send an email to redsafesupport@icrc.org. Include your username, phone number or an email address on which we can reach you.

Wait for 10 minutes and try again.

Your account can be locked for several reasons:
- You typed the wrong password several times. To unlock, wait 10 minutes and try to log in again.
- You had a long period of inactivity. To unlock, please contact redsafesupport@icrc.org with your username, phone number or an email address on which we can reach you.
- Abnormal behavior was detected on your account. To unlock, please contact redsafesupport@icrc.org with your username, phone number or an email address on which we can reach you.

You can connect to RedSafe from any other mobile device. Download the application and login with your details or access your account from a computer using the webapp redsafe.icrc.org.

If you have lost your SIM card/ changed your phone number/ lost access to your email and you are not able to receive the one-time passcode (OTP), please contact redsafesupport@icrc.org with your username, phone number or an email address on which we can reach you.

You will need to be logged in to edit your profile. Navigate to Settings, click on 'login' and enter your username, password and your one-time passcode (OTP) that will be sent to you by email or SMS. Then click on your Profile to edit any details.

Yes. When you create your account, you provide either a phone number or an email address on which to receive your OTP. You may choose to add both an email address and a phone number. To add an email address or phone number, navigate to Settings - Profile - Security Settings and add your email address or phone number.

Yes, you can change your one-time passcode. Navigate to Settings - Profile - Security Settings and add a new email address or phone number.

Yes, you may use the same email for several accounts. However, this is not recommended since you will only be able to recover the last account you created using that email.

In your profile, you can setup an 'Emergency Contact'. By selecting an Emergency Contact, you are authorising the ICRC to contact this person should you go missing and your family requests the ICRC to trace your whereabouts. You can always change your Emergency Contact by logging into your account, going to Settings - Profile - Account.

In your profile you can setup a 'Trusted Person' who will be authorised to access your Digital Vault in case of need. The Trusted Person will need to contact the ICRC via redsafesupport@icrc.org to request access to your Digital Vault. You can always change the selected Trusted Person from your profile (accessible through Settings).

Yes, you can change your country of preference. Navigate to Settings - Default Country and change it to the country of your choice.

This application is currently only available in some countries. If you don't see the app in the store but you are in a country where the application is normally available, you need to check the country of your google or apple account. If you cannot change your account to the country where you currently are, you can always use the webapp https://redsafe.icrc.org.
If, for any reason, you no longer have the application on your phone and you've moved out of one of the countries where RedSafe is available, please send an email to redsafesupport@icrc.org with your username, phone number or an email address on which we can reach you.

You will need to be logged in to access your Digital Vault. Navigate to the Digital Vault and then log in with your username, password and the one-time passcode that will be sent to you by email or SMS. Once you are in the Digital Vault, you can either upload a document from your library or take a photo. Follow the navigation prompts: you will need to name the document and select its category before you can save. You can also select the 'offline' option to access your document without internet.

Please check that you have internet connectivity and that you are logged in to the application (in Settings). If you still have issues, send an email to redsafesupport@icrc.org with your username, phone number or an email address on which we can reach you.

Unfortunately you can only upload images for now.

You will need to be logged in to access your Digital Vault. Navigate to Digital Vault and then log in with your username, password, and your one-time passcode that will be sent to you by email or SMS. Your documents will then be visible in your Digital Vault.

Yes, when you upload a document you can choose whether you'd like it to be accessible offline. If you select this option, you will be able to see the document regardless of the availability of a WiFi or data connection.

You can print the documents using the print button in the document details. You can also send the documents from your application to your email or to a printer.

The ICRC checks documents to avoid misuse of the Digital Vault. If you see this message and you think it is a mistake, please send an email to redsafesupport@icrc.org to report it. Include a phone number or an email address on which we can reach you.

Unfortunately, you cannot share a document with another RedSafe user. However, you can share a document through another application. Once you are in the Digital Vault, click the Share button in the document details and share it through the other application. Please note that RedSafe cannot guarantee the safety of your data once you use other applications.

No, you cannot recover a deleted Document.

From the Home page navigate to the service 'Information as Aid'. You can either filter by country (using the dropdown menu), by category (using the direct links at the top of the page), or you can search by keyword (using the search field at the top of the page).

Yes, you can download some articles on your mobile phone so that you can access them without WiFi or mobile data. Once you open an article in the Information as Aid section, click on the 'download' icon. This article will now be available when you are offline.

You can access articles even without WiFi if you have downloaded them onto your mobile phone. To do so, navigate to Information as Aid. In the top right corner of the screen you will see a link to your 'downloaded articles'.

When you download an article, it is stored in your mobile application. This is why you can only download articles and keep them offline in your mobile application and not in the web app.

For now this application is only available in Southern Africa and Central America. However, once you've downloaded the application you can have access it in other regions of the world. If for any reason, you do not have the application downloaded anymore in your telephone and you've moved out of the region, please send an email to redsafesupport@icrc.org with your username, telephone number or an email where we can reach you by.

If you experience a problem related to RedSafe, please contact redsafesupport@icrc.org. You may do this anonymously if you wish.

On the map of services, use the category filter to make specific types of services visible. By clicking on a point of interest you will find a short description of the services offered.

No, the map cannot be used offline, but you can download points of interest to access their information offline. To download a point of interest, click on it and then on the download button that appears on the screen.

Yes, you can download a point of interest to access its information offline. To download a point of interest, click on it and then on the download button that appears on the screen.

Yes, the map of services can be accessed without creating a user account.

When you launch the map of services for the first time, a pop-up window will appear on the screen. Click on "allow" to give the app permission to use your geolocation. To turn this feature on and off, click on the location icon on the top right of your screen.
You can also activate your location in your mobile's settings. Click on settings - locations, find RedSafe in the list of apps and toggle the RedSafe app location permission to "on".

When you launch the map of services, click on the location icon in top right corner of the screen. A pop-up menu will appear where you can choose to allow the RedSafe app to access to your current location.
You can also activate your location in your mobile's settings. Click on settings – privacy – location services. Find the RedSafe app in the list of apps and chose to allow RedSafe to use your current location.

Only humanitarian service providers are displayed on the map. Other points on the map are there for reference only and are not related to humanitarian services.

To change your country of preference, click on settings - default country, then select the new country of preference and save.

RedSafe is only available in some countries. There are no points of interest in those countries where RedSafe is not available. In some cases, a country may not include points of interest on the map for operational reasons even though RedSafe is available there.

The points of interest information is provided by the relevant partner. In some cases, the information provided may not have been transmitted correctly or changes were not communicated to the RedSafe team. If you detect any incorrect information, please share it with redsafesupport@icrc.org.

Your geolocation may be disabled, or you might not have given permission for your geolocation to be used by RedSafe. Activate your geolocation or authorise its use by the RedSafe app.

To send a message, you must know the username of the person you want to send a message to. It is possible to search for the user's name in the RedSafe directory. However, this user will only appear in search results if they have activated the option "appear in search results" in their message settings.

Your username to send and receive messages is the same one you use to access your RedSafe account.

No, you can only search for users by their username.

No, the message service only allows the sending of predefined messages between RedSafe users. The person to whom you are sending a predefined message should also have a RedSafe account.

To be visible to other users in their searches, go to the messages settings menu and activate the "appear in search results" option.

You can only add an audio message the first time you send a message to another user.

If the picture sent does not comply with the rules defined by RedSafe, it may have been blocked by the system. The selfie must show only your face. All other images will be blocked for both the sender and the receiver.

The person receiving the message has the option to send a receipt when they receive your message. However, this functionality is optional, so if the receiver does not send a receipt or the username doesn't exist, you will not know whether your message has been received or not.

To access the message settings, go to the message service in the RedSafe app and click on the icon at the top right of the screen.

No, messages cannot be forwarded as they are intended for communication between two users only.

The purpose of the message service is to communicate the status of a user to the receiver using a predefined message. Only a read receipt can be sent. To send a reply to the person who sent the message, the user should create a new message.

Your account can be locked for several reasons:
- You typed the wrong password several times. To unlock, wait 10 minutes and try to log in again.
- You had a long period of inactivity. To unlock, please contact redsafesupport@icrc.org with your username, and phone number or an email address on which we can reach you.
- Abnormal behaviour was detected on your account. To unlock, please contact redsafesupport@icrc.org with your username, and phone number or an email address on which we can reach you.

The message service can be deactivated and activated in the message settings. To access the message settings, go to the message service in the RedSafe app, click on the icon at the top right of the screen, and deactivate the "use message" option.

This application is currently only available in some countries. If you see this message in the browser, it is often because your device is being identified as being in an unauthorized country, based on the IP address. If you are in an authorized country, please use a local WiFi or a local SIM to connect to RedSafe. If, for any reason, you continue to experience this issue in a country where RedSafe is available, please send an email to redsafesupport@icrc.org with your username, phone number or an email address on which we can reach you.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) holds the copyright of the design, texts and audio-visual content of the Platform, unless otherwise stated.
The ICRC periodically adds, changes, improves or updates pages, links and content without notice. The ICRC reserves the right to modify or discontinue any aspect or feature at any time.

Any reproduction, modification, publication or commercial use of any part of RedSafe (document, photo, video, audio, logo or graphic) without the ICRC's prior express authorization is prohibited.

The red cross, red crescent and red crystal emblems are protected symbols under international humanitarian law and national laws. Any use that is not expressly authorized by the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols constitutes a misuse of the emblem and is prohibited.

The use of personal data is defined in the information notice.

RedSafe may refer to news items, resources, services and links to websites from third parties. The ICRC is doing its best to ensure that all these third party's references are helpful and serve only a humanitarian purpose. However, as the ICRC has no control over these items, resources, services and websites, the ICRC does not assume any responsibility for them and accepts no liability for any and all forms of loss or damage arising out of their use.

If you wish to place a link to RedSafe on other sites, you may do so only to the home page of the site without prior permission. Deep linking (i.e. links to specific pages within the site) requires the ICRC's prior express authorization. To find out more, please contact us at: redsafesupport@icrc.org.

In case of breach of these terms of use or serious abuse of the RedSafe, such as use for unlawful purposes, the ICRC reserves the right to take any appropriate measure. This may include the deletion of harmful or illegal content and the termination of your RedSafe account.

Either the ICRC or you may terminate your account and (where relevant) your subscription to a service at any time.
Contact us at redsafesupport@icrc.org if you have an issue to report related to RedSafe or a suggestion for improvement. We will do our best to treat your demand and improve our services. But we will not be able to respond to you individually.

RedSafe provides free of charge services to people who need humanitarian assistance.

This includes information on humanitarian services near you, a digital safe where you can store important documents and a secure messaging service.

RedSafe is managed by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The ICRC is a neutral, independent and impartial humanitarian organisation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

The legal basis for processing your data is performance of a contract (pursuant to your acceptance of the Information Notice and Terms of use that govern the use of RedSafe) and ICRC legitimate interest in maintaining the security of RedSafe, understanding how it is being used and improving the services it provides. All data is processed in accordance with the ICRC Rules on Personal Data Protection.

RedSafe gives you access to humanitarian services and information provided by the ICRC and under its responsibility.

RedSafe also provides you access to humanitarian services and information provided by ICRC partners (such as National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies), other actors or state authorities. The ICRC will do its best to encourage these service providers to keep the information up to date. But it cannot guarantee the accuracy of information and the quality of services which are not under its responsibility.

The ICRC takes all reasonable means to ensure that RedSafe is secure and your data is protected.

Your personal data, messages and documents are stored in Switzerland by the ICRC and not on commercial cloud services.

But as a user you should take measures for your own security. You should use only your account and it is not permitted to share accounts. To protect your account, personal information and devices, please read our Security tips below.

The ICRC will use your data only for humanitarian purposes, including to determine your fate or whereabouts if you were to go missing or if you need assistance.

The ICRC will generally not disclose your information to anyone, including your family, without your prior consent. However, the ICRC cannot exclude that here may be exceptional circumstances in which it has to share your information with governments and law enforcement agencies, notably in case of misuse of RedSafe for non-Humanitarian purposes. Yet, the ICRC does everything possible to reject requests for your information.

You can delete your documents, your data and also terminate your account.

In case you terminate your account, all your documents in the digital vault will be deleted, but the ICRC will archive and encrypt your other data offline and in a secure storage for 5 years. The offline archiving of your data for 5 years is done only for the purpose of determining your fate or whereabouts if you were to go missing or in need of assistance. After 5 years, if your data are not actively used for these humanitarian purposes, all your data will be deleted and therefore cannot be recovered.

Your data is processed in accordance with the ICRC Rules on Personal Data Protection. These Rules place an obligation on the ICRC to protect your data and give you certain rights in relation to how it is processed, including the right to request access, correction or deletion of your data. To submit such a request contact redsafesupport@icrc.org

The ICRC monitors your interactions with the RedSafe, to protect your data and RedSafe against attacks, and also to prevent the misuse of RedSafe for non-humanitarian purposes. This does include monitoring of messages and documents, to prevent the upload of malicious files threatening the system, and the storing of harmful or illegal content. This monitoring is done in a secure manner to protect your privacy.

In case of serious abuse, the ICRC reserves the right to take appropriate measures. This includes the deletion of harmful or illegal content and the termination of your RedSafe account.

The ICRC is developing RedSafe to reflect the needs and demands of its users. If new tools and services necessitate changes to the processing of your personal data, the information provided here will be updated.

- Use long passwords (more than 12 characters) and difficult to guess. You can use a sentence (passphrase) or mix words with numbers.
- Do not use the same password for all accounts and change passwords from time to time.
- Do not share your account and your passwords; they are like keys to your private home.
- If you cannot remember them, save your passwords in a secure place.
- If you use the computer/phone of somebody else or in an internet café, do not save your password and user name in the internet browser. Remember to clean up your browser history.

- Share information about yourself and your contacts only with people you know and trust.
- Do not accept invitations from people you do not know.
- Do not click on suspicious links.
- Avoid social media, internet cafés or using public WIFI when you write or share sensitive information.
- Only authorize access to your contacts to apps that you trust.
- In RedSafe, we will use your contacts only to provide you with a humanitarian service.

- Authorize access to your geolocation only to apps that you trust.
- In RedSafe, your geolocation is not shared with third parties and is used only to provide you with a humanitarian service. Geolocation is required for you to locate humanitarian services on a map, to receive ICRC alerts and to enable the ICRC to ascertain your fate if you go missing and to provide assistance if possible.

- Reformat your phone or computer to delete all data.
- Or delete your most sensitive data and also the apps (such as RedSafe, Facebook and What's app) which contain personal information and messages.

- Log off from your RedSafe account, but also from other apps such as Facebook and WhatsApp.

- Re-format your phone/computer to delete everything.