FAQ

Yellowstone, Mt. St. Helens and many other volcanoes are included in the database. However, many volcanoes are currently dormant (green alert level) and are hidden by default to avoid crowding the map. Zoom in and allow “green alert” volcanoes in your filters to see them.

Earthquakes are reported by many different scientific agencies worldwide. Each agency uses its own instruments and methods, so initial estimates for magnitude, depth or location may differ. When the app receives updated information from another agency, an event can temporarily appear with slightly different values or as a second entry. These usually merge automatically once agencies publish consistent final data.

Initial earthquake data is often automatic and based on preliminary readings. Once more stations report and waveforms are analyzed, agencies update their estimates. This can change the magnitude, depth or location. Such updates are normal and expected for most earthquakes.

Although the app collects data from many international and national sources, some very small or local earthquakes may not be reported publicly or may appear with delays. In rare cases, events are removed by agencies if they were mis-located or were not real earthquakes. Filters in the app (magnitude, age, region, etc.) can also hide events.

This can happen if filters hide all data (for example, a magnitude filter excluding smaller quakes, or hiding dormant “green” volcanoes). Zooming out very far can also limit what is shown. If the app is offline and no cached data is available, the map may appear empty until new data is downloaded.

1) Missing permission
Many issues occur when the system notification permission is disabled. Use the in-app notification settings (or System settings → Apps → Volcanoes & Earthquakes → Notifications) and try the “Test notification” button.

2) Battery and power saving settings
Some devices restrict background activity or network usage to save battery. Check battery optimization / power saving settings and allow the app to run in the background.

3) Google notification service not available
In some regions or on some devices, Google’s notification service may be blocked or disabled. In that case, the app offers an optional premium notification service that works independently.

Your location is used only to calculate distances, sort lists by proximity, and provide location-based notifications. Your location is never stored on our servers. When you submit an “I felt it” report, your location is automatically blurred (randomized by about 100 meters) before being transmitted.

If you prefer not to grant location access, the app will still work normally. You can view earthquakes and volcanoes worldwide and use all features except proximity-based sorting and local distance calculations.

The app normally uses very little battery. However, very short background update intervals or many alert regions may increase battery usage. For best performance, choose a reasonable update interval and avoid strict battery restrictions.

Feedback, ideas and bug reports are very valuable and help improve the app. If you’d like to support development directly, consider upgrading via the in-app options. Leaving a positive review or sharing the app also helps a lot — thank you!