Frequently Asked Questions

Always Keep Me is a service that transforms voice recordings into beautiful, printable keepsakes. We convert your audio file into a high-resolution image featuring a visual sound wave of the voice and a scannable QR code. When someone scans the QR code with their phone, they can hear the original recording instantly.

This creates a unique blend of physical and digital memory preservation — you get a frameable image you can display anywhere, while the actual voice remains accessible forever through a simple phone scan.

The process takes just a few minutes from start to finish:

1. Upload Your Audio: Choose any voice recording from your device — a voice message, voicemail, video clip, or any supported audio file.

2. Add Custom Text: Write a personal message, name, date, or caption (up to 50 characters). Something like "Mum's voice, 2024" or "Happy Birthday from Gran". Choose something meaningful that reflects your memory or who the gift is from.

3. Customise the Design: Choose your fonts, colors for text, sound wave and QR code, and your preferred paper size.

4. Preview for Free: Generate unlimited free previews until you're completely happy with how it looks.

5. Pay & Download: Pay to unlock your full-quality image with your real audio sound wave and a fully working QR code.

6. Print & Frame: Download, print at home or at any print shop, frame it, and scan the QR code anytime to hear the voice.

Always Keep Me is for anyone who wants to preserve a voice and turn it into something real and lasting:

Families: Preserve children’s first words, a baby’s first heartbeat, a grandparent’s voice, and precious milestone recordings to treasure forever.

Those remembering loved ones: Preserve a voicemail, a recording from a special occasion, or simply someone saying "I love you" — and make it something you can hold.

Couples: Preserve wedding vows, anniversary messages, or love letters spoken in your own voices.

Gift givers: Create a truly unique, heartfelt gift for birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day, graduations, retirements — any occasion that deserves more than flowers or a card.

There is no dedicated app at this time. Always Keep Me works entirely through the website at alwayskeep.me, which is fully optimised for use on mobile phones, tablets, and desktop computers. No download or installation is required — just open your browser and go.

Yes — AlwaysKeepMe is available to anyone, anywhere in the world. We support multiple currencies, and payments are processed through Peach Payments, which accepts a wide range of international cards and payment methods. The downloaded image can be printed at home or through any local print service in your country.

We support the most common audio and video formats to ensure compatibility with recordings from virtually any device: MP3, WAV, M4A, OPUS, OGG, MP4, and MOV.

This covers recordings made on iPhones, Android phones, voice recorders, computers, and most other digital devices. If your file is in a different format, you can convert it for free using an online tool such as CloudConvert before uploading.

The maximum file size is 10MB, which is more than sufficient for most voice messages, speeches, songs, or personal recordings.

If your file exceeds 10MB, you can reduce it by: compressing the audio using a free tool like Audacity, converting it to MP3 format (which is typically smaller than WAV), or trimming any unnecessary silence from the beginning or end of the recording.

Yes. WhatsApp voice notes are saved as .opus or .m4a files, both of which are supported. To get the file off WhatsApp:

On iPhone: Open the chat, press and hold the voice message, tap "Share," and save or send the file to yourself.

On Android: WhatsApp voice messages are typically stored in your phone's file manager under WhatsApp > Media > WhatsApp Voice Notes. You can also forward the voice message to yourself via email to save it as a file.

Once you have the file, simply upload it on our create page.

Yes. Most smartphones allow you to save or share voicemails as audio files.

On iPhone: Open the Phone app, tap Voicemail, select the message, and tap the Share button (box with arrow). You can save it to Files or send it to yourself via email or AirDrop.

On Android: This varies by carrier and app. In most voicemail apps, press and hold the message and look for a Save or Share option. Some carriers also let you forward voicemails to your email as an audio attachment.

Once you have the file, simply upload it on our create page. MP3, M4A, and WAV formats are all supported.

Yes — you can upload MP4 and MOV video files directly and we will extract the audio automatically. You do not need to convert it yourself first.

If your video file exceeds the 10MB limit, you can extract just the audio track using a free tool like Audacity, VLC, or an online converter such as CloudConvert, which will produce a much smaller audio-only file.

Direct in-browser recording is not currently available. However, it is very easy to record on your device first and then upload:

iPhone: Use the built-in Voice Memos app, then share or export the file.

Android: Use the Voice Recorder or Sound Recorder app that came with your phone.

Computer: Use Voice Memos (Mac) or the built-in Sound Recorder (Windows).

Recording separately actually gives you more control — you can listen back, re-record if needed, and make sure the quality is right before uploading.

Record in a quiet space: Background noise, TV, traffic, or other people talking will be captured in the recording and can distract from the voice you're preserving.

Hold the microphone at the right distance: Position it a comfortable distance from the speaker’s mouth. Too close may cause distortion, while too far can make the voice sound faint or distant. The ideal distance depends on how loudly the person speaks, the quality of the phone or microphone, and any surrounding background noise.

Speak at a natural, comfortable volume: Don't shout or whisper — a normal conversational voice records best.

Do a test recording first: Play it back before uploading to make sure the audio is clear, audible, and sounds the way you want it to.

The quality of the final product reflects the quality of your recording. We do not enhance or clean up audio — what you upload is what the QR code will play.

Always Keep Me costs $4 per voice memory. This is a single, one-time payment — there are no subscriptions, recurring fees, or hidden charges.

Your payment includes everything: audio processing and lifetime storage, custom sound wave generation, full design customisation, QR code creation and hosting, and a high-resolution 300 DPI print-ready image download. No upsells, no premium tiers — just one simple price.

Your payment includes everything: audio processing and lifetime storage, custom sound wave generation, full design customisation, QR code creation and hosting, and a high-resolution 300 DPI print-ready image download. No upsells, no premium tiers — just one simple price.

No. There are no subscriptions, memberships, or recurring charges of any kind. You pay once per voice memory, and that's it.

If you want to create additional keepsakes in the future, each one is a separate purchase.

Payments are processed securely by Peach Payments. The following methods are accepted:

Credit and debit cards: Visa, Mastercard, and other major card networks.

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT): Direct bank transfers for South African customers.

Mobile money and regional payment methods: Available options vary by location.

All payment processing happens on Peach Payments's secure, encrypted servers. We never see or store your card details.

Yes. All payment processing is handled by Peach Payments, which is PCI DSS compliant — the highest security standard in the payment card industry. Your card details are encrypted during transmission and stored securely by Peach Payments. We never have access to your full credit card number or any sensitive payment information.

Yes, absolutely. There is no limit to how many keepsakes you can create. Each one is a separate purchase, with its own unique audio file, design, QR code, and payment reference. Each keepsake is completely independent.

All sales are final. We do not offer refunds under any circumstances.

This policy exists because digital products cannot be "returned" once delivered, and because we provide unlimited free previews before any payment is required. You can preview your exact design — including fonts, colors, text, and layout — as many times as you need before committing to purchase. The final product matches what you approved in the preview.

We do not offer refunds for: typos or errors you missed during preview, the wrong audio file being uploaded, a change of mind after purchase, technical issues on your own device, or any other personal circumstances.

Unfortunately, we are unable to edit or modify a purchased keepsake, and we cannot issue a refund for this reason. Each product is generated at the point of purchase based on the content you submitted and approved in the preview.

We provide unlimited free previews specifically so you can check every detail — including spelling, punctuation, and text formatting — before paying. We strongly encourage using this feature before completing your purchase.

If you would like a corrected version, you are welcome to create a new keepsake with the corrected text, as a new purchase.

Because we offer unlimited free previews, you have the opportunity to see exactly how your keepsake will look before paying — including all fonts, colors, text, and layout. The purchased version matches the approved preview.

If you are unhappy with a design choice after purchasing, we are unable to issue a refund. We encourage all customers to experiment with the free preview as many times as needed to find a design they love before purchasing.

If your downloaded file is corrupted or damaged due to a technical issue on our end, please first try re-downloading your keepsake from our retrieval page at alwayskeep.me/retrieve using your email address and payment reference.

If the problem persists, please contact our support team at support@alwayskeep.me with your email address and payment reference. We will investigate and resolve any legitimate technical issues with your delivered product.

We ask that you contact us directly at support@alwayskeep.me before initiating any chargeback or payment dispute. We are committed to resolving genuine issues fairly and promptly.

Initiating a chargeback for a product that was delivered as previewed and approved constitutes a breach of our Terms of Use. We will contest any fraudulent chargebacks, as we provide full customisation and unlimited free previews before any payment is required.

Always Keep Me offers full design customisation so your keepsake feels truly personal:

• Custom text (up to 50 characters): A name, message, date, or caption of your choice
• Font selection: Choose from a wide range of fonts including classic, modern, script, and display styles
• Text styling: Bold, italic, or both
• Text color: Any color you choose
• Waveform (sound wave) color: Choose the color of the audio sound wave visualization
• QR code color: Customise the QR code color (note: darker colors scan more reliably)
• Paper size: A0 down to A5
• Optional date display: Add a specific date next to the QR code

The custom text field supports up to 50 characters. This limit is intentional — it keeps the design clean, elegant, and visually balanced. Short, meaningful phrases work best: a name and year, a short message, or a date and occasion.

Yes — previewing is completely free and unlimited. You can upload your audio, customise every element of the design, and generate a preview image as many times as you like before making any payment.

Preview images show your full design with a sample sound wave (not your actual audio sound wave) and a watermark. Once you pay, the final version includes your real sound wave and a fully functional QR code with no watermarks.

No. Once a purchase is completed, the product is finalised and cannot be edited, modified, or regenerated. This is why we provide unlimited free previews — so you can perfect the design before committing to payment.

If you need a different version (for example, with corrected text or a different audio file), you would need to create a new keepsake, which is a separate purchase.

We offer a full range of standard sizes to suit everything from small desk prints to large wall displays:

• A5 (148 × 210 mm): Compact and elegant — great for desk displays or gift cards
• A4 (210 × 297 mm): The most popular size — fits any standard home printer and widely available frames
• A3 (297 × 420 mm): A bold, medium-large display piece
• A2 (420 × 594 mm): Large format for featured wall displays
• A1 (594 × 841 mm): Statement size — professional printing recommended
• A0 (841 × 1189 mm): Poster size — dramatic gallery-style display

All images are generated at 300 DPI, ensuring a high-resolution, sharp, professional-quality image suitable for printing or digital display.

Always Keep Me makes a deeply personal gift. Here are the most common ways people give it:

Print and frame it yourself: Create the keepsake, download the image, print it, and put it in a frame before giving it to someone. This is the most impactful way — they receive a finished, frameable gift they can hang immediately.

Send the digital file: Download the image and send the file to the recipient via email, WhatsApp, or any messaging app. They can print and frame it themselves.

Send it as a surprise: If you have the recipient's voice (a voicemail, a recording, a video clip), you can create the entire keepsake yourself as a surprise — they don't need to be involved at all.

Yes — many customers create keepsakes as surprises using existing recordings, such as voicemails or recordings from special occasions. The person does not need to be present.

However, you must have the legal right and proper permission to use the recording. By uploading any content, you confirm that you either own the recording or have obtained clear permission from the person whose voice appears in it.

If the person whose voice is used does not consent, or later withdraws their consent, it is your responsibility to immediately delete the keepsake from our servers.

Alwayskeep.me does not take responsibility for any content uploaded to the platform. We do not create, monitor, manage, or verify user content — we simply provide the platform. All responsibility for obtaining permission, ensuring consent, and removing content when required rests entirely with you, in accordance with our Terms of Use.

Absolutely. Your downloaded keepsake is a high-resolution image file that can be shared digitally via email, WhatsApp, iMessage, or any platform that supports image sharing. The QR code in the image is fully functional even when viewed on screen — the recipient can scan it directly from their phone screen to hear the audio.

Many people send the digital file and let the recipient choose to print and frame it themselves, or simply enjoy it digitally.

Not at this time. Always Keep Me currently provides digital downloads only. You are responsible for printing your keepsake through a printer of your choice — at home or via a professional printing service. This gives you full control over the quality, finish, size, and timing of the print.

Yes, as long as a few basic printing guidelines are followed:

• Print at the correct size: Do not significantly reduce the image — very small QR codes become harder to scan.
• Use good-quality paper: Heavily textured or very thin paper that bleeds ink can reduce scannability.
• Avoid glare when framing: Use non-reflective or anti-glare glass/acrylic if possible. Matte finishes scan more easily than high-gloss under bright light.
• Protect the QR code area: Fingerprints, creases, or damage to the QR code can prevent scanning. Handle the print carefully and keep the code area clean.
• Use a dark QR code color: Black scans most reliably. Very light QR code colors may not scan well in print.

If you follow these guidelines, your QR code should scan reliably for many years.

Any standard picture frame for your chosen paper size will work perfectly. Our designs include white space around the edges to accommodate frames without cutting off any content.

Matting: For a more gallery-like presentation, consider using a mat (mount board) inside the frame. A mat adds a clean border between the frame and your image, giving it a polished, professional look. Many print and frame shops offer custom cutting.

Glass vs. acrylic: For wall displays, non-reflective glass or acrylic is recommended so the QR code remains easy to scan without fighting glare.

Placement: Hang or place the frame somewhere accessible — the QR code needs to be reachable for scanning. Eye level on a wall, a shelf, or a desk works well.

Matte finish is generally recommended for Always Keep Me keepsakes. It reduces glare, which makes the QR code easier to scan, and gives the image a soft, elegant look that suits the design style. It also tends to show fingerprints less than glossy finishes.

Semi-gloss or satin finishes are a good middle ground — they add some sheen without the strong reflections of full gloss.

High-gloss can look very vivid but may create glare that interferes with QR code scanning when the print is under direct light.

You can re-download your keepsake at any time from our retrieval page at alwayskeep.me/retrieve. You will need two things: the email address you used when creating the keepsake, and your payment reference number (provided after payment and sent to your email).

Enter both on the retrieval page and you will be able to download your image again. This system ensures only you can access your keepsake.
Alternatively, the confirmation email you received after your payment was successfully processed contains a download link that provides access to download your keepsake.

We aim to store your audio and image files long-term. However, we cannot guarantee permanent, indefinite storage. Technical issues, infrastructure changes, or other circumstances may occasionally result in data loss.

We strongly recommend downloading your image and keeping your own backup copies immediately after purchase. Store it in multiple places:

• Your phone or computer
• Cloud storage (Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive)
• A USB drive or external hard drive
• Printed copies

Do not rely on our servers as your only copy of a precious memory.

The QR code links to audio stored on our servers. As long as the audio remains on our servers and Always Keep Me continues to operate, the QR code will work.

We intend to maintain audio storage long-term, but we cannot make an unconditional guarantee of permanent availability. For this reason, we also recommend keeping a separate copy of the original audio file yourself — this way, even if the QR code ever stops working, you still have the recording.

In the unlikely event that Always Keep Me were to close, QR codes would eventually stop working as the audio would no longer be hosted. This is one of the key reasons we recommend always keeping your own backup of the original audio file, in addition to the printed keepsake image.

Your printed image will always exist as a physical object regardless of what happens digitally — it is the QR code scanning function that depends on our continued operation.

The QR code on your printed image links to a public URL. Anyone who has physical access to the printed image and scans the QR code can hear the audio — no password or authentication is required.

Think of it like a physical photo: anyone who can see it can look at it. If you want the audio to remain private, be thoughtful about where you display or share the printed image. For sensitive recordings, displaying in a personal or private space is advisable.

Access to re-download your image or files through our website requires your email and payment reference — that access is private to you.

Try these steps in order:

1. Improve lighting: Make sure the QR code is well-lit but without direct glare. Soft, even lighting works best.
2. Hold steady: Hold your phone about 15–20 cm from the QR code and keep it still for 2–3 seconds to let the camera focus.
3. Try a different scanner app: If your phone's camera app won't scan it, download a dedicated QR code scanning app. Popular options include QR Code Reader, Barcode Scanner, or QR Scanner.
4. Clean your camera lens: Fingerprints or dust on the lens can prevent scanning. Wipe it gently with a soft cloth.
5. Check the angle: Tilt your phone slightly to reduce glare from glass or glossy surfaces.
6. Ensure full code visibility: The entire QR code including all four corners must be visible in your camera frame.
7. Check print quality: If the printed code is blurry or smudged, try printing a fresh copy at the highest quality setting.

If none of the above work, please contact support at support@alwayskeep.me.

If the QR code scans but no audio plays, try the following:

• Check your internet connection: The audio streams from our servers and requires an active WiFi or mobile data connection.
• Check your phone isn't on silent: Make sure Do Not Disturb and silent mode are off, and that your volume is turned up.
• Tap the play button manually: Some browsers block audio autoplay. If the page loads but nothing plays, look for a play button on screen and tap it.
• Try a different browser: If your default browser app doesn't play it, try opening the link in Chrome, Safari, or Firefox.
• Try again later: Occasionally our servers may experience brief delays. Wait a few minutes and scan again.

If the issue persists, contact support@alwayskeep.me with your payment reference.

The most common causes of upload failures are:

• File too large: Your file exceeds the 10MB limit. Compress it, convert to MP3, or trim silence from the recording.
• Unsupported format: Convert your file to MP3, WAV, or M4A using a free tool like CloudConvert.
• Poor internet connection: Move closer to your WiFi router or switch to a stronger connection and try again.
• Browser issue: Clear your browser cache, try a different browser, or use a private/incognito window.
• Corrupted file: If the file won't play on your device either, it may be damaged. Try re-exporting or re-recording.

First, check your Downloads folder — the file may have downloaded automatically (the filename starts with “akm_”). If it’s not there, your browser’s pop-up blocker may have prevented the download. Look for a notification in your address bar, allow downloads from our site, and then click the download button again.
You can also re-download your keepsake at any time by visiting alwayskeep.me/retrieve and entering your email address and payment reference.
Please also check your email inbox — a download link is automatically sent to you once your payment has been successfully verified.
If you’re still unable to download your file, please contact support@alwayskeep.me and include your email address and payment reference.

Your audio is stored securely on our servers and is not publicly listed or searchable. To re-download your files through our website, you need both your email address and payment reference — without these, no one can access your stored data through our platform.

However, the QR code on your printed image links to a public URL. Anyone who scans that QR code can hear the audio — no login required. This is intentional, as the printed keepsake is designed to be shareable. Be mindful of where you display or share the physical image if privacy is important to you.

No. We never sell your personal information to third parties. We collect only what is necessary to provide the service: your email address, transaction data, uploaded audio, and design preferences. This information is used solely to operate the service, process payments, and provide support.

We do not use your data for marketing, share it with data brokers, or use it for any purpose unrelated to your keepsake. For full details, see our Privacy Policy.

No. We do not listen to, review, monitor, or access your audio recordings. Your audio is processed automatically by our system to generate the sound wave visualization and QR code — no human at Always Keep Me listens to your content. Your recordings remain private.

You can permanently delete your content at any time using our self-service deletion page at alwayskeep.me/delete.

When you delete your data: your audio recordings are permanently removed, your generated images are deleted, and any related QR codes are disabled and will no longer play audio. This action is immediate and irreversible — deleted content cannot be recovered.

Payment transaction records may be retained as required for legal, tax, and accounting purposes, but all personal content will be gone.

No. Deletion is immediate and permanent. Once your data is deleted, it cannot be recovered by you or by our support team. Please make sure you have downloaded and saved everything you need before requesting deletion.