Help with DearMemory

DearMemory is designed to feel simple and reassuring, even if you are not confident using websites. This guide explains how it works before you register.

What is DearMemory?

A private family memory space

DearMemory brings photographs, stories, meaningful music and familiar voice recordings into one private Memory Room. It is designed to be enjoyed together with someone you care about.

Sit together. Remember together. Choose a memory, take your time and let it encourage gentle conversation, connection and enjoyment.

Who creates the account?

The account holder uses their own details

A relative, partner, friend or trusted person registers using their own name and email address. They remain the account holder and create a Memory Room for someone they care about.

A simple example

Joe creates the account using his own name and email address. He creates Margaret’s Memory Room. Joe and Margaret can then sit together and explore the photographs, stories, music and voice recordings.

How do I get started?

1. Open the registration page.
2. Enter your own name, email address and password.
3. Enter the name of the person whose Memory Room you are creating.
4. Submit the form and wait for approval. DearMemory will email you when the account is created and again when it is approved.
5. Sign in using your email address and your password.
6. Open Add Memory and begin with one familiar moment.

Open the registration page

Why can I not sign in straight after registering?

New DearMemory accounts must be approved before they can be used. Check your inbox, junk or spam folder for the account-created and approval emails.

How do I add a memory?

A memory needs only a title. You can also add any of the following:

• a photograph from your phone, tablet or computer
• a short written memory or a longer story
• a voice recording made in DearMemory or uploaded from your device
• a meaningful song, artist or YouTube link
• family members, friends and other people connected with the memory
• a year, approximate date, place, life chapter and other optional details

You do not need to know every detail. Add as much or as little as feels right, then save the memory. You can edit it later.

Do I need to know the exact date?

No. You can enter a year, describe an approximate time such as “summer holidays”, choose a life chapter, or leave those details blank.

How do we explore memories together?

Memory Room

The Memory Room is the welcoming starting place after sign-in. It shows recent memories and simple ways to add or explore more.

My Memories

My Memories is the full collection. Memories can be explored as cards or on a timeline, and filters can help you find a particular person, date, life chapter or kind of memory.

Memory Box

Memory Box offers one familiar memory at a time, ready to enjoy together without needing to search through the full collection.

Memory Map

Memory Map is a large visual view showing how familiar people and memories connect. Take me through my memories creates a short guided journey, while viewing options provide larger text and calmer movement.

People in My Life

People in My Life brings together family members, friends and familiar people. Their names can be connected to memories to make related photographs and stories easier to find.

What are Private Notes?

Private Notes are optional and can be opened from the Account menu after signing in. They are for gentle personal prompts and family observations connected with memories.

Private Notes are for personal memory prompts and family observations. DearMemory is not designed for medical records, care plans or emergency information.

Private Notes are limited to the Memory Room owner and family managers. They are not shown to view-only accounts or in Enjoy Together. Authorised site administration access may occasionally be required for support, security, legal or maintenance reasons.

Privacy and personal information

Who can see the memories?

Memories are kept within the signed-in account, and other normal DearMemory accounts cannot see them. Anyone with access to your signed-in account or device may be able to view them.

Authorised site administration access may occasionally be required for support, security, legal or maintenance reasons. DearMemory does not currently use family memories for advertising or profiling.

Should I add information about other people?

Please be thoughtful when adding information about someone else. Only add photographs, recordings and personal details when you have permission or another proper reason to use them.

Read the Privacy Policy for full information about how DearMemory handles personal information.

Passwords and account access

How do I sign in?

After approval, open the sign-in page and enter your email address and password.

What if I forget my password?

Use the password reset page and follow the email instructions. Check your junk or spam folder if the message does not arrive.

How do I sign out?

After signing in, open the Account menu and choose Logout. Sign out when you have finished on a shared device.

How do family members or carers get their own access?

The Memory Room owner can open Your account, then Family access. They can create a named login with View only, Memory contributor or Family manager permission. Each person should use their own password.

Can ownership be handed to another trusted person?

Yes. The owner can request a handover to an active family manager. The family manager must accept from their own account, and the previous owner has a 14-day period in which the handover can be reversed if it was a mistake.

Can I delete my account?

Yes. The Memory Room includes an account-deletion area. You must confirm the request with your current password. Account deletion is permanent and removes the live account and its DearMemory content; temporary backup copies may remain until normal backup rotation replaces them.

Access

Free access

The DearMemory website and all of its services are free to use. There are no subscriptions, fees, paid features or payment details required.

What DearMemory is not

DearMemory is a private family memory space. It is not a medical-record system, a professional care-management platform or an emergency-information service.

Use the appropriate health, emergency or local support service for urgent or professional information.

Using DearMemory on your device

Can I use a phone, tablet or computer?

Yes. DearMemory works on phones, tablets and computers. A current browser such as Safari, Chrome, Firefox or Edge is recommended. Voice recording works best in current versions of Safari and Chrome.

Can I make the text larger?

Yes. Use your browser zoom or your device text-size settings. If a page becomes difficult to use, contact support and tell us which device and browser you are using.

Video guides

Short video demonstrations of adding memories, exploring the Memory Map and setting up family access are available on our Share DearMemory page.

Watch short how-to videos on Share DearMemory →

Memory journeys, comforting memories and Read Aloud

What are Prepared Journeys?

On the Memory Map, choose “Take me through my memories”. You can select a Gentle surprise, A familiar person, Comforting favourites or Across the years. Each journey is deliberately short, varies its choices and has a clear way to stop and return to the map.

What does Recently enjoyed mean?

The Memory Map remembers a short list of recently enjoyed items in that browser on that device. This helps vary future journeys. It is not a public activity history and is not added to the person’s written memories. Clearing the browser’s website data may remove the list.

How do comforting memories work?

A family member with suitable editing permission can mark a memory as comforting. The Comforting favourites journey gives priority to those memories and favourites. Families should still use their own judgement and remove anything that is upsetting or unsuitable.

How does Read Aloud work?

Where the browser supports it, Read Aloud speaks the visible title, relationship or description using a voice supplied by the browser or device. Available voices and pronunciation vary. The control can be stopped at any time and does not replace a recorded familiar voice.

Can the Memory Map be organised differently?

Yes. Use Connections, Decade or Life chapter to change how the map groups memories. Everything, People and Memories control which items are shown. The map remains still so names and photographs are easier to follow.

Family access, downloads and continuity

What can each permission level do?

View only is for enjoying available memories. Memory contributors can help add and update memory content. Family managers can also help organise the room and see Private Notes. Ownership, account deletion and ownership handover remain protected owner responsibilities.

How should access be reviewed?

The owner should regularly open Your account, then Family access, check each named person and remove or change access that is no longer appropriate. Each person should use their own account and keep their password private.

How can I keep a copy?

Individual memories can be downloaded from their memory page. The owner can download a complete private Memory Room copy from Family access. Keep important downloads somewhere secure and remember that downloaded files are outside DearMemory’s account protections.

What is account handover?

An owner can request transfer to an active Family manager. The recipient must accept using their own account. A completed handover has a 14-day safety period during which the previous owner can reverse it if it was a mistake.

Still need help?

Email support@dearmemory.co.uk or use the Contact page. Do not include your password.

Create a Memory Room or see how DearMemory works.