FAQ
A shared word that proves who you are.
What is Watchword for?
A shared word that everyone in your group sees at the same time. Useful for verifying it's actually a family member or coworker on a phone call — especially now that AI voice clones can sound like almost anyone.
How does this stop AI voice scams?
Voice clones can fake how someone sounds. They can't fake what's on a private screen they don't have access to. If “your kid” calls asking for money, ask them what the watchword is. If they don't know it, they're not your kid.
Is the word actually secret?
The word itself isn't a secret — it's just an English word. What's secret is your group's password. Without it, no one else sees the same word as you. The word also rotates every minute, so a screenshot from yesterday is useless tomorrow.
Why do you need an email?
Only the person who first creates a group provides one. We use it to reach you if something goes wrong. Other group members never give an email.
What if we forget the password?
There's no recovery flow — pick a new group name and start over. Keeping recovery out keeps the security model simple. Use a password manager.
Where is my data stored?
Group names, password hashes (not the password itself), one email per group, and a per-group salt. That’s it. No tracking, no analytics, no third-party scripts.
Can I run my own?
Yes. The whole thing fits in one AWS Lambda and one DynamoDB table. See the README for deploy steps. Self-hosting means you don't have to trust us at all.
Disclaimer
Watchword is a free service provided as-is, without warranty of any kind. We make no guarantees about availability, security, or fitness for any particular purpose. Use it at your own risk.