Support

Short answers.

If yours isn’t here, email us. A person reads it.

• Why do readings fade?

  Because seats change. A reading is full ink for five minutes, then fades until it’s 40 minutes old, and stays faint after that. The ring around it drains at the same pace.

  A faint reading is still a clue, just not a promise. When nobody has said anything lately, the app leans on how busy the place usually is at that hour.

• Why does a café say “No laptops”?

  Every café sets its own laptop window. Outside it, they’d like the table back for people eating. Some only take laptops in the morning, some not at all on Saturdays.

  A café can also pause laptops for a while, say for a busy lunch. The app shows when they’re welcome again.

• A reading is wrong. How do I report it?

  If you’re there, send your own: tap I’m here and choose what’s true. The newest reading is the one people see, and readings that others contradict count for less next time.

  If something else is wrong, like the hours, the address or a café that has closed, email hello@outwork.tech with the café’s name.

• Do I need an account?

  No. There’s nothing to sign up for, book or pay. Open the app and it answers.

• How is the wifi speed measured?

  When you tap I’m here, the app downloads about 5 MB and times it. You don’t have to do anything. The result is reused for ten minutes, so it doesn’t test again if you send another reading.

• What does “Unverified” mean?

  Outwork lists cafés from OpenStreetMap and guesses which ones suit a laptop, from things like wifi and opening hours. Until someone confirms it, the place is marked Unverified. The dots show how good the guess is.

  When enough people there say laptops are fine, it becomes “Checked by people there”. Only a café that sets its own laptop hours on Outwork says laptops are welcome.

• Why isn’t my favourite café listed?

  Most cafés are already there, from OpenStreetMap. If yours is missing or wrong, suggest it below, or fix it on OpenStreetMap and it will reach Outwork with the next import. Live seats are in London for now; other cities open when enough people ask.

• I run a café.

  Set your laptop hours and one house rule at For venues. You can change them any time, or say you’re full with one tap. We’ll send table cards to print.