Private AI Companion Account Setup Checklist
A private setup begins before the first conversation. The useful question is not whether a service describes itself as private, but how much identifying information the current sign-up screen asks for, what is optional, and which recovery choices could expose the account later. This checklist gives trans-friendly shoppers a calm way to separate a companion profile from everyday accounts without making assumptions about any provider's safeguards.
Fast evidence screen
| Area | Useful current evidence | Reason to pause |
|---|---|---|
| Sign-in field | Only information marked as required on the current screen | A demand for unrelated profile details with no explanation |
| Display identity | A chosen display name can be used without importing another profile | Automatic copying from a social or device profile |
| Recovery route | You know where recovery messages will appear | Recovery depends on a shared inbox or visible lock-screen alert |
| Profile visibility | The interface explains who can see each field | Visibility remains unclear after checking help and account pages |
Map every requested field
Question: Which fields are required, optional, or filled automatically?
Action: Write down the labels before entering details and leave optional fields blank until their purpose is clear. This action reduces guesswork; it does not prove anything beyond the current source and account state you actually observed.
Evidence: A dated note or screenshot of the sign-up screen, with personal values covered. Keep the access date and enough context to understand the wording later.
Worked example: A profile asks for a birthday and avatar; record whether either can be skipped rather than assuming it is necessary.
Pause when: The service blocks progress while asking for unrelated contact, workplace, or social information without a clear reason. A pause is a useful result when proceeding would require an assumption.
Choose a separated sign-in route
Question: Would this sign-in connect the account to a public name or familiar inbox?
Action: Use an address and display name chosen for this account when the service permits it, then secure that inbox separately. This action reduces guesswork; it does not prove anything beyond the current source and account state you actually observed.
Evidence: The actual sign-in and recovery choices shown today, not a promotional summary. Keep the access date and enough context to understand the wording later.
Worked example: A one-click social sign-in may import a name or photo; an email route may provide more control if currently offered.
Pause when: The only route requires linking a profile whose visibility or imported fields you cannot inspect. A pause is a useful result when proceeding would require an assumption.
Set a deliberate display profile
Question: Can other people or generated characters see this name, image, or biography?
Action: Use the minimum profile detail needed for your intended experience and check each visibility control before adding more. This action reduces guesswork; it does not prove anything beyond the current source and account state you actually observed.
Evidence: Current profile-preview and visibility screens, plus any help text that defines audience. Keep the access date and enough context to understand the wording later.
Worked example: A chosen nickname may be enough for conversation while a face photo adds no practical account benefit.
Pause when: A field looks public but the audience, search visibility, or sharing behavior is not explained. A pause is a useful result when proceeding would require an assumption.
Plan recovery without surprise
Question: Where will reset codes, receipts, and security notices arrive?
Action: Confirm access to the recovery channel and adjust its preview settings before relying on it. This action reduces guesswork; it does not prove anything beyond the current source and account state you actually observed.
Evidence: A completed recovery test only if it can be done without changing or exposing the account. Keep the access date and enough context to understand the wording later.
Worked example: A shared tablet may show inbox previews even when the companion service itself is closed.
Pause when: Recovery messages reveal the service name in a place you cannot keep discreet. A pause is a useful result when proceeding would require an assumption.
Recheck after the first session
Question: Did the service create new defaults after onboarding?
Action: Return to account, profile, communication, and connected-service settings after setup and note any newly available controls. This action reduces guesswork; it does not prove anything beyond the current source and account state you actually observed.
Evidence: A short before-and-after settings record dated the day you checked it. Keep the access date and enough context to understand the wording later.
Worked example: Notification or personalization choices may appear only after the account exists.
Pause when: A new permission, public profile, or communication channel appears without a clear way to change it. A pause is a useful result when proceeding would require an assumption.
Copyable checklist
Complete each line from the provider's current interface or published documents. A blank or unclear answer should remain visible in your notes.
- List every required sign-up field before entering personal details.
- Avoid importing a public profile unless you understand what will be copied.
- Use a display name selected for this context when the interface allows it.
- Check profile audience and discoverability instead of guessing.
- Choose a recovery inbox you control and can keep discreet.
- Turn off unnecessary message previews at the inbox or browser level.
- Reopen account settings after onboarding creates the full profile.
- Record the date because sign-up and settings screens can change.
Worked situations
Shared household inbox
A receipt or reset email can reveal the service even if the account uses a nickname. Before paying, check the exact sender and subject shown by any available test message or help example. If you cannot verify that safely, treat the inbox as a possible disclosure point and choose a more private route.
Record what the current source shows, keep personal details out of the worksheet, and mark unresolved questions rather than filling them with an assumption.
Imported social profile
A convenient sign-in button may connect a public name or avatar. Do not assume what is imported. Read the current consent screen, inspect the resulting profile before conversation, and remove the connection if the provider explains how and you no longer need it.
Record what the current source shows, keep personal details out of the worksheet, and mark unresolved questions rather than filling them with an assumption.
How to record a reliable answer
Use a dated worksheet with four columns: the question, the current source, the exact answer, and what remains unknown. Prefer a live detailed policy or account control over a promotional summary. Preserve enough surrounding wording to avoid changing the meaning, but cover names, addresses, payment values, conversation text, and other personal details. A screenshot records one interface at one moment; it is not proof that the same rule applies later, in another region, or to another account.
When two sources disagree, do not choose the answer you prefer. Record the conflict and ask the provider through a contact route reached from its current account, terms, or privacy page. Keep the case number and exact response. If the answer affects payment, an upload, account access, or sensitive disclosure, wait until the conflict is resolved or choose not to proceed. Unknown is a valid worksheet result.
A calm stop rule
Pause when a required term is missing, the final confirmation differs from the earlier page, a request moves outside the documented account route, or support asks for secrets that normal support should not need. Do not send passwords, one-time codes, full payment credentials, recovery secrets, or unrelated private conversation content. Do not install unknown software or grant remote control. Return through a known official address and verify the account state independently.
Related safety checklists
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to use my legal name?
Check the current required fields and terms. This guide cannot promise that a nickname is accepted. If the interface permits a chosen display name, use only the detail needed for the account and keep billing requirements separate from the public-facing profile.
Is a separate email enough to make an account private?
No single step makes an account private. Recovery messages, payment records, browser history, connected profiles, uploads, and notification previews can still create links. Treat separation as one layer in a wider setup.
Should I use social sign-in?
Only after reading the live consent screen and checking what profile data will be shared. Convenience is not proof of limited data access. Prefer the route whose permissions and recovery behavior you understand.
When should I repeat this checklist?
Repeat it after major interface changes, a new payment method, a new connected account, or any change to recovery details. Keep dated notes so an old screenshot is not mistaken for current policy.