> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.birdtab.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# FAQ

> Answers to common questions about BirdTab.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Is BirdTab free?">
    Yes. BirdTab is free to install and use. The free plan gives you the daily bird photo, bird call, facts, quiz, viewing history, and quick access panel.

    [BirdTab Pro](/pro/overview) adds video mode, high-resolution images, 200+ international regions, and the clock and timer. Every new install starts with a **14-day free trial** of Pro — no credit card required.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I buy BirdTab Pro?">
    Visit [birdtab.app/pricing](https://birdtab.app/pricing) and choose a plan — **yearly subscription** or **lifetime purchase**. After checkout you'll receive a license key by email.

    You can also start the purchase from inside BirdTab: open **Settings** (gear icon, bottom-right) and click **Upgrade to Pro**. This takes you directly to a secure payment page.

    Pro access activates immediately after purchase — no restart or reinstall required.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I activate my BirdTab Pro license?">
    After purchasing, you'll receive a license key by email. To activate it:

    1. Open a new BirdTab tab and click the **gear icon** (bottom-right) to open Settings.
    2. Click **Enter license key**.
    3. Paste the key from your purchase confirmation email and confirm.

    Pro features turn on immediately. If you're reinstalling or switching devices, follow the same steps — your license can be used on multiple devices.

    Still not working? Open **Settings → Pro** and click **Refresh status**, or email [support@birdtab.app](mailto:support@birdtab.app).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens when my free trial ends?">
    After 14 days your account moves to the free plan automatically. You keep access to all the core features. Pro features (video mode, high-res images, international regions, clock and timer) are paused until you subscribe.

    You'll see an in-extension prompt when the trial is close to ending.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How often does the bird change?">
    Once a day, at midnight in your local timezone. Every new tab you open that day shows the same bird. You can browse past birds any time from the [Viewing History](/features/history) panel.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Where does the bird data come from?">
    Photos and audio come from the **Macaulay Library** at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology — one of the largest natural sound and wildlife media archives in the world. Species and observation data is sourced from **eBird**, also run by the Cornell Lab.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does BirdTab work in Firefox?">
    Not currently. BirdTab is built for **Chrome** and **Microsoft Edge**. Firefox support is not planned at this time.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does BirdTab track me or collect personal data?">
    BirdTab collects minimal, anonymous usage data to improve the extension (such as which features are used). It does **not** read your browsing history, collect search queries, or sell data to third parties. See the [Privacy Policy](https://birdtab.app/privacy) for full details.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I see birds from a specific country or region?">
    Yes — with [BirdTab Pro](/pro/regions). The free plan shows birds from the US. Pro unlocks 200+ regions across North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and Oceania. Switch regions any time from **Settings → Region**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I use BirdTab's timer for the Pomodoro Technique?">
    Yes. The timer has a built-in **25-minute preset** — the classic Pomodoro work-session length — plus 5-minute and 1-minute presets for short breaks. See [Clock & Timer → Pomodoro Technique](/pro/clock-timer#pomodoro-technique) for a step-by-step guide.

    The timer is a [Pro feature](/pro/overview).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if I open BirdTab in multiple tabs?">
    Timer state syncs across all open BirdTab tabs in real time. Pausing in one tab pauses everywhere, so your countdown stays consistent no matter how many tabs you have open.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I cancel my Pro subscription?">
    Go to **Settings → Manage Subscription** inside BirdTab, or visit the customer portal directly. From there you can cancel, update payment details, or view invoices. Cancelling stops the next renewal — you keep Pro access until the end of the current billing period.

    See [Manage Subscription](/pro/manage-subscription) for details.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I activated a license key but my Pro features aren't showing.">
    Try these steps:

    1. Open a new BirdTab tab and wait 10–15 seconds for the license to verify.
    2. If features still aren't active, open **Settings → Pro** and click **Refresh status**.
    3. If that doesn't help, email [support@birdtab.app](mailto:support@birdtab.app) with your license key and we'll sort it out.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Where can I report a bug or request a feature?">
    Email [support@birdtab.app](mailto:support@birdtab.app) or use the [contact form](https://birdtab.app/contact). You can also reach out on [X (Twitter)](https://x.com/birdtabapp). Bug reports with steps to reproduce are always appreciated.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How can I contact BirdTab support?">
    You can reach us directly at [support@birdtab.app](mailto:support@birdtab.app). Please include your browser, BirdTab version, and a short description of the issue so we can help faster.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why do I see a banner at the bottom of the page?">
    That's Chrome's own New Tab footer, not a BirdTab element.

    To hide it, right-click the footer banner and choose **Hide Footer on New Tab Page**.

    For a screenshot and steps, see [Footer Banner (Chrome)](/footer-banner).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why does BirdTab need the 'storage' permission?">
    BirdTab uses `storage` to remember your preferences — things like volume level, selected region, quiet hours, auto-play setting, and clock/timer configuration. Everything is stored **locally in your browser**. None of your settings are uploaded to our servers.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why does BirdTab need the 'search' permission?">
    The `search` permission lets BirdTab read which search engine you've set as the default in Chrome. When you choose "Browser Default" in **Settings → Search Engine**, BirdTab uses this to route your queries to the right place — exactly as Chrome would from the address bar. BirdTab never reads, logs, or transmits your search queries.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why does BirdTab request access to my top sites?">
    The `topSites` permission is **optional** and only used if you enable the Top Sites panel in Quick Access. It reads the list of your most-visited URLs from Chrome so BirdTab can show those shortcuts on your new tab page. This data stays in your browser — BirdTab never sends your browsing history or visited URLs to any server.

    You'll be asked to grant this permission the first time you turn Top Sites on. You can also revoke it at any time from Chrome's extension settings.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why does BirdTab connect to api.birdtab.app?">
    `api.birdtab.app` is BirdTab's own backend. Every time you open a new tab, BirdTab fetches that day's bird — its photo, audio recording, species info, and fun facts — from this endpoint. Your account status and Pro licence are also verified here. No personal browsing data is ever sent; the request only includes your region preference and licence key (if applicable).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why does BirdTab connect to the Macaulay Library?">
    BirdTab streams bird-call audio directly from [search.macaulaylibrary.org](https://www.macaulaylibrary.org/) — the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's media archive — rather than hosting copies of the recordings. This keeps the audio authentic and up to date. The request contains only the identifier of the bird's recording; no user data is sent.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why does BirdTab connect to Sentry?">
    BirdTab uses [Sentry](https://sentry.io) for anonymous crash reporting. If an unexpected error occurs, a brief technical report (stack trace, browser version, extension version) is sent to help us diagnose and fix bugs quickly. No personal information, search queries, or browsing history is included in these reports.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>