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Getting started

CA Secure works wherever Contactless Access devices are installed. Setting it up takes about a minute.

Set up CA Secure

The first time you open CA Secure, it walks you through six steps. Each step shows a red ✗ until it's done, then a green ✓.

  1. Bluetooth and Nearby Devices (required). CA Secure uses Bluetooth to talk to the doors and elevators around you.
  2. Location while using the app (required). To know which building or station you're at. Your location never leaves your phone.
  3. Location all the time (recommended). For arrival features: opening your doors as you arrive, and downloading a building's paths and logo when you get there.
  4. Notifications (optional). For a reminder when you're near a Contactless Access building, and to show a path is running.
  5. Anonymous usage data. On to start with: it sends the app's own log so we can fix problems. Tap it to turn it off. You can change it later in Settings › Logging.
  6. Turn Accessibility features on. Tap the line to choose voice control, high contrast, screen tabs, your phone's text size, sideways use and messages that stay up longer, then tap Done. See Accessibility settings.

Tap Next after each step and Finish at the end. Steps 3 and 4 have a Skip button. If you skip step 3, CA Secure explains what won't work (Limited Functionality); tap Skip Anyway or Go Back.

What you'll see

  1. The Android setup screen, Welcome to Contactless Access, listing the six steps with red crosses; Bluetooth and Nearby Devices is highlighted and Anonymous usage data is ticked. Buttons: Cancel and Next.
    Welcome: the six steps
  2. Android asks: Allow CA Secure to find, connect to, and determine the relative position of nearby devices? Buttons: Allow and Don't allow.
    Step 1: tap Allow
  3. The setup screen with Bluetooth ticked and Location, required for Contactless Access Control, highlighted.
    Step 2: location
  4. Android asks: Allow CA Secure to access this device's location? Precise is chosen. Buttons: While using the app, Only this time, Don't allow.
    Tap While using the app
  5. The setup screen with Bluetooth and Location ticked and Location, Always Allow highlighted. Buttons: Cancel, Skip and Next.
    Step 3: location all the time
  6. Android's Location permission screen for CA Secure: Allow all the time chosen, Use precise location on.
    Choose Allow all the time, then go back
  7. The setup screen with the first three steps ticked and Notifications highlighted. Buttons: Cancel, Skip and Next.
    Step 4: notifications
  8. The setup screen with the first four steps ticked, Anonymous usage data ticked and highlighted, and Turn Accessibility features on still with a red cross.
    Step 5: usage data, then step 6
  9. The Accessibility choices during setup on Android: Voice control, Show screen tabs, Allow landscape and Messages stay up longer on; High contrast and Use phone's text size off; a Done button.
    Step 6: choose, tap Done, then Finish
  1. The iPhone welcome screen: Contactless Access, Accessible Doors, Elevators and Mass Transit, and a Get Started button.
    Welcome: tap Get Started
  2. The iPhone Permissions list with the six steps; Bluetooth and Nearby Devices is highlighted, Anonymous usage data is on and Turn Accessibility features on has a red cross. A Next button.
    The six steps
  3. iPhone asks: Allow CA Secure to find Bluetooth devices? With a picture of devices found nearby. Buttons: Don't Allow and Allow.
    Step 1: tap Allow
  4. Bluetooth is ticked; Location while using the app is highlighted. A Next button.
    Step 2: location while using the app
  5. Both Bluetooth and Location ticked; Location Always Allow is highlighted, with Skip and Next.
    Step 3: location all the time
  6. iPhone asks: Allow CA Secure to also use your location even when you are not using the app? Buttons: Keep Only While Using and Change to Always Allow.
    Change to Always Allow
  7. The first three steps ticked; Notifications is highlighted, with Skip and Next.
    Step 4: notifications
  8. iPhone asks: CA Secure Would Like to Send You Notifications. Buttons: Don't Allow and Allow.
    Tap Allow
  9. The first four steps ticked; Anonymous usage data is highlighted and on.
    Step 5: usage data
  10. Turn Accessibility features on is highlighted, still with a red cross, and the Finish button: Voice control, high contrast, screen tabs and more. Tap the line to choose them.
    Step 6: tap Turn Accessibility features on
  11. The Accessibility choices during setup on iPhone: Voice control, High contrast, Show screen tabs, Use phone's text size, Allow landscape and Messages stay up longer, with a Done button.
    Choose, then tap Done
  12. The iPhone Permissions list with all six steps ticked, including Turn Accessibility features on, and the Finish button.
    All ticked: tap Finish
Asked later

CA Secure only asks for other permissions when you use the feature: the microphone when you turn on voice control, the camera when you scan a QR code, and Face ID or your fingerprint for extra-secure doors.

Getting around

Swipe left or right to move between screens. If you'd like a row of tabs with each screen's name at the top, turn on Show screen tabs in Settings › Accessibility.

  • Home: the doors and elevators around you.
  • Paths: your saved routes.
  • Secure: only appears once a building has given you access to a secure door.
  • Settings: Language, Data Usage, Accessibility, Logging, and Contact to reach us.

With TalkBack or VoiceOver on, there are also buttons named Go to and the screen's name.

When you're near a building

If you allowed location all the time and notifications, CA Secure tells you when you arrive at a Contactless Access building or station: You're near and the place's name. Tap it to open the app there.

To stop these reminders, turn off notifications for CA Secure in your phone's settings. On Android you can turn off just the Contactless Access Alerts type.

Still stuck?

In CA Secure, open Settings and tap Contact to send us a message, or email info@contactlessaccess.com.