Contact
Email support@vaclaimdecoder.com. A veteran reads every message. Include your iPhone model and iOS version if the question is about a scan or a crash.
Please do not paste letter text, your Social Security number or your VA file number into an email. We cannot see anything inside your app, and we do not need those details to help.
How scanning works
Tap Scan a Letter. If you have the PDF from VA.gov or the VA app, choose it from Files; that reads best because the text is already in the file. If you have a paper letter, take a photo of each page and the phone's own text recognition reads them. Reading and parsing happen on the phone, so the scan works in airplane mode. When it finishes, the app asks you to confirm the letter date, then shows the Letter Check and the decision cards. Tap any number or date to see the sentence it came from.
A date or number looks wrong
First, tap it. The Source view highlights the sentence on the page so you can compare the app with the letter. Two things to know:
- Letter dates. Many packets print two dates: the date on the notification letter and the rating decision date. The Confirm screen shows both with their sentences and asks which one to count from. VA counts the review window from the notification letter date. If the app picked the wrong one, choose the other on the Confirm screen (Deadlines has a "Confirm the letter date" button that takes you back there). If neither matches your letter, tap Skip so no countdown is shown, and email us.
- Everything else. Photos read less cleanly than PDFs. If a rating, condition or effective date is misread, try the PDF from VA.gov if you have it, or re-take the photo in good light with the page flat. Values the app was unsure about are labeled unknown rather than guessed. The letter itself is always the authority, and a representative can read your full file.
How to erase everything
Open Settings in the app and tap Erase everything. The app confirms, then deletes every letter, page, fact, diary entry, scheduled reminder, export file and the encryption key from the phone. There is no undo. If you want a copy first, make an encrypted backup from Export and save it to Files or iCloud Drive before you erase.
How to restore a backup
Open Settings in the app, tap Restore from backup, and choose the backup file (it ends in .vacd). Enter the passphrase you chose when you made it. The backup's contents replace whatever is on the phone. Restored letters show the sentence rather than the page image in Source view, because page images are not included in the backup. If you lost the passphrase, the backup cannot be opened by anyone, including us.
How to cancel a subscription
Subscriptions are billed by Apple, so canceling happens in iOS, not in the app. Open iOS Settings, tap your name at the top, tap Subscriptions, choose VA Claim Decoder, and tap Cancel. Cancel at least 24 hours before the renewal date to avoid the next charge; you keep Pro until the current period ends. If you are on a free trial, canceling before it ends means you are never charged. For a refund, go to reportaproblem.apple.com; refunds are decided by Apple.
Does the app need the internet?
No. Scanning, the calculator, the Exam Guide, Find help, reminders, backup and the redacted packet all work offline. The internet is used only for the App Store purchase flow and for links you tap that open VA.gov. See the Privacy Policy for the full list.
In crisis?
Contact the Veterans Crisis Line now: dial 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net. It is confidential and open all day, every day.
Not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Not an accredited representative. This app does not prepare, file or represent claims.