Alternative: lighter account hosting

Choose this if: you want your account to stay online while your phone is off, and want to pair several phones to it. Parlons Cloud server is the lighter option: it runs the account without a full Minima blockchain node. The Android Cloud app connects to it.

You need: a Mac, Linux computer, Raspberry Pi or Windows PC that stays awake and online. On Mac, install Java 11+ first, or have Homebrew available. Linux may ask for sudo to install dependencies. You do not need a domain for the account. This creates an account; for an existing identity, read moving an account first.

Install on the host machine

On Mac or Linux, open Terminal on the machine that will stay on and run:
```
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/eurobuddha/maxima/main/ops/get-parlons-cloud.sh | bash
```
On Windows 10/11, open PowerShell and run:
```
irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/eurobuddha/maxima/main/ops/get-parlons-cloud.ps1 | iex
```
The Windows installer is supplied but has not yet been verified on Windows by its authors. Prefer a supported Linux host if you need an established server setup.
Wait for the installer to finish. It installs dependencies, downloads the release and starts the account. Keep the invitation it prints private. Mac/Linux can show a QR; Windows prints an invitation to paste.
On your Android phone, follow install and pair Parlons Cloud.
Open a new terminal on the host and run parlons status to check it. parlons panel opens its local web panel; parlons newcode creates another pairing invitation.
In the paired phone, use More → Settings → Show seed phrase to record your identity words privately, then Back up account… to save an encrypted backup.

Leave the host awake. Mac and Windows start the service at login; a sleeping or offline host cannot serve your account. The installer also enables a relay on TCP 9501 by default to help others. Account access works through outbound connections; public relay service additionally needs that port reachable. Hosting options and relay settings.

Everyday maintenance: parlons log shows the log. On Mac/Linux, parlons update updates the server; on Windows rerun the installer. Keep backups before updates. To give a friend their own identity, use Node → Manage hosted accounts, not an invitation to your own account. Hosting friends.

Your first conversation

Ask your friend for their contact address or contact QR, not their pairing invitation.
Open Contacts → + Add (Desktop: Add contact).
On Android, scan their QR or paste the full address. On Desktop, paste it. Tap Introduce myself.
Wait for their device to answer the introduction. If it is offline, the contact may not appear immediately.
Open the contact's chat, type a message and press the send arrow. Ask them to reply.

To let someone add you, share your address from Contacts. Keep the whole address intact. People using different Parlons versions can message each other.

Everyday use

Messages: open Chats, choose the conversation and type. A queued indicator means waiting; one tick means a relay has the message; two ticks mean the recipient's device confirmed it. A read indicator depends on read receipts being enabled.
Photos and files: open a chat and use Attach. On Android choose Photo library or Private file, select the item and send it. For Desktop's file-transfer options, see the app manual.
Calls: use Voice call or Video call in an Android chat or the Parlons panel inside minimaCore Desktop/minimaDesk, and allow microphone/camera access. The standalone MaximaNode chat app does not carry call audio or video.
Groups: on Android open Chats → New group, name it, select contacts and tap Create.
Notifications: allow notifications and background operation in Android settings. Cloud additionally needs its account host to stay online.
Payments: in a wallet-enabled one-to-one chat, choose Attach → Send payment, select Minima or MxUSD and enter the amount. Check the recipient and amount before confirming. Payments settle on the public Minima blockchain; encrypted chat does not make them anonymous. Chat-only guest accounts do not offer payments. Payment instructions.

Back up before you need it

The 24 words recover an identity, not your old chat history. Write them on paper and store them privately. Do not send them to anyone or enter them on a website. Keep any separate wallet phrase too.

Parlons! Android: Settings → Keys & security → Back up identity… creates an encrypted .pbk. It includes identity, contacts and settings, but not chat history.
Parlons Cloud: More → Settings → Keys & backup → Back up account… creates an encrypted .pbk including contacts and chat history. Media and private-file payloads are not included.
Desktop: record your seed; read backups and moving before changing computers.

Save the backup somewhere other than the device being backed up, and keep its password safe. It cannot be recovered for you. To use one account on several phones, pair them to a host; do not run copies of the same seed independently.

If something does not work

What you see	What to try
Cloud will not pair	Check the host is running, paste the full invitation and use a fresh one-time code.
An introduction is waiting	Ask the other person to open their app and check their connection.
Messages arrive only when you open the app	Allow notifications and background operation; for Cloud, check the host too.
One tick remains	A relay received it; the recipient has not confirmed receipt yet. Check their connection.
A lost paired phone	Revoke that device from another paired phone's Node tab.

Full instructions: Parlons! manual, Cloud manual, Node manual. If you report a problem, include the app name, version, device and exact error. Never include seeds, passwords or unused pairing invitations.