iPhone or Android: Setting Up Your AI Teammate

Your AI teammate doesn't need a new app. It works through the texts, messages, and tools you already check on your phone — here's what setup looks like on iPhone and Android.

Lucas M. Button - Founder at Hey Button
Published: October 7, 20265 min read
Mockup of two phone message threads, one styled like iPhone and one like Android, connected by a single stitched thread to a small button icon, representing one AI teammate working across both without a separate app.

Setting up your AI teammate on iPhone or Android doesn't mean downloading a new app — it means pointing the teammate at the texts, messages, or email you already check, so it shows up where you and your customers already are.

Why isn't there a dedicated app?

Because the point isn't to add one more icon to your home screen that you have to remember to open. A teammate that lives in its own app only helps if someone opens that app — and customers texting your business number don't know or care that an app exists. Hey Button is set up to work through the channel itself (SMS, your business email, or a messaging platform you already use), so the phone someone's holding doesn't need anything installed to benefit from it.

What does setup actually look like on iPhone?

On iPhone, most small businesses connect their teammate to the business phone number that's already receiving texts and calls, or to an existing email account. There's no special iOS permission dance beyond what you'd expect for any business number — you're not granting the teammate access to your personal Messages app or Photos library. It operates on the business channel you specify during the setup questionnaire, not on your personal device.

What does setup actually look like on Android?

Same idea on Android: the teammate connects to the business number or inbox, not to the phone itself. Android's broader range of messaging apps means it's worth confirming during setup which specific channel (SMS, a business messaging app, email) you want the teammate watching — but there's still nothing to install on the phone that's physically in your hand.

Does the AI teammate read my personal texts and photos?

No. It's scoped to the specific business channel you connect during setup — a business phone number, a business email address, or a specific messaging integration. It isn't granted access to your personal device, your contacts beyond that channel, or anything outside what you explicitly point it at.

What if my team uses different phones?

That's fine, and it's actually the point — the teammate isn't tied to one device. If you check the business inbox from an iPhone and your office manager checks it from an Android tablet, you're both seeing the same teammate working the same channel. Nobody needs to install anything to see what it's doing.

What about notifications — will I get spammed?

You control that during setup, tied to the access level you choose (read-only, draft-and-approve, or full access — see the dedicated post on picking the right access level). A draft-and-approve setup, for instance, typically means you get a notification only when there's something to review, not a running commentary on every message.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. It connects to a business channel you already use — texts, email, or a specific messaging tool — not to a new app on your device.
No. It only has access to the specific business channel you point it at during setup, never your personal device data.
Yes — the teammate operates on the channel (the phone number, the inbox), not the operating system, so it behaves the same regardless of which phone you or your team check it from.
Yes. Since it works through a shared business channel rather than a personal app, anyone with access to that channel sees the same activity, on whatever device they use.
That's set by the access level you choose during setup — read-only, draft-and-approve, or full access — which determines how often and for what the teammate pings you.
Do I need to install an app on my phone to use my AI teammate?
No. It connects to a business channel you already use — texts, email, or a specific messaging tool — not to a new app on your device.
Will the AI teammate see my personal texts or photos?
No. It only has access to the specific business channel you point it at during setup, never your personal device data.
Does it work the same on iPhone and Android?
Yes — the teammate operates on the channel (the phone number, the inbox), not the operating system, so it behaves the same regardless of which phone you or your team check it from.
Can more than one person on my team see what the AI teammate is doing?
Yes. Since it works through a shared business channel rather than a personal app, anyone with access to that channel sees the same activity, on whatever device they use.
How much control do I have over what I get notified about?
That's set by the access level you choose during setup — read-only, draft-and-approve, or full access — which determines how often and for what the teammate pings you.

Conclusion

There's nothing to download, on iPhone or Android — just a business channel pointed at a teammate that's ready to help. Start the setup questionnaire.

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