Big news (for me)! Pwned? is getting a refresh, a clearer focus, and a smoother path for future updates. After a lot of thought (and a lot of builds), I’m making a big change: Pwned? will be iOS-only going forward. I know that’s a shift, so here’s the why, the what, and what it means for you.
Pwned? iOS
Quickly discover if your email or password appears in the latest data breaches and keep your accounts secure – all from your iPhone, instantly.
Why the change?
Keeping two apps in lockstep across Android and iOS has become harder than it should be for a side project. Different tooling, different quirks, twice the testing… it all adds up. Rather than spread myself thin, I’d rather put my energy into one great app than two average ones. This is the same for many of our research apps too, we will be migrating them all over to iOS over the next year.
What this means if you’re on Android
- Updates and support for Android are ending.
- If the app still runs on your device, you can keep using it, but I won’t be shipping fixes or new features. The App Store listing has been withdrawn.
- You can always check your email addresses and passwords directly with Have I Been Pwned (HIBP) on the web.
I know this isn’t ideal if you’re an Android user. Thank you for coming along for the ride - your feedback helped shape Pwned? into what it is today. Very happy to support others who would like to support the Android version, and the currently 250+ regular users.
What’s coming on iOS
- Fully accessible on iPhone and iPad.
- A cleaner, faster interface focused on the two core jobs: checking email addresses and checking passwords.
- More frequent behind-the-scenes updates thanks to a simpler build and release flow.
If you’re on iOS, this should mean a more polished and reliable app, with improvements landing more regularly.
Privacy and how checks work
Nothing changes in the fundamentals:
- Email and breach lookups use the Have I Been Pwned API.
- Password checks use the k-Anonymity approach: your password is hashed on your device, and only a short, anonymous prefix is sent for matching.
- Pwned? does not store your passwords at all!
The goal remains the same as day one: quick, simple checks that respect your privacy.
The road ahead
- Performance and accessibility improvements.
- Clearer breach guidance and next steps.
- Thoughtful notifications that respect your time and attention.
If you’ve got ideas you’d love to see, send them my way - it really helps steer the roadmap.
Thank you
Whether you tried the very first builds, filed bug reports, or nudged me about new features, you’ve helped Pwned? grow up. I’m excited to keep building on iOS, and I’m grateful for everyone who supported the Android version over the years.