Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about scanning, Custom Dishes, timers, purchases, privacy, and backup in Cook It Again.
Getting started
Do I need an account?
No. There is no sign-up, no login, and no password. Open the app and start saving.
Does the app work offline?
Items you have already saved, your cooking setups, timers, results, and history all work with no connection. The one thing that needs the internet is the optional lookup of a name and brand for a barcode you have never scanned before — and you can always type those in yourself.
Which appliances can I save?
Air fryer, oven, microwave, grill, toaster oven, and stovetop. You name each one, so two air fryers can have their own settings.
What can I save for free?
Up to 5 saved items in total, in any mix of packaged products and Custom Dishes. Ingredients, portion scaling, timers, results, and history are all included within that limit.
Scanning and packaged products
What information is stored in a barcode?
A barcode is an identifier and nothing more. It does not contain cooking directions, and no lookup can tell you how long something takes in your air fryer. Scanning finds the item you saved; the settings come from you.
What if a product is not recognised?
Name it yourself and carry on. You can add a photo of the package, and everything else works exactly the same.
Does Cook It Again use the package directions automatically?
No. It saves the setup you used and gives it back to you. Package directions stay on the package, where you can still read them.
Custom Dishes and ingredients
Can I save homemade dishes?
Yes — that is what a Custom Dish is. Give it a name and how much it makes, and optionally add ingredients, a photo, a category, and notes.
Are ingredients required?
No. A name and base portions are required; the ingredient list is optional and can be added later, or never.
Does scaling change the cooking time?
No. Scaling multiplies ingredient amounts and nothing else — the time, temperature, power level, and timed steps stay exactly as you saved them. Doubling a batch may need longer, or may need two trays, and only you can tell which. Check the food, and verify safe internal temperatures.
Can I import recipes from websites?
No. Cook It Again is for remembering dishes you already make, not for finding or importing new ones.
Does it make grocery lists or show nutrition information?
No. Neither is planned.
Timers and results
Will the timer work when the app is closed?
Alerts are scheduled with your phone before the cook starts, so they are delivered by the operating system rather than by the app. Reopening the app works out the time left from when you started rather than from a counter that was running, so the countdown is right even if the app was closed the whole time. Focus modes, Do Not Disturb, low-power modes, and per-app notification settings all affect whether and when your phone shows an alert.
Can I save flip or shake reminders?
Yes. Add a timed step with your own wording — "shake the basket", "turn them over" — and choose whether it alerts you.
Does the app change my saved time automatically?
No. After a cook you can record how it went, and the app may suggest a revised time based on how long it actually took. It is applied only if you tap to accept it.
Data and backup
Where is my data stored?
On your device. The exceptions are narrow and listed on the privacy page: an optional barcode lookup, and purchase handling by Apple, Google, and RevenueCat.
Is backup automatic cloud sync?
No. You export a file and choose where it goes. Nothing is uploaded for you, and nothing syncs between devices on its own.
What is in a backup file?
Packaged products, Custom Dishes, ingredients, cooking setups, history, photos, and the settings that travel between devices. Purchase status is never included. Backups may include dish photos, ingredient quantities, preparation notes, and cooking history — store backup files somewhere you trust.
What happens if I delete the app without a backup?
The records go with it. Everything is stored on the device, so an export is the only copy that survives uninstalling.
Purchase and restore
Is this a subscription?
No. The lifetime unlock is a single in-app purchase. There is nothing recurring.
How do I restore my purchase?
Use Restore Purchases in Settings, signed in to the same store account you bought with. It is always available, including after reinstalling.
Does an Apple purchase work on Android?
A purchase belongs to the store account that made it. Because there is no account in Cook It Again, there is nothing to carry an unlock from one platform to the other.
What happens to what I saved if I never buy the unlock?
It keeps working. The free limit applies to saving something new — everything already saved stays visible, cookable, editable, and exportable in a backup you restore.
Safety and limitations
Does Cook It Again tell me when food is safe to eat?
No, and it cannot. It stores the settings you entered. Follow the manufacturer guidance, use a food thermometer, and verify safe internal temperatures yourself.
Does it check allergens or nutrition?
No. Ingredient names and amounts are your own notes. Nothing is analysed, checked, or looked up.
Still need help?
The support page covers troubleshooting in more detail, and you can email support@cookitagain.com.