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Testing Portus

A guide for closed-beta testers. Skim what's useful; the structure is here for people who prefer a script over free play.

What's shipping right now

Portus is a full replacement for your default SMS app. Backup/restore to your own cloud is the marketing wedge; full-text search and per-thread controls are the retention features. The v1 build in closed test includes everything below under "Available."

Available

• Full default-SMS-app behavior: sending, receiving, MMS with attachments, group MMS.
• Cloud backup + restore to a WebDAV server or local folder you control.
• Full-text search across every message you've ever received.
• Per-thread themes, bubble colors, notification behavior, and send-confirm.
• Named group chats, keyword blocking, archive, snippets, scheduled messages.

Not yet implemented (please don't report as bugs)

• Cross-device sync. The v1 backup format supports restoring to a fresh install; live two-way sync of messages between your phone and tablet is architected for a later release, not v1.
• Pro tier billing. All features are free during the closed test. The paid Pro tier (one-time purchase, no subscription) will land after v1 ships publicly.
• Sticker packs and premium content. Planned as optional add-ons; not in v1.
• RCS. RCS threads fall back to Google Messages; Portus does not attempt to handle them in v1.

How to test

Two shapes work; pick whichever fits your style, or combine them.

• Daily driver for a week or two. Set Portus as your default SMS app and use it as your only SMS app. This is by far the highest-value test — real-world usage surfaces friction that a scripted session misses.
• Dedicated sessions from the checklist below. Structured coverage of specific features.

Checklist

Grouped by area. Cover what you can; nobody expects the full list from every tester.

Setup + default SMS

• Install Portus and accept the "set as default SMS app" prompt.
• Grant the runtime permissions when asked (SMS, notifications, and optionally contacts and location).
• Confirm existing SMS threads appear in the conversation list — Portus reads from Android's system SMS provider, so your history should be there immediately.

Send + receive

• Send an SMS. Receive an SMS from someone. Confirm notifications work.
• Send an MMS with an image attachment. Send one with a vCard (contact). Send one with a location.
• Send a group MMS to 2+ recipients. Name the group thread (long-press the row → Rename).

Search

• Tap the search icon on Home. Search for a common word.
• Search for something that only appears in one or two threads and confirm results narrow down as you type.
• Tap a result and confirm it navigates to the right thread + message.

Backup + restore

• Settings → Backup → pick a destination (local folder, or a WebDAV server if you have one).
• Run "Back up now." Confirm progress runs and completes.
• Send a few new messages, then run backup again — it should be incremental (only new rows uploaded).
• If you feel adventurous: uninstall Portus, reinstall, point at the same destination, run Restore, and confirm all threads and attachments come back.

Blocking + archive

• Long-press a thread → Block. Confirm it disappears from Home and appears under Blocked.
• Add a keyword under Blocked → Keywords. Confirm incoming messages containing that keyword don't ring a notification.
• Long-press a thread → Archive. Confirm it moves to the Archive folder. Send a new message to that thread from another phone and confirm it auto-un-archives.

Themes + per-thread color

• Settings → Theme → pick a theme. Confirm bubbles pick up the new palette.
• In a conversation, overflow menu → Behavior → change the bubble color. Confirm it applies to only that thread.

Notifications

• In a conversation, overflow → Behavior. Turn on "Mute notifications." Send yourself a message and confirm it doesn't ring.
• Turn on "Hide preview." Send yourself a message and confirm the notification says "New message" without the body text.

What to report

• Anything that crashes, freezes, or produces a wrong-looking result.
• Any control that felt confusing to find or use.
• Anything you'd expect an SMS app to do that Portus doesn't (worth checking against the Not-yet-implemented list first, but if it isn't there, we want to know).
• Regressions from your previous SMS app — features you relied on that Portus doesn't have, or has worse.

How to report

In the app: Settings → Report an issue. Portus bundles recent app logs, version info, and device info into a text file, opens your email app with the report attached, and pre-fills the support address (portus@orezeno.app). The bundle is plain text — open it before sending if you have concerns about what's in it. Message content is not included.

Feature ideas or UX feedback that isn't a bug can go to portus@orezeno.app directly. Diagnostics not needed for those.

Thanks

Every crash caught in testing is one fewer crash a stranger hits on the production listing. Device coverage across manufacturers matters most — hardware-specific quirks are usually device-specific, and every tester on a different phone genuinely helps.

Last updated: 2026-08-20