Trailstation Support

Trailstation is a time-synced audio player for iPhone and Apple Watch. Everything works on-device and fully offline — there is no Trailstation server and no account to manage.

The basics

How do I make a station?

Tap Build a Station, give it a name, add audio files (AAC, MP3, WAV, and more), set the crossfade if you want, and Save. Trailstation reads each file’s title and artist tags when they’re present (and falls back to the file name), so your tracks show the right names. Then open the station and tap Tune In to start playing.

Why do two phones playing the same station sound in sync?

A station loops against the wall clock, so every device works out the same spot in the loop from the current time. Two devices tuned into the same station land on the same moment without talking to each other. This relies on each device having an accurate clock — keep Settings → General → Date & Time → Set Automatically turned on.

Playback blipped when I connected AirPods — is that a bug?

No. Bluetooth output (AirPods, speakers) adds a chunk of delay, which would otherwise leave you playing slightly behind everyone else. Trailstation notices the output change and automatically re-locks to the clock, so you stay in sync — that brief blip is the re-sync. The same happens when you unplug headphones and switch back to the speaker.

Off-grid time sync

How do we stay in sync on a multi-day trip with no signal?

Device clocks set from the network are normally accurate to a fraction of a second, but over several days with no signal two clocks can slowly drift apart. To re-align them with no internet: on the main screen tap Sync Time Nearby. On one phone choose Share this device’s time; on the other choose Sync to a nearby device and pick it from the list. They match clocks directly, device to device, over a short-range connection — no network, no servers. Your Apple Watch follows your iPhone automatically. (The first time, iOS asks for Local Network permission; it’s used only for this.)

One device sounds slightly ahead of or behind another.

Different headphones can add different amounts of Bluetooth delay. While tuned in, tap the sliders button at the top of the station screen and nudge the offset until they line up. It’s saved per pair of headphones and re-applied automatically when they reconnect. Most of the time you won’t need it.

Sharing

How do I share a station with a friend?

Open the station, tap Share Station, and pick how to send it:

• AirDrop or Email (file) — sends the single .trailstation file. AirDrop works fully offline and is best in person; email works anywhere. When your friend taps it (with Trailstation installed) it opens in the app.
• Save to iCloud Drive — uploads the station to your iCloud (Files ▸ Trailstation), then opens the Files app. There, touch and hold the station, tap Share, then Copy Link — that gives you a tappable link you can text or email. Your friend taps it, the station downloads, and it opens in Trailstation. Needs you to be signed into iCloud.
• Export Track Files (folder) — gives you a plain folder containing the station’s original audio files, numbered in loop order. Use this when you want the tracks themselves rather than a station — to save them elsewhere, or to hand them to someone who doesn’t use Trailstation.

You can also use Save to Files to keep or move the file yourself.

Messages isn’t offered when sending the raw file, because it can’t reliably open a custom attachment on the other phone. To text someone, use Save to iCloud Drive and then Copy Link in Files (a tappable URL), or AirDrop in person.

The shared file doesn’t open in the app.

• The recipient needs Trailstation installed first.
• Send it via AirDrop and tap the notification to open it. (The Files app shows a blank preview for this file type by design — use the Share button there and choose Trailstation.)

Apple Watch

I sent stations to my watch but they haven’t arrived.

• Confirm Trailstation is installed on the watch (open the Watch app on your iPhone to install it).
• Transfers happen in the background and Apple deliberately delays large ones to protect the watch’s battery. Put your Apple Watch on its charger near your iPhone — that reliably lets queued transfers finish.
• The Send button shows the current status (“Sending…”, “Synced…”, or why it can’t).

Managing stations

How do I edit or delete a station?

On the iPhone list, swipe a station left to Delete it, or right to Edit it (editing is available when the station isn’t playing). Deleting a station also removes the audio it used from the app. You can delete synced stations on the Apple Watch by swiping as well.

I have a lot of stations. How do I keep them organized?

Tap + and choose New Folder, then swipe a station right and tap Move to file it. A station lives in one folder at a time, and moving stations around never re-sends anything to your watch. You can also search from the main screen — it matches station names as well as track titles and artists, so you can find a song without remembering which station it’s in.

How do I get back to what’s playing?

Whatever is on air stays pinned at the top of the main screen under Now Playing, no matter which folder it’s filed in. Tap it to jump straight to the station, or swipe it to tune out.

Contact

Email: stormsunity@gmail.com

We are a small team and reply within a few business days. Please include your iOS / watchOS version and a short description of what you saw — it helps us reproduce.