What is Border Mode and how do I use it

What is Border Mode, and how do I use it? 🛂

Imagine you are pulling up to a busy border crossing. The customs officer asks to see your passports, your vehicle’s V5C logbook, and your pet’s vaccination records.

Normally, you would have to unlock your phone, dig through folders, and then physically hand your unlocked device to a stranger—giving them access to your personal messages, photos, and your entire Vanlife Assistant budget.

Border Mode solves this. It is a secure, distraction-free presentation screen designed specifically for handing your phone to officials.

🛡️ How Border Mode Works

When activated, Border Mode takes over your entire screen. It turns the background black, hides your phone’s status bar (clock and battery), and strips away all menus, editing buttons, and financial data.

It leaves only a simple, swipeable carousel of your essential documents, beautifully displayed in full screen.

The Three Contexts

Border Mode is smart. You can toggle between three different “Contexts” depending on who you are handing your phone to:

1. Border: Pulls up Passports, Visas, and essential ID for everyone in the van.
2. Medical: Pulls up Health Insurance, EHIC/GHIC cards, and vaccination records.
3. Vehicle: Pulls up your V5C Registration, MOT, and Breakdown Cover for a mechanic or police stop.

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🛠️ Step-by-Step: Using Border Mode

Preparing your Documents

The app tries to be smart by automatically pulling in documents that have words like “Passport” or “Insurance” in their title. However, for the best experience, you should explicitly tag them!

1. Open an important document (like a Passport) in your Glovebox and tap Edit.
2. Under “Tags”, add the tag Border (or Medical, or Vehicle).
3. Save the document.

Activating Border Mode

1. Open the main Glovebox tab.
2. At the very top of the screen, tap the large, purple Present Documents (Border Mode) hero button.
3. Your screen will instantly switch to a dark, secure mode.
4. Use the segmented picker at the top to choose your context (Border, Medical, or Vehicle).
5. Hand over your phone! The official can simply swipe left and right to view the documents like a photo album.

To exit Border Mode, just tap the ‘X’ in the top corner.

💡 Pro-Tip: Expiry Badges Border Mode will prominently display a green date or a bright red “EXPIRED” badge underneath the document. Always check your Border Mode screen a few days before your crossing to ensure you aren’t about to hand an official an expired document!