How To Share The ZOLEO Device

Sharing your ZOLEO device between two smartphones requires two steps: disconnecting the device from your current phone in the ZOLEO app, then connecting it to the new user's phone. This article walks through the full process, including Bluetooth requirements, contact management, and how billing and messages work during a share.

Disconnecting the ZOLEO Device from Your Smartphone

Before a second person can connect to your ZOLEO device, you need to disconnect it from your phone in the ZOLEO app. Disconnecting in the app does not affect your service plan or account — it only removes the link between your phone and the ZOLEO hardware.

To disconnect your phone from the ZOLEO device:

Navigate to the settings menu (gear icon).	Select Disconnect From ZOLEO Device.	Confirm the disconnect by tapping Yes on the popup message.

Once disconnected, your phone will no longer send or receive SMS or email messages through the ZOLEO device. You can still use the ZOLEO app for app-to-app messaging over cellular or Wi-Fi. Your existing messages will remain on your phone's Chats screen.

If you see a "Connect to your ZOLEO Device" prompt when trying to send a message after disconnecting, go to Settings > Follow-Me Messaging and disable Follow-Me SMS & Email.

Connecting a New Smartphone to Your ZOLEO Device

After you disconnect your phone, the new user can connect their smartphone to the ZOLEO device. Before they begin, they will need Bluetooth enabled on their phone with permissions granted to the ZOLEO app.

To check Bluetooth permissions:

• iOS: Go to phone Settings, select ZOLEO, and confirm Bluetooth is enabled.
• Android: Go to phone Settings, select Apps, select ZOLEO, select Permissions, and confirm Nearby Devices is set to Allowed.

The new user will also need the ZOLEO app installed and their own MyZOLEO account. For help installing the app and creating an account, see How to Install the ZOLEO App.

Once the app is set up, they can follow the full steps to link their phone to the ZOLEO device in How To Link Your ZOLEO Device to the ZOLEO App. The linking steps vary slightly depending on their app version — that article covers both version 6.7 or higher and version 6.6 or lower. When linking is complete, the ZOLEO SMS number and email address will be linked to their app through the Follow-Me feature, and they will start receiving all new incoming SMS and email messages sent to the device.

Note: the new user will not be able to see your previous messages. App-to-app messages are always delivered to each user's individual ZOLEO app profile and are not visible between users.

Updating SOS and Check-In Contacts for the Shared Device

SOS and Check-In contacts are managed at the account level in MyZOLEO, not in the ZOLEO app. If the person borrowing your ZOLEO device needs different SOS and Check-In contacts from the ones currently on your account, update them before they start using the device.

To update contacts, log in to your account at myzoleo.com, navigate to your device settings, and update the contacts as needed. For step-by-step instructions, see ZOLEO SOS & Check-In Contacts.

The Medical Assist feature is tied to the registered subscriber's account and cannot be shared. The person borrowing the device will not have access to Medical Assist through their connection to your ZOLEO hardware, regardless of how the device is set up.

Billing and Messages When Sharing Your ZOLEO Device

Any satellite messaging usage while someone else is connected to your ZOLEO device is billed to your account. Your active monthly plan covers usage regardless of who is physically using the device — there is no way to split billing between users on a shared device. If you're sharing your device for an extended period, keep this in mind when reviewing your monthly invoice.

Your existing messages remain on your phone's Chats screen after you disconnect and will not be visible to the new user. The new user will receive all new incoming SMS and email messages sent to the device's ZOLEO number and address from the point they connect. App-to-app messages are delivered directly to each user's individual ZOLEO app profile and are not shared between users.

If you want to reclaim the device later, the process works in reverse: the current user disconnects in the ZOLEO app under Settings > Disconnect From ZOLEO Device, and you reconnect by following the standard linking steps in How To Link Your ZOLEO Device to the ZOLEO App.