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Staying safe, and getting help

Careful people stay safe by habit. These are good habits for any app, and a few things about VIVA that may put your mind at ease.

Good habits

  • Keep your password to yourself. You never need to share it, even with someone who says they are helping you.
  • Use a password you don’t use anywhere else. If one site has a problem, your other accounts stay safe.
  • Be careful with unexpected messages. If an email or text asks you to click a link or give personal details, stop. Go to the app yourself instead.
  • Sign out on a shared device. If you use VIVA on a computer that isn’t yours, choose Logout when you finish.
  • Ask someone you trust if something doesn’t feel right. There is no hurry.

What VIVA doesn’t need

You don’t need to link your bank to VIVA. There is nothing to connect. VIVA only knows what you type or say to it, and it can’t move your money.

Helping a parent or friend

VIVA has no separate helper view. Each person signs in to their own account, and nobody else can see it through theirs.

  • The person you’re helping stays in charge. Sit beside them, or talk it through on the phone, and let them do the tapping.
  • Don’t ask for their password, and don’t keep a copy of it.
  • Send one step at a time. Each chapter of this guide has its own web address you can send or print.
  • VIVA can’t move money, so a slip in VIVA changes only the record, not their bank account.

Common questions

Why doesn’t Money available match my bank?

VIVA only knows what has been entered. It counts an entry when you save it, not when the money moves at your bank. Look for payments you haven’t recorded yet, or entries with the wrong amount, and fix them.

What if I make a mistake?

Most mistakes can be fixed by editing the entry. Two things need more care: a deleted entry can’t be brought back, and you need customer service to change your starting balance.

Will VIVA warn me about scams or wrong charges?

No. VIVA doesn’t see your bank account, so it can’t spot a wrong charge or a scam. Keep checking your bank statements. If something looks wrong, call your bank using the number on the back of your card.

Will VIVA tell me about benefits, or plan for when my income changes?

No. VIVA records the income you enter, such as CPP, OAS or GIS, but it doesn’t remind you about payments, predict your income or plan your retirement. For questions about your benefits, contact Service Canada.

Does VIVA give financial advice?

No. It shows what you’ve recorded and how that compares with limits you set yourself. For advice about your own situation, speak to a qualified professional.

Can the text in VIVA be bigger?

You can usually make text larger in your device’s settings. In a web browser on a computer, hold Ctrl (Command on a Mac) and press +.

Get help

What you’ll do: find the help and legal pages.

  1. Open About & support. On a phone or tablet, tap More, then About & Support. On a computer, choose About & support in the left-hand menu.

  2. Choose what you need.

    • Terms and Conditions: the rules for using the app.
    • Disclaimer: what VIVA does and doesn’t provide.
    • Privacy Policy: how your information is protected and used.
    • Contact Us: ways to reach the support team.

  3. To write to customer service, use the email address shown under Customer service: viva-services@vivaleadingtech.ca.

    1. Privacy Policy
    2. Customer service email
    1. Privacy Policy
    2. Customer service email
    1. Privacy Policy
    2. Customer service email

Changing your starting balance, or closing your account

  • Starting balance: you can’t change it yourself. Write to customer service and they will help.
  • Closing your account: on an Android phone or tablet, the About & Support page has a Delete Account button at the bottom. VIVA asks you to confirm first, and deleting cannot be undone. On a computer there is no such button. Please write to customer service.

This guide explains how to use the VIVA app. It is not financial, legal or tax advice. Dollar amounts are made-up examples, not what you should expect to receive or spend. For advice about your own situation, please speak to a qualified professional.

Updated November 2026, for VIVA app version 1.0.4. Pictures use made-up examples.