Straightforward instructions organised by task.
On Android: download the APK from the Downloads page and install it through the standard sideload prompt. On iOS: open the TestFlight link, accept the installation prompt and the app appears on your home screen. Open Taftan once and grant the microphone and camera permissions when asked. You only need to do this once.
Open Taftan and select the Acoustic channel. Write the message. Choose Audible mode for a quiet environment, Resilient mode if there is significant background noise, or Ultrasonic mode if no sound output is acceptable. Set a password and tap Transmit. The receiving device, open on the Receive screen, will decode it.
Select the Optical channel. Choose the file, set a password and tap Generate. A grid of animated QR tiles appears on the screen. The other person points their camera at the screen until the progress indicator reaches 100 per cent, then enters the password to receive the file.
Select the Steganographic channel. Choose a photo from your gallery. Type the message. Set a password. Use Silent mode if the messaging app sends photos without modifying them (Signal, Telegram file mode, email). Use Robust mode for WhatsApp, Instagram or Telegram's default photo mode. Save the output photo and send it normally.
Save the photo to your device gallery. Open Taftan, select the Steganographic channel, tap Reveal and select the photo. Enter the password. The original message appears.
Acoustic channel failing repeatedly: switch to Resilient mode and turn up the speaker volume. Optical channel stalling: reduce ambient lighting to cut down on screen glare. Steganographic photo not decoding: the platform likely recompressed the image. Retransmit using Robust mode.