The Settings tab is where you tune KidneyPal to fit you — from language and units to your kidney profile and account. This page walks through each section in order.
Preferences
- Notifications — turn reminders on or off and choose which ones you get (meal reminders, streak reminders, milestone celebrations). Full details in Notifications.
- Theme — choose Auto (follow your phone’s system setting), Light, or Dark.
- Language — pick any of 13 languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Arabic, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Turkish, or Chinese (Traditional). Switching to or from Arabic requires an app restart to flip the layout direction.
- Volume Unit — Milliliters (ml) or Fluid Ounces (oz) for fluid tracking.
- Weight Unit — Kilograms (kg) or Pounds (lbs) for body weight.
Profile
This section holds the medical details that personalize the entire app.
Kidney Status
Tap Kidney Status to change your stage. Options are:
| Option | Description shown in the app |
|---|---|
| Stage 1 | Kidney damage with normal function (GFR 90+) |
| Stage 2 | Mild decrease in function (GFR 60–89) |
| Stage 3a | Mild to moderate decrease (GFR 45–59) |
| Stage 3b | Moderate to severe decrease (GFR 30–44) |
| Stage 4 | Severe decrease in function (GFR 15–29) |
| Stage 5 | Kidney failure (GFR <15) |
| On Dialysis | Currently receiving dialysis treatment |
| Transplant | Received a kidney transplant |
| Kidney Stones | Managing or preventing kidney stones |
| Proactive Health | No diagnosis, taking preventive measures |
| Not Sure | Exploring options, not yet diagnosed |
Saving a new status immediately recalculates your daily nutrient limits for the new stage (based on NKF KDOQI guidelines — there’s a View Guidelines link on the screen).
Tip: Changing your status resets any custom limits back to auto-calculated values. If your doctor gave you specific numbers, re-enter them under Custom Limits afterward.
eGFR Calculator
Not sure of your stage? The eGFR Calculator estimates your kidney function from a recent blood test using the CKD-EPI 2021 (race-free) equation. Enter:
- Serum creatinine — in mg/dL or µmol/L, straight from your lab report
- Age
- Sex
You’ll see your estimated GFR in mL/min/1.73m² and the approximate stage it falls into. If the result differs from your current KidneyPal status, the app offers to update it — and shows how your daily limits would change. If the result looks better than your current status, KidneyPal advises confirming with your nephrologist before loosening limits, since eGFR can fluctuate between blood draws.
The calculator’s own words apply here: this is an estimate, not a medical diagnosis. Always discuss your results with your doctor or nephrologist.
Health Conditions
Select any conditions you’re managing:
- Diabetes (Type 1 or Type 2)
- High Blood Pressure (hypertension) — affects limits
- Heart Disease (cardiovascular conditions) — affects limits
Selecting high blood pressure or heart disease tightens your daily sodium limit automatically. Choose None of the above if none apply. See How Your Limits Are Calculated for the details.
Optional Nutrients (requires KidneyPal Pro)
Add calories, carbs & sugars, fat, magnesium, calcium, and vitamin K to your daily dashboard, each with an optional limit. Covered fully in How Your Limits Are Calculated.
Binder Medications (requires KidneyPal Pro)
Set up your phosphate and potassium binders so you can check them off with each meal, and have your adherence appear in doctor reports. See Binder Tracker.
Apple Health (iOS only)
On iPhone you’ll see an Apple Health section with the Apple Health Sync toggle — it syncs weight, hydration, and nutrition with the Health app. Advanced sync requires KidneyPal Pro. Full setup in Apple Health.
Custom Limits
The Custom Limits section lets you override KidneyPal’s calculated values with numbers from your doctor. Each nutrient — Sodium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Protein, and Fluid — shows its current daily limit tagged auto or custom. Tap one to enter a custom value or reset it. The protein editor also lets you update your body weight, since your automatic protein limit is calculated from it.
Fluid has no automatic limit — it reads Not set (no limit) until you add one from your care team.
For how this all fits together, see How Your Limits Are Calculated.
Diet Preferences
KidneyPal also has a Diet Preferences screen — Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free, and Dairy-Free — reached from the filters on the Recipes tab rather than from Settings. These filter recipe suggestions only; they don’t change your nutrient limits. See Recipes.
Account
- Manage Subscription — opens subscription management for your plan. Details in Subscription & Billing.
- Restore Purchases — re-activates KidneyPal Pro if you’ve reinstalled the app or switched phones.
- Rate KidneyPal — opens the App Store or Play Store review page. Honest reviews help other kidney patients find the app.
- Feedback / Support — opens an email to support@kidneypal.app with your app version pre-filled so we can help faster.
- Sign Out — signs you out without deleting anything; your data is waiting when you sign back in.
- Delete Account — permanently deletes your account and all data. This cannot be undone. See Account & Privacy before you tap it.
Legal
Links to KidneyPal’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, both hosted at kidneypal.app.
