---
title: App overview and navigation
description: Home screen, bottom tabs, and main features of the DistantRace mobile app
order: 2
---

# App overview and navigation

After setup, the app opens on a **tabbed home screen** with a central **START** button for recording workouts.

## Bottom navigation

| Tab | Purpose |
|-----|---------|
| **Home** | Today's steps, weekly chart, step goal, active challenges |
| **Activity** | Workouts recorded in the app and imported history |
| **Posts** | Event message board posts across your joined events |
| **Profile** | Account, step source, partner apps, settings, support |

The red **START** button in the center is not a tab — it opens the **workout recorder** (walking, running, cycling, and more). See [Recording workouts](recording-workouts.md).

## Home screen

The home tab shows:

- **Steps ring** — today's step count toward your personal goal
- **Weekly bars** — last seven days of steps from DistantRace
- **Active challenges** — events you joined; tap for standings and details
- **Discover events** — suggested public challenges (when available)

Step counts refresh when you open the app, return from the background, or switch back to the Home tab after changing settings.

### QR scanner button

A floating **QR code button** sits on the home screen (and on event lists). Use it to:

- Join an event by scanning an organizer QR code or event URL
- Enter a join code manually
- Scan a **website login QR** (`login_…` codes)
- Scan **race-day tickets** (13-digit codes starting with `990`)

See [Finding and joining events](finding-and-joining-events.md).

### Step details

Tap the steps ring or weekly chart to open **step details** — a deeper view of daily totals and sync status.

### Manual step entry

Some organizers allow **manual step submission** for specific dates. If enabled for your account, you can add steps from the step details flow when the feature is available.

## Activity tab

Lists **workouts recorded in the app** and activities synced to your account. Tap an entry for distance, duration, map, and export options.

Workouts from Garmin, Polar, and other connected apps appear here after server sync — not only phone recordings.

## Posts tab

Shows **posts from event message boards** across events you participate in. Organizer announcements appear above participant posts. You can compose posts, react, and report content from event-specific feeds.

Website equivalent: [Challenge message board](../joining-events/challenge-message-board.md).

## Notifications

Push notification permission is requested during onboarding. The in-app **Notifications** screen (filter by category, mark all read) is available in the app; the notification feed may be empty until server push topics are fully wired.

Website notification preferences: [Notification preferences](../joining-events/notification-preferences.md).

## Related

- [Step sync setup](step-sync-setup.md)
- [Finding and joining events](finding-and-joining-events.md)
- [Account and settings](account-and-settings.md)