Gospel Living web app or desktop app and potential for non-member access

Will there be an option to log in to the Gospel Living app for Desktop or through a web app? We have a lot of youth without mobile devices as parents choose not to buy them for 11-15 yr olds. Even some of our 16+ do not have them. It would be great if they had another way to access the app and information. We also have unique situation with a lot of youth attending who are not currently members of the Church and would like to be included. Will there be a future option to allow them access through email invite or other means?

Thanks

I don’t think anyone who would have that information is really looking at this forum. Maybe ask your question in the in-app feedback?

According to You Asked, We Listened. Here's What's Coming in Gospel Living, the ability to add non-members will be coming, but that's been on the list since February.

No idea if a web version is in the plans.

These two functions would be very helpful.

I echo these suggestion and have requested a web app version multiple times for this same reason: too many of our children and youth have no access to smartphones and other devices that can access the app. If we had a web app, people could access the Gospel Living app from any device that can access the Internet.

Just wondering if there's any updates on this?

I'm not begging for this app, but if the Church really wants us to use it, I'll totally use it and promote it to the best of my ability. I'm pretty sure the General Authorities know better than me (us) what the Church needs. But I do have to say that if the Gospel Living Circles messaging is ONLY available on SMARTPHONES, that will absolutely leave many youth out, and that in and of itself is more than enough reason for wards and branches everywhere to skip right over it and use other messaging tools (you know...all the stuff the Church wanted us to use less of by adopting Circles). And truly, I would get my family switched over to Circles TODAY if there was a web app for it, and I would promote it in Ward Council over and over till it stuck. But with no access except by smartphone, it's simply not going to be adopted hardly anywhere. It's just not.

So having said all that...what is the update? Why haven't we seen a web app version when tons of people have been begging for it and the need and justification (not the least of which is likely the survival or death of Gospel Living and Circles messaging) is patently obvious?

Thanks!

A web app would be a big help. More youth would have access. I also find that my computer is how I mainly communicate since I can get texts and email from it. It is just when I want to use circles that I find myself looking around for my phone. If whoever is in charge of this can make this happen, Circles could really take hold. Thank you for the phone app, we do use it and like it!

justme wrote: Thu Feb 17, 2022 6:36 pm ... if the Gospel Living Circles messaging is ONLY available on SMARTPHONES, that will absolutely leave many youth out, and that in and of itself is more than enough reason for wards and branches everywhere to skip right over it and use other messaging tools (you know...all the stuff the Church wanted us to use less of by adopting Circles). And truly, I would get my family switched over to Circles TODAY if there was a web app for it, and I would promote it in Ward Council over and over till it stuck. But with no access except by smartphone, it's simply not going to be adopted hardly anywhere. It's just not.

I share these same sentiments. I'm in a position within my ward to get every youth, adult leader, and parent using Gospel Living and Circles, but I can't push for it when there's no way for many of our youth to access the app. I have shared this concern since Day 1 on the in-app feedback function, and I'm really disappointed we haven't seen a web app or Gospel Living menu within the Church's website. -- Instead, our kids turn to Discord, Reddit, Groupme, and other forums for communicating, which leaves them exposed to a lot of other content. In addition, they miss out on the other benefits the Gospel Living app offers (e.g., content related to the Goals and Children and Youth program).

This seems like a 100% obvious need that would dramatically change the adoption rate for this app, so why is there still no web app?

You can download the app to Chromebooks through the Google Play Store.

Also can add the ios App to MacOS.

Also you can use an Android Emulator or add the Android App to the WSL for Windows 11.

All good options to get this on computers.

See the attached photo for the chromebook access.

We are starting to use this in our ward.

For those of us who are less tech savvy, can you go through the steps on how to get the app on macOS and a windows desktop? That would be super helpful for all the above reasons!

Yeah, this is why we almost always use groupme at the moment or even worse, Facebook. It needs to be accessible from a computer. It needs to be accessible by those who are not members of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints. Please add a web app.

Add my vote and voice for web-based access ; otherwise it is ineffective.

I cannot figure out how to run this on a windows computer. I'm a little frustrated that it's not in the app store when Windows is so widely used for desktop computers. Can you post a step by step for how to do this?

Thanks

There have been questions about adding this to Windows and Mac OS.
I downloaded Blue Stacks (a popular Android emulator) and then installed the gospel living app.
The emulator emulates the Android phone operating system on your local computer.

It is a little more setup but it works. See the screenshot below. Also I vote they make this a Web App. It is almost essential it be a web app for the youth without phones but have access to a family computer.

ssheahan wrote: Mon Oct 24, 2022 3:34 pm You can download the app to Chromebooks through the Google Play Store.

Also can add the ios App to MacOS.

Also you can use an Android Emulator or add the Android App to the WSL for Windows 11.

All good options to get this on computers.

See the attached photo for the chromebook access.

We are starting to use this in our ward.

App still isn't on MacOS, FYI. Would love to have it for all the reasons mentioned above.

Would love to have it for all the reasons mentioned above.

I noticed this hasn't been addressed on this specific thread, so wanted to make sure posters to the thread are aware that the Tech Forum is primarily user-to-user (aka member-to-member) self-help and discussion. So any feedback or enhancement requests made in the Forum, are very unlikely to reach anyone inside the Church's development teams that is in a position to take action on those requests. There are a few Forum members who have insights (sometimes they're just really good guessers) about certain aspects of Church tech, but nobody here has any idea about Church development timelines or priorities.

bradbur2 wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 5:09 pm App still isn't on MacOS, FYI. Would love to have it for all the reasons mentioned above.

Gospel Living is available via the Mac App Store on newer Macs with Apple Silicon (M1, M2, etc.). It's not available on Intel-based Macs, unfortunately.

sbradshaw wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 4:54 pm Gospel Living is available via the Mac App Store on newer Macs with Apple Silicon (M1, M2, etc.). It's not available on Intel-based Macs, unfortunately.

Is this by running the Android app, or is GL now coming to desktop OS?

russellhltn wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 5:51 pm

sbradshaw wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 4:54 pm Gospel Living is available via the Mac App Store on newer Macs with Apple Silicon (M1, M2, etc.). It's not available on Intel-based Macs, unfortunately.

Is this by running the Android app, or is GL now coming to desktop OS?

All newer Macs (i.e. Macs with Apple Silicon chips) can run iOS apps:
https://support.apple.com/guide/app-store/iphone-ipad-apps-mac-apple-silicon-fird2c7092da/mac
The user experience isn't necessarily optimized for Mac – i.e. it looks like an iPhone or iPad app in a window – but no emulator is required.

For those of us who aren't nearly as computer literate as some of the rest of you, could you explain that process? I download apps all the time. I've never downloaded a Google Play app through Chromebook, don't know what that means or the process it would involve. If I go to the playstore, the only options I see is to download Google apps for and on eligible Google devices. Thanks in advance.

dlayton wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 7:25 am For those of us who aren't nearly as computer literate as some of the rest of you, could you explain that process? I download apps all the time. I've never downloaded a Google Play app through Chromebook, don't know what that means or the process it would involve. If I go to the playstore, the only options I see is to download Google apps for and on eligible Google devices. Thanks in advance.

"Google Play" is Google's app store for Android. You can use Google Play to download other apps, including Gospel Library, Sacred Music, and Gospel Living.

Here are some instructions for enabling Google Play on a Chromebook and using it to install Android apps:
https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/7021273?hl=en

F. Y. I. - The Amazon Appstore is not available for download from the Microsoft Store on Windows 11 devices after March 6, 2024.

I do have to say that if the Gospel Living Circles messaging is ONLY available on SMARTPHONES, that will absolutely leave many youth out

It's not healthy to tether yourself to a phone, regardless of your age.

The Amazon Appstore is not available for download from the Microsoft Store on Windows 11 devices after March 6, 2024.

With nothing but a Phone app to access church resources, members are at the whimsy of the consumer-sphere they have bought into. Additionally, many of these consumer entities are hostile to religion. Having a web app provides for greater neutrality and flexibility in accessing church resources.

Personally, As an adult I have worked the last 4 years to de-tangle myself from dependency on the smart phone. I find that the only means of accessing Circles on such an insecure and intrusive device to be a non-starter. The only way I can justify using it is on a Web interface where I can access it from my PC. This needs to happen otherwise my family is not gong to be able to leverage what looks like a valuable tool.

Phones are at best a distraction. Humanity built civilization without candy crush and other apps that send you notifications to remind you to spend time looking at their ads so you can buy more things.

Peace and God Bless.
~ The Baker Family.

As my ward tries to push awareness and adoption of the Gospel Living app among adults and youth, I'm again dismayed to see that there is no web app or section of the Church's website that emulates the Gospel Living app features. I noticed that there is a Gospel Living app section (where you can view the Children and Youth content), but you can't engage in Circles, set Goals, record Thoughts, or schedule / view Activities. -- Even as smartphones and tablets are becoming increasingly ubiquitous, there is still a real need for a web app to allow more universal access for all members of a ward. Unfortunately, workarounds by installing emulators or using non-native app designs on Chromebooks and iOS platforms do little to address the core issue and continue to leave handfuls of youth and adults out of the "Circle" when it comes to using Gospel Living.

Given the Church's investment in linking the Gospel Library to the Church's main website (i.e., your notes and highlights sync across mobile devices and the Church website, meaning you can access all of your content on any device), I don't see why the same isn't already possible for Gospel Living. As evidenced by this thread, this is an issue that has needed a solution for four or five years (at least) by now. -- Does anyone in the Church's technology development team either (a) check in on these forums or (b) provide feedback and responses to legitimate suggestions and concerns like those mentioned in this thread?

The simple reality is that the Church's investments in the Gospel Living app are being wasted by not adding a web app for families and individuals who aren't tethered to a smartphone. If we want this tool to reach its full potential, a more universal access method (i.e., web app, functionality within the Church website) needs to be created.

esmeet wrote: Sun Mar 09, 2025 4:01 pmDoes anyone in the Church's technology development team either (a) check in on these forums or (b) provide feedback and responses to legitimate suggestions and concerns like those mentioned in this thread?

That's a good (and very often asked) question. Unfortunately, I believe most Forum members would agree that the answer is essentially "no" to both your questions. The Tech Forum primarily serves as a place for user-to-user discussion and self-help, and there is no connection between anything discussed here, and the Church's support system. Occasionally a Church employee will join a discussion, but from my experience those employees are not the "decision makers", so although they may have a bit of insider info, it's generally unlikely that a Forum discussion will result in action by the Church.

The method to get requests like yours into the Church's support system is through the Feedback functionality, which is available inside Church apps, as well as via links at the bottom of most Church webpages. And we are told that all Feedback is processed even when individual responses are not generated. A good idea when submitting Feedback is to include a link to a Forum post with all the discussion about the topic, so that whoever processes your request can have the helpful context.

BrianEdwards wrote: Sun Mar 09, 2025 6:09 pmThe method to get requests like yours into the Church's support system is through the Feedback functionality...

There is a second method: that is to ask your Stake President to bring it up in his Coordinating Council with his General Authority. If he feels the issue is important enough to bring it up there, it may get some traction from the top-down. Bringing it up there may get other Stakes to weigh in if it is a problem for them as well.

When using the feedback link, I recommend providing the "business case" in the feedback. What is the current system preventing or what will the change improve/fix if the feedback is implemented? A link to a Tech Forum post or thread can be provided in the feedback for the back story.