Patches — Support & FAQ
Developer: Gracebyte Studios
App: Patches (com.gracebytestudios.patches)
Platforms: iOS and Android
Last updated: April 2, 2026
Getting Help
General Contact
For questions, bug reports, or feedback about Patches, please reach out:
Email: gracebyte.studios@gmail.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Gameplay & Levels
Q: How do I solve a puzzle?
A: Fill the entire board using the given shapes without any gaps or overlaps. Each shape must fit perfectly, and you must use all of them. Think logically about how the pieces fit together.
Q: What are hints for?
A: Hints show you how you can solve the puzzle and the correct placement of one shape on the board. Use them when you're stuck. The leaderboard tracks how many hints you used with each solve.
Q: Can I play offline?
A: Yes! Patches works completely offline. All your progress is stored locally on your device. The leaderboard and cloud save features require internet connectivity.
Q: How many levels are in Patches?
A: Patches includes over 2,000 puzzles across four difficulty tiers: Easy, Medium, Hard, and Brutal. Additional level sets are available for purchase.
Q: What's the difference between the difficulty tiers?
A: Easy introduces the basic mechanics. Medium adds complexity. Hard requires strategic thinking. Brutal is the ultimate challenge. Each tier has 500+ levels.
Q: Can I unlock higher difficulties?
A: Easy, Medium, and Hard are always available. Brutal difficulty requires the "Unlock Brutal" in-app purchase. Expansion level sets for any difficulty can be purchased separately.
Themes & Customization
Q: How do I change the color theme?
A: Open Settings (gear icon) and select Appearance → Theme. Several themes are free; additional themes can be unlocked via in-app purchase.
Q: How do I switch between light and dark mode?
A: Open Settings → Appearance and toggle Dark Mode on or off. Your choice is saved.
Q: Can I preview a theme before purchasing?
A: No, but purchased themes can be applied immediately. If you're unsure, contact support before purchasing. An example of each theme is shown in the app store's promotional pictures.
Progress & Cloud Save
Q: Where is my progress saved?
A: Your progress is stored locally on your device. Optionally, you can enable cloud save in Settings to sync your progress across devices using your Google or Apple account.
Q: I lost my progress. Can you recover it?
A: Local progress is stored on your device and cannot be recovered if you uninstall the app without cloud save enabled. If you had cloud save enabled, try signing in again or redownloading the game.
Q: How do I transfer my progress to a new device?
A: Enable cloud save in Settings before switching devices. On your new device, install Patches, go to Settings → Cloud Save, and sign in with the same account.
Q: Can I play on multiple devices?
A: Yes, if you enable cloud save. Sign in with the same account on each device and your progress will sync.
Leaderboard
Q: How does the leaderboard work?
A: When you complete a puzzle, your solve time is submitted anonymously to the global leaderboard for that level. Your ranking is calculated based on your time compared to other players.
Q: Can I see my global rank?
A: The leaderboard shows your percentile ranking for each puzzle (e.g., "Top 15%"). Your solve times are submitted anonymously and cannot be linked to your identity.
Q: What counts as a solve time?
A: The solve time begins when you enter a puzzle and ends when you complete it. Hints do not affect your solve time, but the number of hints used is recorded on the leaderboard.
In-App Purchases & Ads
Q: How do I remove ads?
A: Purchase the "Remove Ads" add-on in Settings → Premium. This permanently disables all banner advertising.
Q: Are purchases permanent?
A: Yes. All in-app purchases are permanent and tied to your platform account (Apple or Google). You can restore purchases in Settings → Premium → Restore Purchases.
Q: What if I accidentally purchased something?
A: Apple and Google allow refunds within 15 minutes of purchase. Contact Apple Support or Google Play Support directly for refund requests.
Q: Can I get a refund?
A: All purchases are final except as required by applicable law or platform policy. Refunds are handled by Apple App Store or Google Play, not by Gracebyte Studios.
Technical Issues
Q: The app keeps crashing. What can I do?
A: Try these steps:
- Force close the app completely
- Restart your device
- Make sure Patches is updated to the latest version
- If the issue persists, uninstall and reinstall the app
If you still experience crashes, please email us with details about when the crash occurs.
Q: The app freezes or runs slowly.
A: Try:
- Close other apps running in the background
- Restart your device
- Free up storage space on your device
- Update to the latest version of Patches
Q: I can't see my cloud save progress on another device.
A: Make sure:
- You're signed in with the same account on both devices
- Both devices have internet connectivity
- You're using the latest version of Patches on both devices
- The cloud save sync has completed (check Settings → Cloud Save for sync status)
Q: The leaderboard isn't loading.
A: The leaderboard requires an internet connection. Check that:
- Your device has an active internet connection
- Patches has permission to access the network (check app permissions in Settings)
- You're on a stable Wi-Fi or cellular connection
Permissions
Q: Why does Patches ask for X permission?
A: Patches only requests permissions necessary for core features:
- Internet: Required for leaderboard submission and cloud save
- Cloud Storage: Required for cloud save sync via Google or Apple accounts
- Ad Permissions: Required to display ads (if "Remove Ads" not purchased)
Patches never requests camera, microphone, location, or contacts permissions.
Accounts & Sign-In
Q: Do I need to create an account to play Patches?
A: No. Patches works without an account. However, to use cloud save, you'll need to sign in with your Google (Android) or Apple (iOS) account.
Q: Is my data safe?
A: Yes. Cloud save data is encrypted and stored on Supabase servers. We never store your payment information. See our Privacy Policy for more details.
Still Need Help?
If your question isn't answered here or, you're experiencing a technical issue, please contact us:
Email: gracebyte.studios@gmail.com
Include in your email:
- Your device model and OS version (e.g., "iPhone 14, iOS 17.3")
- The version of Patches you're using (check Settings → About)
- A detailed description of the issue
- Screenshots if applicable
We try to response as soon as possible.
Report a Bug
Found a bug? We want to know. Please email us with:
- A clear description of what happened
- Steps to reproduce the issue
- Your device model and Patches version
- Any error messages you saw
Email: gracebyte.studios@gmail.com
Feedback & Suggestions
Have an idea to make Patches better? We'd love to hear it!
Email: gracebyte.studios@gmail.com
Your feedback helps us improve the game.