Find a place
Scan the QR code in a place’s window, or search by its name, your town, or the kind of place, like “café” or “dentist”.
For people and families
See it before you go
New places can be hard. Knowing Before Going lets you see inside first, so you know what you’ll see, hear and do, and you can go when you feel ready.
Free for everyone. Nothing to download, no account.
What you can do
Watch what happens
Each story is a short, full-screen video of a visit, filmed by the place itself. Tap to move between its stories.
Read the steps
Every story has the steps written in short, plain sentences, like “When I arrive, I will see a green door with a bell.”
Check what’s good to know
Places add notes about noise, lights, busy times, quiet spaces and where things are, like the toilets.
Watch again, any time
Watch as often as you like: the week before, the night before, or outside the door on the day.
Prepare together
Share a story with family, a carer, a teacher or a support worker, and talk it through before you go.
How to use it
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1 Scan or search
Point your phone’s camera at the QR code, or open the app and search. You can also type the short code printed under the QR code.
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2 Tap to watch
The story waits for you. Tap when you’re ready and it plays full-screen, with sound. Tap the left or right side to go back or forward.
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3 Read what will happen
Swipe up, or tap “What will happen”, to read the steps and what’s good to know. The video pauses while you read.
Made to feel calm
We designed every part of Knowing Before Going with autistic people and anyone who finds surprises hard in mind.
- Nothing plays, and no sound starts, until you tap
- Stories never move on by themselves
- Play videos more slowly, and pause at any time
- No flashing, no moving decoration, no adverts
- Large text and clear buttons that are easy to tap
- Works in light or dark mode, following your phone’s setting
Who it’s for
Knowing Before Going is for anyone who finds new places hard, and for the people who support them.
- Autistic people
- People with ADHD
- People with anxiety
- People with a learning disability
- People living with dementia
- People with sensory sensitivities
- Families with young children
- Carers and support workers
- Teachers and therapists
- Anyone visiting somewhere for the first time
Keep it on your phone
There’s nothing to download from an app store. If you use it often, add it to your home screen and it opens like an app.
iPhone and iPad
Open app.knowingbeforegoing.com/ in Safari, tap the Share button, then “Add to Home Screen”.
Android
Open the app in Chrome and tap “Install”, or open the menu and choose “Add to Home screen”.
Can’t find a place you go to?
Ask them to make a story. It takes a phone and an afternoon, and it helps everyone who visits after you.
Share how it worksQuestions about watching stories
Is it free to watch stories?
Yes. Watching stories is free for everyone. You don’t need an account and you don’t need to download anything.
Do I need to download an app?
No. Knowing Before Going works in the web browser on any phone, tablet or computer. If you use it often, you can add it to your home screen so it opens like an app.
How do I find a place’s stories?
Scan the Knowing Before Going QR code in the place’s window or on its website, or search by the name of the place, the town, or the kind of place, such as café or dentist.
What makes it calm to use?
Nothing plays until you tap, so sound never starts by surprise. Stories never move on by themselves. You can play videos more slowly, pause at any time, and read the steps instead of watching. There is no flashing or moving decoration.
Does it work without the internet?
Stories you have opened before will open again without a connection, and you can still read their steps. Videos need an internet connection to play.