Getting started with Shiro
Updated October 11, 2026
Shiro is an interactive storytelling app. You talk with AI characters, some made by our community and some made by you, and together you write a story one message at a time. This guide walks you through your first chat and the basics you'll use every day.
1. Find a character
Open Discover to browse characters by category: adventure, fantasy, mystery, slice of life, comedy and more. Each card shows the character's name, a one-line tagline and who made it. Tap a card to open its profile, where you'll see a longer description, details like pronouns, the greeting they open the story with, and comments from other people.
If you already know what you want, use search. You can search by name, tagline, category or tag, or paste a character's code if a friend shared one with you.
2. Start the story
Tap Chat. Every story starts with the character's greeting, which usually sets the scene. Reply the way you would in a roleplay: say something, do something, or both. A good first message gives the character something to react to, for example:
*steps into the lighthouse, shaking the rain off my coat* "Sorry, I saw the light on. Is it always this cold up here?"
Words in quotes are what you say; words in *asterisks* are what you do. You don't have to write this way, but characters write like this and it keeps the story easy to follow. Our roleplay writing tips go deeper.
3. Keep it going
Characters always add something of their own: a question, a feeling, a new detail. Pick up on it, or steer the story somewhere new. A few tools help along the way:
- Regenerate asks for a different version of the latest reply.
- Continue (when your message box is empty) lets the character speak again without you replying.
- Edit: press and hold one of your messages to fix a typo or change what you said. The story carries on from the new text.
- Pin as memory: press and hold any message to pin an important fact so the character never forgets it. See how memory works.
4. Choose a chat style
The button at the top of a chat shows its chat style. Styles change how the character writes (a deeper or softer delivery, more romance, or more care and detail) and which AI model writes the replies. Each chat keeps its own style. Read chat styles explained to pick the right one.
5. Credits
Every reply costs a few credits, depending on the style. You get free credits every day, and they refill the next day. On Android you can watch a short video for extra credits when you run out. New accounts also start with a small bonus. shiro+ members get more credits every day plus a monthly bonus.
6. Make it yours
In Settings you can set a persona, which is how characters see you: a name and a short description. Characters use it naturally in the story. You can also change the text size, and on Android turn on notifications for messages and friend requests.
When you're ready, try creating your own character. It takes a couple of minutes.