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Biblical Heritage #StudyBible User Guide

Android store edition · Version 2.0.6 · Updated October 22, 2026

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This manual describes the new Android StudyBible store edition, version 2.0.6, including the Bible reader, eLibrary, study lists, presentations, and access controls. Phone and tablet layouts adapt to the space available, so a control may appear on a different row.

Use the contents below to jump to a task. Begin with installation and backup, then learn passage navigation and text selection before creating study lists. Apple Watch instructions apply only to the iPhone edition. Private Android tester installers have a separate free-access configuration.

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Install, update, and keep your study work

  1. Open the StudyBible listing on Google Play on Android, or the App Store listing on iPhone or iPad.
  2. Choose the store’s install or update action. Allow enough storage and time for the app and its audio library.
  3. When updating, keep the existing installation and your backups. Do not uninstall as a troubleshooting shortcut.
  4. Open the app and complete any setup offered.

The app checks for a newer public store version when it launches and returns to the foreground. An update notice opens the store; the store and your device settings control installation.

A private APK does not establish Google Play purchase ownership. If Android reports that a package conflicts with an existing installation, stop and ask for help instead of removing the app: different signing certificates cannot update each other in place.

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Choose your ministry branding

  1. At initial setup, enter the Promotional code supplied by your ministry.
  2. Choose Apply promotional code, or Install without promotional code to use Biblical Heritage branding.
  3. Use ADL for ADL or HH for Heritage & Hope. Letter case does not matter.
  4. Check the welcome artwork and the price displayed before agreeing to any purchase.

The saved ministry choice selects the corresponding welcome artwork and requests that ministry’s available Google offer. A code is not itself a purchase or a guarantee of a discount: availability depends on the offer’s region and dates. If the offer is unavailable, the app can show the regular price. The Google purchase confirmation is the final price to review.

To change the saved branding later, open Utilities → Ministry branding. Changing the artwork does not create a new purchase.

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Fourteen-day trial and permanent access

The new Google Play edition offers a free fourteen-day trial followed by a single permanent-access purchase. It has no subscription and no automatic payment when the trial expires.

  1. On the welcome access screen, choose Start 14-day trial — Free to begin the trial.
  2. To buy, choose Purchase permanent access beside the displayed price.
  3. Review Google Play’s confirmation, account, and amount. Access unlocks after the purchase is successfully confirmed.

When the trial ends, Your 14-day trial has ended replaces access to the app. The reader and notes remain locked until a successful purchase or restore. Not now leaves the app locked. Saved study work is preserved; it is not deleted when the trial expires.

The Android trial belongs to the local installation. It is not a Google purchase and does not restore or synchronize a trial across devices. Private free tester APKs do not use this paid-access gate. Existing access is handled separately from a new purchase.

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Restore a purchase or resolve an interrupted payment

  1. Use the Google account that made the permanent-access purchase.
  2. Open StudyBible’s access screen and choose Restore Purchases.
  3. Allow the app to contact Google Play. If the connection fails, restore connectivity and choose Try again.

A canceled or pending transaction does not grant permanent access. Wait for Google to finish a pending payment rather than buying repeatedly. If the price is unavailable, try again after checking the connection and account.

Restoring access does not restore notes or highlights; those require a study-data backup. An Apple purchase and a Google purchase belong to their respective stores. Installing a private APK is not proof of a purchase in either store.

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Welcome screen, theme, and navigation

The welcome screen shows the selected branding, a Scripture quotation, and the main entry points.

Use the back arrow to leave a tool and return to the preceding screen. On phones, the Bible reader uses two rows of top controls; wider layouts arrange these controls differently.

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Read and move between passages

  1. Choose Bible Explorer from the welcome screen.
  2. Tap the current reference at the top to open the passage picker.
  3. Choose the book, chapter, and verse you want.
  4. Read or scroll through the passage. Use History to return to a previous location.

The book picker’s color groupings help distinguish groups of Bible books. The current reference identifies your location; the exact title changes as you navigate.

The reader includes Search, highlighting, # Tags, Topics, and ! Rapid tag. Bottom controls include History, Commentary, eLibrary, mode options, and text-size controls where the layout provides them. Use A− and A+ to adjust reading size without changing the passage.

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Select words, ranges, and highlights

  1. Press and hold a word to select it.
  2. Drag either end handle to expand or shrink the selection, including down to one word. You may release a handle and drag it again.
  3. Tap inside the selected text to open Range Actions.
  4. Tap outside the selection and its handles to deselect.

Use the paintbrush to apply the current highlight style. Tap the Highlight color preview to open Color Setup. Highlighting is also available from Range Actions. Clear Markup removes the markup and clears the selection.

Use the available range actions to copy the selected passage, add it to a study list, or send it to memory practice. A single mapped word can support a Strong’s lookup; a multi-word selection does not identify one dictionary entry.

Select text before applying an action. The selection handles, the saved highlight, and the current reading location serve different purposes; selecting text alone does not save a highlight.

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Find passages by topic

  1. Open Topics in the Bible reader.
  2. Choose a major group, then a narrower subgroup or book when offered.
  3. Choose the topic to view its related passages.
  4. Open a passage to read it in context; return to the topic list to compare another reference.

Return to the broader list when you want to change subjects. Topic browsing is a starting point for study; use Search to locate exact wording, and # Tags to keep your own collected references.

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Create and organize # study lists

A # list collects Scripture and study material under a name such as #SoulSleep. Use folders to organize related lists.

  1. Open # Tags.
  2. Create or choose the list you want to build.
  3. Find passages in the reader or Search and add them to the chosen list.
  4. Open the list to review its entries and notes.
  5. Use List settings → Folder to move it into an existing folder, or choose Add new folder, enter a name, and choose Move.

For example, create #SoulSleep, search for a relevant passage, add it to the list, then repeat for other passages. Read the completed list in context before sharing it.

Folder search and sorting help with larger collections. ! Rapid tag provides a quick tagging route from the reader; check the active list before adding material. The list header shows its name, entry count, and available actions.

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Edit notes, entries, images, and linked slides

Open a saved list and use Add entry for a note or content item. Edit a Bible entry to change its optional title, display citation, passage, and study note. Save your changes before leaving the editor.

Unnamed Bible passages have no title above them. Citations appear below passages and default to right alignment. Removing an image attachment takes effect when you Save.

Linking adjacent entries lets them share a presentation slide. Continue linking to extend the group; turning a link off ends it. Notes with images get their own slide, so linking is unavailable on those notes and immediately before them. Rotate the phone to landscape if you need more room to edit.

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Share, export, and recover study lists

Export list copies the study for pasting into Word, including note formatting. Check the receiving document before sending or printing it. Import the study-list format supported by the app when bringing a shared list back into StudyBible; a plain text export and a full data backup serve different purposes.

Use Default list to choose the list used by the corresponding quick workflow. Delete list removes a whole list; review its confirmation carefully.

  1. To recover a deleted entry, close the list and return to the # Tags screen.
  2. Open View Trash or the trash control.
  3. Choose the entry and select Restore to original tag.
  4. Use Restore/Move to another tag if you want a different destination.

Keep backups as well as relying on Trash. Shared study content should contain only material you are entitled to share.

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Listen to a study list

  1. Open a saved list and choose Listen, or use Listen to this tag from the list browser.
  2. Use Play/Pause, Stop, Previous entry, and Next entry to control the session.
  3. Use the loop control to repeat the list when desired.
  4. Open Playback settings to choose Speak reference and Speak notes.
  5. The clock in the listening controls opens the listening schedule.

Review the selected entries and note settings before playback. Listening to a list is separate from presenting its slides and from playing a recorded eLibrary audiobook.

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Prepare and present a study

The earlier manual referred to teaching chains as $ tags. The current controls also use Presentation Setup, Present this list, and saved presentations. Use those labels rather than looking only for a dollar-sign button.

  1. Collect the passages and notes in a study list.
  2. Open the list and choose Present to open its slides.
  3. For preparation, use the presentation workspace to arrange the material and review the slide preview.
  4. Set the list’s display aspect ratio in List settings to fit your intended screen or projector.
  5. Save the prepared presentation, then review it before teaching.

Linked entries can share a slide. Note-only entries and image notes may use a different layout from Scripture slides. Check long passages, image placement, citations, and the order of the slides after changing the aspect ratio.

The preparation screen offers Save Presentation for new work and Update Presentation when editing saved work. Keep a study-data backup before making major changes.

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Listen to Scripture

iPhone quick start: press and hold the up/down-arrow autoscroll control, turn Read aloud on, scroll to Done, then press Play. See the listening quick start. Your saved audio choice is remembered.

Use the Bible reader’s narration control to start or pause spoken playback. The available audio controls can include passage navigation, speed, and looping. Sound plays through the phone’s current audio output, including a connected headset.

  1. Navigate to the passage you want.
  2. Check that narration is enabled in the reading settings.
  3. Start playback with the voice control.
  4. Adjust speed if needed. Use the passage controls to move through the available audio.
  5. Pause playback when you want to read without narration.

Chapter and verse-number announcements have their own settings. A muted phone, a different Bluetooth output, or Audio Off can produce silence even when you expected speech; check those settings before changing the passage or reinstalling the app.

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Autoscroll with or without audio

  1. Stop scrolling if it is running.
  2. Press and hold the autoscroll control to open Autoscroll settings.
  3. Adjust reading speed and the available status-banner options.
  4. For silent reading, change the switch to Audio Off and choose Save.
  5. Start autoscroll with a short tap. Tap again to stop.

In this Android release, the narration button does not turn Audio Off back on. To resume spoken narration, reopen the settings, choose Audio On, and Save. Pausing the voice control is not a substitute for saving Audio Off.

Reading speed controls movement through the text; voice speed controls narration. Settings also include chapter-change and verse-number announcements. The scrolling control can differ by platform: tilt settings, where offered, include sensitivity, direction, neutral-angle calibration, and sideways chapter changes.

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Original-language study and Strong’s dictionary

Open the reader’s interlinear control to choose how original-language information appears.

Full interlinear options include Original Language Order and English (KJV) Order, with the available fields for English gloss, ancient text, transliteration, pronunciation, Strong’s number, and morphology.

  1. Choose the display style and fields you need.
  2. Return to the passage and tap a mapped word or Strong’s number to open its dictionary information.
  3. Use related verse references to examine other occurrences.
  4. Return to the passage after comparing the entries.

A multi-word text selection does not correspond to one Strong’s entry. Narrow the selection or use a mapped word in the interlinear view.

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Memorize verses and review them over time

  1. Open Bible Memory from the reader’s available memory control.
  2. Use Add Verse, Add Range, or Import #Tag Group to build the memory group.
  3. For an existing study such as #SoulSleep, import that group and confirm the references in the queue.
  4. Choose Start Due Review.
  5. Read the full verse, then use Start Drill (Every 5th Word) when offered.
  6. Supply the first letter of the requested missing word and work through the review.

Practice gradually hides more words as the review advances. The screen shows misses and strikes. Later practice reduces the visible hints, while scheduling brings passages back for review over time.

Memory Instructions opens help. Import External accepts the supported external memory format, while Export Group exports a memory group. Use the listening control to hear a passage. Removing a verse from memory review has its own confirmation.

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Set up your eLibrary

Open Utilities → Set Up My Library. This is the normal starting point for adding books.

PDF reading is not available in this Import Book workflow. Do not follow the earlier manual’s general promise that any PDF can be imported and read here.

  1. Choose Import Book → Choose EPUB.
  2. Select your book.
  3. Review the Confirm this book information.
  4. Choose Import Book to continue. If the file is unsupported, use Choose Another File.

Use material you have the right to download and use. Availability from a website does not automatically permit redistribution. Keep your original book files and backups.

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Read and listen in eLibrary

Use the reader’s eLibrary control to enter the library. Choose an installed book and navigate through its folders or contents. Use the book reader’s search and reading controls for that source.

Library actions include Choose Library Folder, Open eLibrary Setup, and Refresh Folders. Refresh after adding supported material if the folder list has not updated. Searching depends on the material available and its index.

Generated read-aloud, silent autoscroll, and recorded audiobook playback are distinct controls. Use the available narration settings for generated speech; recorded books have their own playback controls. Do not assume a recording exists for every imported book.

Keep source titles and passage references with your study notes so you can return to their context. If a library book is missing, check its installation and library folder before restoring or deleting study data.

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Commentary and research

The Bible reader’s Commentary control opens passage-related commentary and research. The views distinguish recognized commentary material from broader research sources. What appears depends on the books installed, recognized, and indexed on this device.

  1. Navigate to the Bible passage you are studying.
  2. Open Commentary.
  3. Review the available Commentary or Research results.
  4. Open a source to read the surrounding material before quoting or adding it to a study.

Use Set Up My Library for supported book setup. The older guide’s separate Commentary Library Setup, Choose Sync Base, and Sync Now instructions do not describe a completed cloud-sync workflow in this release. Do not rely on those instructions to transfer your study work or library between devices.

Built-in help under Utilities → Commentary Instructions includes background on recognized commentary sources. Some of that help refers to the earlier setup workflow; use the current library setup screens for available actions.

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Utilities and app tools

Utilities groups the current tools into sections. Wider screens may show two columns.

Ministry branding changes the saved ministry choice. Use Set Up My Library for ordinary book setup; advanced tools are for managing storage, imports, downloads, and indexing.

Show Library Setup Again offers library setup the next time the app opens. Storage & Index Report displays a diagnostic report. Community Links provides website information and copy actions. Support links are separate from a store purchase confirmation.

The previous manual’s Phone Silencer/Church AutoMute instructions are not part of the current Utilities menu.

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Back up, restore, and remove added data

Create a backup

  1. Open Utilities → Backup User Data.
  2. Review the description, then choose Back Up.
  3. Complete the file-saving step and wait for the completion report.
  4. Keep a separate copy somewhere you can access if the device is lost.

The backup tool saves tags, notes, highlights, markup, bookmarks, presentations, and settings. Downloaded EGW books are not included because they can be downloaded again. Review the completion report rather than assuming every library or media file is in the backup.

Restore carefully

  1. Open Utilities → Restore Backup and select your backup.
  2. Read the warning: restoration replaces current user data.
  3. Choose Create Safety Backup First to preserve the current work before proceeding, or Cancel if you are unsure.
  4. Review the restore report and check your study lists afterward.

If a backup contains supported personal-use library or media files, those files are restored too. Backups are for your personal study data and permitted personal-use content, not redistribution of source books.

Remove Added Data is a removal tool, not a backup or a way to resolve purchase ownership. Read its choices before confirming. Store purchase restoration and study-data restoration are separate operations.

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Apple Watch companion — iPhone only

The iPhone edition includes the Apple Watch Bible Remote companion. It controls playback from the phone; the phone or its selected headset produces the sound.

  1. Keep the iPhone and Apple Watch connected.
  2. Open StudyBible on the iPhone and choose the passage or listening material.
  3. Open Bible Remote on the Apple Watch.
  4. Use the available playback, passage, and loop controls.

This is an Apple Watch feature. The Android release does not include a Wear OS remote. Desktop companion licensing and downloads should be checked separately on the desktop download status page.

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When something does not match

For help, use the support page. Include the app version, device type, the screen involved, and the steps that led to the problem. Do not send passwords, payment details, or private notes unless you choose to share a relevant excerpt.

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