Your client opens the portal from the link you send them, most likely on their phone. There's no app to install and no password. It's in your logo and colours, and it only shows what you've put on it.
Preview the portal yourself
Open the project and click Client portal in the project's menu.
Click Preview at the top right.
The portal opens in a new tab, exactly as your client sees it. Opening it yourself doesn't count as your client looking.
What's on the page
The top of the page: the job's name over your latest photo, or your colour if there's no photo yet, and your latest update.
Updates: a timeline of every update you've posted, newest first, with its photos. Each part of an update has its own colour, and Needs your decision stands out so your client doesn't miss it. If an update has a PDF, they can open the Progress report. Older updates are behind Show earlier updates.
Photos: every photo you've shared, newest first. Your client can narrow it to one room.
Documents: the drawings, approvals and certificates you've shared, grouped by type, to open or download.
Your contact: the person you chose in the portal's Settings, with buttons to call, message on WhatsApp or email them. On a phone it stays at the bottom of the screen.
How did we do?: a card asking for a review, when you've asked for one under Reviews.
Getting email updates
Anyone with the link can tap Get email updates, enter Your email and tap Send me updates. We email them first to check it's them, and they get nothing else until they confirm. After that they're emailed each update you post, and you get a notification that they've joined.
Clients you add yourself on the Clients tab don't need to confirm. On their own link, the page says You're getting email updates., with Stop to unsubscribe.
Sending you files
Your client can tap Send photos or documents, choose files from their phone, add a note to any of them, and send them. They go to you and nobody else. You'll find them on the portal's Files tab under From your client.
Why can't my client follow the portal or send files?
When a project is complete, Get email updates and Send photos or documents are hidden. Your client can still read everything on the portal.
Why does my client see "This link doesn't work any more"?
The link they used has been replaced or switched off, or the whole portal is switched off. The page doesn't say which, so ask them which link they used, then send them the current one. See How to set up a client portal.
Why doesn't my client see a photo or document?
Only files you've put on the portal show on it. Check the portal's Files tab, and add it from there.