Notes

​

How are notes organised?

Notes live in a hierarchical folder structure. You can create folders inside folders to whatever depth suits how you work. Individual notes sit inside those folders. There is no limit on depth or the number of folders you can create.

​

Can I pin notes?

Yes. Pinning keeps a note at the top of your notes view, useful for anything you reach for constantly. Pinned notes also appear in sideBar’s Pinned Notes home screen widget so you can access them without opening the app.

​

Can I move a note between folders?

Yes. Use the Move action from the note’s context menu or toolbar menu to reassign it to any folder.

​

What is the difference between archiving and deleting a note?

Archiving moves a note out of your main view without deleting it. You can always find and restore archived notes. Deleting is permanent and asks for confirmation before removing the note. Use archive for anything you might want back later.

​

Does sideBar auto-save my notes?

Yes. Changes save automatically as you write. A brief Saved indicator confirms each save. You never need to tap a save button, and the editor remembers your cursor position so when you return to a note it opens exactly where you left off.

​

Can I use rich text formatting in notes?

Yes. Notes support rich text formatting through the textformat popover in the editor. On iPhone and iPad, open it from the editor controls. On macOS, click the floating textformat button in the top right of the editor or use the top-level Format menu. You can apply text styles such as Body, Title, Heading, and Subhead, along with inline formatting such as bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, and inline code. See Notes for the full breakdown.

​

How do I start a list while typing?

Start a new paragraph, then type - or * for a bulleted list, or 1. for a numbered list. The trigger only works at the start of a paragraph. After the list starts, pressing Return creates the next item, and pressing Return on an empty trailing item exits back to Body text.

​

How do I create a checklist?

Start a new paragraph and type [] . That converts the paragraph into a checklist item. Press Return to create the next checklist item, and press Return on an empty trailing checklist item to exit back to Body text.

​

Can I tick off checklist items without entering edit mode?

Yes. In read mode, tap or click the checkbox to toggle completion immediately. Checked items stay in place and automatically gain strikethrough styling until you uncheck them.

​

What happens when I press Return in a formatted note?

Pressing Return after a Title, Heading, or Subhead starts a new Body line. Body lines continue as Body text when you press Return. Code blocks stay multiline, and pressing Return twice on an empty trailing code line exits back to Body text.

​

What is the Scratchpad?

The Scratchpad is a special note that is always one tap away from anywhere in the app. It is designed for quick captures: things you want to get down before you lose them. It auto-saves with a short delay so you can type and move on without thinking about it. It works like any other note and sideBar can read it during conversations.

​

How do I search my notes?

Tap the search field in the Notes view and start typing. Results update as you type, matching across all your notes at once. You do not need to submit a query to start seeing matches.

​

Can sideBar read and work with my notes?

Yes. When you have a note open, sideBar can see its full content and work with you on it: answer questions about it, suggest edits, summarise it, or use it as context for anything else you’re asking. sideBar can also reference your notes during any conversation even without one being open, if the content is relevant.

​

Can I export a note?

Yes. From any note you can download it as a plain text file, copy its content to your clipboard, or share it via the system share sheet. These options are available from the toolbar menu or the note’s context menu.

​

Do notes sync across my devices?

Yes. Notes sync across every device where you are signed in to sideBar. If you create or edit a note while offline, the change applies immediately on that device and syncs automatically once it reconnects.