Support

A little help finding your notes, keeping a backup and getting back to work.

Support and privacy contact: dalecumming@outlook.com. JotStack is provided by NorthBase Ltd.

Find JotStack

Open JotStack from Applications, then click its icon in your Mac’s menu bar. Open the gear button in the list to reach Settings. Closing a card does not quit the app. If you quit JotStack, open it again to restore menu-bar access.

Choose where notes live

In Settings → Files → Note storage, choose Built-in storage or Folder of files. A folder workspace works directly with .md, .markdown and .txt files; subfolders become lists and external edits appear in the app. Hidden metadata preserves card appearance.

Switching modes keeps built-in notes separate. If your notes appear missing after changing modes, return to the previous mode or check the selected folder before creating replacements. A cloud-managed folder follows that provider’s sync settings.

Reconnect a missing folder

1. Open Settings → Files and read the folder status.
2. If the folder moved, choose Reconnect folder… and select its new location. If it was deleted, restore it from Trash or your own backup first.
3. Use Refresh after the folder becomes available. Show in Finder helps confirm the selected location.

If the folder cannot be restored, use Back up all data before quitting: open notes may currently be preserved only in memory. Selecting a folder again can also renew access after installing an app with a changed identity.

Import and back up

Settings → Files contains folder import, JSON backup and restore, and Markdown ZIP export. Import brings .md and .txt files from a chosen folder and its subfolders into a new list. A JSON backup captures the current workspace for full-fidelity restore; Markdown ZIP export produces readable files organised by list with a report.

Keep a JSON backup before a major change. Restore replaces current built-in data after confirmation and creates a local safety copy first. JSON restore is unavailable in a folder workspace: switch to built-in storage to restore without replacing your folder files. Old safety copies and exports remain separate from your current notes.

Export one card

Use the export button at the right of the card toolbar for TXT, Markdown or a password-protected 7z copy. Open protected exports with a compatible 7z app and the password you chose. The archive protects only the exported copy; the original note and ordinary backups remain unencrypted by JotStack.

Writing assistant, Dictation and reminders

For rewriting, select text in a card and open the AI assistant from its editor context menu. Review a suggestion before inserting it. The assistant needs an eligible Mac, Apple Intelligence enabled, a supported language and the on-device model ready. JotStack requires macOS 26 or later; core note features work without Apple Intelligence.

Dictation uses macOS settings and permissions. If reminders do not appear, check JotStack’s reminder settings and System Settings → Notifications, including Focus settings. More information is in our privacy policy and Apple’s Dictation guidance.

Trial and purchases in the upcoming release

JotStack is currently coming soon; the trial and purchase features are not yet publicly available. In the upcoming release, open Trial & purchase from a workspace or card, then choose Start 14-day Trial and confirm with Apple. The trial starts when Apple verifies its original activation. It does not subscribe you or automatically charge you when it ends.

After the trial, an optional one-time unlock enables creating and editing notes. Without an active trial or unlock, your existing notes remain available to read, search, copy, export and back up; creating, editing, completing and deleting notes or lists require access. The purchase panel shows the App Store’s price for your region.

Choose Restore Purchases in that panel using the Apple Account used for the original purchase. Initial activation and purchases require a connection to Apple. Verified purchases cached by StoreKit can remain available offline; restoring or resolving an unverified purchase may require reconnecting. Use Retry if Apple’s products are temporarily unavailable.

Contact support

Email dalecumming@outlook.com with your JotStack version, macOS version, what you expected and what happened. Include steps to reproduce the problem and a screenshot if useful, removing private note content first. Never send passwords or unredacted sensitive backups.

For a saving or recovery problem, preserve the current files and take a backup before making further changes. NorthBase Ltd cannot retrieve notes stored only on your Mac or recover a forgotten export password.