Private to store
Local-first.
iCloud-only sync.
Your device is the primary home of your notes. If you enable sync, your notes move through your private iCloud account—not through a permanent NoteOnly notes database.
What “local-first” means.
A local-first app treats the copy on your device as the primary experience, rather than making every action depend on a company-owned cloud database.
For NoteOnly, that means core note data is primarily stored on your device. You can write and use most core features without waiting for a NoteOnly server to fetch your notebook.
Your notes live locally
Writing starts on your iPhone. The core notebook is not a remote webpage wrapped in an app.
Apple handles sync
When enabled, sync uses your private iCloud account and Apple services across your devices.
No permanent notes database
Our servers do not store your notes, recordings, or memos as a permanent server-side notebook.
Private by architecture means reducing the amount of your life we are technically able to keep.
What our servers do—and do not do.
Some features may send the content needed for a specific request to app servers or service providers. A server may route or process a transcription, AI request, entitlement check, diagnostic event, or support operation.
That is different from storing your notebook as a permanent server-side notes database. Request data may be held temporarily to complete the job, return the result, prevent abuse, or troubleshoot a failure, then handled according to our retention practices.
A practical privacy model
- Device storage for the primary note experience.
- Your own iCloud account for optional sync.
- On-device processing wherever the feature and device support it.
- Limited server processing for selected requests—not permanent note storage.
- No intentional use of your personal notes to train foundation AI models.
This page explains the product design in plain language. For complete details, including temporary processing, diagnostics, providers, and retention, read the Privacy Policy.