Support

How do I create a new sticky note?

Click the DeskMemo icon in your menu bar and select "New Note". Your new note will appear on your desktop.

How do I keep a note always on top?

Click the "Float on Top" button in the note's control bar at the top. The note will stay above all other windows.

Can I customize the appearance of notes?

Yes! Use the "Appearance Settings" button in the control bar at the top of each note to change background colors, borders, and transparency. You can also format text using the Format button.

How do I lock a note to prevent editing?

Click the "Lock" button in the note's control bar. This makes the note read-only and prevents accidental changes.

How do I format text in my notes?

Click the "Format" button (text icon) in the control bar to access text formatting options. You can make text bold, italic, underlined, change colors, add highlights, adjust font size, and change alignment.

Can I add images to sticky notes?

Yes! Click the "attach file" button in the control bar to attach photos as sticky notes on your desktop.

How do I adjust note transparency?

Click the "Appearance Settings" button in the control bar and adjust the transparency slider. Make notes semi-transparent to blend beautifully with your desktop wallpaper.

Can I add PDFs to notes?

Yes! Click the "attach file" button in the control bar to attach pdf. You can navigate through pages, change size, and even edit the PDF in Preview app while it stays attached to your note.

How does iCloud sync work?

DeskMemo automatically syncs all your notes across your devices using iCloud Drive. Make sure you're signed in with the same Apple ID on all devices and iCloud Drive is enabled.

How many notes can I create?

Unlimited! Create as many sticky notes as you need.

Can I organize notes into folders?

Yes! Use the sidebar in the main window to create and organize folders. Drag notes into folders to organize them by project, topic, or category.

What are Quick Notes?

Quick Notes is the default folder for new notes. It's perfect for temporary ideas and quick capture. You can move notes to other folders when you want to organize them permanently.

How do I move notes between folders?

Open the main DeskMemo window, find your note in the list, then drag it to a different folder in the sidebar.

How do I delete a note?

Right-click the note and select "Delete" from the menu, or delete it from the main window's note list.

Can I create checklists in notes?

Yes! Click the checklist button in the control bar to add interactive checkboxes to your notes. Perfect for to-do lists and task tracking.

What happens during the free trial?

You get full access to all features for 7 days. No charges until the trial ends.

How do I cancel my subscription?

Go to System Settings → Your Name → Media & Purchases → Manage → Subscriptions → Find DeskMemo → Cancel Subscription.

Which systems are supported?

DeskMemo works on macOS 12.0 (Monterey) or later.

What is Canvas Mode?

Canvas Mode is a free-form infinite canvas where you can create and arrange blocks of content — text notes and task lists — anywhere you like. Unlike regular sticky notes, Canvas Mode lets you build a visual workspace that reflects how you actually think and work.

How do I enter Canvas Mode?

Open a note and switch to Canvas Mode from the note's toolbar. You'll see an empty infinite canvas ready for your blocks.

What types of blocks can I add?

Two types: Text blocks for free-form writing with rich formatting (bold, italic, colors, highlights), and Task blocks for to-do lists with sections, due dates, reminders, and priority levels.

How do I add a block to the canvas?

Click the "+" button in the bottom-right corner of the canvas, then choose "Text" or "Task". The new block appears centered in your current view.

Can I move and resize blocks?

Yes. Drag any block by its header to reposition it. Grab any of the 8 resize handles around a block's edge to resize it. Blocks snap to a minimum size so they always stay readable.

How does zooming work?

Use the zoom controls in the bottom-left corner — click "+" or "−" to zoom in or out, or click the percentage to choose a preset level (10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%, 150%, 200%, 400%).

Can I use the Task block like a full to-do list?

Absolutely. Task blocks support nested sections and tasks, due dates, reminders, and the Eisenhower Matrix priority system (Q1–Q4). Filter tasks by All, Today, Upcoming, Someday, Done, or view them in the 4-quadrant grid.

What is the Eisenhower Matrix / 4Q view in Task blocks?

Each task can be assigned a quadrant priority: Q1 🔴 (Important + Urgent), Q2 🟢 (Important), Q3 🟡 (Urgent), Q4 🔵 (Not urgent, not important). Switch to the "4Q" tab in a Task block to see tasks organized in the classic 2×2 Eisenhower priority grid.

Can I add files to the Canvas?

Yes. You can attach files directly onto the canvas — each file becomes its own resizable block you can freely position alongside your text and task blocks. Supported file types include images, PDFs, videos, audio, Word documents, and Excel spreadsheets. Each type comes with its own viewer: PDFs get a multi-page viewer with a thumbnail strip, images have size presets, and videos and audio play inline.

Can I undo changes on the canvas?

Yes. Canvas Mode supports full undo/redo (up to 100 levels) for moves, resizes, and content changes.

Does Canvas Mode sync via iCloud?

Yes. Your canvas layout, block positions, and all content sync automatically to iCloud along with the rest of your notes.

Notes aren't syncing across devices

• Check you're signed in with the same Apple ID on all devices
• Enable iCloud Drive: System Settings → Apple ID → iCloud → iCloud Drive (ON)
• Make sure DeskMemo has iCloud access: System Settings → Apple ID → iCloud → Apps Using iCloud → DeskMemo (checked)
• Check your internet connection on all devices
• Restart the app on both devices
• Allow a few minutes for initial sync

Notes disappeared

• Check all folders in the sidebar, including Quick Notes
• Look in the main DeskMemo window's note list
• Check iCloud.com → iCloud Drive → Look for DeskMemo folder
• Notes may be in Recently Deleted on iCloud (recoverable for 30 days)
• Check if iCloud sync is enabled

Can't edit a note

• Check if the note is locked - click the Lock button in the control bar to unlock
• When locked, notes become read-only to prevent accidental changes
• Unlock the note to edit again

Control bar buttons not working

• Make sure you're clicking directly on the note window (not in the text area when typing)
• The control bar appears at the top of each note
• Try creating a new note to test
• Restart the app if issue persists

Notes won't stay on top of other windows

• Click the "Float on Top" button in the note's control bar
• Make sure you're running the latest version of DeskMemo
• Restart the app
• Restart your computer if the problem continues

Images or PDFs won't attach

• Make sure the file format is supported (JPG, PNG, PDF, etc.)
• Check that you have enough storage space on your device and iCloud
• Verify the file isn't corrupted by opening it in another app

Transparency/appearance changes not saving

• Make changes using the control bar buttons at the top of each note
• Settings are saved automatically when you make changes
• If changes aren't persisting, check that iCloud sync is working properly
• Try quitting and reopening the app

Productivity Tips

• Use color coding (red = urgent, blue = personal, green = work)
• Pin frequently referenced notes to your desktop
• Use Quick Notes for temporary ideas
• Create a "Daily Tasks" note for your to-do list
• Adjust transparency to blend notes beautifully with your wallpaper
• Turn favorite photos into sticky notes for desktop decoration
• Lock important notes in position to prevent accidental moving
• Create photo stickies for inspiration boards and mood boards