What stays on the Mac
Most of Varlig works the same on every device, but a few things are still the Mac’s, because they need a desktop’s files, windows or menus, or because they’re kept on each device by design. This page lists them, with what to do on iPhone and iPad instead. Your notes themselves are the same everywhere: anything you set up on the Mac shows in the note on your phone.
Things to do on the Mac
| On the Mac | On iPhone and iPad |
|---|---|
| Back Up Library…, Restore Backup… and automatic backups | Your device backs Varlig up with everything else, and sync keeps a full copy on your Mac, where automatic backups run. Check Library’s safety copies are restored on the Mac. |
| Importing Word, rich text and live Bear or Soulver libraries | Import Markdown, text, HTML, TextBundle and TextPack files, and exports from Bear, Evernote, Drafts, Day One and Soulver, plus Readwise and Kindle highlights. |
| Exporting Word and rich-text files | Export Markdown, plain text, TextBundle, HTML, PDF, JPEG, EPUB or calculation values. Copy As › Rich Text is also available. |
| Export Tag…, Publish Snapshot… and Publish Tag Snapshot… | To export a tag’s notes, open the tag and use Export N Notes… in its … menu, or Select Notes and Export…. Publishing is the Mac’s. |
| Marking up a PDF or picture | View, share, extract text, rename, replace or remove attachments. Sketches can be edited on either device. |
| Manual Order and workspaces | Sort notes by date or title. Saved searches and reading lists are available on mobile and follow iCloud; manual note order and Mac workspaces stay on the Mac. |
| Editing Markdown files in place with Open Markdown File… and Open Folder… | Import the files as notes instead. |
| URL automation with a token, and the desktop connector for AI assistants | Shortcuts, Siri, widgets, the controls and varlig:// links. |
| Creating and editing custom themes, and choosing the Mac app icon | Use built-in themes or choose a synced custom theme under From Your Mac. Each device keeps its own theme selection. |
| The menu-bar scratchpad and its keyboard shortcut from any app | The scratchpad is a button away in every note list, and in Control Center. |
Web clipping, Refresh from Source…, Readwise and Kindle highlight import, saved searches, reading lists and Protected Tags also work on iPhone and iPad. See Capture, Import and export, The library and Privacy.
Kept on each device
Some things are kept on each device on purpose, so your iPhone and your Mac each have their own:
- Reminders. Each device keeps and alerts for the reminders set on it. Turn on Also add to Apple Reminders to see them everywhere.
- General settings, the selected theme and fonts, calculation defaults and the scratchpad. Saved text transformations, protected-tag policies and custom theme definitions follow iCloud.
- Tag pins and icons, and review records. Each device reviews on its own schedule.
- Face ID keys and app lock. A protected note asks for its password once on each device before Face ID can open it.
Small differences
- The Go To shortcuts for sidebar places (⌥⌘1 and so on) are the Mac’s; on iPad, the sidebar is a tap away.
If you’re wondering whether something works on your phone, the pages in this part of the Guide cover everything that does.