Restore Notes

My notes look empty — how to get them back

Good news: your notes are still private and encrypted. What you’re seeing is a state issue. Pick the situation below that matches your screen and follow the steps.

A) You see the lock icon and the button says “Unlock”

  1. Click Unlock.
  2. Enter your passphrase.
  3. Your notes will appear.
Tip: If you changed your passphrase recently, use the new one.

B) You see “We found synced notes for this page. Enter passphrase to sync & retrieve.”

  1. Enter your passphrase to Sync & Retrieve.
  2. Then click Unlock to edit.

This means a previous encrypted copy is safely stored on the server and this browser was just cleared.

C) Editor looks empty, no message, button says “Save & Lock”

  1. Click the Member Notes badge to close the box.
  2. Click the badge again to reopen it (this triggers a fresh check).
  3. If prompted, enter your passphrase to retrieve; otherwise click Unlock and enter your passphrase.
Why this happens: the browser’s local storage was cleared, so the overlay needs to re-detect your synced copy.

D) “Sync devices” is OFF (optional, for server backup)

  1. Click Sync devices → Enable Sync.
  2. Close the note box, then open it again.
  3. Enter your passphrase when asked.

With Sync ON, an encrypted copy (still private) is available for restore across browsers/devices.

Still empty after trying the above?

  • Confirm you’re logged in with the same account.
  • Make sure you’re on the same page where the notes were saved (notes are page-specific).
  • Close the note box and reopen one more time to force re-detection.
  • If you changed your passphrase, you must use the new one to unlock.
Security reminder: your passphrase never leaves your device. We can’t see or recover it—please keep it somewhere safe.
• Armando Lucero's •
The Hungry Imagination
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↓ Drag box to shelf ↓

MEMBER NOTES — QUICK TIPS

What this is: a private notes pad for this page. Your notes are end-to-end encrypted in your browser and can be synced so you can pick them up later.

How to use

  1. Type → Save & Lock → Safe. Locking encrypts and saves your notes.
  2. Unlock to edit. You’ll enter your passphrase to decrypt.

Sync states

  • Synced: encrypted copy on server (still private).
  • Local: only on this device until you Save & Lock with Sync on.
  • Locked: read-only until you enter your passphrase.
  • Unlocked: editable; remember to Save & Lock when done.

Passphrase tips

  • Use a short phrase you’ll remember (about 4–5 words).
  • We never store your passphrase. If you forget it, we can’t unlock your notes.

Restore notes (when the box looks empty)

  1. Shows “Unlock”? Click Unlock and enter your passphrase.
  2. Banner: “We found synced notes for this page…” → enter your passphrase to Sync & Retrieve, then Unlock.
  3. No message? Close the Member Notes box (click the badge), then open it again; enter your passphrase if prompted.
  4. Full step-by-step ↗

Export

  • Export as Markdown / Plain TXT (when unlocked). On desktop: under More → Export. On mobile: tap the Export button.
  • Save as PDF… uses your browser’s print dialog.

Common questions

  • Blurred notes? They’re locked. Click Unlock.
  • Synced but empty? Click Unlock to reveal synced notes.
  • Can you read my notes? No—end-to-end encrypted.

Troubleshooting

  • Forgot passphrase: cannot decrypt. Use Reset to start fresh.
  • Cleared history: with Sync on, reopen the box and Unlock to pull the synced copy.
  • Unlock fails: re-enter carefully; ensure Sync state is correct; refresh and try again.

Finding the Notes Shelf

  • Where it lives: A rounded Member Notes button sits at the bottom-center of the page.
  • When it appears: It becomes visible after the page finishes loading and you scroll a little. If you don’t see it, try a small scroll.
  • Open / close: Click or tap the Member Notes button to open the editor; click the button again (or the “×” inside the box) to close.
  • Keyboard access: Press Tab until the Member Notes button is focused, then press Enter or Space.
  • If it blends with the page: Watch the bottom edge—on first visits the button may show a subtle ring. You can also briefly scroll down/up to reveal it.
  • Mobile: Scroll slightly and look at the bottom-center; tap the Member Notes button to open/close.
  • During full-page print: The shelf hides automatically so it won’t appear in your PDF printout.

Shortcuts

  • Export dialog: Ctrl/⌘ + Shift + E
  • Undo / Redo: Ctrl/⌘ + Z / Ctrl/⌘ + Shift + Z
  • Export Markdown test: Ctrl/⌘ + Shift + M
  • Export TXT test: Ctrl/⌘ + Shift + T
  • Lock/Unlock test: Ctrl/⌘ + Shift + L
  • Sync test: Ctrl/⌘ + Shift + S

Privacy & safety

  • End-to-end encrypted with your passphrase.
  • Your passphrase is never sent to or stored on our servers.