Frequently Asked Questions
Account and Data
How does UpNote store my data?
UpNote works smoothly even without an account. If you prefer not to sign in, all notes stay locally on your device. If you want to sync across devices, you can create an UpNote account. In that case, your notes are stored securely on our server so they can sync to your other devices.
You retain full control over your data. We do not access or sell your data. For details, please refer to our Privacy Policy.
Where is the UpNote server located? Is it secure?
UpNote uses Firebase (a Google service) to store and sync your data. Firebase complies with major privacy and security standards, including GDPR and CCPA. Your data is encrypted both in transit (via HTTPS) and at rest.
You can learn more at the Firebase privacy documentation. We also apply strict internal safeguards to ensure that only you can access your data.
Does UpNote support data storage on iCloud?
No. Because iCloud sync is available only on Apple devices, it isn’t suitable for UpNote’s cross-platform design. UpNote uses Firebase so all platforms—Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android—work reliably together.
Since Firebase is a Google service, can Google use my note content for advertising?
No. Google does not use Firebase data for advertising. Many companies use cloud providers like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud to process user data—these services do not share data with their parent companies’ ad businesses. UpNote also does not include Google Analytics, so your activity is not tracked across platforms.
Does UpNote support end-to-end encryption (E2EE)?
Not at this time. E2EE is designed for encrypting highly sensitive information and requires complex implementation. If you need to store confidential data such as passwords or credit card numbers, we recommend using a dedicated password manager.
Does UpNote support multi-factor authentication (MFA)?
Yes. MFA is supported when you sign in with Google or Apple. If you currently use email and password, you can switch to one of these sign-in methods (Settings → My Account → Manage Sign-in Method). After switching, sign in again on your other devices for security. For more details, please see Manage sign-in methods
Can I merge my accounts in UpNote?
We don’t currently support merging two UpNote accounts. If you’d like to consolidate your notes, you can manually move them from one account to the other. On desktop, you can also export your notes to HTML from the first account and then import them into the second.
Premium
How do I get UpNote Premium?
You can upgrade to Premium on the Mac, iOS, or Android app. Once you upgrade on any of these platforms, Premium will apply to all your devices. Just create an UpNote account and sign in to sync your Premium status.
Can my Premium license be used on all devices?
Yes. A single purchase covers all your devices. Sign in with your UpNote account on each device to sync your Premium access.
How do I switch from a monthly subscription to a lifetime upgrade?
Go to Settings → Premium. You’ll be asked to cancel your current subscription first to avoid being charged twice. After that, you can purchase the lifetime upgrade.
How long does my lifetime premium plan last?
The lifetime plan is permanent. If UpNote’s pricing model changes in the future, existing lifetime licenses will still be honored, and lifetime users will continue to have access to all existing Premium features without any additional cost.
I don’t see an option to upgrade on Windows or Linux. What should I do?
Upgrading is not yet available on Windows or Linux. If you have access to a Mac, iOS, or Android device, you can upgrade there and your Premium access will sync across all platforms, including Windows and Linux.
I’m concerned about the sustainability of UpNote, especially with the lifetime option.
UpNote’s lean development model allows us to keep costs low while maintaining a reliable product. To support long-term sustainability, we limit attachments to 20MB and automatically reduce image resolution during upload to manage server resources.
We regularly monitor operational costs and adjust as needed to ensure stable growth. With strong user support and steady organic growth, we remain committed to improving and maintaining UpNote over the long term.
Using UpNote
How do I sync my notes?
Sign in or create an UpNote account on your device. Once signed in, your notes sync automatically across all your devices.
Can I use UpNote offline?
Yes. You can read and write notes without an Internet connection. Your data will sync with the server as soon as you're back online.
Does UpNote have a backup or export feature?
Yes. On desktop, UpNote automatically creates local backups so you always have a copy to restore if needed. You can also export your notes in various formats to keep additional backups or move your content to another app.
Can I revert to a previous version of a note?
Yes. UpNote saves version history automatically when you edit a note. You can review earlier changes and restore any previous version at any time. Please see our guide for steps on restoring note versions.
How do I organize my notes?
UpNote provides several tools to help you organize effectively:
Create notebooks to group related notes
Add hashtags for flexible categorization
Pin important notes to the top of a notebook
Add items to Quick Access for fast navigation from the sidebar
Check out our Help Center for more tips.
Can I lock the entire app?
Yes, this is a Premium feature.
On mobile: Set a passcode in Settings. You’ll be asked for the passcode each time you open the app.
On desktop: Click the lock icon in the upper-right corner of the note window to lock and unlock the app using your account password.
You can find detailed instructions in our Lock Guide.
Does UpNote provide APIs for external integration?
Yes. UpNote offers several x-callback-url endpoints that allow you to automate tasks from other applications. Please refer to our integration guide for more information.
About UpNote
I’d like to know more about the UpNote team.
UpNote is developed by a two-person team based in Vietnam. Our focus is on building a simple, intuitive, and reliable note-taking app that works smoothly across all platforms. UpNote was first launched in 2017 on iOS, macOS, and Windows, and later expanded to Android and Linux. Our lean development model helps us iterate quickly and keep Premium pricing affordable for users. You can find more discussions about our team and approach on Reddit.
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