Support
Hit a snag, got feedback, or just need a hand? This page pulls together a quick-start guide, the questions we hear most, and a few fixes for when things act up. Can't find your answer? Email us — we're happy to help.
Get in touch
For any question, feedback, or support request, email us at hi@gatheon.com
We usually reply within 1–2 business days. To help us pin down the issue faster, it's worth including:
- Your iOS version (e.g. iOS 17.5)
- Your ScreenNote app version (it's at the bottom of the Settings page)
- A screenshot or screen recording, if relevant
- Steps to reproduce — what you did, what you expected, and what actually happened
Quick start
- Import a screenshot: open the home screen and tap the “+” button in the top right (on Mac, press
⌘N), then pick one or several screenshots. - Automatic on-device OCR: once imported, the app reads the text in each image right on your device using Apple Vision — no network, and your images never leave your device.
- Search and organize: sort screenshots with tags and folders; whenever you need one, switch to the “Search” tab to find it by full text.
- (Optional) Turn on AI summaries: on iPhone / iPad, drop in your own API key from an LLM provider and the app can summarize the text in your screenshots. Skip it and the core features still work in full.
Frequently asked questions
How do I import screenshots from my photo library?
Open the home screen, tap the “+” button in the top right (on Mac, press ⌘N), and pick one or several screenshots to import. Once they're in, the app automatically runs on-device OCR with Apple Vision.
Does OCR upload my images?
No. OCR runs entirely on your device using Apple's Vision framework, and your images never leave it. Only when you choose to turn on AI summaries and add your own API key does the app send the text pulled out by OCR to the provider you picked — the original screenshots are never uploaded. See the Privacy Policy for details.
How does iCloud sync work?
Across devices signed in to the same Apple ID, your notes sync automatically through your own Apple ID's CloudKit with end-to-end encryption — no third-party account required, and the developer can't see your content. The cloud icon in the top right shows the current sync status.
How do I search my notes?
Switch to the “Search” tab (on Mac, press ⌘F) and type a keyword. The app searches the OCR text, your own annotations, your tags, and your folders.
How do I export all my data?
Go to Settings → Data → Export All Data (on Mac, press ⌘E). The app builds a zip archive with your notes as Markdown, as JSON, and the original images — so you can take your data with you anytime.
Why can't the Mac version generate AI summaries?
The Mac version is a purely local-first screenshot organizer with no AI integration at all — so there's no AI summary feature, and no text ever goes out. AI summaries are an optional extra on iPhone / iPad, where you supply your own API key from a third-party AI provider in Settings.
The app quit when I closed the main window?
Yes. ScreenNote is a single-window app, so closing the window quits it — that's the standard behavior for single-window macOS apps.
Troubleshooting
- No text was recognized after import: make sure the screenshot itself is sharp and the text isn't heavily compressed or blurry — text that's too small or too dark can throw off recognition. Try re-importing a higher-resolution original.
- AI summaries won't generate or throw an error: this is usually an API key issue. Check that the key for your chosen provider is entered correctly, is still valid, and that the account has credit or quota left. Keys are stored per provider, so confirm you've entered the key for the provider you currently have selected.
- iCloud sync isn't working or the status looks off: confirm every device is signed in to the same Apple ID, has iCloud enabled, and has a stable connection — then give it a little time to finish syncing. The cloud icon in the top right shows the current status.
- A note won't turn up in search: search covers the OCR text, annotations, tags, and folders — try a keyword that actually appears in the image. If that screenshot's text wasn't recognized, re-import a clearer version.
Mac keyboard shortcuts
⌘N— Import from library⌘F— Search⌘E— Export current note⌘⇧C— Copy summary⌘⌥C— Copy OCR text⌘⌃C— Copy Markdown reference
Privacy Policy
To learn how we handle your data, see the Privacy Policy. In short: your screenshots and notes stay on your device by default, on-device OCR runs offline, and AI summaries are an optional bring-your-own-key feature that sends text only — never your images.