Help

Jot is a private, AI-assisted daily-notes app. You capture in one note per day; Jot helps you refine it, connect ideas, and later ask questions across everything you've written.

Getting started

The daily loop:

1. Capture — open Today and write. Don't worry about structure; just get it down. Add ## headings to split a day into sections — one per meeting, topic, or thought.
2. Connect — type [[a name]] to link a person, project, or idea, and #a-topic to tag a section. Jot builds a web of backlinks you can follow later.
3. Refine (optional, needs an AI key) — the wand tidies grammar and flow while preserving your voice and your facts.
4. Review & file — mark a note Reviewed when it's done. Reviewed notes join Ask-AI search.
5. Ask AI — ask a question in plain language; Jot answers from your own notes.

Unfinished checklist items and topics worth writing up surface in your Daily Brief — a short, calm recap Jot shows you each day.

What you can put in a note

A note is more than plain text. As you write — or from the / (slash) menu — you can add:

• Checklists — - [ ] tasks; unfinished ones follow you into the Daily Brief.
• Tables, code blocks (syntax-highlighted), and mermaid diagrams — for structured notes, snippets, and quick flowcharts.
• Links — paste a URL and it becomes clickable; keep using [[names]] to connect ideas and #tags to file a section.
• Voice — tap the mic to dictate a note; your AI provider transcribes it (needs a key).

It's all stored as plain Markdown, so your notes stay portable and yours.

The two modes

You choose a mode when you start:

• Local — your notes live only on this device, end-to-end encrypted with a passphrase only you know. Nothing reaches our servers. You can optionally back up to your own Google Drive.
• Cloud — your notes sync across devices through your account.

You can start in local mode and import into cloud later.

Bring your own AI key (optional)

Jot's AI features — Refine, Ask AI, and writing prompts — run on an API key you provide, from a provider you choose. Jot is provider-agnostic: any OpenAI-compatible provider works (Mistral, OpenAI, Gemini, Groq, and others).

Jot is fully usable as a notes app without a key; the AI features light up once you add one in Settings → AI. Your key is stored encrypted and used only for your own requests.

Providers differ on whether they train on what you send them — see Does my AI provider train on my notes? below before you pick one.

Privacy

• In local mode, your notes are encrypted on your device and are never sent to us.
• Your AI key is yours — requests go directly to the provider you picked.
• We never sell your data. See the Privacy Policy.

FAQ

Do I need an account?

No — local mode needs no account. Cloud mode uses a passwordless, magic-link sign-in.

Is it free?

Jot itself is free to use. AI features use your own provider key, so any AI usage is billed by that provider, not by us.

Which AI does it use?

Whichever you choose. Paste a key from any OpenAI-compatible provider in Settings → AI.

Does my AI provider train on my notes?

Jot never trains on or sells your notes. But when you use an AI feature, that request goes to the provider you picked, so their policy applies to the text you send. It varies by provider and plan:

• Groq — does not train on or retain your data by default. A good pick if you want private AI with a free tier.
• OpenAI / Anthropic — API inputs are not used to train their models.
• Mistral — the free tier trains on your data by default. To turn it off: Mistral Admin Console → Privacy → disable the model-training setting. Paid Mistral plans never train.
• Gemini — the free Google AI Studio tier may use your data to improve Google's products; paid / Vertex AI does not.

When in doubt, choose Groq, or use a paid plan of any provider. Either way, only the specific text you send for an AI action ever leaves for the provider — in local mode the rest of your notes stay end-to-end encrypted on your device.

Where are my notes stored?

Local mode: encrypted on your device, with optional Google Drive backup. Cloud mode: in your synced account.

Can I use Jot offline?

Yes — install it as an app (PWA) from your browser. Local mode works fully offline.

How do I back up my local notes?

Settings → Backup lets you connect your own Google Drive for automatic encrypted backups, or export a file you can restore later.

I forgot my local passphrase — can you recover it?

No. Local mode is end-to-end encrypted, so we never have your passphrase or a copy of your notes. Set up a recovery phrase (Settings → Backup) so a forgotten passphrase can't lock you out.

Can I change how Jot looks?

Settings → Theme offers a range of light, dark, and paper themes (Apple Dark is the default). A single notebook can override the global theme if you like.

Is there a guided tour of Jot?

Yes. In Settings → Notebooks, Add Jot Book adds How Jot works — a short, in-app course that teaches Jot (and the ideas behind it) using the app itself. Add Demo notebook drops in sample content to explore first.

How do I get more help?

Email us at admin@leafsoft.online.