NoteNest User Guide

Getting Started

Installation

1. Download from Google Play: Visit the NoteNest page on Google Play Store and tap "Install"
2. Open the App: Once installed, tap "Open" or find the NoteNest icon in your app drawer
3. Create Account or Sign In: Choose to create a new account with email/password or use Google Sign-In

Creating Your Account

First-Time Setup

1. Complete Onboarding: Swipe through the intro screens highlighting key features
2. Grant Permissions: Allow notifications (for reminders), storage access (for backups), and other requested permissions
3. Customize Your Profile: Tap the profile icon to add a display name and profile picture
4. Choose Your Theme: Select Light or Dark mode in Settings, or enable auto-switch based on system settings

Managing Notes

Creating a New Note

1. Tap the "+" Button: Located at the bottom-right corner of the main screen
2. Add Title: Enter a descriptive title for your note
3. Write Content: Type your note content in the main text area
4. Assign Category (Optional): Tap "Category" to organize your note
5. Save: Tap the save icon or press back—notes auto-save as you type

Editing Notes

• Tap any note from your list to open and edit it
• Changes are saved automatically
• Use the formatting toolbar for text styling (if available in your version)

Deleting Notes

• Swipe to Delete: Swipe left or right on a note in the list
• Menu Option: Open the note and tap the delete icon
• Bulk Delete: Long-press to select multiple notes, then tap delete

Important Notes Feature

Mark notes as "Important" to access them quickly in a dedicated section:

• Open a note and tap the star/flag icon to mark as important
• Access all important notes from the navigation drawer
• Perfect for frequently referenced information

View Options

Toggle between views using the view switcher icon in the toolbar.

Reminders & Notifications

Creating a Reminder

1. Open Reminders: Tap "Reminders" from the navigation drawer
2. Add New Reminder: Tap the "+" button
3. Enter Details: Add title, description, and any additional notes
4. Set Date & Time: Choose when you want to be reminded
5. Configure Repeat (Optional): Set daily, weekly, or custom repeat patterns
6. Save: Tap save to schedule your reminder

Managing Reminders

• View All Reminders: Access from the navigation drawer
• Edit Reminder: Tap on any reminder to modify details or timing
• Complete/Dismiss: Swipe or tap checkmark when done
• Delete: Swipe to remove unwanted reminders

Notification Settings

• Go to Settings > Notifications to customize reminder alerts
• Adjust notification sound, vibration, and priority
• Enable/disable notification previews on lock screen

Organization & Categories

Using Categories

Categories help organize notes by topic, project, or any classification system you prefer.

Creating Categories

1. Open Categories: Tap "Categories" in the navigation drawer or settings
2. Add New Category: Tap "+" and enter a category name
3. Assign Colors (if available): Choose a color to visually distinguish categories

Assigning Categories to Notes

• When creating/editing a note, tap the "Category" field
• Select from your existing categories or create a new one
• One note can have one primary category

Filtering & Searching

Drag & Drop Reordering

Long-press and drag notes to manually reorder them. Your custom order is saved automatically.

To-Do Lists

1. Access To-Do Lists: Open from the navigation drawer
2. Add Tasks: Tap "+" to create new tasks
3. Mark Complete: Tap checkbox when finished
4. Track Progress: View completion status at a glance

Wish Lists

Create wish lists for future goals, shopping lists, or aspirations. Works similarly to to-do lists but focused on things you want to achieve or acquire.

Home Screen Widgets

Available Widgets

Adding Widgets to Home Screen

1. Long-Press Home Screen: Touch and hold an empty area on your Android home screen
2. Select Widgets: Tap "Widgets" from the options menu
3. Find NoteNest: Scroll through the widget list to find NoteNest
4. Choose Widget Type: Select either Note Preview or Quick Add widget
5. Drag to Place: Drag the widget to your desired location
6. Configure (Note Preview): If using Note Preview, select which note to display

Widget Customization

• Resize: Long-press widget and drag corners to resize
• Update Content: For Note Preview, long-press and select "Configure" to change displayed note
• Remove: Long-press and drag to "Remove" at the top of screen

Backup & Restore

Why Backup?

Regular backups protect your notes, reminders, and settings from:

• Device loss, theft, or damage
• Accidental app uninstallation
• Data corruption or device factory reset
• Switching to a new phone

Local Backup

Creating a Local Backup

1. Open Settings: Tap the menu icon and select "Settings"
2. Navigate to Backup: Find "Backup & Restore" section
3. Create Backup: Tap "Create Local Backup"
4. Choose Location: Select where to save (Downloads, Documents, or custom folder)
5. Backup Complete: An encrypted .db file is saved to your device

Restoring from Local Backup

1. Open Settings > Backup & Restore
2. Tap "Restore from Local Backup"
3. Select Backup File: Choose the .db backup file
4. Confirm Restore: Warning: This will replace current data
5. App Restarts: NoteNest will restart to load restored data

Cloud Backup (Google Drive)

Enabling Cloud Backup

1. Open Settings > Backup & Restore
2. Tap "Enable Cloud Backup"
3. Sign in to Google: Authorize NoteNest to access your Google Drive
4. Choose Backup Frequency: Manual, daily, or weekly
5. Create First Backup: Tap "Backup Now"

Restoring from Cloud Backup

1. Open Settings > Backup & Restore
2. Tap "Restore from Cloud"
3. Sign in to Google Drive
4. Select Backup: Choose from available backups (shows date/time)
5. Confirm and Restore

Managing Your Backups

• View Backup History: See when last backup was created
• Delete Old Cloud Backups: Manage via Google Drive app or web interface
• Transfer Backups: Copy local backup files to computer or cloud storage

Export & Share

Export Formats

NoteNest allows you to export individual notes in multiple formats:

How to Export a Note

1. Open the Note: Tap the note you want to export
2. Open Export Menu: Tap the three-dot menu icon
3. Select "Export"
4. Choose Format: Select Text, PDF, or Image
5. Select Destination: Choose where to save the exported file
6. Export Complete: File is saved to your chosen location

Sharing Notes

1. Open the Note
2. Tap Share Icon: Look for the share/send icon
3. Choose Export Format: Select how to share (text, PDF, or image)
4. Select App: Choose email, WhatsApp, Telegram, or any other sharing app
5. Send: Complete sharing through your chosen app

Export Tips

• PDF for Professional Use: Best for work documents or formal sharing
• Text for Flexibility: Easily editable and compatible everywhere
• Image for Quick Sharing: Fastest way to share on social media

Settings & Customization

Accessing Settings

• Tap the menu icon (☰) in the top-left corner
• Select "Settings" from the navigation drawer

Appearance Settings

Account Settings

• Profile: Edit display name and profile picture
• Email: Update account email address
• Password: Change your password (requires current password)
• Connected Accounts: Manage Google Sign-In integration

Privacy Settings

• Usage Analytics: Toggle Firebase Analytics data collection
• Crash Reporting: Enable/disable Firebase Crashlytics
• Personalization: Control data used for app improvements

Notification Settings

• Enable/disable reminder notifications
• Customize notification sound
• Set vibration patterns
• Control notification priority and display

Data & Storage

• Storage Usage: View how much space NoteNest uses
• Cache Management: Clear temporary files
• Data Location: See where your data is stored

About

• Version Information: Check your current app version
• Developer Info: Contact and attribution details
• Licenses: View open-source licenses
• Release Notes: See what's new in this version

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Common Issues & Solutions

1. Reminders Not Triggering

2. Widget Not Updating

Solutions:

• Open NoteNest app to force widget refresh
• Remove widget and re-add it to home screen
• Ensure NoteNest has sufficient battery permissions
• Some launchers (Nova, Apex) may have widget refresh settings—check launcher settings

3. Google Sign-In Delays or Fails

Solutions:

• First-time sign-in may take 10-15 seconds for token refresh—be patient
• Ensure you have active internet connection
• Check that Google Play Services is up to date
• Try signing out and back in to Google account on device
• Clear NoteNest cache: Settings > Apps > NoteNest > Clear Cache

4. App Crashes or Freezes

Solutions:

• Ensure you're running the latest version (check Play Store for updates)
• Restart your device
• Clear app cache (Settings > Apps > NoteNest > Clear Cache)
• If problem persists, report via Bug Report page
• As last resort: Backup data, then Clear Data and restore from backup

5. Export Fails or Takes Too Long

Solutions:

• For large notes, use Text or PDF export instead of Image format
• Ensure you have sufficient storage space
• Grant storage permissions to NoteNest
• Close other apps to free up memory
• On low-end devices, export smaller notes or reduce image quality

6. Backup or Restore Issues

Solutions:

• Ensure sufficient storage space (backup needs 2x data size)
• For cloud backup, verify Google Drive has space and you're connected to WiFi
• Check that backup file isn't corrupted (try opening with file manager)
• Ensure backup was created with same or newer app version

7. Slow Performance or Lag

Solutions:

• NoteNest is optimized for 1000s of notes, but very old devices may struggle
• Clear app cache periodically
• Reduce number of widgets (each widget uses resources)
• Close apps running in background
• Consider archiving old notes by exporting and deleting from app

Getting Help

System Requirements

• Android Version: 6.0 (Marshmallow) or higher
• Storage: Minimum 50MB free space
• RAM: 1GB minimum, 2GB+ recommended
• Internet: Required for Google Sign-In, cloud backup, and crash reporting
• Permissions: Notifications, Storage, Internet access

Additional Resources