Answers to the most common questions about ThinkingTap.
Go to Settings → Face ID & Passcode. Enter your passcode, scroll to Allow Access When Locked, and enable the ThinkingTap toggle. This allows the widget to open the app directly from your lock screen.
Long-press your lock screen until it enters edit mode, then tap Customize. Tap the widget area, find ThinkingTap, and add it. Tap Done to save.
Tap the widget from your lock screen and the app opens to the capture screen. Whether you need to unlock first depends on your iPhone's own security settings — that varies by device and is outside our control.
Go to iPhone Settings → [Your Name] → Subscriptions. Tap ThinkingTap to manage or cancel. Your captures are never deleted when you cancel.
Open ThinkingTap, go to Settings → Restore Purchases. Sign in with the same Apple ID you used to subscribe and your access will restore automatically.
After your 30-day free trial, a subscription is required to continue capturing. All existing captures remain accessible. You can export to PDF at any time — free or paid.
Save to your Files app, email it to yourself, AirDrop to your Mac, or print it. It's your data — take it anywhere.
You'll see a 4-screen onboarding flow. Screen 1 introduces the app. Screen 2 walks you through the optional lock screen widget setup (you can skip and do it later). Screen 3 covers voice capture. Screen 4 covers subscription options. After that, you're in the app.
No — the widget opens the app to the capture screen. Apple does not allow apps to accept input directly from the lock screen (this is an iOS security constraint). Once the app opens, you can speak or type immediately.
It depends on your iPhone's security settings. If you completed widget setup and enabled "Allow Access When Locked" in Face ID & Passcode settings, the widget can open the app without unlocking. If you haven't completed that step, you'll need to unlock first. ThinkingTap cannot override your device's security settings.
Your captures are stored on your device using Apple's Core Data. We cannot read them — there is no ThinkingTap server that receives your thought content. If you enable iCloud sync, Apple's encrypted CloudKit infrastructure syncs your data across your own devices only.
Yes. Capturing, viewing, and managing thoughts all work fully offline. iCloud sync requires an internet connection, but local storage works entirely without one.
If you had iCloud sync enabled, your captures will restore automatically after signing back in with the same Apple ID. If you were using local storage only, that data is removed with the app and cannot be recovered. We recommend exporting to PDF regularly if you want a permanent backup.
Basic (no setup needed): Say "Hey Siri, open ThinkingTap." The app opens and the microphone starts automatically — just speak your thought.
Custom phrase (optional): Apple's Shortcuts app — pre-installed on every iPhone — lets you create a custom command like "Hey Siri, capture a thought" that opens ThinkingTap directly. Setup takes about a minute inside the Shortcuts app.
Either way, once the app opens, no tapping is required to start recording.
We respond to every message. Email is the fastest way to reach us.