Local notes, offline editing and sync explained
Updated 7 October 2026 · CrossDevApps
In CrossPin, local notes are saved on your devices, offline editing lets you change them without a connection, and sync shares changes with paired devices when a connection is available. These are separate capabilities. CrossPin does not keep a cloud backup of your Pins, and saving a note locally does not mean another device has received it yet.
What works offline?
You can edit local notes while offline. For example, you can write down an idea on your phone without a connection and continue using the local copy. The other device needs a connection before it can receive the changes. Do not assume a computer has the latest note simply because you finished editing on your phone.
Premium also needs periodic internet verification. A previously verified entitlement may support short offline use, but indefinite offline access to Premium features is not promised. Drawing and attachments are Premium features; ordinary local saving is a separate matter from purchase verification. See billing help and the Terms for those conditions.
How do locally saved notes reach another device?
CrossPin pairs your devices using a QR code or six-digit code, without a CrossPin account. Connections use your local network when available and an internet relay when needed. Pin content and attachments are encrypted between paired devices during transfer.
The relay forwards encrypted traffic and does not have the keys needed to read Pin content. It does not act as a cloud archive from which CrossPin can restore lost Pins. Connection services process network metadata and may keep encrypted connection-control records; those records are distinct from a backup of your notes. The Privacy Policy explains the distinction.
Free supports two total devices, and Premium supports up to five, including the purchase device. A larger paired group gives you more places to use your Pins, but it does not turn sync into a backup service.
Why isn't a synced copy a backup?
A synced copy participates in changes. If you delete a Pin, deletion can propagate to connected devices; a disconnected device processes changes when it reconnects. You therefore should not treat a temporarily disconnected device as a dependable archive of earlier content.
A separate preserved copy serves a different purpose. For important material, copy text to another app and save original files or needed attachments using the available device controls. CrossPin does not currently promise a complete portable export of every Pin, drawing and history entry.
Before resetting, uninstalling or replacing a device
- Identify the notes and attachments you cannot afford to lose.
- Save another copy outside CrossPin and check that you can open it.
- Review data controls for the appropriate reset or deletion steps.
- If you remove a paired device, remember that removal stops future authorised sharing after it completes; it does not erase the device's existing copies.
Clearing local storage or uninstalling may destroy local Pins. Support cannot recover locally stored notes from a server backup. Resetting or uninstalling also does not cancel a Premium subscription; store billing is managed separately.
Protect the local copy
Encryption during transfer does not mean every saved file has separate CrossPin encryption. Local content relies on device storage protections. Keep your screen lock and software current, and pair only devices you control and trust. Someone with access to an unlocked or compromised device may be able to read its content. For downloads and platform compatibility, visit downloads.