The Manual

To create your first folder or notebook, tap the faded folder or notebook icon on the PaperDesk desktop, or tap the “+” button in the toolbar at the top. You can choose a title for your folder or notebook and one of five colors for a notebook. With PaperDesk, your note taking is unlimited! Enjoy an unlimited number of folders, notebooks, pages, exporting, recordings, tasks, etc! PaperDesk Lite limits you to 3 notebooks, each with 3 pages, and no export options.

from another app

When viewing the PDF in another app (i.e. Safari), tap anywhere on the PDF so the gray share toolbar appears at the top. Then tap the “Open in…” button, and select PaperDesk. Once you import a PDF, you can type or draw on it as you would any other note in PaperDesk. An imported PDF appears as a new “notebook;” there is no way to import it into an existing notebook.

from Dropbox


If you have not already linked to Dropbox, first tap the “Autosync” button in the toolbar at the bottom of the PaperDesk desktop, and, under the Dropbox tab, choose “Link to Dropbox,” and complete this process. After this is finished, tap the “+” button in the upper-right corner of the PaperDesk desktop, choose “Import from Dropbox,” and make your selections.

from iTunes


When your iPad is connected to your computer (either physically or over wifi), open iTunes, click on your device in the left panel, click the Apps tab, and scroll down to the “File Sharing” section. Click PaperDesk and then tap the “Add” button once the “PaperDesk Documents” list populates. Make your selections.

Tap the mini folder icon on the notebook you wish to move, and choose which folder you would like to contain it.

Edit the title of a folder or notebook or change the color of a notebook by tapping the “i” info button on the folder or notebook and making your changes.

When your iPad is in portrait orientation, the toolbar at the top will show the three tool modes (eraser, pen, type) on the right. When your iPad is in landscape orientation, the toolbar at the side will show the tool modes at the top. The tool bar can be moved from side to side by tapping the tall, thin, side-pointing arrow. Selecting “|t” will allow you to begin typing after tapping the page. While in type mode, you may scroll by swiping your finger up or down anywhere on the screen, with the exception of the toolbar. Selecting the pen button will allow you to draw, and selecting the eraser button will allow you to erase. Once a page is filled with text or line returns, the keyboard will hide itself. Tap the arrow buttons on the bottom to turn the page. In the full version, you have an unlimited number of pages available. The Lite version is limited to 3 pages per notebook, with a maximum of 3 notebooks. Tapping the “PaperDesk” arrow icon will return you to your PaperDesk desktop.

In type mode, begin typing, and then select (highlight) what you’ve typed. Tap the rainbow “Aa” button in the toolbar and then tap the “Font” button at the top. Choose from 58 different fonts, 6 different colors, and 5 different sizes. The default font is Arial, black, size 5. We currently do not offer a way to change your default font, but you can expect this in a future update.

In pen mode, tap the rainbow “Aa” button in the toolbar and then tap the “Pen” button at the top. Choose from 255 different colors and 100 brightness shades and opacities. Sliding the various controls will change the colors. The default setting is black, 0% brightness, 100% opacity, smallest size. When choosing another color, be sure to turn up the brightness – 0% brightness will always give you black. Quick Pens offer the ability to quickly quickly choose from 8 different basic colors or the highlighter. The Quick Size hash marks allow you to quickly select from 6 standard sized tips without altering the color you have selected.

Tap the camera icon, and select “Photo Library” to import a photo from your iPad’s library, or select “Camera” to take a new photo and import it. (Taking a photo will automatically add it to your iPad’s Photo Library.) Once you choose an image, drag it into place or re-size it by moving the blue, dragable corners. Then tap “Insert Image.”

To delete a photo after it has been imported, enter type mode and tap it, then tap the “X” that appears.

To move a photo after it has been imported, enter type mode and hold down on it, then drag it into place. (To resize an image after it has been imported, you’ll need to delete it and reimport it from your iPad’s Photo Library.)

Open any notebook and tap the “X” button in the toolbar. Select “Clear Text from Page,” “Clear Drawing from Page,” “Clear Text and Drawing,” or “Delete Page.”

Open a notebook and tap the envelope button in the toolbar Then, select the pages you desire, and choose your preferred share method.

Notebooks or pages can be emailed, opened in another app, tweeted, uploaded to Google Docs or Dropbox, exported to iTunes, or printed via an AirPrint-compatible printer. Once a notebook has been exported it will be made available in your computer’s iTunes App File Sharing section next time you connect your iPad to your computer (either physically or over wifi).

Tap the book icon. A menu is displayed showing all current bookmarks in your notebook, along with the option to add a new bookmark. The default bookmark title is the date and time. However, tapping the title box will allow you to rename the bookmark. Tap the “+” icon to add the bookmark, and it will display in the list below. Tapping a bookmark in the list will flip to the bookmarked page. You can delete a bookmark by swiping across it and tapping the delete button. At the bottom of the bookmark menu, you can quickly move through every page in your notebook using the “Go To Page” slider.

Tap the paper icon in the toolbar. Make your selection and tap “Apply to This Page” to change the current page’s background, or “Make Default” to change the current notebook’s background.

Tap the checkmark in the toolbar and then tap the “Add Task” button. You can specify a title, reminder notes, priority, due date, and how many days before the due date you would like a reminder notification, if you wish to receive one. Once you tap the “Add Task” button at the bottom, the new task will appear in your list within that notebook. To view all your tasks from every notebook, navigate to the PaperDesk desktop and tap the checkmark in the toolbar at the bottom. As of version 4.2, tap a task to edit it, or swipe to delete, then tap “Delete.”

While viewing a PDF in any other app, simply tap the sharing icon and choose PaperDesk. Once imported, it can be annotated just as it were any other notebook. If PaperDesk doesn’t show in the list of apps, you’ll need to delete another app that shows in the list until PaperDesk appears. Your iPad’s share feature is outside our control as a developer, and Apple only allows so many apps to display on the list at any one time.

Tap the microphone button in the toolbar, then tap “Record.” Once finished, tap “Stop.” To play a previous recording, tap “Play Recordings.” Recordings are organized by date and time. Tap a recording to play it. Audio recordings track while you type! While listening to audio, enter type mode and tap a word. PaperDesk will scrub to the point in audio that was recorded when that word was last edited! Swipe to delete recordings and then tap “Delete.” Recordings can be emailed, uploaded to Dropbox, or accessed under the “File Sharing” section in iTunes. The only limit to the length of your audio recording is the memory on your iPad.

Dropbox

Navigate to the PaperDesk desktop and tap the “Autosync” button in the toolbar at the bottom. Under the Dropbox menu, choose to “Link to Dropbox” and complete this process. Then, push the slider for the “Upload your notes as PDF files to Dropbox automatically” to “On.” Also, tap the “weekly” or “daily” backup buttons at the bottom to “Backup your notes to Dropbox automatically.” You can tap the “Restore from Dropbox” button if you encounter an issue in PaperDesk, provided you have previously tapped the “weekly” or “daily” backup buttons at the bottom to “Backup your notes to Dropbox automatically.”

iTunes

Sync your iPad to iTunes often by connecting your iPad to your computer (either directly using its cable or over wifi, if you have that set up). It’s also recommended that you back-up your device by right-clicking on it in iTunes and then clicking “Back Up.”

myPaperDesk.com

We are currently phasing-out syncing to myPaperDesk.com. When this is completed, all user accounts will be deleted. (You will be notified first.) Please do not create a new syncing account. If you already sync to myPaperDesk.com, please begin syncing to Dropbox instead.

(Keep in mind, iCloud doesn’t allow document storage, only document syncing between devices. PaperDesk is only available on the iPad, so this doesn’t apply to us.)

Navigate to the PaperDesk desktop and tap the gears icon in the toolbar at the bottom. Push the “Password Lock” slider to “On,” set a password, and type your recovery email. Every time you open PaperDesk, you will be prompted to reenter your password. Tap the forgot password button to request your password be sent to your recovery email.