How to keep your iCloud notes permanently downloaded

We built StarJot to operate at the speed of thought. To get the absolute best performance out of the app when using iCloud sync, there is one native Apple setting we highly recommend tweaking: the "Keep Downloaded" toggle.

By default, iOS and macOS dynamically manage your storage space. If you haven't opened a specific file in a while, Apple will quietly remove the local copy from your device to save space, leaving only a placeholder in the cloud.

For large assets like 4K video files or massive design projects, this is a brilliant feature. For a note-taking app, it is completely unnecessary.

Why you should keep your notes downloaded

Because StarJot relies on standard, lightweight text files, your entire universe of notes takes up a minuscule amount of space. You could write thousands of notes, and the entire folder would still be smaller than a single live photo on your iPhone.

There is simply no storage benefit to letting Apple offload your notes to the cloud, but there are massive benefits to keeping them permanently downloaded on your device:

• Instant access: Your notes will open instantaneously the second you tap them, with zero loading or downloading delay.
• True offline reliability: Whether you are on a flight, on the Underground, or stuck somewhere with terrible signal, your entire second brain remains fully accessible and ready to capture new thoughts.
• Background syncing: Keeping the folder downloaded does not stop iCloud from working. Any new note you write will still quietly sync to your other devices the moment you regain a connection.

How to use "Keep Downloaded"

You can easily force your device to store a permanent, offline copy of your entire StarJot folder directly from Apple's native file managers.

On iPhone and iPad

1. Open Apple's native Files app.
2. Navigate to iCloud Drive.
3. Find your StarJot folder.
4. Long-press on the folder to bring up the context menu.
5. Tap Keep Downloaded.

On Mac

1. Open Finder.
2. Click on iCloud Drive in the sidebar.
3. Find your StarJot folder.
4. Right-click (or Control-click) on the folder.
5. Click Keep Downloaded.

By taking thirty seconds to change this one setting, you ensure that your notes are always stored locally, always fully synced, and always ready to move exactly as fast as you do.