NoteCove NoteCove

Nearby Sync

Nearby Sync lets two devices exchange notes and tasks over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi — without any internet connection. It’s powered by Apple’s MultipeerConnectivity framework and works alongside your existing iCloud/Dropbox sync, filling in the gap when cloud delivery is slow or offline.

How It Works

Nearby Sync uses a peer-to-peer sync session:

  1. Both devices advertise and browse for each other on the local network or Bluetooth
  2. When a peer is found, they compare which Storage Directories they share
  3. Each side shows an approval dialog — both users must approve before any data is exchanged
  4. After approval, recent CRDT updates flow directly between devices
  5. Once approved, the same two devices skip the dialog on future sessions (trusted peer)

Only notes and tasks in shared Storage Directories participate — the SD key must match on both sides. Private SDs stay private even if both devices are nearby.

Starting a Sync Session

On Mac

  1. Open Settings → Nearby Sync on both Macs
  2. Click Start Nearby Sync on each device
  3. When the pairing request appears, both users click Approve
  4. Sync completes automatically — the session closes when done

On iPhone / iPad

  1. Open Settings → Nearby Sync on both devices
  2. Tap Start Nearby Sync — the app begins advertising and browsing
  3. Nearby devices appear in a list as they are discovered; tap a device to invite it
  4. Both sides must Approve the pairing request
  5. Sync completes automatically — the session closes when done

The approval dialog auto-declines after 30 seconds if no action is taken.

If no devices are found within 15 seconds, the session ends with a “No nearby devices found” message — make sure both devices have the Nearby Sync screen open.

Trusted Devices

Once you approve a device, it’s remembered as a Trusted Device:

  • Future sessions with the same device skip the approval dialog
  • Trusted devices are listed in Settings → Nearby Sync
  • You can remove a trusted device at any time by clicking the trash icon

Relationship to Cloud Sync

Nearby Sync is a complement to cloud sync, not a replacement:

ScenarioWhat happens
Both devices have internetCloud sync handles it; Nearby Sync can speed it up
One device is offlineNearby Sync delivers updates the cloud can’t reach yet
Large update (e.g., imported notes)Nearby Sync transfers directly, cloud catches up later

Updates received over Nearby Sync are held in the local database and merged into the CRDT history as soon as the corresponding cloud files arrive. This means the note content is immediately correct, and the history view shows peer edits even before iCloud delivers the .crdtlog files.

Requirements

  • macOS and iOS — Nearby Sync requires the MultipeerConnectivity framework
  • Both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi network or within Bluetooth range
  • Both devices must share at least one Storage Directory (same SD ID)

Diagnostics

Use the CLI to inspect the current sync state:

notecove sync status

Output shows:

  • Trusted Devices — paired devices and when they were approved
  • Pending Updates — CRDT updates received over MPC that are waiting for cloud sync to deliver the corresponding log files

Privacy & Security

  • No data leaves your local network — all transfers are peer-to-peer
  • Both sides must explicitly approve before any exchange
  • Approval is per-device, not per-note; the SD overlap determines scope
  • Trusted device records are stored locally in your NoteCove database

Next Steps