Support
Help with Penlog.
Answers for setup, sync, and billing are below. If you're stuck, email support@penlog.app — I read every message and usually reply within one or two business days.
Penlog is actively maintained. Expect updates every 1–2 weeks; bug fixes ship faster. Anything urgent: support@penlog.app.
Requirements
- Device: iPad only — Penlog does not run on iPhone.
- System: iPadOS 18 or later.
- Writing: Apple Pencil required. The canvas is pencil-only; finger input won't draw ink.
- Account: Sign in with Apple.
- Network: Internet for sign-in, cloud sync, Notion, and handwriting recognition when pages sync to our servers.
Penlog is available on the App Store. A public TestFlight build may still exist for earlier testers; new installs should use the App Store listing.
Getting started
The fastest path matches the checklist in Settings:
- Sign in with Apple — required for sync and connectors.
- Connect your calendar (free) — Penlog seeds today's events onto your page as typed blocks beside your ink. Penlog never writes to your calendar; it only reads events you allow.
- Penlog Pro (optional) — unlocks Notion sync, cloud backup of every page, and the agent API. New subscribers get a 7-day free trial, then $4.99/month unless you cancel in Apple account settings.
- Connect Notion (Pro) — OAuth into your workspace. Penlog creates a parent page with a Journal database (daily pages) and a Tasks database (one row per handwritten task). See Penlog for Notion for the full flow.
Seeded content appears as typed blocks on your page — tasks, events, and connector text — not as ink. Your handwriting stays yours; agents and Notion read structured output produced when pages sync.
Journal vs Briefing: the Journal is where you write. The Briefing is a read-only morning view of open loops and today's calendar. Use hide for today on the Briefing to tuck something out of sight without deleting it from Notion.
Free vs Penlog Pro
| Feature | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Handwritten daily journal + iCloud sync | Yes | Yes |
| Calendar seeding on today's page | Yes | Yes |
| Two-way Notion sync (Journal + Tasks DBs) | — | Yes |
| Cloud backup, page images, handwriting OCR pipeline | — | Yes |
| Agent API tokens + MCP access | — | Yes |
Restore purchases: Settings → Penlog Pro → Restore, or the Restore button on the paywall.
Refunds and cancellation are handled by Apple — manage subscriptions. I can help with product questions; I can't issue refunds from this inbox.
FAQ
Do I need Notion?
No. You can journal and use calendar seeding without Notion. Notion sync is a Pro feature for people who want handwriting in their existing workspace.
What notation does Penlog understand?
Your journal's legend (editable per journal) defaults to:
- • (bullet) — task
- ○ (circle) — event
- — (dash) — note
- × (cross) — done
A marker highlight on a line marks it as priority. Cross a task off on the page and Penlog can sync that done state back to Notion.
Can I edit tasks in Notion?
Yes. Changes in your Notion Tasks database pull back into Penlog on the next sync. Edits you make in the Journal (ink) flow out on the next page sync.
Where is my data stored?
Your primary copy lives in iCloud (CloudKit) on your Apple ID. When you're signed in, Pro sync also stores pages and structured text on Supabase under your account. Details: Privacy Policy and sub-processors.
How do I delete my account?
In the app: Settings → Delete Account. That permanently removes your Penlog account and server-side data (pages, connectors, tokens). It cannot be undone. Data that exists only in iCloud is governed by Apple — see Deleting your account in the privacy policy.
What is the agent API / MCP?
With Penlog Pro, your journal becomes an MCP server at mcp.penlog.app. A compatible agent (e.g. Claude, ChatGPT) can read the structured text from pages you wrote by hand and write typed tasks back onto a page — for example "what are my open tasks?" or "add buy groceries to tomorrow's page." Your handwriting stays yours: agents only ever read structured output and write typed blocks, never your ink. Access is user-controlled and revocable; Penlog never shares your journal with third parties without your setup.
How do I connect Penlog to Claude?
You'll need Penlog Pro. There are two ways to connect:
- One step (recommended). In Claude, add a custom connector with the server URL mcp.penlog.app, then Sign in with Apple when prompted to authorize — no token to copy or paste.
- Bearer token. For clients that take a token instead, create a revocable one in Settings → API Tokens and paste it into that client's config.
Review or revoke connected agents anytime in Settings → Connected Apps.
Troubleshooting
Claude (or another MCP client) won't connect
- Confirm Penlog Pro is active (trial or subscription) — agent access is Pro-only.
- Use mcp.penlog.app as the server URL, and complete Sign in with Apple when prompted to authorize.
- Review or remove connected agents in Settings → Connected Apps; for token-based clients, manage tokens in Settings → API Tokens.
Notion won't connect
- Sign in with Apple first.
- Confirm Penlog Pro is active (trial or subscription).
- Complete the Notion OAuth flow and allow access to the workspace you expect.
- If you disconnected and reconnected: same Notion workspace keeps your databases; a different workspace starts fresh (see below).
I reconnected Notion and tasks look wrong
Reconnecting to the same Notion workspace preserves your Penlog parent page, Journal and Tasks databases, and task links. Reconnecting to a different workspace clears Penlog-side seeds and task links so nothing points at the old workspace — you'll set up against the new one. This is intentional; email support if you need help untangling a mistaken reconnect.
Tasks or events aren't on my page
- Calendar: Settings → enable calendar seeding and pick which calendars to include.
- Notion tasks: Pro + connected; open tasks seed onto empty or prepared pages — not mid-stroke over fresh ink.
- Use the expected symbols (• / ○) in your legend; pull from connectors runs on open and after sync.
- Check the Briefing tab if you're looking for open loops rather than the Journal canvas.
Sync feels slow or stuck
Penlog syncs after you finish writing (roughly two minutes of idle time, with a cap while the pencil is down), and when you leave a page or background the app. Give it a moment after a long writing session, then open Settings to confirm connector status. Force a push from Settings if you're in debug mode; otherwise email support with your iPad model, iPadOS version, and Penlog version (Settings → About).
Handwriting looks wrong in Notion
Structured text is produced by OCR when the page syncs — it can miss messy lines. You can opt into Help improve Penlog's handwriting OCR in Settings to share anonymized samples (see Privacy Policy). The page image in Notion still shows your ink.
Pro didn't activate after purchase
- Settings → Penlog Pro → Restore.
- Confirm you're signed into the same Apple ID that subscribed.
- Check Apple's subscription page for an active Penlog Pro subscription.
Reporting a bug
Include these up front so we can reproduce faster:
- iPad model and iPadOS version
- Penlog version (Settings → About)
- What you were doing, and whether it happens every time
- Screenshots or a short screen recording if the UI is involved
If you use Settings → Developer → Debug Mode, you can also use Report OCR Bug for handwriting recognition issues.
Privacy & data requests
- Product help: support@penlog.app
- Privacy, export, or data rights: privacy@penlog.app
- Security: security@penlog.app
Policies: Privacy, Terms, Sub-processors.
Contact
Email support@penlog.app. Penlog is a small project — one inbox, one person. I aim for one or two business days on weekdays.
— Rick