Power User Guide

Master NoteReturn

Unlock the full potential of recursive note-taking with advanced features, workflows, and pro tips.

Surface Tags

Schedule notes to resurface on specific dates

What are Surface Tags?

Surface tags let you time-delay your notes, scheduling them to return to you on a specific future date. This is perfect for reminders, future journal entries, spaced repetition learning, or planting ideas for your future self.

How It Works

When you create a note with a surface tag, it will preferentially be returned to you when you're creating a new note on or after that date. The system prioritizes surface-tagged notes that are due today.

Syntax

[Surface Month DD YYYY]

Months can be full names (January, February) or abbreviations (Jan, Feb). The comma after the day is optional.

Examples

[Surface March 15 2025]

"Check in on Q1 goals and plan Q2 strategy."

Use case: Quarterly review reminder

[Surface Dec 25 2025]

"Remember to call mom and wish her Merry Christmas!"

Use case: Holiday reminder

[Surface Jun 1 2025]

"Review these Spanish vocabulary words: casa, perro, gato, libro"

Use case: Spaced repetition learning

[Surface September 30 2025]

"How did the summer project turn out? Reflect on lessons learned."

Use case: Future reflection prompt

Pro Tip

The surface tag will appear as a badge on your note but won't be included in the main content display. You can have multiple notes with the same surface date, and the system will surface them randomly on that day.

Rate Limits & Quotas

Understand your plan limits and daily quotas

Captures per Day
10

New notes you can create daily

Recalls per Day
20

Times you can receive old notes

Total Notes
500

Maximum notes stored

Exports per Day
1

Daily markdown exports

Rate Limit Details

  • Daily limits reset every 24 hours from your first action
  • Anti-spam protection: Max 3 captures per minute (prevents accidental spam)
  • Export cooldown: Prevents server overload while keeping your data accessible
  • Search rate limits: Reasonable limits to ensure fast searches for everyone

Export Your Notes

Take your data anywhere with Markdown export

Export Features

  • Markdown format: Compatible with Obsidian, Notion, and other note apps
  • Complete export: All notes, timestamps, and surface tags included
  • Chronological order: Notes sorted from newest to oldest
  • No vendor lock-in: Your data is always portable

How to Export

  1. Go to All Notes or Settings
  2. Click the "Export as Markdown" button
  3. Your browser will download a .md file with all your notes
  4. Open the file in any text editor or markdown-compatible app
# Example Export Format:
# NoteReturn Export
Exported on: January 15, 2025
---
## Note 1
**Created:** March 15, 2024
**Surface Tag:** [Surface June 1 2025]
This is the content of your note...

Export Limits

Free users can export once per day. Recall+ users have unlimited exports. This helps us manage server costs while keeping your data accessible.

Power User Workflows

Creative ways to maximize NoteReturn

Daily Journaling

Use surface tags to create future journal prompts

  • Write today's entry without tags
  • Add reflection prompts with [Surface] tags 30-90 days out
  • When they resurface, reflect on your growth
  • Create weekly review prompts every Sunday
Spaced Repetition Learning

Remember concepts using scientifically-proven intervals

  • Write learning notes with key concepts
  • Tag for review: 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 30 days
  • When resurfaced, quiz yourself on the content
  • Perfect for languages, facts, formulas
Goal Tracking

Set checkpoints and hold yourself accountable

  • Write your goals with specific metrics
  • Surface monthly to review progress
  • Add quarterly reflection prompts
  • Celebrate wins when past goals resurface
Project Management

Keep project ideas and milestones top of mind

  • Capture project ideas as they come
  • Surface project reviews at milestone dates
  • Add 'how did this go?' notes for after completion
  • Track lessons learned across projects
Creative Writing

Let serendipity spark new story ideas

  • Capture story ideas, characters, scenes
  • Let random recalls inspire new connections
  • Surface character development prompts
  • Review old ideas with fresh perspective
Reading & Research

Build a personal knowledge base

  • Save quotes, insights, book notes
  • Tag concepts for spaced review
  • Let old insights resurface in new contexts
  • Export to create a personal wiki

Choose Your Plan

Find the right fit for your needs

Free

$0/month

Perfect for getting started with recursive note-taking

  • 10 captures per day
  • 20 recalls per day
  • Up to 500 total notes
  • 1 export per day
  • Surface tag scheduling
  • Full search functionality
  • All core features
POPULAR
Recall+

$5/month

For power users who want unlimited everything

  • Unlimited captures
  • Unlimited recalls
  • Unlimited total notes
  • Unlimited exports
  • Priority support
  • Early access to new features
  • Support indie development

Tips & Tricks

Level up your note-taking game

Use hashtags for organization

Add #tags to notes (like #goals, #ideas, #work) to easily search and filter later.

Morning page ritual

Start each day by creating a note and receiving a recalled thought to inspire your day.

Batch surface tags

When planning, create multiple surface-tagged notes for the same date to get a themed recall day.

Review before export

Export quarterly to review your thought patterns and see how you've evolved.

Embrace serendipity

Don't overthink it - random recalls often spark the most interesting connections.

Keep notes atomic

One idea per note works better than long journal entries for maximum serendipity.

Surface important dates

Birthdays, anniversaries, and deadlines make great surface tag reminders.

Experiment with intervals

Try different surface intervals (7 days, 30 days, 90 days) to find what works for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to common questions

Ready to Master Your Notes?

Start using these power features today and unlock the full potential of recursive note-taking.