what natallie is
privacy first. all data is stored locally in your browser. natallie has no servers, no accounts, no analytics, no third-party trackers. nothing leaves your device unless you explicitly export it yourself.
natallie is a private, tap-based event logger. it lives in your browser as a progressive web app, which means it can be installed on your phone like a real app but works without any servers, accounts, or signups.
the core idea: you create buttons that mean whatever you want them to mean. when something happens, you tap the corresponding button. each tap is a timestamped log entry. what you track is up to you.
your first tap
natallie's home screen is a 3x3 grid. that's nine slots, and each one can hold either a button (a single thing you track) or a board (a folder of more buttons). when you first open natallie, all nine slots are empty.
this demo shows what tapping a button feels like. the buttons here are pre-configured so you can try the interaction.
three things happen on a tap: the button presses down with a small animation, your phone vibrates briefly (if your device supports haptics and you have them enabled), and a log entry is recorded with the exact timestamp.
natallie is designed to be fast. that's intentional, but it has a cost: a tap that takes no thought collects less information than a tap you paid attention to. you decide what's right for what you're tracking. notes (section 6) are there for the moments a tap by itself isn't enough.
setting up buttons
tapping the small switch in the top right of the home screen toggles between click mode (the default, where taps log events) and setup mode (where taps configure buttons). in setup mode, tapping any slot opens an editor where you can name it, pick a color, and choose whether it's a button or a board.
on-tap actions
this feature is in development and not yet shipped. the section below describes how it will work in the next release.
a button can do more than log. when you set up or edit a button, you'll see a section called on tap with three choices , just log (the default), open camera, or call a number.
open camera. when tapped, natallie logs the tap and then opens your phone's camera. the photo saves to your camera roll like any other photo you take. natallie never receives, sees, or stores the image. this only works in the installed app, not in a browser tab.
call a number. when tapped, natallie logs the tap and then opens your dialer with a saved number pre-filled. you press the call button yourself. handy for something like a crisis line or your own emergency number. note that this opens the dialer; it does not auto-dial, and it is not a substitute for your phone's hardware emergency sos.
actions stack with logging. the tap is always recorded first. if the camera permission is denied or you cancel the photo, the tap still counts.
colors
natallie ships with twelve colors. each one is soft, slightly muted, designed to look good in dark mode without being hard to read. you assign a color to each button when you create it, and you can change it later.
nested boards
nine buttons isn't always enough. when you need more, you can turn a slot into a board , a folder containing its own 3x3 grid. boards can themselves contain boards, so you can nest as deep as you need to.
boards display as four small dots in a 2x2 grid (one for each of the first four buttons inside them). tapping a board opens it, replacing the current grid with its contents. a back arrow at the top returns to the previous level.
notes
sometimes a button isn't enough. you want to write a sentence. natallie has a separate notes view for this , open the notes panel from the bottom navigation, write whatever you want, and it gets timestamped and saved.
notes are designed for privacy. by default the text is hidden from view (showing only the date and time) and revealed when you tap the entry.
you can edit a note after creating it (tap the pencil icon). you can also delete it , but deletions go to the trash, not into the void.
time-boxed boards
most boards in natallie are open-ended; you build them and they stay forever. but sometimes you want to track something for a specific period and then be done. a 14-day migraine diary, a 30-day project, a 3-day check-in around a hospital stay. for those, you can give a board a time-box.
when you create or edit a board in setup mode, you'll see a checkbox labeled "time-box this board". turn it on, pick a duration (3, 7, 14, or 30 days, or a custom number up to 50 years), and save. the board will display a small "ends in Nd" label on its tile so you can see at a glance how much time is left.
when the time is up, natallie shows a small banner at the top of the home screen offering you three options:
- export and delete: download a CSV of just this board's data, then move the board and its taps to the trash. the board can be restored from trash if you change your mind. when restored, it comes back as a regular board without the time-box.
- extend: pick a new duration. the board's clock starts over from now.
- remove time-box, keep board: the board stays exactly as it is, just without the time-box. it becomes a regular board.
there's also an optional checkbox in the editor called "auto-delete data when time is up". this is a way of telling yourself, at setup, that you intend to end this board cleanly when the period is over. it doesn't actually delete anything automatically; the same three options are still presented to you when the time-box ends. it's a record of intent, useful for self-quantification windows where you want to be deliberate about not letting old data accumulate.
if you want to know more about how the time-box data is stored (for example, if you're thinking about exporting and analyzing it elsewhere), see the file format documentation at natallie.app/format.html.
stats and history
tapping a button in the bottom navigation opens the history view , a chronological list of every event you've logged, grouped by day. each entry shows the time, the button name, and the path through any boards.
each button also has its own stats panel showing total taps, taps today, weekly count, monthly count, yearly count if applicable, and the date you first started tracking that button. you can reach a button's stats two ways: tap the small colored pill at the bottom of the home screen for that button, or tap the button while you're in setup mode.
about timezones
natallie stores every tap as an absolute moment in time, independent of timezone. the times you see in the app and in your stats panel are rendered in your phone's current timezone. if you travel between timezones, the times of past taps will shift to reflect "what time was that, here?" rather than "what time was that, where I was?". this is the simple model and it works for most people.
for users who travel a lot internationally and want to know which timezone they were in when they logged each tap, there's an opt-in setting in the settings panel called "record timezone with each tap". it's off by default. when on, every new tap also stores the IANA timezone name of your device at the moment you tapped (for example, "Asia/Tokyo" or "Europe/London"). that information is then included in CSV exports as an extra "iana_timezone" column, and in backup files as a "tz" field on each log entry.
turning the toggle on does not retroactively label past taps; only taps logged after you turn it on get a timezone. turning the toggle off later does not erase timezone data from taps that already have it; future taps simply won't be recorded with one. nothing about this leaves your device.
trash and restore
when you delete a button, board, or note, it doesn't disappear forever. it goes to the trash, which is accessible from the settings panel. from there you can restore it back to your home screen (if there's room) or permanently delete it.
this catches accidental deletions. it also lets you experiment with structures , try a board layout, decide it's not for you, delete it, change your mind a week later and restore it.
notes show up in the trash too, but their content is hidden , only the original timestamp and the deletion time are visible. tap restore to bring the note back to your notes list with its text intact.
pin locks
natallie supports two kinds of pin protection. an app-level pin requires you to enter a code every time you open natallie. a board-level pin protects specific boards, requiring a code to open them while leaving the rest of your app accessible.
pins are 4-digit numeric codes, set up from the settings panel. you can change or remove a pin at any time, but if you forget it, there is no recovery. natallie has no servers, no email-based reset, no support team to call. losing your pin means losing access to whatever it protected.
important. if you set a pin, write it down somewhere safe (a password manager is fine). there is no way to recover a forgotten pin. this is a deliberate consequence of natallie having no servers.
pin locks are useful when natallie is on a shared device, when you track something sensitive, or when you simply want a moment of intention before opening the app.
exporting data
your data belongs to you. natallie supports several export formats so you can move it elsewhere, analyze it, share it, or just keep a copy outside the browser.
open the export dialog from the settings panel. it offers three options:
logs and notes as CSV
a comma-separated values file containing every tap and every note, with timestamps in both UTC and local time, the button name, the path through any boards, the event type, and the color. this is the format for spreadsheet analysis, sharing with researchers, or feeding into other tools.
you can filter by date range , all time, last 7 days, last 30 days, last 90 days, this year, last year, or a custom range you specify. a live count shows how many events match the current range, so you know what you're exporting before you tap.
the first line of every CSV is a comment with the timezone, so anyone reading the file later can correctly interpret the local timestamps.
board layout as CSV
the structure of your boards and buttons , names, colors, hierarchies , without any of your logged data. useful for sharing your setup with someone else, or as a record of how your tracking evolved over time.
full backup
a single .natallie file containing everything: your buttons, your logs, your notes, your settings. this is the file you'd use to restore on a new device or after clearing browser data. it's a JSON file with a custom extension so it's distinct from generic JSON exports.
about encryption
if you've turned on the "encrypt exports" toggle in settings, every export above (CSVs and full backups) will ask you for a password and download as an encrypted file. CSVs come out as .natallie-csv files, backups come out as .natallie files. you can decrypt them later using the decrypt feature in settings, which gives you back the plain CSV or .natallie file. see section 12 for the full story.
encryption
by default, the files you export from natallie (CSVs and full backups) are plain text. anyone who opens the file can read what's inside. for most people, most of the time, that's fine; you save the file to your own device, and that's that.
if you'd like the files themselves to be unreadable without a password, turn on encryption. this protects your exports if they end up somewhere outside your control: an email attachment, a cloud drive, a shared folder, a stolen laptop.
turning it on
open settings and look for the "encrypt exports" toggle. tap to turn it on. natallie shows a warning that encryption uses passwords you choose, and that there is no way to recover a file if you forget its password. confirm to enable.
important. if you forget the password for an encrypted file, the file is permanently unreadable. natallie has no recovery system, no master key, no support team to call. write the password down somewhere safe (a password manager is fine).
how exports change when encryption is on
every time you export anything, natallie asks you to set a password for that file. you can use the same password for every export (easier to remember) or a different one each time (more secure). there's no rule, just a trade-off.
encrypted files come out with these extensions:
- encrypted CSV exports: .natallie-csv
- encrypted full backups: .natallie (same as unencrypted backups, the encryption is inside the file)
the file extension is your hint: if you see .natallie-csv, that's an encrypted CSV. if you see .natallie, it could be either an encrypted or unencrypted backup; natallie figures out which when you import or decrypt it.
decrypting a file
open settings and tap "decrypt a file." pick the encrypted file. enter the password you set when you exported it. natallie decrypts the file and saves the plain version to your downloads. the original encrypted file is left untouched.
decrypted CSVs come out as regular .csv files you can open in a spreadsheet. decrypted backups come out as plain .natallie files you can either open in a text editor (they're JSON) or import back into natallie.
what encryption protects, and what it doesn't
encryption protects exported files. it does not encrypt the data sitting in natallie itself; that data lives in your browser's local storage, which is protected by your device's lock screen and account password. encryption is for the moment a file leaves natallie and goes somewhere else.
this is the right level of protection for most people. if you want stronger protection of the data inside natallie, the pin lock feature (section 10) requires a pin to open the app or specific boards.
turning it off
tap the "encrypt exports" toggle again. natallie confirms you want to turn it off and warns that future exports will be unencrypted. existing encrypted files stay encrypted; this only affects future exports.
backup and restore
browser local storage is durable but not invincible. clearing your browser cache, switching browsers, getting a new phone, or rare browser bugs can all wipe your data. backups are how you protect against this.
making a backup
open settings, tap export, and choose "full backup." natallie generates a .natallie file and saves it wherever your browser saves downloads. on iOS this is usually the Files app. on Android it's the Downloads folder. on desktop it's wherever your browser is configured to save.
there's no automatic backup , natallie has no servers to back up to. you have to do this manually. once a week is reasonable for most people. once a month is fine if you don't track much.
restoring from a backup
open settings, tap "restore from backup," and select your .natallie file. natallie reads the file and replaces your current state with what's in the backup. anything that was in the app before the restore is overwritten.
if your backup is encrypted, natallie asks for the password before continuing. enter it; the rest of the restore works the same way.
note. restoring is destructive. if you have data in the app that's newer than the backup, it will be lost. if you're not sure, make a fresh backup first before restoring an older one.
if natallie itself stops being maintained
natallie is built and maintained by one person. that comes with a real continuity risk: if the project stops being updated, the live site might eventually go offline. your data is protected against this in three concrete ways. .natallie backup files are plain JSON inside, readable by any text editor without natallie being online. CSV exports are a universal format readable by any spreadsheet for the indefinite future. and an installed PWA copy of natallie keeps working on your device even if natallie.app stops responding. exporting periodically and keeping backups somewhere you trust is good practice for any tool, especially one that runs on no servers.
privacy and your data
this is the part most apps put in fine print. natallie puts it in the manual.
what natallie collects
nothing. natallie has no servers, no analytics, no telemetry, no error reporting, no third-party SDKs that phone home. it does not know how many users it has. it does not know what features are popular. it does not know what country you're in.
where your data lives
in your browser's local storage on the device you're using natallie on. that's it. no cloud sync, no backend database, no copies on any server anywhere. if you uninstall natallie or clear your browser data, your data is gone (unless you've made backups).
what natallie cannot do
natallie cannot recover your data if you lose it. natallie cannot reset your pin if you forget it. natallie cannot see what you've logged. natallie cannot identify you. natallie cannot share your data with anyone , not advertisers, not researchers, not law enforcement , because natallie does not have your data to share.
why this matters
self-tracking apps have been used in court cases, custody disputes, immigration cases, and (in some jurisdictions) reproductive health prosecutions. data that lives only on your device is meaningfully more protected than data that lives on a company's servers. natallie's local-only architecture is a deliberate political choice, not just a technical one.
see the full privacy policy for legal details.
install on your device
natallie is a progressive web app, which means it can be installed on your phone or computer just like a regular app, with its own icon and standalone window , no app store required.
iphone or ipad
- open natallie.app in safari (it has to be safari, not chrome, on iOS)
- tap the share icon at the bottom of the screen (the square with an arrow pointing up)
- scroll down and tap "add to home screen"
- name it however you want, then tap "add"
android
- open natallie.app in chrome, samsung internet, or any modern browser
- tap the menu (three dots, usually top right)
- tap "add to home screen" or "install app"
- confirm the prompt
desktop (mac, windows, linux)
most modern browsers show an install icon in the address bar when you visit natallie.app. on chrome and edge it looks like a small download arrow or a "install" button. tap it and confirm. natallie will open in its own window.
working offline
once installed, natallie works without an internet connection. your data is local, the app code is cached, and there's nothing it needs to fetch. you can use natallie on a plane, on a subway, in a remote area with no signal , nothing changes.
troubleshooting
natallie shows a white screen or won't load
this usually means a service worker update is in progress. close the tab and reopen it. if it still doesn't load, try a hard refresh (cmd+shift+r on mac, ctrl+shift+r on windows/android). on ios safari, tap the AA icon in the address bar and choose "reload page without content blockers."
my data is missing
natallie's data is stored in your browser's local storage. it can be cleared if you (or your browser) clear cookies and site data, switch browsers, use private/incognito mode, or run out of storage space. there is no recovery from this without a backup.
if you have a recent .natallie backup file, restore it from settings → restore from backup. if you don't, the data is lost. this is why making backups regularly matters.
the app icon shows a white background on android
this is a known issue with how some android launchers handle pwa icons. try uninstalling and reinstalling natallie from natallie.app. if you have samsung internet specifically, make sure you're using the latest version.
haptic feedback isn't working
haptics are only available on devices that support the web vibration api , most android phones, no iphones. if you're on android and not feeling vibration, check your phone's vibration settings (sometimes vibration is muted globally or for specific apps).
i forgot my pin
natallie has no way to reset a forgotten pin. there are no servers, no support team, no recovery flow. the only path forward is to clear the app's local storage (which deletes all your data), or restore from a backup made before you set the pin.
to clear local storage: in your browser's settings, find site data for natallie.app, and clear it. then reload the app.
buttons don't respond / setup mode is stuck
this is rare but has been reported. try refreshing the page first. if that doesn't work, your browser may have an old cached version of the app. clear the cache for natallie.app specifically (not all your browser data) and reload.
frequently asked questions
do you sell my data?
natallie does not have your data. it never leaves your device. there's nothing to sell.
can i sync between my phone and my computer?
not automatically. natallie has no servers, so there's no automatic sync. you can export a backup from one device and restore it on another, but they won't stay in sync after that. real-time multi-device sync would require a server, which would compromise the local-only privacy model.
what happens if i clear my browser cache?
if you clear browser cookies and site data for natallie.app, your data will be deleted. clearing just the cache (without site data) is usually safe. if you're unsure, make a backup before clearing anything.
is there an ios app coming?
a native ios and android app is in progress. for now, the pwa works well , install it from natallie.app following the instructions in the install section. when native versions launch, they'll keep the same architecture and principles.
can i import data from another app?
not yet. the .natallie backup format is the only supported import. if you want to bring in data from another app, you'd need to convert it manually.
how many buttons can i have?
nine slots on the home screen. each one can be a button or a board. boards can contain nine more slots, and so on. there's no hard limit on nesting depth, but in practice most users find two or three levels is plenty.
should i keep my button names consistent over time?
it depends on what you want. if you plan to look back in six months and compare similar things, consistency helps; a button called "tired" should keep meaning roughly the same thing each time. but you can also rename, retire, or restructure your buttons whenever you want; nothing about natallie locks you into a vocabulary.
a practical middle ground: when a button's meaning shifts, make a new button instead of renaming the old one. the old data stays labeled with the old meaning, the new data gets a name that fits, and your history stays honest.
can i undo a tap?
not directly. taps are instant logs. but you can open the history view, find the entry, and delete it. deleted log entries don't go to trash , they're permanently removed (since the alternative would be confusing).
does natallie work in private/incognito mode?
technically yes, but your data won't persist after you close the window. private mode clears local storage on close. don't use natallie in private mode unless you want a temporary session.
how do i delete everything and start over?
open settings → reset, or alternatively clear your browser's site data for natallie.app. either approach gives you a fresh, empty natallie. there's no undo for this , make a backup first if you want the option to restore later.
i found a bug. how do i report it?
natallie is built solo and doesn't have an issues page yet. you can email the project at info@natallie.app. include your device, browser version, and what you were doing when the bug happened. screenshots help.
can i use natallie for medical or research purposes?
natallie is not a medical device and isn't validated for clinical use. it's a personal tool. if you find your data useful in conversations with a clinician, that's wonderful , but natallie isn't designed to replace medical assessment, and any inferences you draw are your own.
for research purposes, the csv export is intended to be useful as a data source, but you'd need to design the study and get appropriate consents from any participants. natallie doesn't manage any of that.