What is the difference between the desktop and the web app?

Right now they are more or less the same, with a few differences:

The web app can receive CSS modifications, although we do not encourage doing this because it can easily break due to rapid iteration of the codebase at this time.
The Desktop app has a couple more features like global voice recording that the web version doesn't have. In the future, the feature gap will grow larger when we add things like reminders, notifications, and more.

We encourage users to use the desktop app, so Tana Outliner can remain open without needing the browser to be open as well.

What are the system requirements for running the Tana Outliner desktop app?

The system requirements for Tana Outliner Desktop are the same as for Chromium. You can check out the most up-to-date system requirements on the Chrome support page.

How do I change or disable the Tana Outliner desktop recording shortcut?

All desktop apps have access to a top bar with several OS-level menus. Go to Options > Customize keybindings to change it.

Mac: The Option menu is visible when the top bar is visible.
Windows: Hit Alt to see the top bar of the window.

See Tana Outliner for Desktop for more.

Does Tana Outliner Desktop work with Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams?

Yes. Because the app records system audio rather than joining as a bot, it works with any video conferencing tool, including Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Webex, and in-person meetings. You don't need to configure anything per platform.

Can I use Tana Outliner on mobile browsers?

Tana Outliner is not optimized for mobile or tablet browsers, especially not on iOS where it forces a full refresh too often.

Tana Outliner Mobile for iOS. Tana Outliner Mobile for iOS was released in November 2024, which allows for browsing and capturing content to the app. We are working towards fuller editing capabilities.

Tana Outliner Mobile for Android. Tana Outliner Mobile for Android was released in February 2025, which allows for browsing and capturing content to the app. We are working towards fuller editing capabilities.

When will Tana Outliner have a dedicated mobile app?

Tana Outliner Mobile apps for both iOS and Android have launched. See the question above for details.

Does Tana Outliner have an offline mode? Can Tana Outliner run locally on my computer?

Yes, Tana Outliner Desktop supports working offline. The Tana Outliner Mobile apps for iOS and Android support capturing new things offline, but not reading your existing notes yet.

Do I need to do anything special to enable offline in Tana Outliner?

Just make sure you're on Tana Outliner Desktop version 1.0.50 or newer, reload, and choose "Work offline" from the user menu or command line.

What works while offline?

You can edit all personal (non-shared) workspaces, search across your notes, and use inline references. Shared workspaces are read-only while offline.

AI features, transcription, AI commands, and publishing will not work. You cannot create new workspaces while offline.

Do AI features work offline?

No. AI features like live transcription, chat, and AI-based command nodes require an internet connection and will reappear when you reconnect.

Is there offline mode on mobile?

Yes. The Tana Outliner Mobile app for both iOS and Android supports offline capture for new notes, tasks, and voice memos. Anything you add in the mobile app will be uploaded the next time you are online. You cannot access your existing notes offline at the moment.

Can I use Tana Outliner without Wi-Fi?

Yes. You can work completely offline on the Tana Outliner Desktop app. Shared workspaces are read-only. In the mobile apps for iOS and Android you can capture new notes while offline.

Will my notes sync automatically when I reconnect?

Yes. When you reconnect, Tana Outliner syncs all changes automatically, no manual uploads needed. When you choose to go online, the app will reload and may take a few minutes to sync all your changes.