Help & Guides

Welcome & Philosophy

What is Tear Off?

Tear Off is a daily task companion designed for people who find traditional to-do apps overwhelming. If you've ever felt paralyzed by a long list of tasks, forgotten what you were supposed to do next, or struggled with executive functioning—this app was made with you in mind.

One Thing at a Time

Unlike most task apps that show you everything at once, Tear Off shows you one task at a time. When you finish (or decide to skip) that task, it "tears off" like a page from a calendar, revealing the next one underneath.

This approach helps because:

You don't have to decide what to do next
You can't get overwhelmed by seeing everything
Each completion feels like real progress

No Judgment Here

Tear Off doesn't track streaks. It doesn't show you what you "failed" to complete. It doesn't send guilt-inducing messages.

Every day is a fresh start. Yesterday doesn't matter. What matters is right now, and whatever you're able to do today.

The three buttons for each task reflect this:

Done — You did it just now
Already Did — You did it earlier (no shame in that!)
Not Today — And that's completely okay

Your Privacy Matters

All your data stays on your device. Nothing is sent to servers. Nothing is tracked. Nothing is sold. You own your data completely, and you can export it anytime.

Getting Started

Your First Launch

When you first open Tear Off, you'll be guided through picking some starter tasks. These are common daily activities that many people find helpful to track:

Morning basics (drinking water, eating, hygiene)
Medication reminders
Movement and stretching
Winding down for bed

You can add, remove, or change any of these. They're just suggestions to get you started.

The Main Screen

The main screen shows your current task—the one at the top of your stack. You'll see:

The task name in large, easy-to-read text
Three buttons to mark what happened
A small indicator showing how many tasks remain (if you've enabled this)

That's it. Simple by design.

The Three Buttons

Every task has three options:

Done (green) — Tap this when you complete the task. It gets marked as finished, and the next task appears.

Already Did (blue) — Tap this if you already did the task before seeing it in the app. Maybe you showered first thing, or took your medication before checking the app. No problem—mark it and move on.

Not Today (yellow/orange) — Tap this if you're skipping the task today. No guilt, no explanation needed. It simply moves to the next task.

When You Finish Everything

When you complete your last task, you'll see a celebration screen. Take a moment to appreciate what you accomplished—whatever that looked like today.

Your Morning Check-In

When Does This Appear?

Every day when you first open the app, you'll see a morning check-in. This happens:

Once per day (after midnight in your timezone)
Before your task stack appears
Even if you have no postponed tasks

You can tap through it quickly if you're in a hurry, or take your time to consider your energy level.

How Are You Feeling?

Your answer shapes how the app behaves for the rest of the day.

The options are:

Really Bad Day — Everything feels hard right now. The app will switch to a rest screen, hide your task list completely, and just be there if you need it.

Low Energy — You're running on limited resources today. The app will simplify itself—larger text, fewer distractions, and a gentler experience.

Moderate Energy — A typical day. The app works normally with all your settings.

Good Energy — You're feeling capable today. The app works normally, and you might tackle your full list.

Why This Matters

Traditional productivity apps treat every day the same. But you're not a machine—your capacity varies. Some days you can do ten things. Some days, getting out of bed is the accomplishment. Tear Off adapts to meet you where you are, not where you think you "should" be.

Postponed Tasks

If you postponed tasks yesterday (tapped "Not Today"), the morning check-in will show them. You can decide:

Bring them back — Add them to today's stack
Let them go — They'll disappear, no questions asked

Starting Your Day

After the check-in, you'll choose how to set up your task stack:

Repeat yesterday — Same tasks, same order (good for routines)
Pick and choose — Select which tasks you want today
Start fresh — Begin with an empty stack and add as you go

Energy Modes

What Are Energy Modes?

Energy modes change how the app looks and behaves based on your current capacity. The morning check-in can set a mode automatically, or you can switch modes anytime in Settings.

Can I change modes during the day?
Yes. Open Settings → Cognitive Modes → Select a different mode. Your previous settings are saved and will restore when you exit the mode.

Really Bad Day Mode

For when everything is too much.

What changes:

Display: Hides your task list completely and shows a calming rest screen instead
Visual: Soft sky blue and plum colors, larger text
Notifications: All turned off
Interaction: No vibrations, no animations

Your tasks aren't deleted—they're just hidden. A gentle "Show tasks anyway" option is always available if you need it.

Low Energy Mode

For days when you're running on empty.

What changes:

Visual: Larger text, higher contrast, no animations
Interaction: 30-second undo window (instead of 20 seconds)
Notifications: Turned off
Feedback: No vibrations
Display: Progress indicator hidden

Time-Blindness Mode

For when you lose track of time easily.

What changes:

Display: Duration estimates shown prominently, progress indicators visible
Notifications: Reminders and notifications enabled
Task Info: Full details displayed (time, duration, notes)

If you often look up and realize hours have passed, this mode provides external time cues to help you stay oriented.

Reduced Sensory Mode

For when you're overwhelmed by stimulation.

What changes:

Visual: Calmest color scheme, dyslexia-friendly font, no animations
Notifications: All turned off
Feedback: No vibrations
Display: Progress indicators hidden

Perfect for migraines, sensory overload, or when your environment is already loud and busy.

Managing Your Day

Adding New Tasks

This is probably what you'll do most often.

To add a task:

Tap the + button (bottom right)
Enter a task name
Choose whether it's a daily task or one-time event
Set where it goes in your stack

Daily tasks repeat automatically tomorrow. One-time events are just for that specific day.

Reordering Your Stack

Sometimes the default order doesn't match your day. To reorder:

Tap "Manage Tasks" (top right)
Drag tasks up or down using the handle
Your new order takes effect immediately

Put time-sensitive tasks near the top, or arrange things in the order that makes sense for your routine.

Postponing Tasks

Don't want to do something today? Tap Not Today (or swipe if enabled).

The task will:

Disappear from today's stack
Show up in tomorrow's morning check-in
Give you a chance to decide again tomorrow

A brief undo notification appears in case you tapped by accident.

Important: Postponing doesn't mean failure. It means you're being realistic about what you can do right now. That's a skill, not a weakness.

The Undo Safety Net

Accidents happen. If you tap the wrong button, an undo notification appears for several seconds. Tap "Undo" to restore the task.

You can adjust how long the undo option appears in Settings (or turn it off if you prefer).

Making It Yours

Tear Off includes many ways to customize your experience. Find these in Settings (gear icon, top left).

Text & Reading

Text Size — Choose small, medium, or large text throughout the app.

Font — Sans-serif (clean, modern), Serif (traditional), or Dyslexia-friendly (OpenDyslexic).

Colors & Theme

System Theme — Follow your device's light/dark mode setting automatically.

Two-Color Theme — Pick a color palette from several presets. Each theme uses two complementary colors throughout the app.

Inverted Colors — Swap which color is the primary color and which is the accent color.

High Contrast — Increases the contrast between text and backgrounds for better visibility.

Motion & Feedback

Reduced Motion — Turns off animations. Helpful if motion is distracting or causes discomfort.

Haptics (Vibration) — Enable or disable vibration feedback when you complete tasks.

Notifications

Enable Notifications — Master toggle for all app notifications.

Task Reminders — Get gentle nudges to check your tasks.

Completion Celebrations — Receive a notification when you finish all tasks.

Timing — Choose how often reminders appear, or have them adapt to your task durations.

Task Display

Show Progress — Display "3 of 7 tasks" or keep it hidden.

Show Time Estimates — Display how long tasks typically take.

Task Info View — Full (see all task details) or Simple (just the task name).

Undo Settings

Enable Undo — Show the undo option after completing tasks.

Undo Window — How long the undo option stays visible (5-60 seconds).

Your Data

Everything Stays Local

Tear Off stores all data on your device using your browser's built-in storage. Nothing is uploaded. Nothing is synced. Nothing is tracked.

This means:

Your tasks are completely private
The app works offline
No account is needed
No company has access to your data

Exporting Your Data

You can download all your data anytime:

Open Settings
Go to "Your Data"
Tap "Export Data as JSON"

You'll get a file containing all your tasks, settings, and history. JSON is a standard data format that stores your information in a way other programs can read. Keep this file somewhere safe as a backup.

Importing Data

If you need to restore from a backup or move to a new device:

Open Settings
Go to "Your Data"
Tap "Import Saved JSON"

Your current data will be replaced with the backup.

Starting Fresh

Want to begin again with a clean slate?

Open Settings
Go to "Your Data"
Tap "Purge All Data"

This permanently deletes all tasks and settings. Consider exporting first if you might want your data later.

Tips for Getting the Most from Tear Off

Start Small

You don't need to track every task in your life. Start with 3-5 essential daily tasks. Add more only when those feel manageable.

Be Honest About Energy

The morning check-in works best when you're honest. Selecting "Good Energy" when you're struggling just sets you up for a harder day.

Use "Not Today" Freely

This button isn't failure—it's self-awareness. Using it means you understand your limits, and that's valuable.

Adjust the Order

If you always skip a certain task, maybe it's in the wrong spot. Try moving it to a different time in your sequence.

Check Your Settings

Spend a few minutes exploring Settings. Small adjustments—like bigger text or turning off animations—can make a surprising difference.

It's Okay to Have Bad Days

Some days, you'll complete nothing. Some days, you won't even open the app. That's part of being human. Tear Off will be here when you're ready, without judgment or guilt.