Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started

1. Where should I begin?

Start by creating one Grove, then add a single item you use often and assign its real-world Location. We recommend starting with a single drawer, wardrobe, or storage bin. Once you are comfortable with saving and finding, gradually expand. Follow our Getting Started Roadmap for a smooth onboarding path.

2. What is the difference between Groves, Locations, and Items?

• Grove: Organizes broad physical territories (e.g., Home, Office, Storage Room).
• Location: Specific storage spots within a Grove (e.g., Closet, Top Shelf, Tool Box).
• Item: The physical belongings you want to track. For example: Grove “Home” → Location “Pantry / Wire Rack” → Item “Spare AA Batteries”. You don’t need deep nesting unless it truly helps you locate items.

3. Are Category and Location required when adding an item?

No. The item name is the only required field to save a record. Category and Location can be added or updated later as your organization evolves. Check the form for any required fields before saving.

Finding and Organizing

4. Why can’t I see an item in my list even though I know it exists?

First, open Items, tap the filter bar, and clear all active filters. Then search for a keyword from its name. Also verify whether a specific Grove, Location, or Category is currently selected. The “Hibernation” filter defaults to “Active Items”, so hibernating items are hidden while browsing; set it to “All Items” or “Hibernating Items” to see them (a typed search finds them too). If the item was deleted, check the Recycle Bin in More; if you held a farewell ritual for it, check the Memories tab.

5. How should Category, Tags, and Location divide the work?

• Category answers: “What kind of item is it fundamentally?” (e.g., Electronic Accessories)
• Location answers: “Where does it physically live?” (e.g., Study / Desk Drawer)
• Tags answer: “Under what lifestyle themes do I want to find it?” (e.g., #travel, #backup)

6. Are the fields in the item form always the same?

Not necessarily. Available fields adapt dynamically based on the category template or current view. Fill in only what is useful for you. With “Continuous Planting Mode” on, each save clears the name, Its Little Story, photos, attachments, batches and linked items, and keeps the category, location, tags, quantity, dates, status and custom fields; review your details before each save.

7. Will expiration dates send automated notifications?

Yes, for the expiry date only. Once an item has an expiry date and notifications are allowed, MononoMori reminds you 7, 3 and 1 day before it expires, at 9:00 by default. Change the days and time in “Expiry Reminder”: open the notification card on the More page and tap “Detailed Settings”. Warranty and purchase dates do not trigger reminders. In the Items tab you can also sort “By Expiry Time” or filter by “Expiry Status”. For critical deadlines, keep a separate reminder as well.

Memories and Item Lifecycles

8. What is the difference between Delete and Farewell?

• Delete (Recycle Bin): Removes accidental entries or discarded test records. Deleted items stay in the Recycle Bin for 30 days before they are deleted automatically.
• Farewell: A mindful ritual for beloved belongings that have completed their life purpose. Moves the item to the Memory Forest, preserving its photos, stories, and companionship timeline without cluttering your daily active inventory.

9. What is the “Memories” tab?

The Memories tab on the bottom navigation bar is your peaceful sanctuary for retrospective appreciation. It houses your Memory Forest (farewell archive, Today’s Reunion, Moments in Time) and your Memory Books (custom digital scrapbooks). See Memory Forest System.

10. Should I delete items I am temporarily not using?

No, you do not need to delete them. If an item is out of season or paused while you contemplate decluttering, put it into Item Hibernation: open the item, tap “More” and choose “Hibernate”. It is hidden from your daily browse view without deleting any data, and you can “Wake Up” the item later.

Backup, Sync, and Recovery

11. If I enable iCloud Sync, do I still need manual backups?

Yes, we strongly recommend manual backups at key milestones. iCloud Sync keeps devices updated with current changes in real time (including deletions). A Backup is an independent, frozen snapshot file that you can safely restore at any future point. See Backup vs. Sync Strategy.

12. Why can’t I enable iCloud Sync?

iCloud Sync requires Forest Guardian (Plus or Premium). If you are a Forest Guardian, navigate to More > Data > iCloud Sync and check the status, then your Apple ID sign-in status, network connection and iCloud storage capacity. Follow the on-screen prompts; do not attempt to resolve sync issues by resetting your data.

13. Will restoring from a file wipe my existing records?

The import preview clearly outlines what will happen before you confirm. MononoMori’s merge-based restore preserves existing records—items missing from the backup file are not deleted from your device. You can preview additions and matching records before committing, and an automated recovery snapshot is created before import. On the free plan, if importing would go over the free limits (30 items counted by quantity, 3 groves, 10 locations), the preview says the file cannot be imported and offers “Become a Forest Guardian to Import”.

14. Can a CSV spreadsheet restore my entire forest?

No. A CSV spreadsheet is designed for text-based inventory and printing in Excel or Numbers. It does not include prices, original photos, attachments, or relational structures, and cannot replace a true Forest Backup (.forest file).

15. If some data seems missing, should I reset immediately?

Never reset impulsively. Clear your filters, check the Recycle Bin and Memory Forest, and review sync status first. If another device still displays your complete data, immediately create and export a backup from that device. “Reset Local Data” and “Reset Cloud Data” in Data Tools are permanent actions that ask you to type DELETE to confirm, not troubleshooting steps.

Device and Feedback

16. What devices and iOS versions are supported?

Please consult MononoMori’s current App Store product page in your region for official compatibility requirements. MononoMori currently needs iOS 17.6 or later.

17. How can I submit feedback or report an issue?

Open More > Support & Story > Send Feedback. Describe your device model, iOS version, app build, exact reproduction steps, and any error prompts shown. Please do not include passwords or sensitive personal documents in screenshots.

18. What if I can’t find the answer here?

Use the manual table of contents to browse specific feature guides, or visit More > Support & Story inside the app. Button labels and layouts may evolve slightly across updates; follow the on-screen instructions on your device.

Memory Books and Moments in Time

19. What is the difference between Memory Forest and Memory Book?

• Memory Forest: An archive that automatically honors items that have bid farewell, recording their reasons, dates, and Moments in Time.
• Memory Book: A creative digital scrapbook where you handpick photos, text, stickers, and active or past items into themed booklets (e.g., travel diaries, home renovations). See Memory Book Starter Guide.

20. Does adding an in-stock item to a Memory Book remove it from the Forest?

No. The item appears as a visual element on your book canvas. It remains perfectly safe in its Grove and Location.

21. Why does the Free plan prevent creating another Memory Book?

The Free plan includes 1 Memory Book with up to 5 pages. When reaching this allowance, a friendly upgrade notice will appear. Plus unlocks up to 3 books, without the 5-page limit, and Premium unlocks unlimited books. Your existing book and pages are never deleted.

22. Do “Moments in Time” (Year Rings) only appear after farewell?

No! Items currently in your active Groves also accumulate Moments in Time (check-ins, reflections, location changes). Upon farewell, that complete lifetime journey is preserved seamlessly in the Memory Forest. See Memory Forest & Moments in Time.

23. Is deleting a Memory Book the same as deleting a single page?

No. Deleting an entire book from the shelf moves it to the Memory Books Recycle Bin. Deleting a single page permanently removes its canvas layout and cannot be undone via Undo. Always verify your selection before confirming.

24. Can exported PNG or PDF files be restored into editable books?

No. Exported PDFs and PNGs are finished presentation files suitable for reading, printing, or sharing. They do not contain editable canvas structures. Keep your active books safe within the app using regular Forest Backups and iCloud Sync.

Home Screen Widgets, Subcategories and stamps

25. How do I add MononoMori to my Home Screen?

Update and open the app once. Long-press an empty Home Screen area, choose Edit → Add Widget and search MononoMori. Forest Today supports medium; Falling Leaves, Today’s Reunion and Today’s Treasure support small and medium. Explore the Forest provides instructions. See Widgets.

26. How do Today’s Treasure and Today’s Reunion differ?

Treasure selects from active items, optionally by main category or tag. Reunion shows stories from items already in the Memory Forest. Both follow the day’s selection rather than changing on every tap; neither displays self-made Memory Book pages.

27. Why is a widget stale or an expected item absent from Falling Leaves?

Confirm saving in the app and wait for the system’s refresh. Falling Leaves requires an expiry date within its reminder window and a matching grove, handling and snooze state. Purchase dates do not replace expiry dates. Notifications are likewise triggered only by expiry dates. Widgets and notifications operate separately; an absent card is not proof that an item was deleted.

28. Can I hide names and photos?

Long-press each widget, open Edit Widget and turn off Show Names and Show Photos as needed. These settings do not delete records. Other information, including expiry state, may still appear.

29. How is a subcategory different from a separate category?

It is a group within a main category, sharing fields, icon and color. There is no third level. An item can choose a group or No Subcategory. Use a separate main category for different fields. See Subcategories.

30. Does disabling or deleting a subcategory delete items?

Disabling keeps groups and assignments and hides their controls. Re-enable to use them again. Deleting clears that group’s assignments; items remain in their main category with attributes, photos and history. Recreating the name does not restore assignments automatically.

31. Why did existing items not enter a new group?

Creating and assigning are separate. Edit items, choose the group and save, or use the bulk Category action after multiselecting in the Items tab. Check subcategories again when changing main category, and clear extra filters when verifying the list.

32. Where is the Stamp Book? Does opening a feature earn a stamp?

Open More → Explore the Forest and tap the top card. Each stamp has its own saved-action or milestone condition; reading or tapping Try It is insufficient. There are 19 stamps, including 10 new ones. See Forest Stamp Book.

33. Why did a Memory Book page or backup not unlock its stamp?

Save a page containing text, photos, stickers, items or other creative elements. A blank page or paper adjustment alone is insufficient. Backup requires a successfully generated complete manual .forest backup; the app never backs up automatically, and the protection backup made before a restore, incomplete backups, CSV exports and failed generation do not count. Reopen the book and check color and date; retry if the page reports an error.

34. Why does stamp progress differ from the inventory count?

Stamps record reached milestones and cumulative progress; lists are affected by current state and filters. Deleting items does not revoke earned stamps. Unfinished streak or AI-addition progress is not guaranteed to merge across devices. Confirm sync or restoration before checking collected stamps.