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Settings

2Do's settings are grouped by the way you use the app: capture, appearance, privacy, alerts, backups, sync, advanced defaults, updates, and diagnostics. Open them from 2Do > Settings....

This page follows the same order as the Mac settings window, so you can move through it left to right.

General​

General settings control capture, startup behavior, list counts, and the default destination for new tasks.

General settings

Quick Entry​

Quick Entry is the fast capture window you can call from anywhere on your Mac.

  • Quick Entry shortcut — choose the system-wide hotkey that opens Quick Entry.
  • Display above currently focused application — shows Quick Entry over the app you're already using, which is helpful on multi-monitor setups.
  • Auto-fill notes with text from clipboard — puts clipboard text into the new task's notes.
  • Use selected text from current application — uses selected text from the frontmost app as input for the new task.
note

macOS may ask for Accessibility access before 2Do can read selected text from another app.

Startup and Helper​

  • Launch 2Do on System Startup — opens the main app when you sign in.
  • Launch 2Do Helper on System Startup — keeps alarms and the global Quick Entry shortcut available even when the main 2Do app is not open.
tip

If you rely on alarms or Quick Entry after restarting your Mac, leave the Helper enabled.

Default List​

Default List chooses where new tasks go when 2Do cannot infer a better destination.

  • GTD Inbox — makes Inbox the default capture surface for fast triage.
  • Always Use Default List — sends new tasks to the selected default list regardless of the list you are currently viewing.
note

The Default List is used for new tasks, except for child tasks created inside Project View.

Counts and Warnings​

  • Undone counts should include Overdue tasks — controls whether overdue items are included in list counters.
  • Reset "Don't Ask Me" Warnings — brings back warning prompts you previously dismissed.

Appearance​

Appearance settings control how lists and tasks are shown.

Appearance settings

Basic Appearance​

  • Font Size — choose from compact sizes up to very large task text.
  • Week Starts — choose a fixed first day of the week or let macOS decide automatically.
  • Language — changes 2Do's interface language. Restart 2Do after changing it.
  • Always show list names — shows the source list next to tasks when several lists are visible together.
  • Show notes under tasks — shows note previews in the task list.
  • Use friendly dates — displays dates as friendly labels such as Today, Tomorrow, or next week.
  • Sorting by due date uses grouped dates — groups dated tasks into date sections when sorting by due date.
  • Show completed tasks for — chooses how long completed tasks stay visible.
  • Auto-delete completed tasks — removes completed tasks automatically after the chosen period.
note

The Today Focus List does not show completed tasks, even if other lists are configured to keep completed items visible.

Advanced Appearance​

Advanced appearance settings
  • Show overdue tasks in red — makes overdue tasks easier to spot.
  • Enable Quick Look for Tasks — lets you press Spacebar to preview the selected task.
  • Sort starred items above high-priority items — changes priority sorting when stars and priorities overlap.
  • Today list options — choose whether Today includes overdue tasks, starred tasks, and tasks you are still working on.
  • Focus and Smart List sub-task behavior — controls whether matching sub-tasks are shown separately.
  • Tasks with past start dates — choose whether tasks whose start date has arrived remain visible, or stay hidden unless they are due today.

Security​

Security settings control the master password, list privacy, and archived lists.

Security protection settings

Protection​

  • Set Password... — creates the master password used to unlock protected content.
  • Remove Password — removes password protection.
  • Lock after inactivity — locks the app again after 1, 2, 5, 10, or 20 minutes of computer inactivity.
  • Use Touch ID to unlock — unlocks with Touch ID on supported Macs.
  • Lock everything — protects the whole app instead of only individual lists.

Privacy​

Security privacy settings

Privacy lets you hide selected lists from the sidebar and from normal browsing until unlocked.

tip

Use Privacy when you do not want a list visible during normal browsing. Use Lock when the list can remain visible but should require the password before opening.

Archived Lists​

Archived lists settings

Archived lists stay out of your active sidebar without being deleted. You can restore archived lists from this screen.

note

Archived lists stay hidden from active views, except Smart Lists and Done. They still sync unless you also exclude the list under Sync > Exclusions.

Alerts​

Alerts settings control automatic reminders and how alert windows appear.

Alert settings

Automatic Alerts​

2Do can create alerts automatically when you set due dates or due times.

  • Due Time reminder — reminds you at, or before, a task's due time.
  • Due Date reminder — reminds you on, or before, a task's due date when no due time is set.

Notification Method​

  • 2Do — shows 2Do's own alert window, with position and sound-repeat options.
  • Notification Center — lets macOS manage the notification.

Sound Alerts Repeat​

When using 2Do's own alert window, sound alerts can repeat until dismissed, repeat every few minutes, or not repeat.

tip

If alerts must work when 2Do is not open, enable Launch 2Do Helper on System Startup under General.

Backups​

Backups are local safety snapshots of your 2Do data.

Backup settings
  • Automatic Backups — choose None, Every 24 Hours, or Every 48 Hours.
  • Backup before performing Sync — creates a safety backup before sync runs.
  • Manage Backups — review automatic backups, remove backups you no longer need, restore, or save a copy elsewhere.
  • Keep at most — choose how many automatic backups 2Do keeps.
  • Save as... — save a selected backup file somewhere else.
  • Restore... — replace current data with the selected backup.
important

Restoring a backup replaces the current local data. If you're unsure, save a fresh backup first.

tip

Hold Option while clicking Restore... to choose a backup file from disk.

Sync​

Sync settings choose the cloud service that keeps your devices in step.

Sync setup settings

Sync Method​

2Do for Mac supports:

  • Dropbox
  • iCloud CalDAV
  • Fruux
  • Yahoo! Calendar
  • Toodledo
  • Custom CalDAV Server

Use the same sync method on every device that runs 2Do.

Options and Exclusions​

Depending on the sync method, 2Do can also sync list order, pictures, audio recordings, due times, app preferences, and automatic sync behavior. The Exclusions tab lets you tick selected lists that should stay local to this Mac.

Sync options settings
Sync exclusions settings
note

Attachment options depend on the sync method. Dropbox supports the broadest attachment syncing. CalDAV can sync a maximum of one picture and one audio recording per task when the server supports attachments. Toodledo does not sync attachments.

Next Sync Action​

Next Sync Action controls what the next manual sync will do.

  • Dropbox and CalDAV — Sync Normally, Replace Server Data, or Replace Local Data.
  • Toodledo — Sync Normally, Replace Local Data, or Merge Sync.
important

Use Replace Server Data only when this Mac has the data you want to keep. Use Replace Local Data when the sync service has the data you want to pull down.

Advanced​

Advanced settings control default task behavior and a few power-user editing defaults.

Advanced settings
  • Return key behavior — choose whether Return creates a new task or edits the selected task.
  • Return in sub-task titles — create the next sub-task while editing a sub-task title.
  • Default Due Date — automatically give new tasks a due date such as Same Day, Day After, 1 Week Later, or Next Month.
  • Only use in Quick Entry — apply the default due date only to Quick Entry.
  • Do not use in Quick Entry — use the default due date everywhere except Quick Entry.
  • Default Due Time — gives newly dated tasks a preferred due time.
note

Due time gives a dated task a specific time of day. If you prefer date-only tasks with no visible clock time, leave Default Due Time unset.

Updates​

Update settings

Direct downloads can offer update and beta options inside 2Do. Mac App Store and Setapp builds update through their own store apps.

Diagnostics​

Diagnostics are for troubleshooting and support.

  • Email Diagnostic Report — prepares a report you can send to support.
  • Copy — copies diagnostic details for support.
  • Optimize Database — performs local database maintenance.
  • Use Dummy Data — useful for testing without your real tasks.
  • Reset Application Data — wipes local app data and starts fresh.
important

Reset Application Data is destructive. Save a backup first unless you are deliberately starting over.

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