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Anchor’s note sharing system enables collaboration by allowing you to share notes with other users. Control access with viewer and editor permissions to maintain security while collaborating effectively.

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Sharing a Note

Give others access to your notes:
1

Open the note

Select the note you want to share. Only note owners can share notes with others.
2

Access sharing settings

Click the share button in the note toolbar
3

Add a collaborator

Enter the email address or username of the person you want to share with
4

Choose permission level

Select either Viewer or Editor permissions
5

Send the share

Confirm to share the note with the selected user
You can only share notes with other users who have accounts on the same Anchor instance. The recipient must be registered before you can share with them.

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Permission Levels

Control what collaborators can do with shared notes:

Viewer

Read-only access - can view the note content but cannot make changes

Editor

Full editing access - can modify content, formatting, and tags

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Viewer Permissions

Users with viewer access can:
  • View note title and content
  • See note tags and formatting
  • Access the note from their shared notes list
  • View the note even when offline (after initial sync)
Viewers cannot:
  • Edit note content or title
  • Change note tags
  • Modify note properties (pin, archive, background)
  • Delete or permanently remove the note
  • Share the note with others

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Editor Permissions

Users with editor access can:
  • View and edit note content
  • Modify the note title
  • Add or remove tags
  • Change note formatting
  • Pin or unpin the note
  • Change the note background
  • Edit the note offline with automatic sync
Editors cannot:
  • Delete or move the note to trash
  • Archive or restore the note
  • Permanently delete the note
  • Share the note with others
  • Change the note owner
Only the note owner can delete, archive, or share the note. These operations cannot be performed by viewers or editors.

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Managing Shares

Keep track of who has access to your notes:

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Viewing Current Shares

1

Open note sharing

Click the share button on any note you own
2

See collaborators

View the list of users with access to this note
3

Check permissions

See whether each user has viewer or editor access

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Changing Permissions

Update access levels for existing collaborators:
  1. Open the note’s sharing settings
  2. Find the user whose permissions you want to change
  3. Select the new permission level (Viewer or Editor)
  4. Changes apply immediately
Changes to permissions sync automatically. If you change someone from Editor to Viewer while they’re editing, their access updates the next time they sync.

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Revoking Access

Remove sharing access from a user:
1

Open sharing settings

Access the share management for the note
2

Select user

Find the collaborator whose access you want to revoke
3

Remove share

Click the remove or revoke button next to their name
4

Confirm revocation

The user immediately loses access to the note
When you revoke access, the note is removed from the recipient’s notes list on their next sync. They can no longer view or edit it.

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Accessing Shared Notes

Work with notes others have shared with you:

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Finding Shared Notes

Shared notes appear in your notes list:
  • Mixed with your own notes in the main view
  • Marked with a sharing indicator
  • Searchable and filterable like your own notes
  • Accessible offline after initial sync

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Editing Shared Notes

If you have editor permissions:
  1. Open the shared note like any other note
  2. Make your changes
  3. Edits save automatically
  4. Changes sync to the owner and other collaborators

Real-time Sync

Changes sync automatically when devices are online

Offline Editing

Edit shared notes offline - changes sync when reconnected

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Shared Note Indicators

Identify shared notes at a glance:
  • Special icon showing the note is shared
  • Owner information displayed in note details
  • Permission level (Viewer/Editor) shown when relevant
You can pin shared notes to keep them at the top of your list, even if you don’t own them.

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Collaboration Best Practices

Work effectively with shared notes:

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Communication

  • Coordinate with collaborators before making major edits
  • Use note content to communicate changes (e.g., add a changelog section)
  • Be mindful that others may be viewing or editing simultaneously

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Organization

  • Use tags to categorize shared notes (editors can modify tags)
  • Pin shared notes you reference frequently
  • Keep note titles clear so collaborators understand the content

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Permissions

  • Use Viewer permissions when sharing reference material
  • Grant Editor permissions only when collaboration is needed
  • Review shares periodically and revoke access when no longer needed
Multiple users can edit the same note simultaneously. Anchor uses conflict resolution based on timestamps - the most recent change wins if conflicts occur.

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Share Synchronization

Sharing works seamlessly across devices:

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When You Share

1

Create share

Share a note with another user on any device
2

Recipient syncs

The shared note appears in the recipient’s notes list on their next sync
3

Instant access

The recipient can immediately view or edit (based on permissions)

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When Access Changes

  • Permission updates sync immediately when devices are online
  • Revoked shares remove the note from recipients’ lists on next sync
  • Offline changes apply when devices reconnect

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Conflict Resolution

If multiple editors make changes while offline:
  1. Each device tracks changes locally
  2. When syncing, the server compares timestamps
  3. The most recent change wins
  4. All devices receive the winning version
  5. Earlier changes are overwritten
To minimize conflicts, sync frequently when online and coordinate edit timing with collaborators.

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Limitations and Restrictions

Understand sharing boundaries:

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Cannot Share With

  • Yourself (notes you own are already accessible)
  • Users on different Anchor instances
  • Unregistered users or email addresses not in the system

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Ownership

  • Only the original note creator is the owner
  • Ownership cannot be transferred
  • Only owners can delete, archive, or share notes
  • Editors have extensive permissions but not ownership rights

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Privacy

  • Shares are explicit - notes are not shared unless you actively share them
  • You control exactly who has access
  • Revoke access at any time
  • Deleted shares are removed after 30 days
When you delete a note you own, it’s immediately removed from all users you’ve shared it with. If you restore it from trash, you’ll need to re-share it.

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Security Considerations

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Data Access

  • Only users you explicitly share with can access your notes
  • No public sharing or link-based access
  • All shares require an authenticated user account
  • Revoke access anytime to immediately remove access

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Content Control

  • Viewers cannot modify your content
  • Editors can make changes but cannot delete
  • You retain full control as the owner
  • Monitor shares regularly to maintain security
Regularly review who has access to your shared notes, especially for notes containing sensitive information. Revoke access for collaborators who no longer need it.

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