Troubleshooting & FAQ
Does visualOS work offline?
Yes — completely. There is no server behind visualOS, so there’s nothing to be disconnected from. Here’s exactly what that means in practice.
More in Troubleshooting & FAQ
What works offline
Everything you’d do in a normal session: creating and editing every element type, drawing, organizing folders, search, undo, version restore, PNG export, backups — the app doesn’t distinguish between online and offline while you work. Saving into your connected folder works offline too: the folder is on your disk.
What waits for a connection
- Sync between devices — your changes are written to the folder immediately; iCloud/Dropbox transports them once you’re back online. Nothing to do; it catches up by itself.
- Rich link previews — fetching a new YouTube/Spotify card needs the network. Existing preview cards keep working offline, because visualOS stores their thumbnails locally with your data.
Two offline nuances worth knowing
- First load: the browser app needs the internet once to load; after that it runs from your device in that browser. The native iPhone/iPad/Mac app is installed anyway.
- Cloud placeholders: a cloud folder that was never fully downloaded can’t be read offline — the reason we recommend Keep Downloaded so firmly. With it set, your entire workspace is guaranteed local, plane-proof and dead-zone-proof.
The upside of local-first
Offline isn’t just tolerated — it’s why the app feels instant. Every action happens on your machine; the network was never in the loop to begin with.