Support/FAQs

Why is it called “spectacled”?

Two reasons – one cute, one a little more serious.

The cute one: spectacled bears. They’re the ones with the pale, glasses-like markings around their eyes, and once we had that image in mind, “spectacled” was hard to unsee as the name for a family of apps.

The more serious one is right there in the word itself. Put on a pair of spectacles, and you can look closely at something. So look closely – at any part of spectacled you like. The apps are open source, so the code itself is open to read. The sync layer is CalDAV, an open, publicly documented standard. The data format is iCalendar, another open standard, not something we invented and kept to ourselves. Follow that chain all the way down and there’s no point where it turns opaque – no proprietary format waiting at the bottom, no hidden server-side logic, no black box. Look as closely as you want, at any depth: it’s transparent all the way through. That’s the name.

Is spectacled free?

The spectacled apps are open source and basically free to use. Open source versions are offered for free on open source platforms. However, the apps provided on commercial stores are offered as paid apps. There is no difference between the free and paid apps. The paid versions are there for convenience for users but also to finance this project long-term. If you use one of the free variants, please consider a donation to support continuous development. Have a look at the download page for all download options.

What is CalDAV, and do I need an account somewhere else to use spectacled?

CalDAV is an open standard for syncing calendar-type data between a server and your apps – similar to how IMAP works for email. spectacled doesn’t store your data itself; it connects to a CalDAV server you choose, whether that’s self-hosted (Nextcloud, Baikal, Radicale) or a provider you trust. See Get Started for how to set one up.

Which CalDAV servers does spectacled work with?

Any server that implements the CalDAV standard should work. We actively test against Nextcloud, Baikal, and Radicale. However, specific implementations may cause issues as the VJOURNAL and VTODO components are not that widely used.

Can I move my existing notes or tasks into spectacled?

Currently there is no import or export feature in spectacled. If you already have journals, notes or tasks on your CalDAV server, the apps will just show the existing entries.

Is my data private?

Yes. spectacled doesn’t run its own cloud storage for your entries, doesn’t include advertising or tracking, and stores data only where you choose. See our Privacy Policy for full details.