Understanding Sync

Corkulous can store boards locally, in iCloud, or in Dropbox. All three options work well, but they behave differently — this page explains what to expect from sync, when to use each option, and why Dropbox is often the better choice for larger board libraries.

How Sync Works

Corkulous organizes boards into collections, and each collection lives in one place:

• Local: only on the current device
• iCloud: synced through iCloud Drive
• Dropbox: synced through a specific Dropbox folder

Sync happens at the collection level. When you open a cloud-backed collection, Corkulous checks for changes and updates the local working copy for that collection.

Cloud sync is not the same as a shared database with instant lock-step updates. In practice:

• Changes may arrive a little later on another device.
• Larger collections can take longer to settle.
• Thumbnails and board ordering may update after the underlying board data arrives.

That is normal for cloud file sync.

Local Storage

Local collections do not synchronize through iCloud or Dropbox. Use local storage when:

• You want the fastest access on one device
• A board does not need to sync
• You want to keep a board private to that device

iCloud

iCloud is the most convenient option if you mainly use Apple devices and want Corkulous to feel integrated with the system.

What iCloud Is Good At

• Simple setup
• Automatic syncing across iPhone, iPad, and Mac
• Boards appear in iCloud Drive and can be opened from Finder

What to Expect

iCloud is based on file coordination and metadata queries, which means it is sometimes eventually consistent rather than immediate. In practice:

• A newly opened iCloud collection may take some time to settle.
• The first pass through a larger collection can take noticeably longer than later updates.
• Boards may appear or refresh over time as iCloud finishes reconciling metadata and files.

With a small or moderate number of boards, this is usually fine. For very large libraries, the behavior can feel less predictable.

iCloud Best Practices

• Give a newly opened collection a moment to settle if many boards changed on another device.
• If you work heavily across devices, consider whether Dropbox is a better fit for that collection.

Dropbox

Dropbox supports Corkulous collections on both free and paid accounts, subject to Dropbox’s current storage, device, and sharing limits. Check your Dropbox plan before choosing it for a large library.

What Dropbox Is Good At

• More direct file-level sync behavior
• Better visibility into what changed
• A better fit for larger libraries and heavier multi-device workflows
• Easy separation into multiple folders for different projects or teams
• Version history: browse and restore earlier versions of a board

Board Version History

New: Board version history is a recent addition to Corkulous and requires the latest version of the app on all of your devices.

Dropbox keeps a revision history for every file it stores, and Corkulous can use it to restore an earlier version of a board — something no other storage option offers. Because Dropbox has been keeping these versions all along, you can restore versions of a board saved by earlier releases of Corkulous too — anything still within Dropbox’s retention window.

To restore an earlier version:

1. In the Home screen, long-press (or right-click) a Dropbox board.
2. Choose Show Revisions.
3. Pick a version from the list and tap Restore.

Before anything is replaced, Corkulous saves your current board as an archived backup named “Board (before restore)” in the same collection, to provide a recovery copy. Check that the backup exists and opens before relying on it. The restored version becomes the current board and must still synchronize to your other devices; conflicts, storage failures, and older app versions can affect the result.

A few things to know:

• Corkulous also recognizes restores made on dropbox.com (via Dropbox’s own version history) and applies them the same way — your current board is archived as a backup first, and you’ll see a notice explaining what happened. Each device starts tracking the information it needs for this the first time it syncs after updating, so restores made on dropbox.com before a device has updated and synced may arrive as ordinary changes instead.
• The board must be closed before it can be restored; Corkulous will ask you to close it first.
• Dropbox’s version-history window depends on your plan and its current terms. Older versions age out of the list; check your account’s retention window before relying on a restore.
• Make sure all of your devices run a current version of Corkulous; older versions of the app don’t understand restores and may sync over them.

Recommendation for Power Users

If you expect to build and manage a large number of boards, especially across multiple devices, we recommend strongly considering Dropbox. It is often the better choice for:

• Larger board libraries
• Active work across Mac, iPad, and iPhone
• Collections that change often
• Users who want more predictable sync behavior

We also recommend splitting larger libraries into multiple collections instead of one huge folder. That reduces sync churn and keeps each collection easier to manage.

Which Option Should You Choose

Option	Choose it when
Local	The board stays on one device and you want maximum simplicity and speed
iCloud	You primarily use Apple devices, convenience matters more than strict predictability, and your library is relatively modest in size
Dropbox	You are a power user, work heavily across multiple devices, expect a large board library, and want the most predictable cloud sync experience available in Corkulous today

In short: Local is best for single-device work, iCloud is the easiest cloud option, and Dropbox is the recommended choice for larger libraries and more demanding sync workflows. For many users, iCloud is completely fine — but if you intend to build a large library of boards, organize them into multiple collections and seriously consider Dropbox.

Protect Unsynced Work

Before switching devices or force-quitting, allow pending cloud activity to finish. Avoid simultaneous edits to the same shared board. For important changes, confirm them on the second device before continuing there.

Keep an independent native-board or archive export that you have verified can be opened. Exported JSON may refer to media stored elsewhere, so it is not a complete media backup by itself. Before troubleshooting, preserve the device that has your latest work. Contact support before signing out of cloud accounts, deleting app data, or reinstalling when uploads are pending.