Help & FAQ
Quick answers to the questions we get most. Can't find yours? Email hello@palmcards.app.
Getting started
How do I create a deck?
Tap the plus button on the Decks screen. You can start blank and add cards yourself, paste a speech or outline and have it split into cards, or describe the talk and let AI draft a first version for you to shape.
What makes a good card?
Short cues, not sentences. A card has a heading (the point of that beat) and a few cue lines you expand on out loud. If you can read a card in a glance, it's right. If you're reading it word for word, it's a script, and scripts are what PalmCards is here to save you from.
Can I set a time for each card?
Yes. Open a card and set a target time. While you present, PalmCards compares where you are against your targets and gives you a gentle pacing nudge if you're running ahead or behind.
Presenting
How do I move between cards?
Swipe, or tap the edges of the screen. You can also use the volume buttons if you switch that on in Settings, and most Bluetooth presentation clickers work out of the box because they act as volume keys.
My volume buttons aren't changing cards.
Check that "Volume buttons advance cards" is switched on in Settings. It's off by default. Volume up goes forward, volume down goes back. The system volume indicator will still flash briefly, that's normal.
Can I make the text bigger while presenting?
Pinch to zoom during a talk. PalmCards remembers your zoom level for next time. There's also an app-wide text size setting in Settings.
Will my screen dim mid-talk?
No. "Keep screen awake" is on by default so the display stays lit while you present. You can turn it off in Settings.
Rehearsing
What does rehearse mode do?
It runs your talk like the real thing while timing every card. When you finish you get a summary showing your total time and how long you spent on each card against its target, so you know exactly where you're rambling and where you're rushing.
AI tools
What can the AI do?
Three things. Draft a deck from a description of your talk. Split a pasted speech into clean cue cards. And rework a single card's notes, tightening them into crisper cues or expanding them with more structure to speak to.
Does the AI make things up?
It's built not to. The AI works from what you give it, and where a fact belongs it leaves you a prompt like "give the key number" instead of inventing one. The words that matter should always be yours, so treat any draft as a starting point and make it sound like you.
Is there a limit on free AI use?
The free tier includes a taste of the AI tools. PalmCards Pro removes the limit. If the AI is ever unavailable, paste-to-cards falls back to splitting your text on the device, so you're never stuck.
Backups, import and export
How do I back up my decks?
Settings, then "Back up all decks". That saves every deck into a single file you can store anywhere, like iCloud Drive or email to yourself. To restore, use "Import deck" and pick that file.
Import says my file can't be read.
Import only accepts PalmCards files, the .palmcards.json files created by Export deck or Back up all decks. It can't import PDFs or Word documents. If you have a speech in another format, copy the text and use "From your notes" when creating a new deck instead.
Can I print my cards?
Yes. Open a deck and export it as a PDF. You'll get printable cue cards, three to an A4 page, ready to cut out for the pocket-of-the-jacket backup plan.
Sound and haptics
I turned on sound effects but hear nothing.
Update to the latest version of PalmCards. Sound effects now play even with the iPhone silent switch on, because turning them on is a deliberate choice. If you still hear nothing, check your volume isn't at zero.
Pasting into PalmCards isn't working.
The first time you paste, iOS asks for permission to read your clipboard. If it was declined, go to iPhone Settings, find PalmCards, and set "Paste from Other Apps" to Allow.
PalmCards Pro
What does Pro include?
Unlimited AI, every template, and branded PDF export. Everything else, unlimited decks, full presenting and rehearsal, backups and standard PDF export, is free forever.
How do I cancel or manage my subscription?
Subscriptions are handled by the App Store, not by us. Go to iPhone Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions, and you can change or cancel there. Cancelling keeps Pro until the end of the period you've paid for.
I bought Pro but it's not showing.
Make sure you're signed into the same Apple account you purchased with, then reopen the app. If it still doesn't appear, email us and we'll sort it out.
Privacy
Where is my data stored?
On your device. PalmCards has no accounts and no login, and we can't see your decks. The only time card text leaves your phone is when you choose to use an AI feature, and that's spelled out in our privacy policy.