HabitApp

Help & Support

Help & FAQ Guide

Getting Started

What is HabitApp?

HabitApp is a sophisticated iOS habit tracking application that helps you build and maintain positive habits through visual progress tracking. It features a GitHub-style contribution grid that shows your habit completion history over time.

First Launch

When you first open HabitApp, you'll see:

  • A welcome screen with your habit dashboard
  • The ability to create your first habit using the "+" button
  • An empty progress grid that will fill as you complete habits

Core Interface

  • Dashboard: Main screen showing all your active habits
  • Progress Grid: Visual representation of your habit completion history
  • Create/Edit: Forms for adding new habits or modifying existing ones
  • Settings: Customization options and app preferences
  • Archive: View and restore previously archived habits

Creating & Managing Habits

Creating a New Habit

  1. Tap the "+" button on the main dashboard
  2. Enter habit name (e.g., "Drink 8 glasses of water")
    Tip: The app encourages "mini habits" - start small with achievable goals like "1 push-up" or "read 1 page"
  3. Choose frequency:
    • Daily: Every day of the week
    • Weekdays: Monday through Friday only
    • Custom: Select specific days of the week
  4. Set completion target: How many times per day (1-10+)
  5. Select category and color: Choose from pre-designed categories or create custom ones
  6. Configure reminders (optional): Set one or multiple notification times
  7. Tap "Create Habit" to save

Editing Existing Habits

  1. Tap on any habit in your dashboard
  2. Select "Edit" from the options
  3. Modify any settings: Name, frequency, target, reminders
  4. Save changes to update the habit

Completing Habits

  • Tap the progress button (circular button) next to each habit
  • Multiple taps for habits requiring multiple completions per day
  • Visual feedback shows current progress vs. target
  • Grid updates automatically reflect your progress

Managing Habits

Reordering Habits:

  1. Go to Settings → Reorder Habits
  2. Drag and drop habits to your preferred order
  3. Changes save automatically

Archiving Habits:

  1. Edit the habit you want to archive
  2. Tap "Archive Habit" at the bottom
  3. Confirm in the dialog box
  4. Habit moves to the Archive section

Restoring Habits:

  1. Go to Settings → Data & Sync → Archives
  2. Select the habit you want to restore
  3. Tap "Restore" to return it to active habits

Search Functionality

  • Quick search: Use the search bar on the dashboard to find specific habits
  • Real-time filtering: Results appear as you type
  • Works with: Habit names and categories

Understanding the Progress Grid

What is the Progress Grid?

The progress grid is a GitHub-style visual representation showing your habit completion history. Each small square represents one day, with colors indicating completion levels.

Grid Colors

  • Empty/Gray: No progress on that day
  • Light Color: Partial completion (below target)
  • Medium Color: Target met exactly
  • Dark Color: Exceeded target (completed more than required)
  • Future Days: Appear in a muted style

Grid Features

Time Range:

  • Shows history from your habit's start date to today
  • Automatically scrolls to show recent activity
  • Can scroll horizontally to view older progress

Visual Indicators:

  • Yellow circle: First day of each month
  • Today marker: Current day highlighted
  • Start date marker: When you first created the habit

Reading Your Progress

  • Consistency: Look for solid blocks of color showing regular completion
  • Streaks: Continuous days of completion
  • Patterns: Weekly or seasonal trends in your habit completion
  • Gaps: Days when you missed your target

Customization & Appearance

Appearance Modes

Access: Settings → Appearance

Options:

  • Light Mode: Light background with dark text
  • Dark Mode: Dark background with light text
  • System: Follows your device's appearance setting

Grid Customization

Grid Size (Settings → Appearance):

  • Small: Compact view showing more history
  • Medium: Default balanced view
  • Large: Larger squares for better visibility

Label Controls:

  • Month Labels: Show/hide month names above grid
  • Weekday Labels: Show/hide day abbreviations (M, T, W, etc.)
  • Frequency Indicators: Highlight active days for custom schedules

Visual Enhancements:

  • Start day Mark: Show icon on habit start date
  • Month Markers: Show dots on 1st day of each month
  • Highlight Today: Show highlight border on current day

Display Options:

  • Monday First: Start week on Monday instead of Sunday
  • Creation Date: Show creation date on habit cards
  • Consistency: Show consistency rate percentage

Colors and Icons

Pre-designed Categories:

  • Health & Fitness
  • Productivity
  • Learning & Growth
  • Mindfulness
  • Social & Relationships
  • Creativity
  • And many more...

Custom Categories:

  • Create new categories: Design your own with custom name, icon, and color
  • Unique branding: Each category has its own visual identity
  • Full customization: Choose from extensive icon library

Color Themes:

  • Each category has its own optimized color palette
  • Colors are designed for accessibility and visual clarity
  • Custom colors automatically adjust for light/dark modes

Notifications & Reminders

Setting Up Reminders

  1. When creating/editing a habit, enable "Reminders"
  2. Set notification time(s) using the time picker
  3. Grant permission when iOS requests notification access
  4. Multiple reminders: Add additional notification times if needed

Notification Features

  • Smart scheduling: Only notifies on days when habit is scheduled
  • Completion awareness: Stops reminding once daily target is met
  • Interactive notifications:
    • Mark Complete: Complete habits directly from the notification
    • Snooze: Delay reminder for 5 minutes
  • Multiple reminders: Set multiple notification times per habit
  • Global toggle: Master switch to enable/disable all reminders

Managing Notifications

Turning Off Reminders:

  1. Edit the habit with unwanted reminders
  2. Toggle off "Reminders" switch
  3. Save changes

System-Level Control:

  • iOS Settings → Notifications → HabitApp
  • Control badges, banners, and notification styles

Data Sync & Backup

iCloud Sync

HabitApp uses CloudKit to automatically sync your data across all your Apple devices.

Requirements:

  • Same Apple ID signed into iCloud on all devices
  • HabitApp downloaded and set up on each device
  • Stable internet connection for initial sync

What Syncs:

  • All habits and their settings
  • Complete progress history
  • Custom categories and preferences
  • Archive status and timestamps

Sync Status

Check sync status in Settings → Data & Sync:

  • Connected: Successfully syncing with iCloud
  • Not Available: iCloud disabled or no internet
  • Error: Sync issues that need attention

Backup & Restore

Automatic Backup:

  • Your data is automatically backed up to iCloud
  • Local device backup via iTunes/Finder also includes app data

Export Data:

  1. Go to Settings → Data & Sync
  2. Tap "Export Data"
  3. Choose sharing method (Files app, email, etc.)
  4. JSON file contains all habits, completion records, and custom categories

Import Data:

  1. Go to Settings → Data & Sync
  2. Tap "Import Data"
  3. Select your JSON backup file from device or cloud storage
  4. Monitor import progress with the progress indicator
  5. The app handles conflicts by keeping existing data to prevent duplicates

Data Recovery:

  • If you lose your device, simply download HabitApp on a new device
  • Sign in with the same Apple ID
  • Your data will automatically sync from iCloud

Analytics & Progress Tracking

Dashboard Statistics

Main Progress Card:

  • Daily completion percentage: Shows "X of Y planned tasks completed"
  • Visual progress indicator: Circular progress showing today's achievements
  • Dynamic updates: Real-time updates as you complete habits

Individual Habit Information:

  • Dynamic subtitles: Show current status ("Completed", "3 times remaining", "Not scheduled for today")
  • Today's progress: Current vs. target completions
  • Visual completion indicators: Color-coded progress buttons

Calendar View

Access: Tap on any habit → "View Calendar"

Features:

  • Monthly calendar showing daily completion levels
  • Color coding matches your habit's theme
  • Detailed view of specific days and completion counts
  • Navigation between months to review history
  • Edit past progress: Tap any day to add or remove completions for that date
  • Comprehensive history: Access your complete habit history from creation date

Progress Insights

  • Consistency tracking: See patterns in your habit completion
  • Streak analysis: Identify your longest successful streaks
  • Weekly patterns: Understand which days you're most/least consistent
  • Monthly trends: Track improvement over time

Archive Analytics

View archived habits:

  • When they were active
  • Total days completed
  • Final completion percentages
  • Reason for archiving (implicit from archive date)

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Habit Not Saving:

  • Check internet connection for sync issues
  • Force close and reopen the app
  • Verify iCloud is enabled in device Settings

Progress Not Updating:

  • Tap the progress button firmly
  • Check if habit is scheduled for today
  • Verify date and time settings on device

Grid Not Loading:

  • Allow app to rebuild cache (may take a moment)
  • Check available device storage
  • Restart the app if performance degrades

Sync Issues Between Devices:

  • Ensure same Apple ID on all devices
  • Check iCloud Drive is enabled
  • Wait for automatic sync (can take several minutes)
  • Force close app on both devices and reopen

Performance Optimization

If the app feels slow:

  1. Restart the app to clear memory caches
  2. Archive old habits you no longer need
  3. Free up device storage if running low

Grid Loading Issues:

  • The app automatically rebuilds performance caches
  • Initial load after app updates may take longer
  • Large amounts of historical data may slow initial rendering

Data Issues

Missing Habits:

  1. Check Settings → Data & Sync → Archives for archived habits
  2. Verify iCloud sync status in Settings → Data & Sync
  3. Wait for sync to complete on new devices
  4. Import from backup using Settings → Data & Sync → Import Data

Incorrect Progress:

  1. Verify habit schedule matches your expectations
  2. Check completion target (times per day)
  3. Review calendar view for accurate daily counts
  4. Edit habit if settings need adjustment

Frequently Asked Questions

General Usage

Q: Can I track multiple habits at once?

A: Yes! Create as many habits as you need. The app is designed to handle dozens of active habits efficiently.

Q: What's the maximum number of "times per day" I can set?

A: You can set up to 10+ completions per day for any habit, perfect for habits like drinking water or taking vitamins.

Q: Can I change a habit's start date?

A: The start date is set when you create the habit and cannot be changed. This ensures accurate progress tracking from day one.

Data and Sync

Q: Will I lose my data if I delete the app?

A: No, if you have iCloud sync enabled. Your data will restore when you reinstall and sign in with the same Apple ID.

Q: Can I use the app on multiple devices?

A: Yes! The app syncs across all your iOS devices using iCloud. Changes made on one device automatically appear on others.

Q: How much iCloud storage does the app use?

A: Very little - typically less than 1MB for years of habit data. The app is designed to be storage-efficient.

Q: Can I backup my data locally or transfer it to another device?

A: Yes! Use Settings → Data & Sync → Export Data to create a JSON backup file. You can then use Import Data on any device to restore your habits and progress history.

Customization

Q: Can I create custom categories?

A: Currently, the app provides 60+ pre-designed icons and categories. Custom category creation is not available.

Q: Why can't I see months/weekdays on my grid?

A: Check Settings → Appearance and toggle on "Month Labels" and "Weekday Labels" to show these indicators.

Q: Can I customize what information is shown on habit cards?

A: Yes! In Settings → Appearance you can toggle Creation Date and Consistency rate percentage display on habit cards.

Q: How do I change what visual indicators appear on the grid?

A: Settings → Appearance offers many options: Start day Mark (habit creation date), Month Markers (dots on 1st of month), Highlight Today (border on current day), and Schedule Labels.

Q: Can I change the app's color scheme?

A: Each habit has its own color theme. You can toggle "Grid Color" in Settings → Appearance to show habit category colors. The overall app appearance follows your iOS system setting (light/dark mode).

Scheduling and Reminders

Q: What happens if I miss a scheduled day?

A: Missing days appear as empty squares in your grid. You can still mark progress for past days by tapping on grid squares.

Q: Can I set different reminder times for different habits?

A: Yes! Each habit can have its own set of notification times, and you can set multiple reminders per habit.

Q: Why am I still getting notifications after completing my habit?

A: The app should stop notifications once you meet your daily target. If this persists, try editing and re-saving the habit.

Progress Tracking

Q: What do the different colors mean in the progress grid?

A: Colors represent completion levels: empty (no progress), light (partial), medium (target met), dark (exceeded target).

Q: Can I edit past progress?

A: Yes, tap on any day in the progress grid to adjust that day's completion level.

Q: How far back does the progress history go?

A: The grid shows your complete history from when you first created each habit, with no time limit.

Technical

Q: Why does the app sometimes take a moment to load?

A: The app rebuilds performance caches to ensure smooth scrolling through long habit histories. This is normal and improves performance.

Q: Is my data private?

A: Yes, all data is stored locally on your device and in your private iCloud account. No data is shared with third parties.

Q: What iOS version do I need?

A: HabitApp requires iOS 17.0 or later to take advantage of the latest SwiftUI and CloudKit features.

Getting Help

Q: I found a bug or have a feature request. How can I report it?

A: Please report issues through the app's Settings → Support section, or contact our support team directly.

Q: The app isn't working as expected. What should I do?

A: Try restarting the app first. If issues persist, check the Troubleshooting section above or contact support.

Contact & Support

For additional help or to report issues:

  • In-app Help & FAQ: Settings → Support & Info → Help & FAQ
  • Contact Support: Settings → Support & Info → Contact Support
  • Rate HabitApp: Settings → Support & Info → Rate HabitApp
  • Share with Friends: Settings → Support & Info → Share with Friends
  • Privacy Policy: Settings → Support & Info → Privacy Policy

This guide covers all major features of HabitApp. For the most up-to-date information, please check for app updates regularly.