Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about how DuNow plans your day, and what happens to your data.

Getting started

What is DuNow?

DuNow is a daily planner that fits your tasks, chores and habits into the free time you actually have. You tell it when you’re free and what needs doing, and it lays out your day hour by hour, most important first, with a start time for each task.

How is DuNow different from a to-do list?

A to-do list tells you what needs doing. DuNow also tells you when. It knows how much free time you have, roughly how long each task takes and how important it is, so it can build a plan that fits, and warn you when it doesn’t.

Is DuNow free?

Yes. DuNow is free forever when you sign up during Beta, nothing to pay and no ads. After Beta, a free version will be ad-supported and have limits.

Can I try it before signing up?

Yes. Tap See a demo on the home page to explore a sample planner without an account. Nothing you do in the demo is saved.

Where can I use DuNow?

In any modern browser on your phone, tablet or computer at dunowplanner.com/app. Android and iPhone apps are on the way. Start on the web today, and when they arrive, sign in with the same account and everything’s already there.

Can I put DuNow on my home screen?

Yes.
In Chrome or Edge, DuNow offers an Install button.
On an iPhone, tap Share in Safari, then Add to Home Screen. It then opens like an app, full screen.

Planning your day

How does DuNow decide what goes in my day?

It fills your free time bucket(s) in order of importance. Critical tasks go in first, then High, Medium and Low. Tasks with a set time stay exactly where you put them, and everything else is fitted around them. Tick something off and the rest of your week adjusts.

What happens when there’s more to do than time?

DuNow tells you up front, showing how much more is due than you have time for. Anything that doesn’t fit is shown as overdue rather than quietly pushed to another day, so nothing slips without you knowing.

What’s the difference between a set time and a free time task?

A set time task happens at a fixed time, like a dentist appointment or a dose of medicine. A free time task can happen whenever you have room, and DuNow picks the time within your specified free times. You can keep a free time task to mornings, afternoons, evenings, weekdays, or weekends if you prefer.

What does Critical priority mean?

Critical is for things that really can’t be missed, like medicine. Critical tasks are always planned, even if they don’t fit in your free time that day.

What are time buckets?

Buckets let you give different kinds of tasks their own hours. Everyone starts with Free time, and you can add others like Work or Chores, each with its own weekly hours. Each task picks a bucket, so work tasks land in work hours and your evenings stay free for everything else. If two buckets overlap, priority decides which task gets the shared time.

How does DuNow know how long things take?

You give each task a rough time when you add it. When you finish, DuNow can ask how long it actually took, and your estimates get more accurate over time. There are no timers to start or stop. Once a task’s time feels right, you can turn the question off for that task.

Can I add a task by typing or speaking one line?

Yes. With Quick add, write something like “change water filter every 6 weeks 15m high”, or tap the mic and say it. DuNow fills in the repeat, time and priority, and nothing is saved until you’ve checked it.

Repeating tasks

What kinds of repeats does DuNow support?

Three kinds. Calendar repeats follow the calendar, like every Monday, the 1st of the month or every third Thursday. Repeats from last time count from when you last did it, like every 3 days or every 8 hours. Flexible tasks have a quota, like vacuum once a week at least 3 days apart, and DuNow picks days you have room. Any repeat can stop after a number of times or on a date.

Why repeat from when I last did something?

Because a lot of life works that way. If you change the air filter every six weeks and do it a week late, the next change should be six weeks from when you actually did it, not from the original date. DuNow handles that automatically, down to the hour.

What’s the difference between Snooze and Skip?

Snooze puts a task off for a while, like 30 minutes or until tomorrow. Skip passes on this one entirely. Neither changes when the next one is due: your repeats always count from the schedule or from when you last really did the task.

I did something earlier and forgot to tick it off. What now?

Use Done earlier to say when you actually finished, and DuNow works out the next repeat from that time.

Reminders

How do reminders work?

DuNow can remind you when a task starts, or minutes, hours or a day before. In the phone apps, reminders come as push notifications.

Do reminders work on the website?

Yes, while DuNow is open in a browser tab and you’ve allowed notifications. For reminders when DuNow is closed, use the phone apps once they arrive.

Your account

Do I need an account?

Yes, to save your tasks. Your plan is stored with your account, so it’s the same on every device you sign in on. The Demo does not require an account.

How can I sign in?

With Google, a link we email you, or a password. You can add or change sign-in methods any time in Settings. Sign in with Apple and Facebook are coming.

Will my tasks sync between my devices?

Yes. Sign in with the same account and your tasks, history and settings follow you. DuNow only sends what changed, so syncing is quick and light on data.

Does DuNow work offline?

Partly. The website needs a connection to open DuNow. If you lose your connection while it’s already open, you can keep adding and ticking off tasks, and your changes sync as soon as you’re back online. The phone apps will open without a connection too.

How do I delete my account?

Go to Settings, then Account, then Delete my account. Your account and everything stored with it are removed straight away, and this can’t be undone. You can also email [email protected] from your account’s address and we’ll do it for you.

Privacy and data

Who can see my tasks?

Only you. Each account can only read its own tasks. Data travels over encrypted connections.

Do you sell my data?

No. We don’t sell your information, share your tasks with advertisers, or use them to profile you. See the Privacy policy for the details.

What happens when I speak a task?

Your phone or browser turns your words into text, on the device where it can. DuNow never receives or keeps the audio, only the text you choose to save.

Can I get a copy of my data?

Yes. Email [email protected] from your account’s address and we’ll send it to you.

Look and feel

Is there a dark mode?

Yes. In Settings, choose Light, Dark, or Automatic to follow your device.

Is DuNow colorblind-friendly?

Yes. Turn on Colorblind-safe colors in Settings for a palette that’s easier to tell apart. Priorities are always shown as words, not colors.

Feedback and help

How do I suggest a feature or report a bug?

Visit the public Roadmap to see what’s coming, vote for ideas, suggest your own, or report a bug.

How do I contact you?

Send us a message on the Contact page and we’ll get back to you.

Still have a question? Send us a message on the contact page.