How do I use Nova on two Macs?

Goal

Have settings, memories, and lists on a second Mac too, through your iCloud account.

Before you start

• Nova-Assistant on both Macs.
• Both Macs are signed in to the same iCloud account in System Settings.
• Expert view. The switch is in How do I switch between Simple and Expert?

Steps

1. On the Mac whose state should count: Settings, Storage & sync, the Sync & secrets tab.
2. In the iCloud sync card, tick iCloud sync. Nova syncs settings, memories, chats, lists, clipboard, avatars, work time, subscriptions, and moments. This can take a moment.
3. Then tick the same box on the second Mac. A Mac that has never synced takes the settings from iCloud. Memories and chats are merged entry by entry.
4. Nova syncs shortly after startup, then every 5 minutes. Sync now fetches the state right away. Above it is the time of the last sync.
5. API keys and tokens do not go to iCloud. On the same page, card API keys: enter a passphrase of at least 8 characters and press Export encrypted…. On the second Mac, enter the same passphrase and press Import….
6. Folders such as notes or file search come along. If the user name differs on the second Mac, Nova uses the same folder in this Mac’s home as soon as it is there.
7. Removing the tick turns sync off. Nothing is deleted, neither on the Mac nor in iCloud.

Example

Change a setting on the first Mac, then press Sync now on the second. The change shows there too.

Common problems

• If the iCloud sync card is missing, Nova cannot reach iCloud on this Mac. Only the card Sync folder (iCloud) is there.
• Without an iCloud sign-in the box stays off. The message says: Sign in to iCloud in System Settings, then flip the switch again.
• Copied clipboard text is stored as plain text in your iCloud account. The note under the box says so. Without the tick everything stays on this Mac.
• A deleted memory comes back from the other Mac until you delete it there too.
• Privacy Lock pauses sync. Nova catches up after unlocking.