Banktivity has traditionally been what’s known as a document-based app. It lets you create and open independent files (or documents), each with its own data. In contrast, many modern apps—Music, Calendar, Photos—are library-based. These apps typically have a single window and a unified data set.
We’ve long appreciated the flexibility our document model provides. But in practice, most of our customers use only a single file. And more critically, this architecture makes it much harder to integrate Banktivity with the broader Apple ecosystem.
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The shift from a document-based model to the new Organizer framework marks a major step forward for Banktivity. It simplifies how users interact with their data while laying the foundation for deeper system integration, background syncing, and a more seamless multi-device experience.
This follows MoneyWell also getting rid of the document model. From my perspective, it’s a shame. I prefer the flexibility of being able to have different accounts in different documents, choosing where to store the documents, and even splitting the same account across multiple documents for performance reasons.
Ledgers contain an entire, independent set of accounts, categories, investments, goals, budget and so on. Many customers will only have one Ledger for the finances they manage. But we also know there is a good number of customers out there that manage finances across family members, non-profits and small businesses – for these customers, support for multiple Ledgers is crucial.
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While UI is what you see, most of the hard work has been in the architecture. The Library framework — the backbone that replaces our old document system — is in place. That means we can now reliably connect your Banktivity User Account with all of your Ledgers, whether local or synced to the cloud.
Refactoring Banktivity from a document-based app into a library-style app was a significant undertaking. It changed some very fundamental assumptions in the code. Ledgers can now be opened and closed in the background, multiple windows and scenes can be active at once, and the Organizer has to coordinate local files, cloud sync, user accounts and application state in ways the old document architecture never had to.
Banktivity 10.0 laid the foundation for that transition. With Banktivity 10.1, a major focus has been strengthening that foundation. We’ve spent a lot of time simplifying the underlying architecture, eliminating race conditions and threading issues, and improving how ledgers are opened, closed and managed.
Unforgetful isn’t a new productivity system to learn.
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This is designed for a small number of short-term tasks. What do you need to do today, tomorrow, this week, or this month?
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If you want tagging, folders, archives, or other ways to organize or file away tasks, this isn’t the app you’re looking for.
Unforgetful is for people who know that if they file away a task, it never gets done.
I’m an OmniFocus person. I love tagging, folders, and archives; I never want to see a notification for a to-do item. I prefer pull to push. So this is absolutely not the right tool for me. But I like the fresh thinking behind this app and how the various design choices interact to make it an opinionated tool for the right type of person.
Calendar alarms changed my life. Events without alarms don’t happen.
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Most of my Reminders interaction has always been via Siri and notifications. And that fits me very well, with three major exceptions:
If I say “Remind me to buy milk,” but I forget to specify a time (or Siri misses it), Reminders will never notify me, and I’ll never check the app, so it’ll be lost.
If I inadvertently dismiss a Reminders notification without snoozing it, Reminders will never notify me about it again, so it’ll be lost.
When I do snooze a Reminders notification, which I do a lot, the snooze options suck.
He has good solutions to these and other problems. I’m tempted to try out Unforgetful just for the purported quick capture of dictated reminders, however there’s no watch app.
Listen to Accidental Tech Podcast to hear about unfortunate limitations of EventKit. Reminders itself is interesting to me in that the (private) data model is now so rich, but I’m put off by the UI, the lack of export, and the limited support for driving it from the keyboard.
Apple Health data can now move between the Health app and Google Health on an iPhone. The connection lets Google Health import supported information recorded by an iPhone, Apple Watch, and compatible apps. The latest Google Health update can also send supported Fitbit information to Apple Health.
This two-way connection is useful for people who wear a Fitbit but prefer Apple’s Health app as the central place for viewing activity, sleep, steps, and other wellness information. It also reduces the need for third-party synchronization apps.
The feature requires a recent version of Google Health. Google began introducing support for sending data back to Apple Health with Google Health version 5.05. Because app updates can roll out gradually, the new sharing options may not appear until the latest version reaches your account.
Update Google Health Before Starting
The Fitbit app became Google Health in 2026. Existing Fitbit users should find that the installed app has changed its name and design after updating. Fitbit accounts must also be moved to an adult Google Account to use the redesigned service.
Google says the Apple Health connection requires iOS 16.4 or later. The iPhone must have internet access while the connection is being created.
To check the iOS version installed on your iPhone:
Settings > General > About > iOS Version
Install the latest compatible iOS update if the phone is running an older release.
To look for an available iPhone software update:
Settings > General > Software Update
Next, confirm that Google Health is current. Version 5.05 or later is required for the newer option that sends supported Google Health and Fitbit information to Apple Health.
To update Google Health from the App Store:
App Store > Profile Picture > Available Updates > Google Health > Update
If Google Health does not appear under Available Updates, search for the app manually. The App Store page may show an Update button if a newer release is available.
To find the app directly:
App Store > Search > Enter Google Health > Google Health (Fitbit)
People who previously used Fitbit should sign in with the Google Account connected to their Fitbit information. Creating a different account may produce an empty Google Health profile.
Image Credit: Google
Connect Apple Health Data to Google Health
Connecting the apps allows Google Health to read supported information from Apple Health. This can include data collected by the iPhone, Apple Watch, and other apps that already share information with Apple Health.
To start the Apple Health connection:
Google Health > Connections > Apps and Services > Apple Health > Get Started
Depending on the Google Health version and interface shown on the iPhone, Connections may appear behind the profile icon.
To find Apple Health through the alternative menu:
Google Health > Profile Icon > Partner Apps > Apple Health
Google Health will display a consent screen explaining the connection. Read the information before continuing.
To approve the initial connection:
Sync Google Health With Apple Health > Agree
The iPhone will then display Apple’s health permission screen. This screen lets you decide which information Google Health can read.
To give Google Health access to every supported category:
Apple Health Permission Screen > Turn All Categories On > Allow
You do not have to share every available category. Selecting individual permissions provides more control over sensitive health information.
To share only selected categories:
Apple Health Permission Screen > Select Each Health Category > Allow
Google Health can import supported information such as steps, distance, active energy, exercise records, routes, sleep sessions, sleep stages, heart rate, resting heart rate, heart rate variability, blood oxygen, respiratory rate, body temperature, weight, body fat percentage, water, nutrition information, and some cycle-tracking data.
Available categories depend on the devices and apps connected to Apple Health. An iPhone may provide steps and walking information, while an Apple Watch can contribute heart rate, workouts, sleep, and other measurements supported by the model.
After the permissions are approved, Google Health should confirm that the connection is complete.
To finish the connection:
Google Health Confirmation Screen > Done
New Apple Health information should begin appearing automatically in Google Health. Google has said that imported data can be used across relevant Google Health metrics, although not every external data type is used for every calculation.
To find imported health information:
Google Health > Health > Select a Metric
Google Health may display information from several connected sources together. Its value for a metric can differ slightly from the number shown by Apple Health because the apps may process available data differently.
Send Fitbit Data to Apple Health
Google Health version 5.05 adds the reverse direction that many iPhone and Fitbit users previously lacked. Supported information recorded through Fitbit can now be written into Apple Health.
Before enabling this option, make sure the Fitbit is properly connected to Google Health. Fitbit devices normally synchronize automatically throughout the day when Bluetooth is available and the wearable is near the iPhone.
To check the connected Fitbit:
Google Health > Profile Icon > Devices > Select Your Fitbit
The device page should show the wearable, its battery level, and its most recent synchronization time. Opening Google Health can also prompt a nearby Fitbit to transfer recently collected information.
Once the wearable is updating Google Health correctly, open the Apple Health connection settings.
To open the sharing controls for Apple Health:
Google Health > Profile Icon > Partner Apps > Apple Health
The interface may use Apps and Services instead of Partner Apps on some versions.
To reach the same connection through Apps and Services:
Google Health > Connections > Apps and Services > Apple Health
Follow the prompts for sharing Google Health information with Apple Health. The iPhone may display separate permissions for data that Google Health can read and data that it can write.
To allow supported Fitbit information to appear in Apple Health:
Apple Health Permission Screen > Allow Google Health to Write > Select Health Categories > Allow
Google says supported information can include exercise records, steps, sleep, vitals, and other health data. The exact selection can vary according to the Fitbit model, region, Google Health version, and information stored in the account.
Selecting every category is convenient, but it can create overlapping sources when an iPhone, Apple Watch, and Fitbit record the same type of activity. Choose only the categories you want Google Health to add.
A person who uses a Fitbit mainly for sleep, for example, can allow sleep information while leaving steps disabled. Someone who wears a Fitbit instead of an Apple Watch may prefer to enable steps, workouts, heart rate, sleep, and other supported categories.
Image Credit: AppleMagazine
Check Google Health Permissions
Apple Health keeps permission controls on the iPhone. You can change them after the first connection without deleting either app.
To review Google Health access from Apple Health:
Health > Profile Picture > Privacy > Apps > Google Health
The page shows the categories Google Health is permitted to read or update. Turn off any category you no longer want to share.
Some iOS versions provide the same controls through the Sharing tab.
To find Google Health through the Sharing tab:
Health > Sharing > Apps and Services > Google Health
Turning off a permission stops future sharing for that category. It does not necessarily remove information that has already been written to Google Health or Apple Health.
The Google Health app also provides controls for the connection.
To review Apple Health inside Google Health:
Google Health > Connections > Apps and Services > Connected > Apple Health
If Google Health displays a message that new data types are available, open the connection and approve the additional categories you want to use. Newly supported information is not automatically shared without permission.
Manage Duplicate Health Information
An iPhone, Apple Watch, and Fitbit can record similar information at the same time. Apple Health keeps each source attached to its data and uses a priority order when presenting combined measurements.
You can inspect the sources contributing to a category and choose which one Apple Health should prefer.
To review the sources used for step information:
Health > Search > Activity > Steps > Data Sources and Access
The screen shows the apps and devices that provide step records. If Google Health, an Apple Watch, and the iPhone all appear, you can adjust their priority.
To change the order of step sources:
Health > Search > Activity > Steps > Data Sources and Access > Edit > Drag Sources Into the Preferred Order > Done
Move the source you trust most toward the top. Apple Health generally gives higher priority to sources placed above others when similar records overlap.
Repeat the same process for other categories if their totals do not look right. Exercise, sleep, active energy, and distance can each have their own sources and permissions.
Image Credit: Google
Fix Missing or Delayed Data
Synchronization is not always immediate. A Fitbit first sends its information to Google Health, and Google Health then writes supported records to Apple Health. Bluetooth availability, Background App Refresh, internet access, and battery-saving behavior can affect this process.
Begin by opening Google Health with the Fitbit close to the iPhone. Wait for the device to complete its normal synchronization before checking Apple Health.
If Apple Health information is missing from Google Health, confirm that the connection remains active.
To check the connection status:
Google Health > Connections > Apps and Services > Apple Health
If Google Health displays an error or a request for new permissions, follow the message shown on the screen.
Background App Refresh can help Google Health update when the app is not open.
To allow Google Health to refresh in the background:
Settings > General > Background App Refresh > Google Health > On
Bluetooth must remain available for a Fitbit to communicate with the iPhone.
To confirm that Bluetooth is enabled:
Settings > Bluetooth > Bluetooth On
If the connection continues to fail, disconnecting and reconnecting Apple Health may restore the permission request.
To disconnect Apple Health from Google Health:
Google Health > Connections > Apps and Services > Apple Health > Disconnect > Confirm Disconnect
Disconnecting the service does not automatically remove every permission already stored by Apple Health. Review the Google Health entry in the Health app if you want to remove those permissions as well.
To remove the remaining Apple Health permissions:
Health > Profile Picture > Privacy > Apps > Google Health > Turn Off All
After reconnecting the apps, allow time for new records to appear. Previously stored information may not transfer in exactly the same way as activity recorded after the connection was enabled.
You can inspect an individual entry to confirm whether it came from Google Health, a Fitbit, an Apple Watch, or the iPhone.
To check the source and time of a synced record:
Health > Search > Select a Health Category > Show All Data > Select the Latest Entry
Apple faces a $32.5 billion lawsuit over how its Photos app scans and stores faces. A federal judge cleared the case to proceed as a class action late last month, allowing millions of Illinois iPhone owners to join.
The case has been years in the making, and Apple has fought to shut it down at nearly every turn. Now it heads back to the court, with the company’s privacy practices on trial.
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Court records have shown that the update applies to users with iCloud Photos turned on. Those accounts also need to use at least 10GB of storage and contain at least 5,000 photos and videos. Plaintiffs say all this amounts to collecting biometric data without consent, putting Apple squarely at odds with Illinois law.
Again, I find it odd that features are apparently gated based on the capacity of your iCloud account rather than the available storage.
The lawsuit accuses Apple of collecting biometric data without user consent in the Photos app, reportsThe Times. It is alleged that Photos uses facial recognition technology to scan individuals who appear in images, creating a “faceprint” for each person in the photo library.
After collecting enough samples, an algorithm is allegedly used to identify the iPhone user. That data is then stored on the iPhone within the Photos app.
I don’t see what the issue is here. My understanding is that it only uploads vectors after you’ve opted in by enabling iCloud Photos and manually assigning names. Also, the vectors don’t seem like the sort of biometric information that the law was meant to protect.
Assuming things are working properly, what should happen is that the people you have specifically named and the photos you have specifically verified sync their info via iCloud. However, the actual face detection for the rest of the photos is done on a per device basis and is not synced via iCloud, primarily for security/privacy reasons.
So, when you first set up a new device, it will pull down the names and info for the photos where you have identified a particular person, but then it still needs to go through the entire library on-device, identify the faces in each photo, and compare them to the synced information to tell which person is in which photo. So once it’s done, you should end up with mostly the same photos identified as each person, but each device still needs to do its own face detection locally.
Google Health (previously the Fitbit app) collects fitness, sleep, and wellness data from a connected wearable device. Steps, distance traveled, heart rate, sleep, and more can now be added to Apple Health. As noted on Reddit, some data such as HRV doesn't transfer over.
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Syncing can be enabled after downloading the update by selecting Connections, choosing Apps and services, and then adding Apple Health.
My wife is a longtime Fitbit user. A few weeks ago, some family and friends started a friendly competition to see who could get the most steps. They’re all Fitbit users, too. Then she wanted to start comparing step counts with me, but I have an Apple Watch. I thought this would be no problem because the Health app has a sharing feature, and Fitbit and HealthKit have both been around forever. I was shocked to learn that there has never been any syncing. I don’t really understand the reason for this, as it seems like it would make the Fitbit more valuable.
It looks like the syncing part is now solved, but we still can’t automatically compare our steps. We’ve both tried inviting each other to share step counts and some other metrics multiple times over the last several weeks, and it has never worked. Either the invitation doesn’t arrive or the app just spins forever when trying to accept it.
Nonetheless, when I send an email in Mail app, from a non-iCloud account to an non-iCloud account, Mail immediately triggers an iCloud connection, as revealed by Little Snitch.
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What could Mail be querying and saving in CloudKit when I’ve disabled Mail in iCloud?
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As you can see in my screenshot at the beginning of this blog post, I have Contacts turned off in iCloud settings, so my Previous Recipients list should not be synced to iCloud. Nonetheless, I followed the commenter’s suggestion of logging in Terminal. I saw log messages that referred to com.apple.mail.recents, which might indicate Previous Recipients and would certainly explain why this happens when I send an email.
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I do object to notifying Apple that I’ve just sent an email. That in itself seems like a violation of my privacy.
The settings are confusing, even more so than with System Preferences. If you go to System Settings ‣ Apple Account, it shows a round rect that says Mail and shows the Mail icon. If you click this, it lets you uncheck Sync this Mac for iCloud Mail. This mirrors the iCloud Mail checkbox that you get when you click See All to see the full list of apps. I don’t like how the top-level name and icon suggest that you’re going to a settings sheet for the Mail app, but then it actually gives you iCloud settings.
Importantly, there’s also anotherMail checkbox in that list. It’s easy to miss because, first, why would you expect to see twoMail checkboxes?
And, second, it’s not obvious that there are actually three lists: a bunch of “favorite” system apps, in non-alphabetical order, for some reason including lesser ones like Freeform and Image Playground; followed by a second list of system apps in alphabetical order; and then a third list of alphabetical third-party apps.
Mail is in the second list, along with (to me) other top-tier apps like Books and Maps. Anyway, this second Mail checkbox controls the syncing of non-mail Mail data such as rules and smart mailboxes. But not, apparently, according to Apple, the previous recipients.
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