Device Setup

Registering Devices

Each device you use with Strayfiles gets registered with a unique identifier. This enables cross-device sync while allowing notes to live at different paths on each device.

Automatic Registration

When you first launch Strayfiles on a new device, it automatically registers with:

• Device ID: A unique UUID v7 identifier
• Name: Your device’s hostname (customizable)
• Platform: Detected automatically (macos, ios, linux, windows, web)

Supported Platforms

Platform	Support
macOS	Full support
iOS	Full support (Pro)
Linux	Full support
Windows	Full support
Web	Limited (no filesystem access)

Idempotent Registration

Registration is idempotent - if you reinstall Strayfiles and use the same device name, you’ll get back the same device record. This prevents duplicate devices from cluttering your account.

Device Tracking

Strayfiles tracks when each device was last active:

Device: MacBook Pro
Platform: macos
Last seen: 2 minutes ago
Created: December 8, 2025

This helps you:

• Identify stale devices
• Debug sync issues
• Manage device limits (if applicable)

Managing Devices

View and manage your devices in Settings > Devices:

• Rename device: Change the display name
• Remove device: Unregister a device you no longer use
• View mappings: See which notes exist on each device

Removing a Device

When you remove a device:

1. Device record is deleted
2. All note mappings for that device are removed
3. Notes themselves are not deleted
4. Other devices are unaffected

Device Limits

Free tier: Unlimited devices (local sync only)

Pro tier: Unlimited devices with Stray Cloud

Troubleshooting

Device shows as offline:

• Check internet connection
• Restart Strayfiles
• Check if sync is enabled

Duplicate devices:

• Remove the duplicate in Settings > Devices
• Use consistent device names

Device not syncing:

• Verify Pro subscription is active
• Check encryption password is correct
• Look for unresolved conflicts