FAQ

Is Margin free?#

Yes. Notes, tools and an account are all free.

Do I need an account?#

No. As a guest, everything works and your data is saved in your browser. Sign in when you want your work on more than one device. See Accounts and sync.

Which exam board does Margin cover?#

Cambridge International AS & A Level: Mathematics (9709), Physics (9702), Chemistry (9701), Biology (9700) and Computer Science (9618). Notes follow the current syllabus for each. Margin is independent and not affiliated with Cambridge.

Can I use it for other boards, such as Edexcel, AQA or OCR?#

Much of the content overlaps, especially in Mathematics and the sciences, but the notes, the order of topics and the exam technique are written for Cambridge International papers. Check your own specification for what is examined.

Why is a subject or topic missing?#

Notes are being written subject by subject, and a course appears as soon as it has its first note. If a topic you need is not there yet, it is on the way. You can also contribute a note.

Are the notes accurate?#

Every note is written to the syllabus, and every number in its examples and answers is checked. Mistakes still slip through occasionally. If you find one, open an issue on the GitHub repository, or fix it yourself by contributing, so it can be fixed for everyone.

Does Margin have AI features?#

Not at the moment. AI features are coming later. Everything else works without them.

Does it work on my phone?#

Yes. The notes and tools all work on phones and tablets. On a small screen the sidebar opens as a menu.

Does it work offline?#

Not fully. Margin has no offline mode: each note is downloaded the first time you open it, so notes you have not opened yet need a connection. If your connection drops while Margin is open, notes you have already opened keep working, and as a guest the grapher, cheat sheet, flashcards, planner and progress keep working too, because your data is in your browser. Semantic search and syncing to your account always need a connection.

How do I switch between light and dark mode?#

Open the Settings and help menu (the … button at the bottom of the sidebar) and choose Light, Dark or System under Appearance. You can also run Use light theme, Use dark theme or Use system theme from the command palette.

Why did my note tab disappear when I opened another note?#

It was a preview tab, shown in italics, which the next note you open replaces. Double-click a tab, or a note in the sidebar, to keep it open. See The workspace.

I signed out and my flashcards have gone#

They are safe in your account. When you signed in, your guest data, including flashcards, progress and planner, moved into your account; signing out returns the browser to an empty guest mode. Sign in again to see everything.

How do I print notes or my cheat sheet?#

Use your browser's print command on a note, or Print on the cheat sheet. The sidebar is left out of the printout, and collapsed solutions are printed open.

Where do I see how much I have studied?#

Mark notes as studied and rate your confidence on each note, then open Progress from the sidebar for your streak, activity calendar and completion by course. See Progress.

Can I run my own copy?#

Yes. The code is on GitHub and runs on Cloudflare Workers. See Local development and Deploying to Cloudflare.