> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.daylite.app/help/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.daylite.app/help/mac-fundamentals/settings/mac-settings/personal/general-settings.md).
# General Settings
Learn how to customize Daylite’s appearance, text size, keyboard shortcuts, task display, linked items, phone number formatting, and background sync.
The **General** settings pane is where you tune the everyday look and behaviour of Daylite for your own account — how the app appears, how large text and the sidebar are, when finished tasks drop off, the keyboard shortcuts you use to capture work fast, and how Daylite links and phone numbers behave. It is the first pane under **Personal** in Settings, and every choice here applies only to the user you are logged in as.
**Key facts:**
* General is a **Personal** setting: your choices affect only your own login, not your teammates.
* Find it at **Daylite > Settings > General**.
* Nothing in this pane changes shared database data — it changes how Daylite looks and behaves for you.
* These preferences are set per device and per login, so mirror your choices on each Mac you use.
## What's in the General Pane
The General pane groups a handful of independent controls. You can set any of them without affecting the others.
1. **Appearance -** Choose whether Daylite displays in Light or Dark mode, independent of the rest of your Mac.
2. **Text size -** Select the size of text in lists and detail cards.
3. **Sidebar Size:** Select the size of text on the navigation sidebar.
4. **Remove done tasks -** Select how often Daylite clears tasks marked done from your Home Screen and Worklist.
* **daily** - At the end of each day remove completed Tasks
* **immediately -** Tasks are removed immediately
5. **Quick task entry shortcut:** Assign a global keyboard shortcut that opens the quick task entry window allowing you to create a task to Daylite without switching apps.
6. **Daylite search shortcut:** Assign a global shortcut that brings Daylite into focus with the cursor placed in the Search field while in any App.
7. **Automatically format phone numbers:** Format phone numbers to have numbers you enter formatted using international standards.
8. **Show Items:** Choose whether Daylite opens links from other apps to open in a new tab or reuse the current tab.
9. **Sync in the backgrond:** Allow Daylite to periodically sync your data while the Daylite app is not running. Information entered on your Mac can already be available on your iPhone when you leave the office, rather than waiting to sync the next time you open Daylite.
{% hint style="info" %}
**Tip:** Set the Quick [Task](/help/mac-fundamentals/task-management/overview-1.md) entry and Daylite search shortcuts to key combinations you don't already use elsewhere. Once they're in muscle memory, capturing a task or finding a contact takes a keystroke instead of a hunt through windows.
{% endhint %}
## Frequently Asked Questions
**Do my General settings change what my teammates see?**
No. General is a Personal setting — it only affects the account you're logged in as. Shared data like contacts, opportunities, and projects is unaffected.
**Can I capture a task without opening Daylite first?**
Yes. Use the Quick task entry shortcut (⌥⇧⌘T by default) from any app to open a quick task window and add a task straight into Daylite.
**What does the Show items setting apply to?**
Daylite links opened from other apps, including Daylite Mail Assistant. It controls whether those links open in a new tab or reuse the current one.
**Are these settings on my iPhone and iPad too?**
The General pane shown here is for Daylite on Mac. Background sync keeps your data current across Mac, iPhone, and iPad, but these appearance and shortcut preferences are set per device.
---
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