Trial System

Official Glyph binaries include a 48-hour free trial that starts automatically on first launch.

How the Trial Works

When you launch an official Glyph binary for the first time:

Trial starts automatically

Glyph detects it’s the first launch and starts a 48-hour timer.

Full access during trial

You have complete access to all features during the trial period.

Trial banner appears

A banner at the top shows your remaining trial time with options to enter a license key or purchase.

Trial expires after 48 hours

When the trial ends, Glyph shows a lock screen requiring license activation.

Trial Duration

The trial is exactly 48 hours (2 days) from the moment you first launch an official build.

Start time: Recorded on first launch
Expiry time: Exactly 48 hours later
Clock: Based on your system time

Warning

Changing your system clock will not extend the trial. Trial timestamps are recorded and compared against current time.

During the trial, you’ll see a banner at the top of the app:

🟡 Trial | Your Glyph trial is active
         | [Remaining time]
         | [Enter License Key] [Buy on Gumroad]

The banner displays:

Trial badge indicating you’re in trial mode
Remaining time in days, hours, and minutes
Enter License Key button to activate immediately
Buy on Gumroad button to purchase a license

What Happens When Trial Expires

After 48 hours, the trial expires and:

Lock screen appears - Glyph shows a full-screen activation view
App shell is blocked - You cannot access notes or features
Settings remain accessible - You can enter a license key to activate
Purchase option available - Direct link to buy on Gumroad

Lock Screen

The lock screen displays:

Official Release

Glyph requires a license key

This official build includes a 48-hour free trial. After that,
a lifetime Gumroad license unlocks Glyph forever on all of your devices.

🔴 Trial Ended | Trial expired [time ago]

[License Key input field]

[Activate License] [Buy on Gumroad]

[Retry Status Check] [Get Support]

Activating During Trial

You don’t have to wait for the trial to expire. You can activate anytime during the trial:

Click Enter License Key in the trial banner
Or go to Settings → General → License
Enter your license key from Gumroad
Click Activate

Info

Activating during the trial immediately removes the trial banner and unlocks Glyph permanently.

Trial State Storage

Trial information is stored locally in:

app_config_dir()/license.json

The file contains:

{
  "version": 1,
  "trial_started_at": "2026-03-01T08:00:00Z",
  "trial_expires_at": "2026-03-03T08:00:00Z",
  "licensed": false
}

Warning

Deleting or modifying this file may reset your trial state, but you won’t get an additional 48 hours. The trial period is tied to the original start time.

Community Builds vs Official Builds

Only official binaries from GitHub Releases enforce the trial:

Build Type	Trial	License Required
Official Release	Yes (48 hours)	Yes, after trial
Community Build	No	No
Development Build	No	No
Self-Built	No	No

Official builds are identified by the GLYPH_OFFICIAL_BUILD=1 flag set during the release build process.

Checking Trial Status

You can check your trial status anytime:

Open Settings → General → License
Look for the status badge:
- 🟡 Trial Active - Trial is running
- 🔴 Trial Expired - Trial has ended
- 🟢 Licensed - Activated with license key
- 🔵 Community Build - No licensing enforced

Trial + Offline Use

First Launch Offline

If you first launch Glyph while offline:

Trial starts normally based on system time
No internet connection required to start trial
Trial countdown continues based on local time

Trial Expiry Offline

If your trial expires while offline:

Lock screen appears as normal
You must connect to internet to activate with Gumroad
Once activated, you can use Glyph offline forever

Reinstalling Glyph

If you reinstall Glyph or move to a new device:

First install: New 48-hour trial starts
With license key: Activate immediately to skip trial
Multiple devices: Each device gets its own trial, but one license key works everywhere