Backups

Every app on your device has a standard set of folders that it uses to store information. This ‘Documents’ directory is used to store user content, like documents you add to (or create within) an app. Other data like app settings, which are designed to be changed through the app’s interface and not edited directly, are stored in a number of private app directories instead.

4SB Backups

In forScore’s Backups panel you can create a forScore Backup (4SB file) that packages all of forScore’s private information into a single document that is saved alongside the rest of your files in forScore’s Documents directory. Copy all of the files in this directory (including the 4SB file) to a safe location and you’ll be able to restore forScore back to its current state without affecting any other apps. As a safeguard, forScore creates an automatic 4SB backup when you launch the app. It keeps the most recent copy and a copy from the last calendar day you used it.

A backup file can not be used on its own. It only contains forScore’s information about your documents, not copies of your documents themselves. Backups are a good choice when copying all of your files to a computer using File Sharing.

4SB Archives

You can also use the Backups panel to create a forScore Archive which is similar to a backup (it also uses the 4SB file extension) but it includes a copy of every file in forScore’s Documents directory as well. This means that in order to create an archive you need to have significantly more free space available on your device, but it can be used to restore your library or migrate to a new device by copying the single archive file.

An archive file can be used on its own to recover or migrate your forScore library to a new device. They’re great for uploading your library to a cloud storage service for safe keeping.

forScore Backup Utility

Mac users running macOS 10.14 or later can use the forScore Backup Utility to archive their iOS device’s forScore library directly to their computer via a USB cable. This can be useful if you want to create a 4SB Archive but don’t have enough free space on your device. Visit forScore.co/backup-utility for more information.

Apple Backups

In most cases, whole-device backups to iCloud or iTunes (depending on your settings) are sufficient to get you back up and running if something happens to your device. The backup techniques described in the sections above are intended to provide an additional layer of security, not to replace this essential part of protecting your data.

Recently Deleted Files

When you delete a score or setlist using forScore’s delete functions, it is moved to the Recently Deleted section of the Backups panel. You can recover it for up to seven days or permanently erase it, if needed.

CSV Metadata Import/Export

Tap the scrolled page icon in the top left-hand corner of the Backups panel to import or export your forScore metadata using standard CSV (comma-separated value) text files. These files are exported using UTF-8 encoding by default, but this can be adjusted to UTF-16 if needed under Settings › Advanced options › CSV export.

Settings

General

• Auto-lock: Disable this setting to prevent your device from sleeping automatically while forScore is open.
• Search: Adjust which kinds of results are shown and in which order, how many recent items are listed, and more.
• Show recent items: Choose how many recent items to show in the search panel before you’ve typed anything into the search field (enter 0 for none).
• Search results: Check or uncheck specific result types and reorder them to prioritize those you want to see first.
• Search PDF text for title: When creating a bookmark, as you type in the title field this feature can offer page number suggestions based on occurrences of that text within the PDF file (not available for image-based files).
• Devices: Connect to certain types of accessories like the AirTurn PED or IKMultimedia BlueBoard.
• MIDI: Toggle the ability to send and receive MIDI commands or use the piano keyboard as a synthesizer.
• Send commands: Allow forScore to send signals you’ve added to specific scores each time you open them (see Metadata)
• Receive shortcuts Allow forScore to interpret some incoming MIDI signals as score shortcuts (see the Metadata section) or action shortcuts (see Page Turners & Shortcuts)
• Synthesizer: Allow forScore to play piano sounds in response to incoming note messages.
• MIDI network setup: Connect to a nearby network MIDI session.
• Bluetooth MIDI devices: Connect to nearby Bluetooth LE-enabled MIDI devices.
• forScore Pro: Get more out of forScore with this optional, auto-renewing subscription.
• Manage subscription: Learn more about, and sign up for, the forScore Pro service.
• Pop-up menus: Enable or disable popup menus and manage your pinned tools.
• Face gestures: If your device supports it, choose which face gesture mode to use and calibrate its sensitivity.

Navigation

• Up next: See the next queued item’s title in the status bar when you reach the last page of the current item.
• Gestures: Configure forScore’s taps, swipes, and shortcuts to better suit your needs.
• Page turners & shortcuts: Use keyboard shortcuts, MIDI signals, page turner pedal presses, or an Apple Pencil 2 double tap gesture to trigger certain actions.
• Page transitions: This setting affects the transition animation that is used when turning pages.
• Flip between scores: Choose when to advance from the end of one score to the beginning of the next, like a book.
• Landscape scrolling: When using landscape orientation, scroll up and down by half or a third of a page (11-inch iPad Pro only).
• Two-up page advance: Choose whether to advance one or two pages at a time when using two-up mode.

Appearance

• Show status bar: Controls whether the system status bar along the top of the screen is visible while using forScore.
• Controls: Prevent the seek bar from hiding when the title bar is dismissed, show the tab bar when a single tab is open, and control how the title bar behaves (if your device supports resizable windowing).
• Menus: Enable or disable section headers and control which kinds of metadata are shown below items and setlists.
• Theme: Adjust the look and feel of forScore’s interface.
• Colors: Change forScore’s primary interface colors or choose from a list of built-in themes.
• Interface style: Choose to always use light mode, always us dark mode, or follow the system setting instead.
• Icon weight: Choose a bolder or lighter style for most icons and buttons.
• Background color: Control whether the main view’s navigation bar is tinted slightly to match your current color theme.
• Page dimming: When using dark mode, forScore can dim your pages to reduce contrast in low light environments.

Metadata

• Use external audio: When forScore launches, it checks to see if iOS’ shared audio system is currently in use. If so, this option will allow you to control playback of that track, temporarily overriding any linked tracks.
• Sorting: Adjust how forScore sorts your composers, scores, and bookmarks.
• Show bookmarks in library: Bookmarks typically appear in two places—the bookmarks menu itself, and alongside other files in the score menu. Disable this to hide bookmarks from the score menu.
• Smart sorting: For checked items, sorting ignores common prefixes like “the,” “a,” or “an.”
• PDF annotations: Choose which kinds of embedded PDF annotations should be visible (and interactive, if applicable).

Annotation

• Exit two-up mode to annotate: If you’re using two-up mode, use this setting to control whether or not forScore should temporarily return to one-up mode and enlarge the current page while annotating.
• Apple Pencil: Adjust how annotation works when using Apple Pencil or the similar Logitech Crayon.
• Automatically enter annotation mode: Allows you to begin drawing at any time without entering annotation mode first.
• Automatically exit annotation mode: Allows forScore to save your work and exit annotation mode after a brief period of inactivity (defaults to Never).
• Prevent finger drawing: Restricts drawing to Apple Pencil in order to prevent accidental input.
• Variable width: Choose whether to increase drawing width based on tilt and/or pressure.
• Switch tools: Apple Pencil 2’s double tap gesture can control which annotation tool is currently active, and by default only works while you’re in annotation mode. Enable this setting to allow the gesture to work at all times (if you do, this gesture will no longer be configurable within the Page Turners & Shortcuts panel).
• Annotation tools: Control how forScore saves your last-used preset between annotation sessions.
• Remember tool selection: Allow or prevent forScore from saving your last-used annotation tool.
• Default tool: Choose a specific tool to always be selected when you enter annotation mode. If an item is selected in this section, the previous section has no effect.
• Add period with double-space: iOS automatically adds a period when you type two spaces into a text field. Disable this setting to prevent that behavior while using forScore’s text annotation tool.
• Variable width: Adjust how much forScore should emphasize your drawings based on speed or Pencil pressure and tilt.

System

• Accessibility: Enable or disable certain features, adjust the size of links and buttons, or customize the metronome’s sounds.
• App icon: Change forScore’s app icon.
• In-app purchases: Access any downloadable content you’ve previously purchased through forScore’s storefront.
• Advanced options: Access advanced/older settings and temporarily re-enable retired features that have limited support and may be removed in future updates.
• Restrictions: Set a passcode and hide certain features.
• Reset: Restore default app settings, stamps, or drawing presets, or scan your library and remove any unused data.

Introduction

Getting the most out of this guide

This document was designed to introduce you to forScore’s many features, and to give you a framework of knowledge to use as you continue exploring and learning on your own. It’s not a technical manual and isn’t intended to provide exhaustive step-by-step instructions for every situation.

Every person learns differently, and while we do our best to make things clear for users of all levels of experience, you may have some questions that aren’t answered here. If that’s the case, visit forscore.co/support to find more specific answers and topics.

Devices

forScore is compatible with iPads running iPadOS 17 or later, iPhones on iOS 17 or later, Macs using macOS 14 or later, and Vision Pro with visionOS 1.3 or later. Except where noted, functions available on one device are also available (and work similarly) on the others. Exact placement and appearance of features and icons may vary based on your OS version, device, settings, and multitasking mode.

iPadOS and iOS are nearly identical in most respects, so to keep things concise we sometimes refer to them collectively as “iOS” in this guide. Unless otherwise noted, those references apply equally to both platforms.

Terminology

forScore is designed to be used with a variety of input methods including touch, keyboards, and trackpads or mice. In general, we use words like “tap” and “drag” or “swipe” which translate to “click” or “scroll” when using a mouse or trackpad. When we refer to screen size or device orientation, these concepts translate to window size and aspect ratio when windowing is used.

A note about Drag and Drop and Contextual Menus

Since they were introduced, forScore has fully supported and made extensive use of both Drag and Drop and Contextual Menu interactions. To keep things simple, this guide doesn’t call out every situation where these features are available. Instead, we provide two sections at the end of this document that help you understand when these interactions can speed up the tasks you’ve learned about in earlier sections.

Additional information about this user guide

This user guide is provided as a courtesy, as-is and without guarantee or warranty. Although we thoroughly proofread the content herein for accuracy and clarity, you are solely responsible for the integrity and protection of your information while using forScore.

This guide was last updated for version 15.0, and all features are subject to change without notice. If you are unsure how any of the processes described in this guide may affect your information, consider backing up your data before proceeding.

Please remember that many musicians rely on the legitimate sale of their sheet music as an essential part of their income. Although forScore provides the mechanism for importing PDF files from the numerous sources, it is solely your responsibility to ensure that doing so does not infringe upon any current laws or restrictions under which you are subject.

For any questions, corrections, suggestions, or concerns, please visit forscore.co/support and send us a message—your feedback is how we make better products.

All content copyright © 2025 forScore, LLC. All rights reserved. No portion of this document may be reproduced, modified, or distributed without permission.

forScore Pro

Features

forScore Pro is an optional, auto-renewing subscription that allows us to offer more advanced features, ensures we can be ready for the latest devices, accessories, and software updates on day one, and gives you access to certain features and benefits like the ones described below (the exact list is subject to change; for the most current information visit forScore.co/pro).

Face Gestures:

If your device supports face tracking, you can use facial gestures to turn pages—by turning your head, by winking, or by moving your lips to the left or right. Choose whichever mode works best for you and adjust its sensitivity in the forScore Pro section of forScore’s settings panel, if needed. For best results, ensure that there’s sufficient lighting and, if using mouth movements, take advantage of the automatic calibration method for easy setup.

Pop-up Menus:

Many of the buttons in forScore’s navigation bar feature pop-up menus to let you quickly perform common tasks related to each of them. Touch the button and drag your finger downward to see the list of shortcuts, or tap and hold an item until the menu appears.

While in annotation mode, use pop-up menus to switch between layers or adjust the size of any drawing preset as well as the stamps, shapes, and eraser tools.

Note: when using a mouse or trackpad, right clicking any of these buttons will immediately present its pop-up menu. You can also click and drag downward to show the menu, but due to conflicts in the way iPadOS and macOS handle Drag and Drop this will not work for buttons that also support rearranging (annotation drawing presets).

Page Copy & Paste:

Each page has a single annotation layer by default, but forScore Pro subscribers will also see an additional “PDF” layer at the top of the Layers list for every page of a score. This layer works much like other layers do, but with one important distinction: when you use the selection tool’s Copy or Cut actions, forScore copies any annotations on that layer as well as the contents of the page itself. This allows you to move measures around or copy and paste them between pages to better suit your needs. Learn more about the selection tool in the Annotation section of this guide, or see this knowledge base article for step-by-step instructions.

If you’re a forScore Pro subscriber and you make structural edits to a document, you can share those changes with colleagues—either send an annotated PDF file with permanently embedded annotations, or share a 4SC file (the receiver can show, hide, or clear the PDF layer but can not make any changes of their own).

Note: forScore cannot copy vector information stored within a PDF file, it can only copy a high-resolution image of the selected portion of a page. If you’re working with vector-based files (which can be enlarged without limit), changes made using Page Copy & Paste will appear pixelated at higher zoom levels. Whenever possible, permanent or archival changes should be made using the same source material and application that was used to create the original PDF file in the first place.

Stamps & Symbols:

Swipe left and right in the Stamps palette to access six additional stamp sets (almost 400 additional symbols) and use them as is or copy any of them to your personal collection to edit or reorder them. Pro users can also create stamps using Apple’s SF Symbols library—just find a symbol using the SF Symbols app and type in its name to add it to your stamp collection. That gives you access to over 6,000 symbols as of iOS 18 and any that are added with future OS updates.

SF Symbols can be used for more than just stamps: open the metadata panel and tap a metadata category to customize it. In addition to the symbols offered there by default, Pro users can add any other SF Symbol by name to perfectly personalize their organizational system.

Apple Pencil:

On supported devices, while holding Apple Pencil near the screen, you can use customizable pinch, swipe, and tap gestures to resize or cycle through presets, undo or redo drawings, or show a rotary preset picker that makes accessing your presets faster and easier than ever. With Apple Pencil Pro, you can even configure the squeeze gesture to show this rotary picker for instant access with one hand.

Profiles:

Create multiple settings profiles for separate forScore users or customize your forScore experience for any situation. When you switch back and forth between profiles they’re updated and restored automatically.

Sharing:

When sharing scores, bookmarks, or setlists, an additional “automation” option allows you to easily copy the relevant URL so you can save it wherever you like.

App Icons:

Customize your home screen by choosing from additional app icon options.

Subscribing

Choose Settings from forScore’s tools menu and select “forScore Pro” to learn more, subscribe, access settings for subscriber-only features, and restore or manage an existing subscription.

Note: if you’re currently subscribed to forScore Pro and you start using forScore on a new device, you may need to use the Restore button found within this panel to start using your membership on that device—your original device(s) will still be able to use forScore Pro.

If you choose to become a forScore Pro subscriber, you’ll not only be getting the benefits outlined above: you’ll also be supporting us and making sure we can keep releasing updates for years to come. After the first year, Apple takes a smaller cut so more of your money goes directly to supporting our app.

And if you’re perfectly happy with forScore just the way it is, there’s no pressure to become a subscriber. No existing features require any further payment, so you can use them forever. If your needs grow, we’ll be ready to serve them.

Complete terms of service are available at forScore.co/terms-of-service and our privacy policy can be found at forScore.co/privacy.

forScore Pro Pass

With forScore 14 we introduced a forScore Pro 30-day pass that unlocks all forScore Pro features for 30 days with no auto-renewal. Although a forScore Pro subscription is more cost-effective, this pass gives you an opportunity to try these features so you can decide if subscribing is right for you.

Links & Buttons

Customize the size of links and buttons in the Accessibility section of forScore’s settings panel to better suit your needs.

Tap and hold a button to edit it

Links

Create a link between two points in your score to handle repeats with a single tap or click. Every link that you create consists of two components: a blue circle and an orange circle (an activation point and a target point). Blue circles are visible on the page at all times and take you to their destination when tapped. When you arrive, the corresponding orange circle flashes twice, showing you where to begin playing, but remains invisible the rest of the time.

Note: Links don’t have to be on different pages, they can also be used as visual cues on the same page. If needed, the page scrolls up or down to the correct position.

To create a link, select “Links” from the tools menu, and you’ll see a new screen appear with two copies of the current score displayed side-by-side. Use the seek bar or swipe to flip through the pages of either stack.

Tap anywhere on the left-hand page to create a blue circle, and tap anywhere on the right-hand page to create a corresponding orange circle. Both points are required to create a link. If you need to adjust the placement of a link point, simply tap the screen again in the correct position and the circle will move.

Tip: Tap and hold the page for a moment and a magnifying glass will pop up just above your finger, letting you position your links more precisely.

Buttons

Like links, buttons are tappable dots that can be placed anywhere on the page. Unlike links, however, buttons work alone and can be customized to perform a wide range of actions. They can open a score or bookmark, send MIDI commands, start or stop the metronome or change its tempo, control audio track playback, play a pitch, display a text note, and more. Each type of action is color-coded and can be customized for easy recognition.

Although you set up your button’s action when you create it, you can edit it at any time: just tap and hold your finger on a button until the editing interface appears.

Editing Links and Buttons

To delete or reposition a link or button, enter annotation mode by choosing “Annotate” from the tools menu or by tapping and holding the page for a few moments. With the erase tool selected, tap a link or button to remove it. If any other tool selected, links and buttons will appear as white circles that can be dragged around on the page.

Note that only the blue (source) dot of a link can be edited after creation. If you need to move the orange (destination) dot, you’ll have to delete the link and recreate it.