> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.usesift.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# FAQ

> Frequently asked questions about Sift

## General

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What is Sift?">
    Sift is an AI assistant that lives inside your productivity system and can act on it. Send it anything—assignments, reminders, questions—and it turns them into tasks, plans, and schedules that actually stick. It brings your calendar, coursework, and projects into a single workspace and helps you plan, execute, and stay accountable.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What can Sift do?">
    * Schedule your day or week with intelligent time blocking
    * Create, manage, and break down tasks into phases
    * Sync with Canvas (assignments, grades) and Google Calendar (bi-directional)
    * Read, draft, and send emails through Gmail
    * Set reminders (one-time or recurring) via push, email, or iMessage
    * Connect to Notion for notes and reference material
    * Search the web for research and answers
    * Track grades and forecast what you need on upcoming assignments
    * Set up automated workflows like morning briefings (Premium)
    * Build a living knowledge graph of your life (Premium)

    See [capabilities](/capabilities/scheduling) for details.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I talk to Sift?">
    You can reach Sift from:

    * **Web app** at [app.usesift.app](https://app.usesift.app)
    * **iMessage** — Add Sift as a contact and text it naturally (falls back to SMS automatically if iMessage isn't available)

    All channels share the same AI and your same data.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Pricing & Plans

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Is there a free plan?" id="free-plan">
    Yes. Sift's core features are available for free—scheduling, tasks, calendar sync, reminders, Canvas, Google Calendar, Notion, task decomposition, and more. The free plan includes limited AI usage so you can try everything out.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What does Premium include?" id="what-does-premium-include">
    Premium unlocks:

    * **Unlimited AI usage** — No message limits
    * **Automations** — Recurring workflows like morning briefings, assignment reminders, and custom triggers
    * **Memory** — Sift learns your preferences, habits, and context for personalized responses
    * **Unlimited iMessage** — No limits on messaging Sift through iMessage
    * **Priority support** and early access to new features
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How much does Premium cost?" id="pricing">
    | Plan             | Monthly    | Annual                |
    | ---------------- | ---------- | --------------------- |
    | **Student**      | \$9.99/mo  | $99.99/yr (save $20)  |
    | **Professional** | \$19.99/mo | $199.99/yr (save $40) |

    Annual plans include two months free. Cancel anytime.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if I downgrade from Premium?">
    * You keep all your data
    * Automations are paused but not deleted
    * Memory stops updating but isn't erased
    * Core features continue to work with limited AI usage
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Scheduling

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How do I schedule my week?">
    Just ask: "Schedule my week"

    Sift pulls your tasks and assignments, considers your availability frames and existing calendar events, and creates timeblocks for each item.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What are frames?">
    Frames tell Sift when you're available. Set them with:

    * "I'm free weekdays 9am-5pm"
    * "Block off weekends"
    * "No scheduling during lunch 12-1pm"
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What are timeblocks?">
    Timeblocks are the scheduled work sessions Sift creates. Each block has a task assigned and appears on your connected calendar.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Integrations

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How do I connect Canvas?">
    Go to **Settings > Integrations > Canvas**. You'll need your institution's Canvas URL and a personal API token from Canvas settings.

    [Full Canvas setup guide](/integrations/canvas)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I connect multiple calendars?">
    Yes. You can connect both Google Calendar and Outlook, plus multiple accounts from each. Sift shows events from all connected calendars.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What LMS platforms are supported?">
    Currently, Sift supports **Canvas LMS**. More platforms are on the roadmap.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Tasks

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How do I create a task?">
    Just tell Sift:

    * "Create a task for my essay due Friday"
    * "Add a todo to buy groceries"
    * "I have an exam next Thursday"
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What's task decomposition?">
    Sift can break big assignments into manageable phases with milestones. Ask: "Help me plan my research paper"

    [Learn more](/capabilities/tasks#task-decomposition)
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Reminders & Automations

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What's the difference between reminders and automations?">
    * **Reminders**: Simple notifications—one-time or recurring—that nudge you at the right time (available to all)
    * **Automations**: Complex workflows that gather data, synthesize it, and take actions—like morning briefings, grade alerts, or email-triggered notifications (Premium)

    Example:

    * Reminder: "Remind me every day at 10pm to review my notes"
    * Automation: "Every morning at 7am, send me a summary of today's schedule and tasks via iMessage"
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What automations are available?">
    Automations are a Premium feature. Examples include:

    * **Morning Briefing** — Daily summary of your schedule and tasks
    * **Assignment Reminder** — Alert before due dates
    * **Weekly Study Planner** — Sunday evening planning session
    * **Grade Notifications** — Alert when assignments are graded
    * **Professor Email Alert** — Notify when specific senders email you
    * **Deadline Countdown** — Alerts at 3 days, 1 day, and 12 hours before due

    You can also create fully custom automations with natural language.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Account & Privacy

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Is my data secure?">
    Yes. We use:

    * OAuth 2.0 for integrations (no passwords stored)
    * AES-256 encryption for sensitive data
    * Isolated per-user data storage
    * HMAC payload signing for API integrity
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I delete my data?">
    Yes. Contact support or use **Settings > Account > Delete Account**.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Sift isn't responding correctly">
    * Try rephrasing your request
    * Be specific about dates and times
    * Check that integrations are connected
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="My calendar events aren't showing">
    * Verify the calendar is connected in Settings
    * Check that the right calendars are selected for sync
    * Try "Sync my calendar" to trigger a manual refresh
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Canvas assignments aren't syncing">
    * Check your API token hasn't expired
    * Verify the course is published in Canvas
    * Try "Sync my Canvas" to trigger a manual refresh
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>