Common questions. Plain answers.
If yours isn’t here, reach out to me directly and I’ll add it.
First things first.
What is Et al.?
A Safari extension for macOS. It lets you highlight web pages in four colors and add notes to your highlights. Everything you save shows up in the Library, where you can search across pages, file things into folders, add tags, and filter by color. You can also export your highlights as Markdown, CSV, or as an academic citation. Everything stays on your Mac.
Why “Et al.”?
It’s the shorthand academics use for “and others” in a citation when a paper has too many authors to list. It felt right for a tool that’s about writing in the margins of what you read.
How much does it cost?
It will be a one-time purchase on the Mac App Store. No subscription. No monthly fees. Right now, while it’s in beta on TestFlight, it’s free.
Does it work on iPhone or iPad?
Not yet. The first release is for Mac only. iOS is something I want to add later.
What versions of macOS are supported?
macOS 11.5 (Big Sur) and later. The AI features need an Apple Silicon Mac and a recent version of macOS. On older systems, everything except the AI works the same.
Where your notes live.
Do you collect any data?
No. I don’t run analytics or telemetry. There are no third-party services. I do not have a place to receive your highlights or notes. They stay on your Mac.
Where are my highlights stored?
Safari stores them on your Mac. They are saved with the page they came from, so Et al. can show them again when you go back.
What about the AI features? Does anything leave my Mac?
No. The AI features use Apple’s built-in AI on supported Macs. Nothing about your highlights, notes, or browsing is sent anywhere.
Do my notes sync across devices?
Not right now. Et al. keeps everything on your Mac on purpose. iCloud sync is something I might add later.
Can I export my annotations?
Yes. Open the Library and you can save your highlights as a Markdown file or a CSV. You can also export them as academic citations in APA, MLA, BibTeX, RIS, or CSL-JSON.
Day-to-day.
What if a website’s layout changes? Do my highlights break?
The web changes. Et al. tries to avoid putting a highlight in the wrong place. If a page changes too much, your highlight might stop showing on that page. It still stays in your Library with its text, note, and color.
Does it work in Safari Reader Mode?
No. When you turn on Safari Reader, Safari builds the page over again. It doesn’t tell extensions about it, so your highlights don’t come along. For now, annotate the regular version of the page. I’ll look at this again if Apple gives extensions a way in.
Can I rename the four colors?
Yes. The defaults are Yellow, Green, Blue, and Pink. You can rename them to whatever you actually use them for. Maybe “Disagree,” “Important,” and “Quote.” The names show up in the popup and the Library.
Can I change the keyboard shortcuts?
Yes. Open Safari Settings, go to Extensions, click Et al., and change the shortcuts there.
Does it work on every site?
Almost. Some sites build their pages in ways Et al. can’t read, like canvas-based readers, heavy iframes, or real PDFs. For regular articles, blogs, and docs, it works fine.