What the NotchStar shelf cannot do: its limits

Shelf and AirDrop Published 4 November 2026

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The shelf is a short term holding area. It has three listed limits: it keeps locations and not copies, it empties when NotchStar quits, and drag to open reacts only to files. The AirDrop limits that people search for belong to macOS.

NotchStar’s limits

References, not copies. If you move or delete the original, the shelf entry stops working. See why a file looks missing.
Empties on quit. Nothing is saved. See what happens when you quit.
Files only. Text and web page images do not open the shelf. See why.

What it does not limit

The code has no cap on item count or file size. The icon row scrolls sideways when it fills.

AirDrop limits belong to Apple

Range is about 10 metres, with WiFi and Bluetooth on, per Apple’s page checked on 4 November 2026.
The receiver decides who can send to them.
Apple’s page states no file size limit.

Not what it is for

The shelf is not a backup, not an archive and not a sync tool. For text you want to keep, use Quick Notes.

Read the full tool description on the File Shelf page.

Quick answers.

Is there a cap on how many files the shelf holds?

The shelf code sets no cap. The row scrolls sideways when it fills.

Link to this answer

Keep reading.

A shelf and an AirDrop zone in the notch: Park files in the notch while you work, then drag them out or AirDrop them. Drag a file toward the notch and the shelf opens by itself.
What happens to the NotchStar shelf when you quit: The shelf empties when NotchStar quits. Your files stay where they were, because the shelf only held their locations. Drop them again next time.
Why the NotchStar shelf does not open for text or images: Drag to open reacts to files only. Text and images dragged from a web page do not open the shelf. Save the image as a file first, then drag it.
Why a file on the NotchStar shelf stops working after you move it: The shelf remembers where a file was. If you move, rename or delete the original, its shelf icon no longer leads to it. Remove it and drop it again.

Put your notch to work.

Buy it once for $4, activate it in a minute, and keep it. Not sure yet? Try every tool in the browser on the home page, or install the 7 day trial.

Buy NotchStar for $4 Try it in the browser