Settings

Every setting in Nebula, in plain words. On iPad and Mac the groups are listed at the left and you pick one. On iPhone the groups are pages: swipe left or right to turn from one to the next (the page name and dots stay at the top), and they go round. Each setting there is one line, its name beside its control: press and hold the name for what it does.

Tip. Moving a slider by finger, slide away from its track while dragging to slow it down for a fine adjustment. A small label shows ½, ¼ or fine.

Playback

Crossfade

How long one song blends into the next, from 0 to 12 seconds in half-second steps. It is the longest the songs overlap: silence at the start and end of a song is skipped, and a song that ends abruptly blends quickly.

Change scene on the next song

When on, a scene you pick waits, then fades in with the next song. When off, it changes at once. See Scenes.

Waveform on the whole time line

Off by default: the waveform shows only inside a loop on the time line. Turn it on to draw the song's loudness along the whole line. See The play bar.

Radio buffer

Radio plays this far behind the station so the song analysis can hear ahead: beats, builds, drops and sections. Longer waits longer before the first sound.

You can skip the wait with Play now. See Music and radio.

Song memory

Remembered songs shows how much is kept, for example 12 songs · 1,100 KB of 3 MB. Each remembered song keeps a small summary of its analysis (no audio), up to 3 MB in all, and the oldest go first. A repeat play then gets beats and drops at once. Forget all erases it. See Song memory.

Display

Calmer flashes

Slows sudden changes and dims sudden bright flashes. Turn it all the way up if flashing lights affect you. It starts at off. The first time you open Nebula a notice about flashing lights points you here. While a Tips card is open, Nebula holds this at full so the card is calm to read.

Edge fade

A soft dark edge around the visual, from 0 to 12 percent.

Spacing

Room between the rows of controls in Layers and Patches, from 0.8 times to 2.5 times. The controls themselves keep their size. Turn it up if things are too close to tap by finger, down to fit more on the screen.

Window opacity

How much of the visuals shows through the windows, from 60 to 100 percent. At 100 percent the windows are solid.

Performance

Auto sleep

After this long with no touch, click or key, the visuals stop and the microphone stops listening. Music keeps playing. Touch to wake. Choose 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours or Never.

• Only on battery: never while charging, or on a desktop Mac.
• In Low Power Mode it sleeps after 15 minutes whatever the choice.
• On iPhone and iPad the screen then follows your normal Auto-Lock.

30 FPS on battery

Limits the picture to 30 frames a second when unplugged or in Low Power Mode.

Max FPS

The most frames a second the picture draws: 30, 60 or 120. Fewer frames save battery.

Auto frame rate

Draws fewer frames while the picture moves slowly.

Resolution

How many of the screen's pixels the visuals draw, set with a slider: 25%, 50%, 75% or 100%. Lower it if the visuals stutter, or to save battery on big screens.

Performance overlay

Shows frames a second, and processor and graphics use, in the corner. With Layers open on iPhone they sit in a line at the bottom of the window instead, so they never cover a value.

Parental Lock

Limits Radio and Indie to the stations and tracks you have saved with the star. Turn on lock asks for the device's own check (Face ID, Touch ID or the passcode); while it is on the button says Unlock. A grown-up should save what they are happy with first. A device with no passcode can't use the lock. See Music and radio › Parental Lock for how it works and how to stop a child deleting the app.

Nebula Pro

Everything about Nebula Pro, on one page, with the scene that is playing at the top. Before you unlock it: what Pro adds (unlimited layers, every cable source, every knob and all blend modes, unlimited saved scenes, 10 minute videos without the mark, each with what the free app includes), Unlock Nebula Pro with its price, and Restore, which brings back Pro and any Pro Packs bought on another device with the same Apple Account. Pro is one purchase, no subscription. The same page opens on its own when you reach something Pro keeps (a third layer, a Pro blend, a fourth cable); closing it takes you back.

Under that are the Pro Packs: themed packs of new scenes and Elements, one to a row with their pictures. Each is sold separately once Pro is unlocked. After you unlock Pro the page thanks you at the top and the packs follow, each with its price to buy it or Owned, then Restore purchases.

Stats

Share usage counts lets Nebula send counts of which scenes, visuals and knobs you use, never your music, searches or anything about you. It is off unless you say yes, and you can turn it off here at any time. Below the switch, a list shows what Nebula has counted on your device since it began counting. That list stays on the device and is never sent; sharing is separate. The Privacy page has the details.

Help

Help on the web

Opens this guide in your browser.

Tips

Short guides the first time you open each page. Turn them off here, or on again to see them all from the start. Each card has Got it, Don't show tips again and a × to close. The cards for Layers, Patches and Scenes link to their pages here.