Share a copy vs. a Live List
Share a copy gives someone their own separate list, and nothing syncs after that. A Live List is one list you use together, where everyone's changes show up for everyone.
NellyList has two ways to share a list, and they do very different things. Share a copy sends a snapshot: the other person saves their own private list, and from then on the two lists live separate lives. A Live List is one list you work on together: everyone on it sees the same items, and a change made by anyone shows up for everyone, on every device.
Which one do you want?
- Sending Mom your packing checklist so she can use it for her own trip → Share a copy.
- A grocery list you and your partner both add to during the week → Live List.
- A "100 films to watch" challenge where each of you tracks your own progress → Live List, with A list for each person chosen. See Let each person track their own progress.
Share a copy
- Open the list and tap ⋯, then Share a copy.
- Send the link however you like. On iPhone the share sheet opens; on a computer the link is copied for you to paste.
- Whoever opens it taps Save your own copy and gets their own list. See Open a list someone shared with you.
The copy carries the list's items, groups, notes, links, dates and checklist rows, all unticked. Your ticks, reminders and item photos stay with you.
Start a Live List
Tap the lightning bolt at the top of the list, choose how it will be used and what members can do, then tap Make List Live to get an invite link. The full walkthrough is in Start a Live List.
How they differ
- Who owns it. A copy belongs to whoever saved it. A Live List stays yours; members join it and can leave whenever they like.
- What syncs. Nothing, for a copy. Everything, for a Live List, as long as people are on it.
- What others can change. Anything in their copy, since it's theirs. On a Live List, members can always check things off, but adding, editing and removing items is up to you. See Locked Lists.
- How long the link works. Both kinds of link stop working after 30 days. You can revoke a Live List invite sooner, and removing someone stops their old invite working for them.
Both kinds of sharing are free.
FAQ
If I change my list after sharing a copy, will they see it?
No. The copy is a snapshot of the list at the moment you shared it. To send the new version, tap Share a copy again for a fresh link.
Can I turn a shared copy into a Live List later?
Not the copy they already saved. Start a Live List from your original and send them the invite instead. They can then delete their copy.
Does the other person need NellyList?
To save a copy or join a Live List, yes, with an account. They can use the iPhone app or NellyList in a web browser. The link shows a preview of the list either way.