Simple Grocery Shopping List — Help Guide

Getting Started

Simple Grocery Shopping List is a fast, easy-to-use checklist app for planning your grocery shop. Add items, check them off as you go, and keep your list ready for next time.

Adding items

Switch to Edit mode. Type an item name in the Add item field at the bottom of the screen and tap the + button (or press Enter on your keyboard).

Voice input

Tap the Add item field, then tap the microphone icon on your keyboard to add items by voice. Speak clearly and tap + to save.

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Edit & Shop Modes

The app has two modes, shown as chips at the top of the list:

Edit mode

  • Add, remove, and organise your list
  • Items grouped under shop/aisle headers
  • Drag handles for reordering (enable in Settings)
  • Shop filter to focus on specific stores
  • Tick items to mark them for your shopping trip
  • Header checkboxes to tick/untick all items in a group

Shop mode

  • Check off items as you shop
  • Checked items disappear from the list
  • Checking is per-location — checking "Berries" at Shop 1 does not affect "Berries" at Shop 2
  • When all items are checked, enjoy a confetti celebration!
  • Undo a check with the snackbar that appears briefly

Navigation

The app starts in Shop mode. Tap Edit to switch. Press the back button to return to Shop mode.

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Best Way to Use the App

Here is the recommended workflow for getting the most out of Simple Grocery Shopping List:

Setting up your shopping list (Edit mode)

  1. Make sure you are in Edit mode (tap the Edit chip on the action bar)
  2. Add all the items you regularly buy using the add-item bar at the bottom
  3. Drag items into your preferred order (e.g. group by aisle or category)
  4. Check all items using the ALL checkbox

Before you go shopping (Edit mode)

  1. Deselect the items you need to buy (tap each item to uncheck it)

While shopping (Shop mode)

  1. Switch to Shop mode — only your unchecked items are visible
  2. Tap each item as you put it in your trolley — it hides automatically
  3. If you tap the wrong item, hit Undo on the snackbar that appears
  4. When every item is checked off, you will see a confetti celebration!

TL;DR

Edit mode → Select All → Deselect what you need → Switch to Shop mode → Check off items as you shop → Done!

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Managing Items

Editing an item

Long-press on an item to open the context menu, then choose Edit. You can change the item name.

Deleting an item

Long-press on an item and choose Delete. An undo bar appears at the bottom of the screen in case you change your mind.

Reordering items

Use the drag handle (☰) on the right side of each item to drag it up or down. Drag handles are only visible in Edit mode.

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Reminders

You can set a reminder on any item so your phone notifies you at a specific time.

Setting a reminder

Long-press on an item and choose Add Reminder. Pick a date and time, and the app will send you a notification.

Editing a reminder

Long-press on the item again and choose Edit Reminder to change the date or time.

Cancelling a reminder

Long-press and choose Cancel Reminder to remove it.

Permissions

On Android 13 and above, the app will ask for notification permission when you set your first reminder. On some devices, you may also need to allow exact alarms in your phone's settings.

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Google Drive Backup & Restore

Backup & Restore is a premium feature that lets you save your list to Google Drive and restore it on any device.

Backing up

Open the main menu and tap Backup & Restore. Sign in with your Google account, then tap Backup. Your list is saved to your Google Drive's app data folder.

Restoring

On the Backup & Restore screen, tap Restore. A confirmation dialog will appear — restoring replaces all your current items with the backed-up data.

Moving to a new phone

  1. Back up on your old phone
  2. Install the app on your new phone
  3. Sign in to the same Google account and restore

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Dark Mode

Go to Settings → Appearance and choose:

  • Light — always use the light theme
  • Dark — always use the dark theme
  • System — follow your device's system theme

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Shops, Aisles & Sections

Organise your shopping list by Shop, Aisle, and Section. Items are grouped under location headers so you can shop efficiently at each store.

An item can belong to multiple shops. For example, "Berries" might be available at both your Grocery Store and Chemist. The app shows it under both headers.

How it works

  • Shop — The store you are visiting (e.g. Grocery Store, Chemist)
  • Aisle — Optional aisle within a shop (e.g. Aisle 1, Fridge, Freezer)
  • Section — Optional store section (e.g. Produce, Dairy, Bakery)

Note: Shops, Aisles & Sections is a Premium feature.

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Managing Shops, Aisles & Sections

Go to Settings to manage your locations:

  • Enable Shops — Toggle the main shops feature on or off
  • Enable Aisles — Sub-toggle that appears when shops are enabled
  • Enable Sections — Sub-toggle for store sections
  • Manage Shops — Add, edit, reorder, and delete shops
  • Manage Aisles — Add, edit, reorder, and delete aisles
  • Manage Sections — Add, edit, reorder, and delete sections

Per-shop settings

Each shop can have aisles and sections enabled or disabled individually. Edit a shop to toggle these settings. For example, a small Chemist might not need aisles, while a large Grocery Store does.

Deleting

You cannot delete a shop, aisle, or section that has items assigned to it. Remove or reassign the items first.

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Adding Items to Locations

When shops are enabled, tapping + to add an item opens a dialog where you can name the item and assign locations.

Adding a location

  1. Tap + Add Location in the item dialog
  2. Select a Shop
  3. Optionally select an Aisle and Section
  4. Tap Add Location to confirm

You can also create new aisles and sections directly from the dropdown using the + Add Aisle or + Add Section option.

Multiple locations

An item can have multiple locations. Items with 2 or more locations show "2 locations" beneath their name in Edit mode.

If you try to add an item to the same shop twice, the app will ask you to confirm.

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Shop Filter

In Edit mode, tap the filter icon (next to the menu) to open the shop filter. Select the shops you plan to visit — the list filters to show only items at those shops plus any unassigned items.

When a filter is active, a red text line shows which shops are selected (e.g. "Filter: Grocery Store, Chemist").

Filter behaviour

  • Selecting all shops is the same as no filter (shows everything)
  • Items assigned only to non-selected shops are hidden
  • Unassigned items ("No Location") always show
  • Your filter is saved and persists when you leave and return

Use Select All or Clear All in the filter sheet to quickly toggle all shops.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I reorder items?

Use the drag handle (☰) on the right side of each item to drag it to a new position. Drag handles are only visible in Edit mode.

Q: Can I undo a delete?

Yes. When you delete a single item, an undo bar appears at the bottom of the screen for a few seconds. Tap Undo to bring it back.

Note: Delete Checked Items from the action bar menu cannot be undone.

Q: How do I back up my data?

Open the main menu and tap Backup & Restore. This is a premium feature. See Backup & Restore for full details.

Q: Does the app collect my data?

No. All your data is stored locally on your device. We do not collect, access, or sell any personal data. If you use Google Drive backup, your data is stored in your own Google Drive.

Q: Can I use the app without Shops & Aisles?
Yes! Shops & Aisles is optional. You can toggle it on or off in Settings → Organization. When disabled, items appear in a simple flat list.
Q: Do I need Premium for Shops & Aisles?
Yes, Shops & Aisles is a Premium feature. Premium also includes ad removal and backup & restore to Google Drive.
Q: How do I assign an item to a shop?
When shops are enabled, tap + to add an item. In the dialog, tap "+ Add Location", select a shop (and optionally an aisle/section), then tap Add Location. You can also edit an existing item and add locations there.
Q: Can an item be in multiple shops?
Yes! Add multiple locations to the same item. It will appear under each shop's header. Items with multiple locations show "2 locations" in Edit mode.
Q: How does the shop filter work?
In Edit mode, tap the filter icon to select which shops you plan to visit. Only items at those shops (plus unassigned items) are shown. Your filter is saved and persists between sessions.
Q: What is the difference between an aisle and a section?
An aisle is a physical location in a shop (e.g. Aisle 1, Fridge, Freezer). A section is a store department (e.g. Produce, Dairy, Bakery). Both are optional and can be enabled per-shop.
Q: Can I use the app without shops?
Yes! Shops are optional and disabled by default. You can toggle them in Settings. When disabled, items appear in a simple flat list.
Q: Do I need Premium for shops?
Yes, Shops, Aisles & Sections is a Premium feature. Premium also includes ad removal and backup & restore to Google Drive — all with a single purchase.
Q: Why did checking an item at one shop not check it at another?
Checking is per-location. If "Berries" exists at both Grocery Store and Chemist, checking it off at Grocery Store only affects that location. Berries at Chemist remains unchecked until you shop there.

Need More Help?

Email us at: woohoosoftware@gmail.com