macOS · Free note taking app
Note taking, right in your Mac menu bar
Write down a thought or a few tasks over whatever you're working on, even mid-meeting, then get back to it. No account, no tracking, and your notes never leave your Mac.
Free · v0.8.9 · 7.1 MB · Apple Silicon and Intel
⌥⌘NOpen it from anywhere. Try it here.
Before 6pm
- Reply to Ana about Thursday
- Pick up dry cleaning
- Oat milk, lemons, coffee beans
Design call: onboarding
Keep step 2 optional.
Ship the shorter copy first, then test the long one with new users next week.
Guest wifi
studio-guest / ask at the front desk
A notes app that stays small
For the small stuff: a phone number, a few tasks, a line from a call.
Always on top
Opens over any app with ⌥⌘N, even a full-screen call. Press Esc to hide it.
Today and Someday
Today for what's in front of you, Someday for everything else.
Drag to rearrange
Drag cards and tasks to reorder them, or onto the other tab to move them.
Notes and quick lists
Start a note with ⌘N or a task list with ⌘L. Check off a few at once with Space.
Find anything with ⌘K
Search every note and task in both tabs as you type.
A color for every card
Choose white or one of seven soft pastels so the important card stands out.
Plain Markdown files
Each card is a .md file on your Mac, with bold, italic and clickable links.
No tracking
No account, no analytics, no ads. The app connects to the internet only for updates.
Your notes stay on your Mac
No account, no cloud, no tracking. Notestaking connects to the internet only for updates, so nothing you write ever leaves your Mac.
Stored on your Mac
Notes are plain Markdown files in your Library folder. Open them in any editor or back them up.
No sign-up
Install it and start typing. There's nothing to log in to and no email to give.
No tracking
No analytics, crash reports or ads. We can't see how you use the app, and we don't want to.
How to take a quick note on your Mac
From shortcut to saved note in seconds, without switching apps.
Open
⌥⌘NPress the shortcut or click the menu bar icon. It opens above every window.
Write
⌘NAdd a title, a few lines of text or short tasks. Everything saves as you type.
Hide
EscPress Esc and you're back where you were. Notes stay until you clear them.
Questions & Notes
Is it a free note taking app?
Yes. Notestaking is a free note taking app for Mac, with no account and no in-app purchases. If it saves you time, you can pay what you want on Buy Me a Coffee.
Why does macOS say it can't verify the app?
Notestaking isn't notarized by Apple yet, so macOS asks before opening it the first time. Open the app once, then go to System Settings › Privacy & Security, scroll down and click Open Anyway. Click Open when macOS asks again. You only do this once.
Is it a sticky notes app?
Sort of. Like sticky notes, it's for short notes you want close at hand. Instead of windows spread over your desktop, the notes live in one panel in the menu bar that opens over any app and hides with Esc.
Does it replace Apple Notes, OneNote or Evernote?
No, it sits next to them. Keep long-lived notes there and quick ones in Notestaking. If a quick note turns out to be worth keeping, copy it over.
Does it run on Intel Macs?
Yes. It runs on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
Where are my notes stored?
On your Mac, as plain .md files in ~/Library/Application Support/com.notestaking.app/notes. Nothing is uploaded anywhere.
Do notes disappear on their own?
No. They're meant for things you only need for a while, but nothing expires automatically. Clear a card when you're done with it.
Can I sync between Macs or with my phone?
Not yet. Notestaking is Mac-only and local by design. Since your notes are plain files, you can point a sync tool of your own at the folder if you really need to.
Can I change the keyboard shortcut?
Yes, in Settings. Right-click the panel header to open it.
Download Free Notestaking
No account and no tracking. Your notes are one click away in the macOS menu bar.
Free · v0.8.9 · 7.1 MB · Apple Silicon and Intel