Notes Scratchpad
Private, local notes saved right in your browser. Export to a file so nothing is ever lost.
No note open
Select a note from the list or create a new one.
Your notes are stored in browser storage only. Clearing browser cache or data will permanently delete them. Export regularly to save a backup file to your device.
- Type a tag in the tag field to organize notes by topic. Use the tag chips in the sidebar to filter.
- Pin important notes so they stay at the top of the list, even when sorting by date.
- Use note colors to visually separate projects, priorities or categories.
- Click the export button in the sidebar or info panel to save all notes as a .json file to your device. You can import it back at any time.
- Download individual notes as .txt files using the toolbar download button.
- Notes are saved automatically 800ms after you stop typing. The dot in the status bar turns yellow when there are unsaved changes.
- Use the statistics panel to track reading time and word count for longer notes.
- The date stamp button inserts the current date and time at the cursor position.
How to use
- Start typing in the editor and your text autosaves to the browser as you go.
- Use the markdown toolbar for headings, bold, italics, lists, code, and links.
- Toggle the preview pane to see the rendered output side by side.
- Use Export to download your notes as a .txt or .md file for backup.
- Clear the pad to start fresh, but remember the action cannot be undone.
Frequently asked questions
Are my notes private?
Yes. Notes live in your browser's localStorage and never leave your device. We have no servers that store your content.
Will I lose notes if I clear my browser data?
Yes, clearing site data wipes the notes. Use the Export button regularly to keep an offline copy in case you switch devices or browsers.
Is there a length limit?
The hard limit is the browser localStorage quota, usually around 5 MB of text per site. That is plenty for tens of thousands of words.
Can I sync notes between devices?
Sync is not built in by design, to keep things simple and private. Export and import the .md file when you switch devices.
The case for a zero-friction capture surface
Note apps optimise for organisation; a scratchpad optimises for the two seconds between having a thought and losing it. Phone numbers mid-call, a sudden idea during other work, text you are about to paste over but might need back, the rough draft of an awkward message... none of these want folders, tags or sync dialogs. They want a surface that is already open and never asks questions. That speed is the entire feature, and it is why a plain scratchpad survives in workflows alongside heavyweight knowledge systems.
Patterns that make a scratchpad pull its weight
- Use it as a daily working memory: today's three priorities at the top, everything else appended below as the day produces it.
- Keep a "parking lot" section for mid-task intrusions... capturing "book dentist" in four seconds protects the twenty minutes of focus around it.
- Draft sensitive emails and messages here first; the absence of a Send button is a safety feature.
- Stage clipboard contents when reorganising text between documents... the scratchpad as workbench, not archive.
Local-first, and the honest limits of that
Everything typed here stays in your browser's local storage on your device: nothing uploads, which makes it appropriate for content you would not paste into a cloud tool. The same property defines its limits... clearing site data clears the pad, and other devices cannot see it. The working rule: the scratchpad holds today; anything that must survive the week gets promoted to a permanent home during a daily ten-second sweep.
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