FlosForge Notes for desktop and Android
Local-first notes for macOS, Windows, Linux and Android
Your notes are plain Markdown files in folders you choose, edited in a rich block editor, with handwritten notebooks beside them. Bring your own storage and your own key: sync over your own Wi-Fi or storage you already own, encrypted with a key only you hold. No telemetry, no SaaS, no account and no FlosForge server.
- BYOS · bring your own storage
- BYOK · bring your own key
- No telemetry
- No SaaS, no account
Coming soon
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux, Android 11+
- Your notes are
- Plain Markdown files
- Sync
- Your Wi-Fi or your own storage
- Service
- None: no SaaS, no servers
Plain files, in folders you own
Every note is a Markdown file and every folder is a real folder, so git, a file manager or any other editor can read them. Open a folder of Markdown notes you already have and it is a workspace. Nothing is kept in a database only the app can open.
- Attachments sit beside the note in an ordinary folder, linked with relative links
- Wikilinks and backlinks that follow a note when it is renamed or moved
- Tags, comments with replies, and coloured folders with header banners
- Export to PDF, HTML or a Markdown bundle whenever you like
A rich editor that still writes Markdown
Type / for a block, drag blocks to move them, and format from a toolbar — the file on disk stays clean Markdown. Tables, callouts, task lists, code with highlighting, maths and diagrams are built in, and a source view is one shortcut away.
- KaTeX maths and Mermaid diagrams
- Images, PDFs, audio and video inline, and voice recordings on desktop
- Find and replace, a heading outline, daily notes and templates
- Version history kept on the device, with a diff and one-click restore
Handwriting, side by side with your text
Handwritten notebooks with pressure-sensitive pens — fountain, pencil, brush, calligraphy and more — on paper patterns and dozens of page templates. The same notebook opens on the computer and the phone, and exports as a vector PDF.
- Pen, highlighter and eraser, with the S Pen side button erasing on Samsung phones
- Planning, study, work and creative page templates, plus your own on desktop
- Hold at the end of a stroke to straighten it
- Embed a handwritten note inside a text note
Sync with no one in the middle
Let your devices sync directly over your own Wi-Fi, or connect storage you already have — Cloudflare R2 or any S3-compatible service, and Google Drive on desktop. Everything is encrypted on the device with a password only you know before it leaves.
- The storage provider sees unreadable files with random names — not titles, not folders
- Changes relay through any device, so a phone and a tablet that never meet still sync
- Choose per device: both ways, send only, or receive only
- Nothing syncs until you set it up, one workspace at a time
Every feature, in full
A list of features you can find in the application.
See it working
Take a look at the user interface of the application.
Where FlosForge Notes stops, for now
Coming soon, and honest about what is not there yet:
- The Android app does not yet have everything the desktop one does: no shapes or text boxes in handwriting, no version history, no backups, no daily notes and no Google Drive sync.
- There is no iPhone or iPad app yet. It is planned.
- Encryption protects what is in your notes, not their file names, folder structure, sizes or dates.
- Sync copies deletions too, so it is not a backup. Keep backups separately.
- Files over 256 MB are not synced, and local-network sync does not work on guest Wi-Fi that keeps devices apart.
- There are no plugins. The features are built in.
Questions about FlosForge Notes
What do BYOS and BYOK mean here?
Bring your own storage: your notes sync over your own Wi-Fi or through storage you already have — Cloudflare R2, any S3-compatible service, or Google Drive on desktop — never through a FlosForge server. Bring your own key: everything is encrypted with a key derived from your own sync password, with a recovery key only you hold, so neither the storage provider nor FlosForge can read it.
Is there a subscription or any telemetry?
No. FlosForge Notes is not a SaaS: there is no service to sign up to, no account and no server of ours in the middle. It has no telemetry, analytics or crash reporting, and never sends anything about you or your notes to anyone.
Where are my notes stored?
In ordinary folders on your own devices, as plain Markdown files with attachments beside them. Any other editor, git or a file manager can read them, and there is no FlosForge server that holds a copy.
How does sync work without an account?
Your devices either sync directly over your own Wi-Fi, or through storage you already own — Cloudflare R2, an S3-compatible service, or Google Drive on desktop. Everything is encrypted on the device with your sync password before it leaves.
Can I use my existing Markdown notes?
Yes. Open a folder of Markdown files and it becomes a workspace. Nothing is converted or locked into a format only this app can read.
Does it support handwriting?
Yes, on both desktop and Android: pressure-sensitive pens, paper patterns and page templates, and notebooks that open unchanged on either device and export as PDF.
Which systems does it run on?
macOS, Windows and Linux on the desktop, and Android 11 or later on the phone. An iPhone and iPad app is planned but does not exist yet.
Can I encrypt my notes?
Yes — a whole workspace, a single folder or a single note, with a password and a recovery key. Encryption covers what is in your notes; file names and folder structure stay readable.
How every FlosForge app works
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No telemetry
No analytics, no crash reporting, no usage pings. Not configurable — simply absent.
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Local storage only
Your data stays on your own device, stored in private application sandboxes under your control.
-
Open exports
Everything exports to standard formats you own (CSV, GPX, JSON, Markdown), with zero lock-in.
Coming soon
FlosForge Notes for desktop and Android is in active testing in real-world scenarios, and will be released in the near future.
- Development (done) Features being built
- Active Testing (current stage) In daily use, tested in real-world scenarios
- Release prep Store listing and final checks
- Released Available to download