cat apps/napkn
What it does
Hold a modifier. The note for the app you're in appears. Release it. Gone.
A per-app scratch surface, always connected to the work you're doing.
No windows to manage, no notes to file, no context to choose.
Two ways to use it
Write where you work. Your note belongs to the app you're currently using.
Peek
Hold your modifier to see the note for the current app. It stays out of the way and disappears when you release.
Pin
Turn the note into an active scratchpad. Edit freely, and it stays available while you work. Close it with Escape, the close button, or the hotkey.
Pinned notes remain associated with their apps, even while you switch between other apps or restart Napkn.
Features
Built for fleeting thoughts - the things you need right now.
Tied to the app
Every app gets its own note. Switch apps and the note switches with you - no window hunting, no deciding where a note should live.
Hotkey or modifier
Open with a hotkey, or peek by holding a modifier key. When you're done, let go.
Saved as you type
Every keystroke is saved automatically, so a scratch note doesn't disappear just because you moved on.
Out of your way
Napkn stays invisible until you need it. No windows, no filing, no cloud - just the note you need, where you need it.
Hidden when sharing
Excluded from screen sharing by default, so scratch notes stay out of presentations and recordings. Change it by tapping eye if you want them visible.
Private by Design
No accounts, no tracking, no ads, nothing sent anywhere. Your notes are stored locally on your Mac.
What people keep in it
Things that matter for the next ten minutes, not the next ten years.
- Copy something before you forget it
- Jot down a command while coding
- Keep temporary details beside a Finder task
- Capture an idea without opening a full note app
- Leave a reminder that belongs to the app you're using
Languages
English and German out of the box. Missing yours? Get in touch.
Try Napkn
A free download on the Mac App Store.
Requirements
macOS 14 Sonoma or later. Apple Silicon and Intel supported.
Permissions
Pinned notes work straight away. Only peek needs an Input Monitoring permission.
Input Monitoring - optional
Pinned notes work without granting anything. Open, edit, and keep them beside your work from the first launch.
Input Monitoring permission needs so Napkn can tell when you hold the modifier for peek.
Grant it in System Settings › Privacy & Security › Input Monitoring.