Step 1
Choose a note
Create a separate note for each task. A short title and a pin make recurring drafts easier to find.
Online Notepad
Write and format browser notes, organize separate drafts, restore a workspace backup, and export TXT or HTML without a note account.
How to use
Write and format browser notes, organize separate drafts, restore a workspace backup, and export TXT or HTML without a note account.
Step 2
Write and review
Use headings, lists and find-and-replace. Check the local save status before leaving the page.
Step 3
Keep a portable copy
Download TXT for plain writing, HTML for formatting, or a JSON backup for all notes.
Practical uses
Meeting decisions
Keep decisions separate from discussion. Use a checklist for actions, then export the agreed record.
Study summaries
Create one note per topic; use headings for ideas and questions. Duplicate the draft before a major rewrite.
Technical scratchpad
Put commands in a code block. Turn wrapping off when spacing matters and download a TXT copy.
A saved note is not a backup
- Open draft: editable text and formatting
- Browser workspace: notes in this browser profile
- Downloaded backup: a separate file you can restore
From text to structured documents
A plain text file stores characters and line breaks. A visual editor also records structure: paragraphs, headings, lists and marks. the HTML editing model distinguishes editable text from rich editing; the two are not interchangeable file formats.
For example, a heading that looks large in the editor becomes ordinary text in TXT. HTML preserves its heading element. Choose the export based on what the next application needs, not simply on the filename.
A pasted Markdown file remains text here; it is not automatically interpreted as a Markdown document. Code blocks preserve readable commands, while paragraph styling is better suited to prose.
Local saving and recovery
Browser persistence makes a scratchpad useful across visits without creating a note account. the Web Storage standard describes shared, origin-scoped storage and warns that there is no locking mechanism across independent browser contexts.
If stored JSON is damaged, saving stops instead of replacing it with a blank workspace. Export the open notes and the preserved stored data before deciding which copy to keep. An invalid note entry blocks restoration rather than silently dropping it.
Another tab can change the workspace. A detected change pauses local saving; keep a backup before explicitly replacing the saved copy. This is conflict detection, not collaborative editing or a guarantee against every simultaneous write.
Method, limits and corrections
Formatting is kept as restricted HTML. Imported TXT and Markdown are escaped as text; exported HTML and print content are sanitized. Word counts split on whitespace; character counts use JavaScript string units, and reading time assumes 200 words per minute.
Notes are not encrypted or synced. Clearing site data, private browsing, device loss, blocked storage and quota limits can remove or prevent local saves. An unlocked shared profile can expose notes. Never use this as a password vault or your only important copy.
For a save problem, download a backup first. Record the browser, export format and a non-sensitive reproduction. Do not send private notes in a bug report; use a small invented example with the same formatting.
Frequently asked questions
Where are my notes saved?
In local storage for this browser profile and site. No note-sync API is used. Export before clearing site data.
What does a JSON backup preserve?
All note titles, HTML bodies, timestamps, pins and the active note. Restoration replaces the open workspace after confirmation.
Can I recover damaged storage?
Download the preserved raw data when available. Invalid data is not overwritten automatically; external repair may still be needed.