What The Note

A minimal, always-accessible sticky note app for macOS.

Download

⬇️ Download Latest Release (DMG)

Or browse all releases here.

Features

• Always Accessible - Quick access via keyboard shortcut (⌥⌘N) or hot corner hover
• Rich Text Formatting - Bold, italic, headings, lists, task lists, code blocks, colors, and more
• Auto-Save - Your notes are saved instantly as you type
• Auto-Update - Automatically checks for new versions and updates with one click
• Customizable - Adjust text size, auto-hide behavior, fade effects, and shortcuts
• Remembers Position - Window opens where you last left it
• Click Away to Hide - Automatically hides when you click elsewhere (configurable)
• Drag & Resize - Position and size the window however you like

Installation

Download the latest .dmg from the Releases page.

1. Open the .dmg file
2. Drag What The Note to your Applications folder
3. Launch the app

On first launch, you may need to allow the app in System Preferences → Privacy & Security.

Usage

Showing/Hiding the Note

• Keyboard Shortcut: Press ⌥⌘N (Option+Command+N) - customizable in preferences
• Hot Corner: Hover your mouse in the top-right corner of your screen (customizable)
• Menu Bar: Click the menu bar icon and select "Show/Hide Note"
• Escape Key: Press Esc to hide the note when it's visible

Formatting Text

Click the T icon in the top-left corner to reveal the formatting toolbar with options for:

• Bold, italic, strikethrough
• Headings (H1, H2, H3)
• Bullet lists, numbered lists, task lists
• Code and code blocks
• Blockquotes
• Text colors

Settings

Click the gear icon to customize:

• General: Show on launch, text size
• Shortcuts: Enable/disable keyboard shortcut, customize key combination
• Hot Corner: Enable/disable, choose corner, adjust trigger size
• Behavior: Auto-hide settings, hide on blur, fade duration

Building from Source

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v18 or later)
• Rust
• Xcode Command Line Tools (macOS)

Build Steps

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/matthewijordan/what-the-note.git
cd what-the-note

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Run in development mode
npm run tauri dev

# Build for production
npm run tauri build

The built app will be in src-tauri/target/release/bundle/.

Tech Stack

• Tauri v2 - Rust-based desktop app framework
• TypeScript - Frontend logic
• Tiptap - Rich text editor
• Vanilla HTML/CSS - No heavy frameworks

License

MIT

Support

If you find this app useful, consider buying me a coffee!