Universal Note – Free Online Notepad (No Login, Offline)

Welcome to Universal Note!

This guide will help you get started and make the most of this simple, private, and offline-first note-taking tool.

Managing Notes (Tabs)

Click the " New Note" button to create a new note tab.
Click on any tab in the tab bar to switch to that note.
Click the "" icon on a tab to close that note. You will be asked for confirmation if there's content. You cannot close the last remaining note.
Notes are automatically saved to your browser's local storage as you type or switch tabs.

Editing and Previewing

Type your note content in the large text area on the left.
Enter a title for your note in the "Note Title" input field above the editor.
Use the "Toggle Preview" button ( / ) to show or hide the preview pane on the right.
Select a preview mode from the dropdown next to the toggle button:
- Markdown Preview: Renders your text using Markdown syntax.
- HTML Preview: Attempts to render your text as live HTML (runs in a sandboxed environment for security).
- Plain Text: Shows the raw text content.
Use the Fullscreen button ( / ) to view the preview pane in fullscreen mode. Press Escape to exit fullscreen.
Use the Zoom controls (, 100%, ) to adjust the zoom level of the content within the preview pane.

Importing and Exporting

Click the "Import" button () to select a text-based file from your computer and load its content into a new note.
Click the "Export As..." button () to open a list of file formats. Click on a format (e.g., .txt, .md, .html, .js) to download the current note's content as that file type.
Remember that for most formats, the tool simply saves the plain text content with the chosen extension. It does not perform complex formatting or validation specific to that file type (except basic HTML/Markdown rendering in preview). PDF export is not possible with this client-side-only tool.

Sidebar and Settings

Click the Toggle Sidebar button ( / ) in the main controls to show/hide the sidebar.
Access detailed settings and help topics by clicking the Settings & Help link in the sidebar.

Privacy and Data Storage

Your notes and settings are stored *only* in your browser's local storage. They are not sent to any server.
This tool works completely offline after the initial page load.
Clearing your browser's local storage or using a different browser/device will mean your notes are not available unless you manually export and import them.

Keyboard Shortcuts

See the Shortcuts modal for a list of available keyboard shortcuts to speed up your workflow.

We hope you enjoy using Universal Note!

Here are some common questions about the Universal Note:

How do I save my notes?

Your notes are automatically saved to your browser's local storage as you type and when you switch tabs or close the application. There is no manual save button needed.
Is my data secure? Where are my notes stored?

Your notes are stored *only* in your browser's local storage on your device. They are not sent to any server. This makes the tool highly private, but also means clearing your browser data will delete your notes.
Can I access my notes from another computer or browser?

No. Since notes are stored only in your local browser, you cannot access them from other devices or browsers. You would need to manually export and import them.
How do Import and Export work?

The Import function lets you load text from a file into a new note tab. The Export function lets you download the content of the current note as a file with the extension you choose from the dropdown. (Note: In this version, Import/Export are now accessible via the icon buttons in the editor controls or keyboard shortcuts).
What file formats can I export to? Are they truly formatted?

You can export to over 45 different file extensions listed in the Export menu. However, for most formats (especially code, CSV, XML, etc.), the tool simply saves the *plain text content* of your note with the chosen extension. It does *not* perform complex formatting or validation for these types. PDF export is not possible with this client-side-only tool.
Is this application really free? Are there ads or tracking?

Yes, the core application is entirely free to use. There is no login required, no user tracking, and no actual ads are currently displayed (only placeholders are included for potential future AdSense integration, which is governed by Google's policies, not ours directly).
How do I toggle Light/Dark mode?

Click the sun/moon icon in the sidebar. Your preference is saved in local storage.
How do I hide the sidebar?

Click the hamburger menu icon () in the main controls to show/hide the sidebar.
What does the "Toggle Preview" do? What are the different modes?

The preview pane shows a real-time preview of your note content. You can select the preview mode from the dropdown next to the "Toggle Preview" button:
- Markdown Preview: Renders your note content as HTML using Markdown syntax. This is the default mode for formatted notes.
- HTML Preview: Attempts to render your note content as a live HTML page. Important: For security, this runs inside a sandboxed iframe, which restricts certain actions (like accessing your local storage or navigating the main page). While sandboxing provides a layer of security, be cautious when pasting code from untrusted sources.
- Plain Text: Simply displays the raw text content of your note, preserving line breaks and spacing. Useful for viewing code or other plain text formats without rendering.
The preview does not provide syntax highlighting for different programming languages within code blocks.
How do Fullscreen and Zoom work in the preview?

When the preview pane is visible, you will see a fullscreen icon () and zoom buttons (, 100%, ) near the preview controls.
- Click the **Fullscreen** button to toggle the preview pane between its normal size and fullscreen mode. Pressing the Escape key also exits fullscreen.
- Click the **Zoom In** () or **Zoom Out** () buttons to change the zoom level of the content inside the preview pane.
- Click the **100%** button to reset the zoom level back to the default.
Your chosen preview mode, fullscreen state, and zoom level are saved in your browser's local storage.