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Just Take A Note – browser notepad that stores everything locally

Just Take A Note – browser notepad that stores everything locally

by caioricciuti·Mar 4, 2026·3 points·0 comments
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AI Analysis

●MidCozySolve My Problem

Local notepad in your browser toolbar, but Google Keep and Notion already own this problem.

Strengths
  • •Zero setup and instant 200ms launch—genuinely removes friction vs opening tabs.
  • •Combines rich text + Excalidraw sketching in one popup, useful for mixed-media notes.
  • •Minimal permissions (tabs-only) and honest privacy story with no server.
Weaknesses
  • •Crowded category: Quick Notes, Sticky Notes, and browser DevTools already do local-only notepad.
  • •localStorage alone limits sync across devices—a real limitation vs Keep/Notion for actual users.
Category
Productivity
Target Audience

Chrome users who want fast, private note-taking without cloud dependency or login friction.

Similar To

Google Keep · Notion · Quick Notes – Minimalist Notepad

Post Description

Show HN: Just Take A Note – browser notepad that stores everything locally, no cloud I built a Chrome extension for people who are tired of opening Notion/Google Keep just to write a quick thought — only to get distracted by syncing, login prompts, or the app itself. What it does:

Rich text editor (BlockNote) + drawing canvas (Excalidraw) in a browser popup Everything stored in localStorage — no server, no account, no telemetry Works offline Opens in ~200ms

Why I built it: I kept opening new tabs and typing in the URL bar as a scratchpad. That's embarrassing enough to fix. Tech stack:

Chrome Extension Manifest V3 BlockNote for rich text Excalidraw for sketches Zero backend

What I'm looking for: Honest feedback on the use case. Is "private local notepad" a real pain point or am I solving a non-problem? 193 installs with zero marketing so far — but I don't know if that's signal or noise.

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