Note Taking

Master the core of Plainpad — creating, editing, organizing, and searching your notes.

Creating a Note

To create a new note:

  1. Click the New Note button (or use the + icon) in the note list panel
  2. Give your note a title
  3. Start writing in the editor
  4. Your note saves automatically as you type

Writing with Markdown Premium

Out of the box, Plainpad stores notes as plain text. Rich Markdown editing with live preview is available as a premium enhancement we can add to your installation. Once enabled, it lets you add structure and emphasis without leaving the keyboard:

Text Formatting

# Heading 1
## Heading 2
### Heading 3

**Bold text**
*Italic text*
~~Strikethrough~~

Lists

- Unordered item 1
- Unordered item 2

1. Ordered item 1
2. Ordered item 2

- [ ] Task (unchecked)
- [x] Task (completed)

Links and Images

[Link text](https://example.com)
![Image alt text](https://example.com/image.png)

Code

Inline `code` in a sentence.

```
Code block
with multiple lines
```

Blockquotes

> This is a quoted block of text.
> It can span multiple lines.

Searching Notes

Plainpad lets you quickly filter your notes as you type:

  • Click the search bar at the top of the note list
  • Type your search query — results filter in real time
  • Search matches both note titles and content
  • Clear the search to return to your full note list

Tip: Use specific keywords for more precise results. Search matches the title and content of your notes.

Organizing Notes

The note list shows all your notes sorted by the most recently updated. To keep things organized:

  • Use descriptive titles so you can identify notes at a glance
  • Keep longer notes broken into clearly labelled sections
  • Use the search feature as a quick filter instead of manually scrolling

Deleting Notes

To delete a note:

  1. Select the note from the note list
  2. Click the Delete button (trash icon)
  3. Confirm the deletion when prompted

Note: Deleted notes cannot be recovered. Make sure you no longer need a note before deleting it.

Keyboard Shortcuts

For power users, Plainpad supports common keyboard shortcuts:

  • Ctrl + N — Create a new note
  • Ctrl + S — Force save the current note
  • Ctrl + F — Focus the search bar

Working Offline Premium

Plainpad ships with Progressive Web App foundations, but full offline access is not enabled by default. Offline editing with background sync — so notes you create or edit offline sync when your device reconnects — is available as a premium enhancement we enable and configure for your installation.

Tips for Power Users

  • Use descriptive section labels to give longer notes a clear structure
  • Enable encryption for sensitive notes like passwords, personal journals, or confidential work notes
  • Use specific, descriptive titles so search results are easier to scan
  • Ask us about premium enhancements such as Markdown editing and offline PWA access