No accounts, no hidden copies
When you open notesonline.org, there’s no login flow and no backend database waiting to grab your text. Autosave runs entirely in the browser, so closing the tab, going offline, or working in a spotty connection doesn’t put your notes at risk—or send them anywhere. We don’t ship telemetry on what you type, and we have nothing server-side to peek at.
Local by default
We use your device’s localStorage to keep notes available between sessions. That’s a deliberate choice: it keeps control in your hands. If you never export, your words never leave your machine. If you want a backup, you export on your terms. There is no “shadow sync” or background upload happening behind the scenes.
Exports you control
When you’re ready to move notes elsewhere, you pick the format—TXT, Markdown, or HTML—or export everything at once. Exports are generated in your browser and download directly to you; we don’t proxy, store, or inspect the files. To move to a new device, just “Export All” and then import that file on the new browser to keep going.
Safe paste and import
Copying from the web, Google Docs, or Word can smuggle in scripts and event handlers. Our sanitizer strips scripts, inline event handlers, and javascript: URLs before the content ever touches storage. That keeps your notebook clean and reduces the chance of malicious payloads hiding in your notes.
Offline-friendly by design
Because everything is local, the app works offline. Autosave continues to protect your changes, and exports wait until you trigger a download. If your connection drops mid-session, you won’t leak data or lose work; it all stays in the browser until you choose otherwise.
What we don’t collect
We don’t collect the content of your notes. We don’t run analytics on what you write. The only state we keep lives in your browser: your notes, pinning, and light metadata like “last edited” to make your workspace feel consistent. Clear site data and it’s gone—so export before clearing if you need a backup.
Practical tips to stay private
- Export regularly to your own storage—cloud, USB, repo. You choose the backup strategy.
- Before clearing browser data or switching devices, use Export All so nothing gets lost.
- Keep your browser up to date; notesonline.org inherits the security of the browser you use.
- Be mindful when pasting from untrusted sources; our sanitizer helps, but caution is smart.
Why local-first beats “convenient” cloud
Cloud sync can be convenient, but it introduces trust, attack surface, and retention questions. Local-first flips that script: your browser is both the runtime and the storage engine. We don’t possess your data to lose, sell, or subpoena. If you want sync, you can choose your own path by exporting to your storage of choice.
Our promise
We’ll keep building features that respect your time and your privacy. That means staying transparent about what the app does, keeping data on your device by default, and giving you clear controls to move your words wherever you want. notesonline.org should feel like a private notebook that just happens to live in your browser—fast, focused, and firmly under your control.