Zorza Notes
Private · Local-first · Open source

Zorza Notes

Your thoughts belong to you.

A calm, private notebook for Windows and macOS. Your notes live on your own computer: encrypted, instantly searchable and always yours. No account to create. No cloud to trust. Just open it and write.

Download for Windows Download for macOS View on GitHub

Version · Free and open source · MIT licensed

Features

Everything a notebook needs. Nothing it doesn't.

Zorza does the essentials well: write, organize, find, protect and take your words anywhere.

Notebooks & notes

Gather notes into simple notebooks. No nested workspaces and nothing to set up: just a place for everything.

Encrypted at rest

Your notebook is kept in an encrypted database on your computer, unlocked by a password only you know.

Fast full-text search

Find any note in an instant. Search runs entirely on your machine, powered by SQLite FTS5.

Saves as you type

No save button to remember. Changes are kept automatically, including when you switch notes or close the app.

Markdown in and out

Import folders of Markdown files, and export everything back out as plain, portable text whenever you like.

Light & dark modes

A bright page for daytime and a gentle dark mode for late nights. Zorza remembers your choice.

Comfortable to read

Larger text sizes and your choice of fonts make long writing sessions easier on the eyes.

Clickable links

Web addresses in your notes are detected automatically and open straight in your browser.

Fully offline

No internet connection needed. Your notes are there wherever your computer is.

Getting started

Writing in under a minute.

There's no sign-up form and no tour to sit through.

Download Zorza

Get the installer for Windows or macOS. Everything it needs is included, so there's nothing else to install.

Choose a password

On first launch, pick the password that encrypts your notebook. It stays on your computer.

Start writing

Create a notebook, add a note and go. Zorza saves as you type.

Privacy by design

Your computer.
Your database.
Your notes.

Zorza Notes is a desktop app, not a website wrapped around an account. There's nothing to sign up for and no server holding a copy of your writing.

Privacy isn't a setting you have to go looking for. It's how Zorza is built.

Encrypted local storage.
Notes are encrypted at rest, so a copy of your database file can't simply be opened and read.
No mandatory account.
Open Zorza and start writing. That's it.
No mandatory cloud.
Your notebook doesn't depend on anyone else's server.
Works offline.
Everything works without an internet connection.
Yours to take with you.
Export to ordinary Markdown files at any time.
Questions

Good to know

Is Zorza Notes free?

Yes. Zorza Notes is free, open-source software released under the MIT License. There's no subscription and nothing to unlock.

Where are my notes stored?

In an encrypted database on your own computer. On macOS that's ~/Library/Application Support/Zorza Notes/, and on Windows %LOCALAPPDATA%\Zorza Notes\.

Do I need an account or an internet connection?

No to both. Zorza works entirely on your computer, without an account and without going online.

Can I get my notes out of Zorza?

Any time. Export all your notes as ordinary Markdown files that open in any text editor or notes app. Exported files aren't encrypted, so store them somewhere safe.

What if I forget my password?

Your password is what unlocks your encrypted notebook, and Zorza has no account or server that could reset it. Keep it somewhere safe, and consider exporting a Markdown backup from time to time.

Open source

MIT licensed, out in the open.

Every line of Zorza Notes is on GitHub to read, check, adapt and improve. You don't have to take our word on privacy; you can look for yourself.

View Zorza Notes on GitHub
Version

Start writing.

Download Zorza Notes for Windows or macOS. It's free, it's private, and no account is required.

Download Windows MSI Download macOS DMG