Get started with PINote: menu bar notes on Mac

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PINote is a Mac menu bar app. After you open it, look in the menu bar — not the Dock — for the PINote icon. Click it, write a note, and get back to the app you were using.

You do not need a PINote account. Notes stay on your Mac, and you can read and write them offline.

Jump to: Install · Find the icon · First note · Shortcut · If the window is missing

1. Install PINote

1. Download PINote from the Mac App Store. macOS 14 Sonoma or later is required, on Apple silicon or Intel.
2. Open PINote from Launchpad or Spotlight the first time, so macOS can place the icon in the menu bar.
3. Optional: turn on Settings → General → Launch at Login so PINote is ready after you sign in.

The free version includes the full Markdown editor, search, attachments, import, export, and backups. It keeps up to 9 notes. Pro is a one-time in-app purchase for unlimited notes and folder sync.

2. Find the menu bar icon

The PINote icon sits among the other status items on the right side of the menu bar. Click it to show or hide the note window.

If the icon is missing:

• Open PINote once from Launchpad. Menu bar apps do not stay in the Dock.
• Check whether macOS has hidden extra status items behind the menu bar notch, or in Control Center.
• Confirm PINote is still running in Activity Monitor if you quit it accidentally.

You can also hide or show the window from the keyboard, without clicking the icon.

3. Write your first note

1. Click + to create a note.
2. Give it a specific title, such as “Today” or “Website launch”.
3. Type the useful details first. Add a heading or a checklist when the note needs structure.
4. Open the note list to search and switch notes. In a narrow window, choosing a note folds the list away so you can keep writing.

Try a weekly plan, meeting note, or release checklist if you want a starting shape. Those files are ordinary Markdown; import them or paste the parts you need.

4. Open PINote from any app

The default global shortcut is ⌥⌘N. It shows or hides the note window while you are in another app.

Change it in Settings → Quick Open if that combination is already used on your Mac. ⌥⌘S shows or hides the note list inside PINote; that shortcut is also customizable.

See the keyboard shortcuts for import, export, formatting, and Trash.

If you opened PINote and nothing appeared

PINote does not open a document window in the Dock. Look at the menu bar, then press ⌥⌘N. If the window was collapsed, click the floating icon on the desktop to restore it.

The note window remembers its size and position. Drag an edge when you need more room; use the minus button when you want the window out of the way.

What to do next

• Learn the Markdown editor: slash menu, math, images, and attachments.
• See where notes are stored, and how export, backup, and folder sync differ.
• Open the help guide for Pro, restore purchase, and troubleshooting.

Download PINote for Mac