By downloading, installing or using the Open Note application ("Application"), you agree to these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree with these Terms, do not use the Application.
Open Note is open source software distributed under the MIT License. These Terms apply to the use of the Application and any complementary services provided (such as web pages and OAuth authentication for cloud provider integration).
2. Service Description
Open Note is a local-first note-taking application designed to work entirely on the user's device, without requiring an internet connection, account creation or any dependency on external servers.
The Application allows you to:
Create, edit and organize notes in an open format (.opn.json)
Use rich text, markdown, ink (freehand annotations), code, tables and other block types
Organize notes in hierarchies of Workspace, Notebook, Section and Page
Export and import notes in Markdown format
Optionally sync data with cloud storage providers (Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox)
3. License
Open Note is licensed under the MIT License, which means you are free to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense and/or sell copies of the software, subject to the conditions of the license.
Your data is entirely yours. Open Note follows a local-first philosophy:
All data is stored locally on your device's filesystem
The Application does not collect, transmit or store any data on its own servers
There is no telemetry, analytics or tracking of any kind
The file format is open and human-readable — JSON files you can read, edit and process with any tool
Backup is as simple as copying the workspace folder
You are solely responsible for maintaining backups of your data. Open Note does not offer a remote backup service.
5. Synchronization Services
Open Note offers, on a fully optional basis, data synchronization with third-party cloud storage providers:
Google Drive (Google LLC)
OneDrive (Microsoft Corporation)
Dropbox (Dropbox, Inc.)
When you enable synchronization:
The Application will access only files created by it on the cloud provider (using minimal permissions such as drive.file or AppFolder)
Your data is transmitted directly from your device to the chosen provider, without passing through Open Note intermediary servers
The cloud provider's terms of service and privacy policies also apply to the use of synchronization
You can disconnect synchronization at any time — your local and remote data remain intact
6. Third-Party Authentication (OAuth)
To use the synchronization services, the Application uses the OAuth 2.0 protocol for secure authentication with cloud providers.
Open Note never has access to your provider passwords
Authentication occurs directly on the provider's website (Google, Microsoft or Dropbox)
Access tokens are securely stored in the operating system's keychain/keyring (Keychain on macOS, Credential Manager on Windows, Secret Service on Linux)
Tokens are never stored in plain text on the filesystem
When you disconnect a provider, tokens are revoked and removed
7. User Responsibilities
By using Open Note, you agree to:
Maintain regular backups of your data
Use the Application in compliance with applicable laws
Not use the Application to store or transmit illegal content
Be responsible for the security of your device and cloud provider access credentials
8. Disclaimer of Warranties
Open Note is provided "as is", without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement.
In no event shall the authors or copyright holders be liable for any claim, damages or other liability, whether in an action of contract, tort or otherwise, arising from, out of or in connection with the software or the use or other dealings in the software.
9. Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall the developers of Open Note be liable for:
Data loss resulting from device, filesystem or synchronization failures
Indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages
Interruption of third-party services (Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox)
Unauthorized access to your data resulting from compromise of your device
10. Changes to Terms
We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Changes will be posted on this page with the updated date. Continued use of the Application after the publication of changes constitutes acceptance of the new Terms.
Since Open Note is open source, the complete change history of this document is available in the project repository.
11. Contact
For questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us through: