Research that starts messy
Collect PDFs, screenshots, copied references, and rough notes before the shape of the project is clear.
Encrypted local notebook · beta
Private notes and source material that stay on your machine.
Start with a note, keep the files around it, search the library later, and leave with readable exports or recoverable backups. The local desktop app is free and does not require an account.
— macOS and Windows beta; verify a backup before updating
Simple at the start
Open a local library and begin with a page, not a team workspace, database, or account setup.
Built for longer sessions
Notes, source files, document text search, canvases, threads, and Atlas stay connected as the work grows.
Clear exit and recovery
Use Markdown when you need readable copies, and encrypted .onbk backups when you need exact restore.
Write
Begin with a page, then let the session grow.
Write prose alongside code, math, Mermaid diagrams, tables, callouts, local files, images, and canvas references without turning a note into a separate project system.
Gather
Keep the source behind the thought.
Use Cabinet for files and media, document indexing for supported text, and search to get back to the note or source that matters later.
Connect
Stay oriented inside a larger library.
Notebooks, threads, collections, Today capture, search, and Atlas help longer work stay readable without making every private note feel like a team dashboard.
Protect
Leave cleanly, recover deliberately.
Export Markdown when you need readable files outside Onnoir. Use encrypted .onbk backups when you need a restorable copy of the local library.
Workflows
Built for work that gets complex before it becomes clear.
Onnoir is most useful when a simple note becomes a longer session with files, sources, searches, and decisions you are not ready to share.
Sensitive work before sharing
Keep client notes, early drafts, and private analysis local until you decide what belongs in a shared tool.
Long writing with sources
Write the draft while the files, document text, and recovery path stay close to the work.
Trust model
Privacy is a product decision, not a tagline.
Onnoir stores your library locally in an encrypted vault. Anonymous diagnostics are optional and never include note content, capture text, search queries, file names, media names, local paths, passphrases, recovery keys, or vault identifiers.
Encrypted at rest
The desktop vault uses a passphrase-derived key and a recovery key flow for local access.
No sign-in required
Open Onnoir into a local library. Optional online services, if added, will be opt-in.
Leave deliberately
Use readable exports when you need open files, and verified backups when you need recovery.
Optional diagnostics
Anonymous diagnostics are off unless you opt in, and never include note content, capture text, search queries, file names, media names, local paths, passphrases, recovery keys, or vault identifiers.
Explore
Find the private workflow that matches your notes.
Research library Private research library Use Onnoir as a private research library for notes, Cabinet source files, PDF and DOCX text search, OCR-readable PDFs, export, and recovery. Local-first notes Local-first notes Use Onnoir as a local-first notes app for private desktop writing, source-heavy research, export, and recovery. Encrypted notebook Encrypted desktop notebook Onnoir is an encrypted desktop notebook for private notes, longer research sessions, files, export, and recoverable local backups. No account required Private notes without an account Write private desktop notes without creating an account. Onnoir keeps the local app free, structured, exportable, and recoverable.
How it works
01
Create a local vault
Choose a passphrase and save the recovery key shown during setup.
02
Keep context nearby
Write pages, add source files, connect ideas with links and threads, and return through search when the session gets larger.
03
Keep a copy
Before updates, create and verify an encrypted backup or export Markdown for an open-format copy.
Start with the free local app.
Available for macOS and Windows with no account required. Before updates, create and verify a recoverable backup.
Questions
Is Onnoir free?+
Yes. The local desktop app is free to use, with no account required. The beta label describes release maturity, not a temporary free trial.
Where is my notebook data stored?+
In a local encrypted vault on your device. Onnoir does not host your notebook content.
Does Onnoir include sync, publishing, collaboration, or billing?+
No. The current desktop app is local-first. Sync and Publish are planned as optional services later, and collaboration and billing are not part of the local app.
What do optional diagnostics include?+
Anonymous diagnostics are opt-in and limited to app version, platform, feature area, operation result, timing bucket, and crash or fault class. They never include note content, capture text, search queries, file names, media names, local paths, passphrases, recovery keys, or vault identifiers.
Can Onnoir recover my passphrase or recovery key?+
No. Onnoir cannot reset lost passphrases or recovery keys through an account. Keep recovery material somewhere safe and verify encrypted backups before relying on them.
Can I export my notes?+
Yes. Export readable Markdown, create encrypted .onbk backups, and verify backups before installing updates.
Is Onnoir open source?+
Not currently. Onnoir is distributed as desktop installers, with privacy details, export options, and backup tools documented on this site.
Which platforms are supported?+
Onnoir supports macOS and Windows. Linux packages are planned later.