Tired of note-taking apps cluttered with distracting features? Here's a handpicked selection of minimalist note-taking apps.
If you're looking for note-taking apps that aren't littered with distracting features, you're in the right place. While many modern note-taking apps offer some benefits, they often involve unnecessary features that can waste your time.
Whether you want to heighten your focus while writing or jot things down quickly, these apps all have something to offer. Keep reading to explore the best distraction-free note-taking apps for Windows.
1. Simplenote
Simplenote's sidebar keeps your notes neatly organized in a list view. You can sort your notes alphabetically or by the date they were modified. There's also a pinning feature to pin important notes to the top of your workspace.
You can search for note titles or tags using the simple search tool. If you want to restore a previous version of a page, Simplenote's history tool makes this no issue: Drag the button across the timeline to preview different versions of your page across time.
Download: Simplenote (Free)
2. Joplin
Joplin offers all the essentials of note-taking software without overloading you with features. The basic WYSIWYG editor is great if you're unfamiliar with Markdown and want a clear view of your notes as you type.
Joplin is a great lightweight alternative to Evernote, offering its core features while being easy to navigate. The app offers one of the simplest to-do list features—just tap the New to-do button, and Joplin will add a new to-do item to your notes list.
You can access basic features such as heading sizes, a highlighter, and a quote tool on the formatting ribbon. There's also a spell-checker with several languages available. Thanks to the Joplin mobile app, you can also access notes on the go.
Download: Joplin (Free, subscription available)
3. Standard Notes
Standard Notes is a fast note-taking app for jotting down ideas
hassle-free. It offers the simplicity of Windows Notepad while giving
you a little more customization of how you want your notes to appear.
This plain text editor is an excellent option if you don't prioritize
formatting notes in fine detail.The layout is easily adjustable, so you can change how your workspace appears. You can drag the sidebar, notes list, and editing window to a preferable size, and you can toggle Focus Mode to bring your writing into focus.
You don't need to organize your notes straight away in Standard Notes—you can easily view all notes from the Untagged window. If security is a priority, Standard Notes offers encryption to keep your notes safe.
Download: Standard Notes (Free, subscription available)
4. FocusWriter
FocusWriter stands out as a free, open-source note-taking app that takes distraction-free writing to the next level. Unlike other note-taking apps, the editing ribbon and sidebar are both hidden until your cursor hovers over them. This creates a unique, immersive writing experience, taking your writing to the center of attention.
The app provides multiple themes to customize your writing's appearance, including Gentle Blues, Old School, and Writing Desk. To help boost your productivity while writing, you can set goals based on time or a word count on the Preferences tab.
You can easily switch between tabs by hovering your mouse at the bottom of the editing window. Here, you can also find a word count and a timer feature to help you commit to undistracted work.
Download: FocusWriter (Free)
5. Zim
Zim offers a wiki-like structure that lets you store and organize notes effortlessly. The distraction-free interface offers plenty of space for writing while offering all the essential editing features.
One of Zim's standout features is the ability to reference other note pages within a document. This makes navigation around your workspace easy and cuts time searching through notes.
Zim provides various editing tools to help you write clean notes. You can break writing up using five different heading sizes and emphasize text using the highlighter tool. You can toggle the side panes on and off to make your writing full-screen.
Download: Zim (Free)
6. GhostWriter
Ghostwriter is a simple yet impressive Markdown editor for Windows. It offers a basic editing window and a live Markdown preview page, so you can easily track changes.The app offers a distraction-free writing experience with features like full-screen writing. If you want to stop continuously jumping back and making edits, you can use the Hemingway Mode that disables the backspace key to encourage forward progress. Another feature you can experiment with is the Focus Mode. This feature highlights text where your cursor is placed, allowing you to remain present while typing. You can choose to highlight a single line, sentence, or paragraph.
Ghostwriter is a great choice if you're starting with Markdown and want to keep distractions at bay. With finishing touches like a dark mode and spell checker, Ghostwriter is a convenient option for all your writing preferences.
Download: Ghostwriter (Free)
7. Workflowy
A standout feature of Workflowy is the ability to zoom in and out of bullets. Simply click a bullet to view any ideas you've made underneath it in full screen. The indentation system enables you to easily break down ideas.
If you prefer writing without viewing on-screen elements, you can disable the sidebar for more writing space. You can also tidy messy notes using the Collapse All tool. This breaks down your page into the primary headings, making it easy to navigate.
Download: Workflowy (Free, subscription available)
Limit Distractions With These Simple Note-Taking Apps for Windows
One common misconception in the world of technology is the more features a piece of software has, the better it will be. This isn't always the case, especially if you're a writer looking to boost your focus.
Get in the zone and tune out distractions with these simple yet effective note-taking apps.
Source: https://www.makeuseof.com/best-distraction-free-note-taking-apps-for-windows/
