After downloading, open the file, and drag and drop the HotNotes app onto the Applications folder.

Intro

• Hot Notes is an app that opens your Apple Notes using fast fuzzy search
• The search window can be opened from anywhere using a keyboard shortcut.
• These videos can also be watched on YouTube in a higher resolution.

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/252dd85b-2e64-4d60-a7d6-97af40216ad2

• Note: The videos have audio.
• Tip: When searching use the first two letters of each word. No space is needed.
  • E.g. Finding a note titled "Exporting Artwork", you can find it with "exar".
  • You can typically directly match the note you are looking for with a 4 letter search.

Installing

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/3038b680-dff5-437b-b0cb-54ee623769c7

Create a keyboard shortcut to open Hot Notes

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/564d0bff-d619-4335-9ebf-97eec93bec5f

• Note: You can also use an app called Raycast to assign Hot Notes a global shortcut. Raycast seems to be more reliable and slightly faster to open apps than Apple Shortcuts.

How Hot Notes differs from other Apple Note jumpers

• Stays fast with large numbers of folders and notes.

  • It has been tested with 10,000 folders and notes, and should perform ok with higher numbers.

• Fuzzy search.

  • This allows you to type just the first few letters of any words to find a match.

• No key logging.

  • Hot Notes uses the Apple Shortcuts program for launching, so it does not need to key log all of your keystrokes to watch for a keyboard shortcut.

• No full disk access.

  • Some of the other jumper programs use the Full Disk Access permission which lets them read and write all of your files and data on your Mac.
  • Hot Notes just requests access to the directory with your Apple Notes.

• Does not connect to the internet.

  • Hot Notes does not connect to the internet for any reason.

• Signed code only.

  • Hot Notes is notarized by Apple.
  • See What is Apple Notarization.
  • Other apps have plugin systems which means they download new code that is not checked by Apple, and developers may not be verified.

What is Apple Notarization

Hot Notes is notarized by Apple, which has the following benefits:

• It has been scanned and verified to be malware free.
• The app cannot be modified in any way, so the code that was checked by Apple is the code that runs.
• The developer ID is verified.
• Apple can remotely disable any apps found to contain malware in the future.

This is the message that confirms the app is notarized.

FAQ

• Does Hot Notes change my Notes data?

  • No, Hot Notes only opens your Notes data in read-only mode.

• Is my data safe?

  • Hot Notes does not connect to the internet, so your Notes never leave your machine.
  • Hot Notes is a "signed" app which means there is no "code added later" dynamically that can change the "do not connect to the internet" logic.
  • Because of Apple's Notarization system, Apple can remotely delete signed apps from your Mac if they're later found to be malicious.
  • There are no auto-updates, updates occur manually by downloading the newer version from this page.

• How can I delete Hot Notes?

  • You can uninstall by deleting this folder: /Applications/HotNotes.app.

• Is it free?

  • Hot Notes is a fully functioning, time-unlimited free trial, with the occasional message to buy a license for continued use.
  • You can purchase a license by clicking the About Hot Notes menu item in the app.

• Does it take a lot of space on my Mac?

  • Hot Notes is less than 40MB, which is around the same size as ten photos.

• How can I contact you?

  • Issues for bugs.
  • Discussions for feedback or feature requests.
  • enzom.dev.