Start with the sentence that matters.
You do not need another folder, workspace, or system. Sometimes you need a blank page, a few quiet minutes, and a place that will still be there when you come back.
That is Aparte.
A native writing pad for macOS
One place to think.
Press Option-Space from anywhere. Aparte quiets the screen and gives you one clear page. Write what you need, copy it, save it, then press Escape and go back to work.
macOS 14 or later · Apple silicon and Intel · Free and MIT licensed
Why I built it
The fastest way back to the thought.
Most writing apps begin with a choice: where to put the note, what to name it, which project it belongs to. Aparte begins with the cursor. The same shortcut brings back the same page, exactly where you left it.
Open it anywhere
Option-Space places the pad over whatever you are doing and dims the rest of the screen.
Write without setup
Bold, italic, underline, links, lists, and headings are there when you need them.
Leave without losing it
Aparte saves one local Markdown document automatically. Escape hides the pad, not the work.
Local by design
Your writing stays on your Mac.
Aparte has no account, cloud service, analytics, advertising, or network connection. It stores one Markdown document locally. Copy it when you need the text somewhere else, or save a separate Markdown file through the standard macOS panel.
- No sign-in
- No telemetry
- No subscription
- No third-party dependencies
Install
Download, drag, write.
- 1
Download Aparte
Open the signed and notarized disk image.
- 2
Move it to Applications
Drag Aparte onto the Applications folder.
- 3
Press Option-Space
The pad opens with the cursor ready.
Details
A few honest answers.
Is Aparte a notes app?
No. There are no notebooks, folders, tags, or search. Aparte keeps one working document.
What happens when I quit?
Your document is saved locally and returns the next time you open Aparte.
Can I take the writing elsewhere?
Yes. Copy it as Markdown, or save a Markdown file anywhere you choose.
Is it open source?
Yes. The source is public on GitHub under the MIT License.