A tiny menu bar scratchpad for quick drafts on macOS. ✏️
DraftBar lives in your menu bar, ready when you need to jot something down without switching apps or opening a full notes workspace.
Open DraftBar from the menu bar, capture a thought, then get back to what you were doing. You can also drag from the menu bar icon to place the note where it feels natural.
| Quick capture | Editor detail |
|---|---|
 |
 |
| Feature | What it means |
|---|---|
| 🧭 Menu bar scratchpad | Keep a quick note one click away without opening a full notes app. |
| 🪟 Floating note window | Drag it out from the menu bar, move it around, resize it, or pin it above other windows. |
| 📝 Markdown-friendly editing | Write headings, lists, task checkboxes, links, code blocks, and formulas with lightweight inline styling. |
| 💾 Local Markdown file | Your draft is saved as a plain note.md file on your Mac. |
| 🖥️ Native macOS feel | A small accessory app with a translucent floating panel and status icon states. |
- Download the latest
.dmgfrom GitHub Releases. - Open the DMG and drag DraftBar into Applications.
- Launch DraftBar. It will appear in the macOS menu bar.
- Click the menu bar icon to open your draft.
- Drag from the menu bar icon to place the floating note window.
- Use the pin button to keep the note above other windows.
- Right-click the menu bar icon to open the note file or quit DraftBar.
DraftBar stores your draft locally as a Markdown file:
~/Library/Application Support/DraftBar/note.md
There is no account, no cloud sync, and no tracking.
- Release packaging polish, such as signing and notarization, if needed
- More editor polish around Markdown workflows
Issues and suggestions are welcome. Please open an issue if DraftBar does not fit your workflow yet, or if you find a rough edge worth improving.
MIT