Skip to main content

Features

Floatnote is packed with tools for drawing, annotating, and note-taking on a transparent overlay.

Drawing​

Freehand drawing with full control over appearance:

  • Pen tool: Draw freely with mouse or trackpad
  • Color picker: Choose any color for your strokes
  • Pen size: Adjustable stroke width
  • Eraser: Remove strokes by drawing over them (press E)

Shapes​

Draw precise geometric shapes from the shape dropdown:

  • Rectangle: Click and drag to draw rectangles
  • Circle: Click and drag to draw circles/ellipses
  • Triangle: Click and drag to draw triangles
  • Line: Click and drag to draw straight lines
  • Arrow: Click and drag to draw arrows with directional heads

Access shapes by clicking the shape tool in the toolbar or pressing S.

Shape Manipulation​

Interact with shapes after drawing them:

  • Select mode: Click the pointer tool to enter select mode
  • Select a shape: Click on any shape to select it (shows handles)
  • Move: Drag a selected shape to reposition it
  • Resize: Drag corner handles to resize proportionally
  • Rotate: Use the rotation handle to rotate the shape
  • Change color: Selected shapes can have their color changed
  • Delete: Press Delete/Backspace to remove a selected shape

Text Overlays​

Add text anywhere on the canvas:

  • Add text: Press T or double-click on the canvas
  • Edit: Click on existing text to edit it
  • Move: Drag text items to reposition
  • Multi-line: Text supports multiple lines

Multi-Note System​

Organize your work across multiple canvases:

  • Create note: Press Cmd+N to add a new note
  • Switch notes: Use Left/Right arrow keys to navigate
  • Delete note: Press Cmd+W to remove current note
  • Independent canvases: Each note has its own drawings, text, and shapes
  • Persistent: All notes are saved automatically

Gestures (Trackpad)​

Natural trackpad gestures for canvas navigation:

  • Pinch-to-zoom: Two-finger pinch to zoom in/out
  • Pan: Two-finger drag to pan the canvas
  • Rotate: Two-finger rotate gesture to rotate the view
  • Reset: Press Cmd+0 to reset zoom and position

Clipboard Support​

Paste content directly onto the canvas:

  • Paste text: Cmd+V pastes clipboard text as a text overlay
  • Paste images: Cmd+V pastes clipboard images onto the canvas
  • Drag and drop: Drop image files onto the canvas

Freeze View​

Lock the canvas to prevent accidental changes:

  • Press F to toggle freeze mode
  • While frozen, drawing and gestures are disabled
  • The canvas position and zoom are locked
  • Useful during presentations or when viewing annotations

Export​

Save your work in various formats:

  • PNG export: Press Cmd+E to save the current canvas as PNG
  • Export location: Saves to your Desktop
  • Full canvas: Exports the entire canvas content

Window Modes​

Control how Floatnote appears on screen:

  • Always on top: Window stays above all other windows
  • Pin mode: Keep the window pinned even when focus changes
  • Background modes: Transparent, semi-transparent, or opaque
  • Window sizes: Small (33%x50%), Medium (33%x100%), Large (50%x100%)

Data Persistence​

Your work is automatically saved:

  • Auto-save: Changes save automatically as you work
  • Local storage: Data stored in ~/.config/floatnote/floatnote-data.json
  • No cloud: Your data stays on your machine
  • Survives restarts: All notes persist between app launches