Open source note taking program

KeyNote is a free, open-source notes organization program for accessing any information. Developed by Tranglos software, this business & productivity tool helps in organizing your notes one click at a time. 

KeyNote is also a simple yet open-source digital notebook, able to be configurable depending on the user’s needs. Don’t let its lightweight build fool you as this digital notebook can be powerful in the right hands, able to store lists, multi-tab notes, create, and track projects or work in its dedicated memory.  

Get organized 

KeyNote is a free-form multi multi-tabbed digital notebook that excels at storing information in lists, outlines, or grids. Keep track of finances, create outlines for homework or work projects, and more. The program is always available even if you're working on another program. Open a notebook anywhere and access the information you've stored inside! Once you start using it, you'll find a multitude of uses for its dynamic program.  

The program’s simple interface and right-out-of-the-box functionality make it a strong candidate for your note-taking needs. Best of all, the program is open source, which means that the code can be modified and customized to your liking if you are a programmer. While it functions well, the interface can be boring to navigate as the program itself is old and has not received graphical changes or updates for the past few years.  

Stay secure 

On top of being versatile, KeyNote makes use of either Blowfish or IDEA encryption algorithms to keep your information safe. Don't feel like you can't keep sensitive information like work project notes or financial information in your KeyNote notebooks. All of these features are offered up for free. While it may feel dated visually, it prioritizes function: information loads quickly, and the tree-structured organization is intuitive. 

As a native Windows application, KeyNote runs smoothly even on older hardware, with fast loading times and minimal memory usage. It handles large notebooks without lag and reliably encrypts and stores data locally or on shared drives. Since it's a free and open-source tool, updates rely on volunteer developers. Note that support comes primarily from the community; there’s no formal technical support team for users looking for more formal solutions. 

A reliable classic for digital note-taking 

KeyNote remains a strong contender for those seeking a free, secure, and highly customizable digital notebook. Its tree-style organization, powerful encryption, and minimal resource usage make it ideal for productivity-focused users who value function over flash. While its interface may feel dated and lacks active development, its open-source nature and reliability make it a great option for power users and programmers. 

  • Pros

    • Free and open source
    • Strong encryption (Blowfish or IDEA)
    • Multi-tabbed notes and tree structure
    • Lightweight and fast even on old hardware
  • Cons

    • Lightweight and fast even on old hardware
    • No official support team
    • Limited modern features or UI updates
 0/2

App specs

  • License

    Free

  • Version

    1.6.5

  • Latest update

  • Platform

    Windows

    Other platforms (3)
  • OS

    Windows XP

  • Language

    English

  • Downloads

    153.6K

    Last month's downloads

    • 224
  • Size

    1.67 MB

  • Developer

    • Tranglos

Also available in other platforms

Program available in other languages


Icon of program: KeyNote

KeyNote for PC

  • Free
  • 3
    379
  • 153.6K
  • V1.6.5

User reviews about KeyNote

3

3 reviews

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Main reviews for you

  • Anonymous user

    A very useful program. Makes it easy to organize, link, sort, and present information. For example, I use it to work on a book I'm writing. The folders in this program are all visible from the sidebar, so I put a chapter in each of them and can easily switch between them as I'm working. I can also use links in the pages to other pages in any forlder, (I use this to link the pages in my chapters to my sketch pages where I've written my ideas for the chapters and back again, so my sketches can be messy while my actual writing remains clear). It's also easy to incorporate illustrations, graphs, etc. into my work. This program is very flexible and I can see people using it for many applications. The only things outdated about it are the graphics which probably haven't been updated since about 2001.

  • Anonymous user

    Very outdated (2001 i think), i dont know why anybody would need this program in 2019

  • Anonymous user

    A useful program !!. this program i found out is a very useful program....i use it to store my text files plus it also features encryption to keep your private information .... private. Pros: beautiful layout , unlimited notes and very handy. Cons: somewhat of a learning curve

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Is KeyNote safe?

100/100

Score result: Clean

This file passed a comprehensive security scan using VirusTotal technology. It is safe to download.

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Scan Info

Last scan
Friday, September 18, 2020
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File Integrity

File
kntsetup_165.exe
SHA256
dd7bec2877635f14d20fb71ce2d31baae527704c0560cf5e6c5be1ce3d02938b
SHA1
d333279f5779a3c8e04e0ff81d6a5ad89dab18b3

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KeyNote has been thoroughly scanned by our advanced security systems and verified by industry-leading partners. This file comes from the official developer and has passed all our security checks, showing no signs of viruses, malware, or spyware. For more information, visit our Security and Trust Center