FUTO Notes

FUTO

About this app

FUTO Notes is a note taking app that gets out of your way. No sign-in required to use, and it's all available offline. Private, secure, fast.

📁 Your notes are plain Markdown files in a real folder you own — open them in Files, back them up, and sync them with any app.

YOUR NOTES ARE FILES, NOT DATABASE ROWS

FUTO Notes works directly on a folder of Markdown (.md) files on your device: Documents/FUTO Notes. It opens, edits, renames, moves, organizes and deletes those files in place — including notes and folders it did not create, such as an existing vault you copied over from a computer, or files written into the folder by a backup or sync app while FUTO Notes is running. There is no import step and no proprietary database. The folder is the app.

That means you can:
• Edit the exact same notes in the Files app, on your computer, or in any other Markdown editor
• Drop an existing folder of .md files onto your phone and have it just work
• Back the whole folder up with any tool you already use
• Keep every note even if you uninstall

WHY FUTO NOTES NEEDS ALL FILES ACCESS

Reading and managing that document folder is what the app is for. It needs ongoing read and write access to a folder of Markdown documents in shared storage — including files it did not create and changes made to them by you or by other apps. Android's MediaStore covers only media files (photos, video, audio) and only entries an app created itself, so it cannot hold a vault of Markdown documents.

FUTO Notes therefore asks for the "All files access" special permission. You grant it yourself in Android Settings, after a screen that explains exactly what it is for — it is never granted at install. Beyond that, the app requests only internet access, and only for optional sync.

OPTIONAL END-TO-END ENCRYPTED SYNC

Turn on sync and your folder stays in step across your devices. Note contents are encrypted on your device before they are ever uploaded, so the server only ever holds opaque data. Sync is off until you turn it on, and you can point it at a server you host yourself.

Ratings and reviews

Good looking app so far! It would be nice to optionally be able to move the notes directory out of the app into shared storage so other apps like launchers could use some notes as widgets. As is, the only way to move note files out is one by one or via the sync server. The markdown editing feels great, but it'd also be nicer that it could optionally pull in any markdown files put in the folder assigned to it, and also function as a editor available to edit text type files.

It took me a few minutes to figure out how to use this app, but I already like it enough to have it replace Samsung Notes which I've used for years. I gave it 4 stars because the toolbar wasn't showing when I first installed it. I already really dig the features it has (Check Boxes, Bulleted Lists, etc.) I appreciate having an alternative notes app!

This is only my initial impression, not a full review as the app is going through active development. Love the true FOSS note taking app with the ability to self-host. For just USD5 per month, we can get a server to store notes remotely and sync across devices. There are a lot of improvements to make. For example, currently, there is no way to rename a folder. Since the app is in active development, I can't complain. This will be my go-to notes in a few months from now.