Is HelixNotes free and open source?
Yes. HelixNotes is completely free, with no paid tier, no trial, and no account. It is open source under the AGPL-3.0 license, and the full code is on Codeberg for anyone to read or audit.
How does HelixNotes differ from Obsidian?
Both apps keep notes in local Markdown files. Obsidian offers a large plugin ecosystem; HelixNotes instead includes rich editing, tasks, calendars, Mermaid diagrams, and math out of the box. HelixNotes is built with Rust and Tauri, and is free and open source under AGPL-3.0.
Which platforms does it run on?
HelixNotes runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, and Android.
macOS says HelixNotes is "damaged" and can't be opened. How do I fix it?
The app isn't damaged. The macOS build isn't notarized by Apple yet, so on Apple Silicon Macs Gatekeeper turns that into a "damaged" error, and the usual "Open Anyway" button in System Settings doesn't appear. To open it, run this once in Terminal:
xattr -cr /Applications/HelixNotes.app
Then open HelixNotes normally. You only need to redo this after each update, until notarization is set up so it stops happening for everyone.
Windows shows "Windows protected your PC" and blocks the installer. How do I run it?
The installer isn't code-signed yet, so SmartScreen has no reputation for it and may show a "Windows protected your PC" warning.
This is a signing and reputation warning, not a malware finding. To continue, click More info, then Run anyway. The source is available on Codeberg if you want to inspect or build it yourself.
Where are my notes stored, and is my data private?
Your notes are plain Markdown (.md)
files in a folder you choose, on your own device. No
cloud, no account, no telemetry. You can open, edit,
back up, or move them with any other tool. Nothing
leaves your machine unless you turn on an optional
feature like sync or AI.
How do I sync between devices?
Two options. HelixNotes includes optional WebDAV sync to your own server (Nextcloud, ownCloud, a NAS, or any WebDAV endpoint): set it up in Settings > Sync, manual or automatic, with keep-both conflict copies. There is still no HelixNotes cloud and no account.
If you prefer, your notes are just files in a folder, so Syncthing, Dropbox, rsync, or Git work too. HelixNotes watches the filesystem for external changes and picks them up automatically, so when another device edits a file the editor updates itself.
Can I import my existing notes?
Yes. HelixNotes reads standard Markdown, so an
existing folder of .md files works
as-is. There is also a built-in Obsidian import that
converts wiki links and image embeds.
I'm not a fan of AI features. Can I disable them?
AI features are disabled by default. You can toggle them on or off with a single click in Settings, so if you never want them, you never see them.
My virus scanner flags HelixNotes as possibly malicious. Why should I trust it?
False positives on app bundles are common, and reputable scanners sometimes flag well-known tools like 7-Zip the same way. HelixNotes is open source, so the code can be audited by anyone, and you can build it yourself from source if you prefer.
Do you have plans to add views like a Kanban board?
It is a view we would love to add, though not right away. In the meantime, the Tasks view already offers list and calendar layouts.
Is this the same project as Helix, the text editor?
No. HelixNotes is a completely separate project, with no affiliation to Helix the text editor.
Still have a question?
Ask in the community, or read the full documentation.