Menu-bar capture
Open the app from the macOS menu bar or a customizable shortcut and save a note without navigating to a separate application window.
Thoughts
Freemium
Thoughts is a native macOS note-taking app that lives in the menu bar, letting you quickly save text, voice recordings, images, screenshots, links, and video notes. It is designed for capturing ideas without an account or subscription, with optional AI tools powered by a provider key you supply.
What is Thoughts?
Thoughts is a native macOS note-taking app that runs from the menu bar. It provides a fast place to capture text, checklists, links, images, screenshots, voice recordings, and video notes, with notes saved locally on the Mac and no account required.
The app is intended for moments when opening a full note system would add friction. A menu-bar popover, customizable shortcut, pinned mode, and drag-and-drop capture support quick entry from other Mac applications. Notes can later be searched, edited, shared, or exported.
AI tools are optional and use an OpenAI, Gemini, or Claude API key supplied by the user. Available actions vary by note type and include text refinement, translation, summarization, transcription, and image text extraction.
What can Thoughts do?
Multiple note formats
Create structured text notes with headings, lists, checklists, and code blocks, or save links, images, screenshots, voice recordings, and video notes.
Voice and image transcription
Record audio for later playback or transcription, and extract editable, searchable text from images when an eligible AI provider is connected.
Search and pinned mode
Search note text, checklists, link previews, and filenames. Pin Thoughts above other windows to keep it visible during capture and drag-and-drop workflows.
Optional provider-based AI tools
With an OpenAI, Gemini, or Claude API key, use actions such as summarize, shorten, lengthen, fix spelling, translate, change case, transcribe, and extract text.
Sharing and export
Share text notes through macOS share targets, export individual notes as TXT, image, PDF, or MP3 files when applicable, or export the full library as JSON.
Use Cases
“Capture fleeting ideas”
Use the menu-bar popover to save a short thought, reminder, link, or checklist immediately, then leave it in the feed for later review rather than organizing it first.
“Turn spoken thoughts into notes”
Record a voice memo from the app, replay it later, and use automatic or on-demand transcription to turn the recording into editable text when an OpenAI or Gemini key is configured.
“Extract text from screenshots and images”
Drag an image or screenshot into Thoughts and use image text extraction or conversion to create searchable, editable content while retaining the original image note.
“Refine working text”
Use the AI actions on a draft or captured note to summarize it, correct spelling, translate it, adjust its length, or change its letter case before sharing or exporting.
“Keep reference material accessible”
Save links, filenames, images, and other captured material in the local notes feed, then use search, pinning, sharing, or export to retrieve and move it into another workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Thoughts free to use?
Yes. The site states that Thoughts is free to download and use, with future updates included. AI actions require the user to connect an OpenAI, Gemini, or Claude API key.
Do I need an account to use Thoughts?
No account is required. In the desktop app, notes and settings are saved locally on the Mac, and media files are stored in the app's user data folder.
How do I install and open Thoughts?
Open the downloaded Thoughts DMG file, drag the app into the Applications folder, and launch it. The app then appears in the macOS menu bar; click its icon to open the popover.
Which AI providers does Thoughts support?
The documentation lists OpenAI, Gemini, and Claude. Claude supports text actions, while voice transcription requires OpenAI or Gemini. AI keys are entered in Settings and stored locally.
Can I export my notes?
Yes. Settings can export all notes as JSON. Individual notes can be exported in an applicable format such as TXT, an image file, PDF, or MP3, and text notes can be sent to macOS share targets.
Quick Facts
- Platform
- Native macOS app
- Access
- Menu bar and customizable shortcut
- Storage
- Notes and settings stored locally on the Mac
- Capture types
- Text, checklists, links, images, screenshots, audio, and video notes
- Pricing
- Free to download and use; future updates included
- AI setup
- Bring an OpenAI, Gemini, or Claude API key for AI actions
Thoughts Traffic Analysis
Traffic data is for reference only.
- Domain Rating
- 4
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