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Scratch Notepad

An auto-saving plain-text notepad that stays in your browser between visits

Free · No sign-up required

A notepad that is actually just a text field

Sometimes the fastest place to paste a piece of text, jot a quick note, or hold something you are about to move between two other windows is a plain text box that is always one tab away — not a full note-taking app with folders, sync and an account to set up. This is exactly that: a single text area that saves itself to your browser automatically every couple of seconds.

What 'auto-saves' actually means here

The text is written to your browser's local storage on this device, not to an account or a server. That has two direct consequences worth understanding before you rely on it: it comes back when you reopen the page on the same browser and device, and it does not follow you to a different browser, a different computer, or your phone. It is a scratchpad tied to one browser, not a synced note.

What it is genuinely good for

  • Holding text mid-task — copying something out of one document while you go find where it needs to go, without cluttering your clipboard history or juggling window switches.
  • A quick scratchpad during work that does not deserve a real note or a saved file, but is more than you want to keep only in your head.
  • Drafting something short — a message, a comment, a reply — before pasting it into its actual destination, with somewhere safe to leave it if you get interrupted.

What it is not for

  • Anything you need on another device. This does not sync anywhere — use a real note-taking app with cloud sync for that.
  • Anything you cannot afford to lose. Clearing your browser's site data, using a private/incognito window, or switching devices all mean the text is gone. Copy anything important out to a proper document.
  • Long-term storage. Browser storage can be cleared by the browser itself under storage pressure, by you, or by privacy-focused browser settings that clear site data automatically.

Frequently asked questions

Will my notes still be there tomorrow?

Usually yes, on the same browser and device — local storage persists across sessions unless it's cleared. It is not a guarantee, though, so don't rely on it for anything irreplaceable.

Can I access my notes from my phone?

No. Local storage is tied to one browser on one device; nothing syncs between devices or even between different browsers on the same device.

Does clearing my browser cache delete this?

Clearing cookies and site data typically does, yes, since that's exactly the storage this uses. Clearing only the cache (as distinct from site data/cookies) sometimes leaves it intact, but the boundary varies by browser.

Is there a character or size limit?

Browser local storage typically allows several megabytes per site, far more than a normal note would use.

Can multiple tabs of this page share the same note?

Yes — since they read from the same browser storage on the same device, opening the tool in another tab shows the same saved text.

Is my text sent anywhere?

No. Everything is stored locally in your browser and never transmitted.

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