Setup Guide

February 5, 2026 · View on GitHub

This guide will help you install and configure Simple Notes Desktop.

Table of Contents

Installation

Windows

  1. Download the .msi or .exe installer from the Releases page
  2. Run the installer
  3. Follow the installation wizard
  4. Launch "Simple Notes Desktop" from the Start Menu

macOS

  1. Download the .dmg file from the Releases page
    • Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3): Download _aarch64.dmg
    • Intel: Download _x64.dmg
  2. Open the DMG file
  3. Drag "Simple Notes Desktop" to your Applications folder
  4. Launch from Applications

If you see "App is damaged" error:

xattr -cr "/Applications/Simple Notes Desktop.app"

Linux

Debian/Ubuntu (.deb)

# Download the .deb file, then:
sudo dpkg -i Simple\ Notes\ Desktop_*_amd64.deb

Fedora/RHEL (.rpm)

# Download the .rpm file, then:
sudo rpm -i Simple\ Notes\ Desktop-*.x86_64.rpm

Universal (AppImage)

# Download the .AppImage file
chmod +x Simple\ Notes\ Desktop_*_amd64.AppImage

# Run it
./Simple\ Notes\ Desktop_*_amd64.AppImage

Required: Install fuse2 for AppImage support:

# Arch Linux
sudo pacman -S fuse2

# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt install libfuse2

# Fedora
sudo dnf install fuse

WebDAV Server Setup

The easiest way to get started is using our Docker-based WebDAV server:

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/inventory69/simple-notes-sync.git
cd simple-notes-sync/server

# Copy example config
cp .env.example .env

# Edit .env and set your credentials
nano .env  # or your preferred editor

# Start the server
docker compose up -d

Your server will be available at: http://YOUR_IP:8080/

Option 2: Nextcloud

If you have a Nextcloud instance, you can use it directly:

WebDAV URL format:

https://your-nextcloud.com/remote.php/dav/files/USERNAME/Notes/

Replace:

  • your-nextcloud.com with your Nextcloud domain
  • USERNAME with your Nextcloud username
  • Notes/ with your desired folder (create it first in Nextcloud)

Option 3: Other WebDAV Servers

Any WebDAV server with Basic Auth support will work:

  • Apache with mod_dav
  • Nginx with ngx_http_dav_module
  • ownCloud
  • Synology NAS WebDAV

Connecting to Your Server

  1. Launch Simple Notes Desktop
  2. Enter your WebDAV details:
    • Server URL: Your WebDAV endpoint (e.g., http://192.168.1.100:8080/)
    • Username: Your WebDAV username
    • Password: Your WebDAV password
  3. Click "Connect"
  4. Your notes will sync automatically

Tips

  • Use http:// for local servers
  • Use https:// for remote servers (recommended)
  • The URL should point to the notes folder, not the root

Troubleshooting

Connection Failed

  1. Check the URL format - Make sure it ends with /
  2. Verify credentials - Test them with a WebDAV client like Cyberduck
  3. Check server logs - Look for authentication errors
  4. Firewall - Ensure the port is open

Linux: AppImage doesn't start

AppImage requires fuse2:

# Arch Linux
sudo pacman -S fuse2

# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt install libfuse2

macOS: "App is damaged"

This happens because the app isn't notarized by Apple:

xattr -cr "Simple Notes Desktop.app"

Sync Conflicts

If the same note is edited on multiple devices simultaneously:

  • The most recent change wins
  • Previous versions are not currently preserved

Best practice: Let one device finish syncing before editing on another.

SSL Certificate Errors

For self-signed certificates on your WebDAV server:

  1. Add the certificate to your system's trust store
  2. Or use HTTP for local network servers (acceptable for private networks)

Next Steps