Flat Notes is a simple app for creating text, checklist or image notes. Inspired by Google Keep, Flat Notes is a standalone app that is easy to use and has enough options to help you organize reminders, shopping lists and other noteworthy items.
The clean design and organization features of Flat Notes adds to the Windows app's appeal. While the free app lacks the ability to synchronize between devices, it is our understanding that feature is in the works for Flat Notes.
Note: Flat Notes is a free app that is available for Windows Phone 8.1, as well as Windows 10 for Mobile and Phone.
There are plenty of note-taking apps available in the Windows Stor, and Flats Notes is one of the simplest, easiest-to-use options available. Available for both Windows 10 for Mobile and PC, the app has the ability to create three types of Post-it like notes, each with the ability to cover a broad range of topics.
The note styles include a free-form text note, a checklist note, and an image note. The free-form note is just as it sounds, a means to jot down thoughts, reminders, addresses, recipes, or anything else noteworthy.
The checklist note is a template for bullet point items such as a shopping list. As you complete one of the checkpoints, it can be marked as complete and moved to the bottom of the list.
The image note allows you to insert an image from your photo library into the note for reference. If you need to associate a store front with an address, you can snap a pic of the store, open Flat Notes and add it to a note detailing the address. While I like the image note option, it lacks the ability to launch the camera app to capture and insert a new photo. The photo has to reside already in your photo library to be used.
Creating a note is simple. Just tap the New Note, checklist symbol or camera icon that appear on the home screen of Flat Notes. There is the option to add a title to the note and then the body of the note. As a note is created, options to change the color, add a photo or pin the note to your Start Screen line the bottom of the creation screen.
Flat Note lacks a Save button and instead utilizes the Back Button on your Windows 10 Mobile device and the Back arrow on your PC to save the note and return to the app's main screen.
Once the note is created, it populates the home screen of Flat Notes, and tapping the note sends you back to the creation screen where you can edit it. Tapping and holding a note on the main screen pulls up a pop-up menu that contains options to archive, delete, pin to your Start Screen, and change the background color of the note.
Flat Notes' home screen does contain an option to toggle between two tile views and access to Flat Notes' settings menu. Settings are brief, with options to choose a dark or light theme, turn on/off a yellow background for the app's Live Tile and turn on/off a solid background on a note's Live Tile.
While I did find Flat Notes useful, there is room for a little fine-tuning that should help increase the app's appeal. For starters, I would have liked to have seen a Save button present. While the Back button and arrow works, there is a sense of confidence in having a Save button. I would also like to see a share option for notes, and the ability to capture a new image with your camera directly from Flat Notes.
It can be a little cumbersome to realize you need an image note, exit Flat Notes, launch the camera, take the shot, re-launch the Flat Notes and then create the image note. This isn't a deal breaker but would allow the app to be more convenient.
Lastly, Flat Notes needs the ability to synchronize your notes between devices as well as backing them up to OneDrive. The Windows Store description notes that a web version is in the works and hopefully that will enable synchronization.
As is, Flat Notes is an attractive stand-alone note app well worth considering. The free version is available for both Windows 10 Phone and PC (as well as Windows Phone 8.1). It has the potential of being an alternative to OneNote if synchronization between devices is offered, but in a simpler package.
Download Flat Notes for Windows 10 Mobile and PC
