Getting Started with NoteCove
In this tutorial you will install NoteCove, create and format your first note, organize it into a folder, and add a tag. By the end you will have a working setup and an understanding of NoteCove’s core workflow.
What you will build
A small personal knowledge base with one folder, one note, and one tag — enough to confirm everything works and to see how the pieces fit together.
Before you start
You need:
- A Mac (macOS 10.13+), Windows 10+, or Linux desktop
- Optionally, a Dropbox, Google Drive, or iCloud Drive account if you want to sync later
Step 1: Install NoteCove
Download NoteCove from notecove.io/download and install it the same way you would any desktop app. Launch it after installation.
On first launch NoteCove creates a local storage directory on your machine. This is where all your notes live — plain files on your filesystem, not locked in a cloud database.
If you want to sync across devices, you can point this storage directory at a cloud-synced folder later. For now, local storage is fine.
Step 2: Create your first note
Press Cmd+N (macOS) or Ctrl+N (Windows/Linux). A blank note appears in the editor.
Type a title on the first line — something like My First Note. Press Enter and start writing. NoteCove auto-saves as you type; there is no save button.
Step 3: Format some text
NoteCove supports rich text out of the box. Try these:
- Select a word and press
Cmd+B/Ctrl+Bto make it bold - Type
##at the start of a new line to create a heading - Type
-to start a bullet list - Type
[](bracket-bracket-space) to create a task checkbox
You can also use Markdown shortcuts inline — for example, wrapping text in ** makes it bold automatically.
Step 4: Create a folder
In the left sidebar, right-click and select New Folder. Name it Getting Started.
Now drag your note from the sidebar into the Getting Started folder. Your note is now organized.
Step 5: Add a tag
Go back to your note and type #tutorial anywhere in the text. The # prefix turns it into a tag.
Look at the Tag Panel in the left sidebar — you should see tutorial appear with a count of 1. Click the tag to filter your note list to only notes with that tag.
Tags have three filter states — click again to cycle through them:
- Gray: no filter (show all notes)
- Blue: include (show only notes WITH this tag)
- Red: exclude (show only notes WITHOUT this tag)
Step 6: Link between notes
Create a second note (Cmd+N / Ctrl+N) and give it a title like Ideas.
In this note, type [[ — an autocomplete dropdown appears showing your existing notes. Select My First Note. NoteCove inserts a clickable link. Click it to jump to that note.
What you learned
- NoteCove stores notes as local files — no account or cloud service required
- Notes auto-save as you type
- Rich text formatting works via keyboard shortcuts and Markdown syntax
- Folders organize notes in a hierarchy
- Tags provide flexible cross-cutting organization
[[links connect notes together
Next steps
- Set up cloud sync to access your notes from multiple devices
- Your First Project to learn task management with Kanban boards
- Connect an AI agent to let Claude or other assistants read and manage your notes