Simple Sticky Notes for Windows

Martin Brinkmann
Nov 28, 2017
Software
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6

Simple Sticky Notes is a free note taking application for Windows that puts sticky notes on your desktop so that they are in reach all the time.

While new versions of Windows do come with a Sticky Notes application, its functionality is pretty basic. You can use it to write down notes, and link the notes to Cortana so that Cortana may remind you about them.

If you want more control over notes on your system, or run an older version of Windows that does not include Sticky Notes, you may like what Simple Sticky Notes has to offer.

Simple Sticky Notes for Windows

The program is compatible with all recent versions of Windows. The installer has a size of less than 2 Megabytes, the application itself uses about 12 Megabytes of memory when it runs.

You may add notes to the desktop by double-clicking the System Tray icon, or by using the shortcut Alt-N. Another option that you have is to create a note using Clipboard content. Use Alt-V for that, or the option of the right-click menu.

Once a note is added to the desktop you may add text to it right away. Simple Sticky Notes supports plain text notes and a bit of formatting on top of that. You can bold or underline notes, or create lists for instance.

All of these options are accessible from the right-click context menu and as keyboard shortcuts.

You can move notes around, and change the width and height of individual notes as well. Notes are not pinned to the top by default which means that other program windows will overshadow them.

You may set them to be always on top so that they stay there regardless of that.

The Windows program supports notebooks which may hold different notes. Only one notebook is displayed at a time; useful if you need to separate notes for work, spare time or activities.

Simple Sticky Notes supports other features that you may find interesting. You can set alarms so that you are notified about a particular note at a certain time and date.

You may change the appearance of individual notes as well. The program lets you change the color of individual notes and their opacity.

The program's settings are quite extensive. Here are some of the options that you find there:

  • Change the appearance and title of default notes (e.g. make them always on top, change the title, color or font).
  • Disable update checking and start with Windows.
  • Change hotkeys to create new notes, show or hide them, or switch between notes.
  • Manage themes and sounds.

You find a store on the developer website which you may use to download themes and sounds for the app. Only free downloads are provided in the Store at the time of writing.

Related programs:

Closing Words

Simply Sticky Notes is a powerful note taking application for Windows. It supports multiple notebooks, keyboard shortcuts for all core functions, options to set to top or hide notes, and to change the appearance of individual notes.

Summary
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4 based on 10 votes
Software Name
Simple Sticky Notes
Operating System
Windows
Software Category
Productivity
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Comments

  1. plusminus_ said on November 18, 2019 at 12:33 am
    Reply

    Switched to this after Microsoft Sticky Notes got a downgrade in 1903. I like it. I like it a lot.

  2. Todd Bluth said on December 7, 2017 at 1:28 am
    Reply

    I installed this, based on gHacks’ review, and found it unusable and silly.

    On my PC, no matter what you do, the program always creates unwanted new notes. Simply showing or hiding existing notes, creates an unwanted new note. Opening the program creates an unwanted new note. This makes it very irritating to use. Every time I show or hide my notes, to protect my privacy, I must pay the penalty of having to delete an unwanted new note. Also, there is a feature called “Enable Live Preview”, but the feature is not described anywhere on the website, or anywhere else on the internet. I can’t figure out what it does. It is frustrating to have bloated features that are completely unmentioned and undocumented.

    DELETE WITH PREJUDICE

  3. Anonymous said on November 29, 2017 at 3:27 pm
    Reply

    quote (e-book manager Calibri is an extreme example of this, I keep using the very old Calibri version that I’m happy with).

    Hey, I thought that was just me. BTW I stuck on 2.26

    1. Henk van Setten said on November 29, 2017 at 3:54 pm
      Reply

      For me (but this depends from personal usage needs and habits of course) the last really good version of Calibre, the one I keep, is 0.9.38.

      As for Simple Sticky Notes, after comparing features I’ve now decided for myself to revert back (downgrade) to the much slimmer version 2.3, which was the last one before 3.0 started to introduce all kinds of bloat.

      If you prefer an older version of any program, a good general rule-of-thumb is to always go for the last minor update that preceded a major update. So (hypothetical example) between versions 4.x and 5.x, the best one will usually be the very last 4 (something like 4.99) because it will have ironed out most minor bugs and other problems within the 4 series, while avoiding all the new problems (bugs, bloat) introduced with the new 5 series.

  4. Henk van Setten said on November 28, 2017 at 10:08 pm
    Reply

    Basically this is good software, I’ve been using it for years for quick desktop reminders or temporary lists. But is the “Simple” name still correct?

    It looks like they’re beginning to suffer a tiny little bit from what I call the Bloating Disease: where a developer, once he has reached the point where a program is near-perfect, still wants to keep improving it — and tries to do so by adding ever more themes, functions, whatever: until a once great program has bloated into a top-heavy mess (e-book manager Calibri is an extreme example of this, I keep using the very old Calibri version that I’m happy with).

    For example, I really don’t need an alarm function in my sticky notes software!

    When in August 2016 I updated Simple Sticky Notes to version 3.5, then I already got the feeling it was beginning to lose its former true simplicity. A rough bloat indicator is the installer file size: two years ago, for version 3.0 it was 900 Kb. For last year’s version 3.5 it was 1,07 Mb; now this new version 4.0 is 1,78 Mb.

    I think I will stay with the simpler version 3.5 (if people want that, it can still be found online if you search for it). I just don’t see why I should keep updating this.

    In general I wish more developers would stick to the rule: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

  5. Anansi Tori said on November 28, 2017 at 2:14 pm
    Reply

    “While new versions of Windows do come with a Sticky Notes application,…”

    @Martin
    Just a minor point: you link the new versions to Cortana, which implies new means Win 10. But, built-in sticky notes 1st appeared in Windows Vista, which is now considered an old version of Windows.

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