There is no Apple Notes app for Windows. To get your notes on a PC, open a web browser, go to icloud.com, sign in with your Apple Account and click Notes. You can read, edit and create notes there, and the changes show up on your Mac and iPhone.

That works for occasional use. If you want an Apple Notes alternative for Windows that also runs on your Mac, the main options are OneNote (free, syncs), Obsidian (Markdown notes, paid sync) and Notion (structured pages, free plan). Gubb fits if you want a quick scratchpad on each computer and don't need the two to sync.

Why people look for an Apple Notes alternative on Windows

Apple Notes runs only on Apple's own platforms. On a Windows PC, the only way in is the browser, which needs an internet connection and gives you no desktop app. People who split their day between a Mac and a work PC, or who are moving from Mac to Windows, often want one app installed on both.

The options at a glance

  • Apple Notes at iCloud.com: best for keeping your existing notes and the Apple Notes features you already use.
  • OneNote: best free app with sync between Mac and Windows.
  • Obsidian: best if you want your notes in Markdown.
  • Notion: best for structured pages and shared work.
  • Gubb: best for a quick scratchpad with checklists, boards and inline math, if separate notes on each computer are fine.

We make Gubb, so weigh our view accordingly; we've tried to be fair to every app here.

App Best for Price (as of November 2026) Free option On Windows Standout limit
Apple Notes via iCloud.com Keeping your current notes Free Yes Browser only Needs a connection, no desktop app
OneNote Free synced notebooks Free; some features need Microsoft 365 Yes Desktop app Notebook-style, heavier for quick jots
Obsidian Markdown notes App free; Sync $4/user/month billed annually or $5 monthly (third-party figures) Yes Desktop apps; confirm supported systems on obsidian.md Sync between devices costs extra
Notion Structured pages, teams Free plan; Plus $10/member/month billed annually (third-party figures) Yes Desktop apps; confirm supported systems on notion.com Offline only for pages you mark
Gubb Quick capture with lists, boards and math $59 one-time for the direct Mac download 7-day trial (Mac download) Microsoft Store No sync between devices

Use Apple Notes on Windows through iCloud.com

This is the right answer if you mostly live on a Mac or iPhone and only need your notes on a PC now and then.

Before you start

Your notes must be stored in iCloud. In Notes on your Mac, look at the sidebar: folders under iCloud appear on the web, while anything under On My Mac doesn't. Also check that Notes is turned on for iCloud: open System Settings, search for "iCloud" and make sure Notes is on.

Steps

  1. On your Windows PC, open a web browser.
  2. Go to icloud.com.
  3. Sign in with your Apple Account. If you use two-factor authentication, approve the sign-in and enter the code shown on one of your Apple devices.
  4. Click Notes.
  5. Open a note to read or edit it, or create a new one. Changes sync to your other Apple devices.

Bookmark the page or pin the tab so it's one click away.

What this route can't do

  • It works only in a browser, with an internet connection.
  • There's no Windows desktop app to pin to the taskbar or use offline.
  • Apple's iCloud for Windows app doesn't add Notes, so the web is the only way in.

If your notes don't show up on iCloud.com

  • Some notes are missing: they're probably in the On My Mac account. Drag them into a folder under iCloud on your Mac.
  • Nothing syncs at all: Notes is off for iCloud on that device. Turn it on in iCloud settings.
  • iCloud.com shows no data and you use Advanced Data Protection: web access is off with that setting. Turn on Access iCloud Data on the Web in iCloud settings on your iPhone or Mac.
  • You're signed in with a different Apple Account: sign out on the web and sign in with the account your Mac uses.

OneNote

OneNote is Microsoft's digital notebook. It runs on Windows, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android and the web, and syncs across all of them.

Good at: mixed content. You can type, handwrite and clip media into the same notebook, and core note-taking is free. Of the apps here, it's the simplest free way to have the same synced notes on a Mac and a PC.

Lacks: it's a notebook, not a quick scratchpad, so jotting down a phone number means picking a notebook and a page first. Some features need a paid Microsoft 365 subscription.

Price (as of November 2026): free, with some features tied to Microsoft 365.

Who it suits: Apple Notes users who want free, synced notes on Windows and Mac, especially if they already use Microsoft 365 at work.

Obsidian

Obsidian is a Markdown note app that keeps notes in local "vaults." It has desktop and mobile apps; check its site to confirm the systems it supports.

Good at: Markdown notes that stay on your computer. Version 1.14 added opening individual Markdown files, a Kanban view for Bases and highlight colors, and it's updated often.

Lacks: syncing between devices with Obsidian Sync is a paid subscription, and publishing notes as a website is a separate subscription. If you've never written Markdown, expect a short learning curve coming from Apple Notes.

Price (as of November 2026, from third-party sources): the app is free. Sync is $4 per user per month billed annually, or $5 monthly. Publish is $8 per site per month billed annually, or $10 monthly.

Who it suits: people who want their notes in Markdown and are fine paying for Sync or doing without it. The Apple Notes vs Obsidian comparison goes deeper.

Notion

Notion is a workspace app for pages, notes and team work, with desktop and mobile apps; check its site for supported systems.

Good at: structured pages and shared work. It has a free plan, and since August 2025 its desktop and mobile apps can work offline.

Lacks: offline isn't automatic. You have to mark individual pages as "Available offline" in the ··· menu. AI and admin features are on paid per-member plans. For a grocery list or a phone number, it's more than you need.

Price (as of November 2026, from third-party sources): Free, Plus at $10 per member per month billed annually, Business at $20 billed annually or $24 monthly, and Enterprise through sales.

Who it suits: people who use Apple Notes for planning and projects and want databases, pages and sharing.

Gubb on Mac and Windows

Gubb is our app: one small window for quick notes, with a few tools built in. It's available for Mac (direct download or the Mac App Store) and for Windows on the Microsoft Store.

Know this first: Gubb has no sync. There's no account and no cloud copy. Notes are stored on each computer in a local database, so the notes on your Mac and the notes on your PC are separate. If you need the same notes on both machines, pick OneNote, Obsidian with Sync, or Notion instead.

Good at:

  • Quick capture. Type # and Space for a heading, - and Space for a bullet, [ ] and Space for a checklist item.
  • Lists and boards inside a note. A line with only gubb@todo becomes a to-do list with due dates, priorities and subtasks. A line with only gubb@board becomes a Kanban board with "To Do", "In Progress" and "Done" columns.
  • Math while you write. After gubb@math, a line like 12*3 = gets its answer. gubb@currency converts lines like 100 USD to EUR (needs internet), and gubb@conversions handles units like 10 ft to m.
  • Extras in the same window: text clipboard history, a timer, break reminders, and speech to text into the open note using a local Whisper model.

Lacks:

  • No sync, no iPhone or iPad app, and no web version.
  • No images, attachments or tables in notes, and no folders or tags.
  • No note lock or encryption, and deleted notes don't go to a trash.
  • Local speech to text is English only and transcribes only the first 30 seconds of each recording.
  • Math mode handles + - * / ^ and parentheses, not % or functions.

Price (as of November 2026): $59 one-time for the direct Mac download, with a 7-day free trial and no account needed; that license activates on up to 3 devices. Gubb is also on the Mac App Store, and on Windows you get it from the Microsoft Store.

Who it suits: people who use Apple Notes mostly as a scratchpad (lists, quick sums, things to remember today) and want the same kind of tool on each computer, without needing the two to match.

Moving your notes over

Getting notes out of Apple Notes

  • Copy and paste works everywhere: from Notes on your Mac, or from iCloud.com on your PC. For a few dozen notes, it's often the fastest route.
  • Export as PDF (File > Export as PDF… in Notes on the Mac) is fine for archiving a note, but the result isn't editable as a note.
  • Markdown export: reviews say recent versions of Apple Notes can export Markdown. Check the File menu in Notes on your Mac. Markdown is the cleanest format for Obsidian.
  • Attachments, scans and sketches: save the ones you need separately, since pasted text won't carry them.

Putting them into the new app

  • OneNote and Notion: paste text into a page.
  • Obsidian: use Markdown exports, or paste into new notes.
  • Gubb: paste into a note. If a pasted checklist arrives as plain lines, type [ ] at the start of a line and press Space to turn it back into a checklist item. Images won't come over, since Gubb notes don't hold images.

One caution about Gubb: its Import option accepts .md, .txt and .json files, but in the current version imported Markdown and text notes open empty, and opening one can overwrite it. Paste instead of importing.

Moving a note between Gubb on your Mac and your PC

Because there's no sync, you copy notes across yourself. ⌘⇧C (Command-Shift-C) copies the whole current note as plain text; on Windows, use Ctrl-Shift-C. Paste it into something you already sync, such as an email to yourself, then paste it into Gubb on the other machine. If you're doing this every day, a synced app is the better tool for those notes.

Should you switch at all?

Maybe not. Apple Notes does things the alternatives here don't match one-for-one: you can scan documents, attach PDFs, photos and maps, lock notes, record audio that gets transcribed, and share notes with other people. It's free, syncs through iCloud, and typing something like 5 * 3 = shows the answer inline.

If you're mainly on a Mac or iPhone and only use a Windows PC sometimes, iCloud.com is enough. Keep Apple Notes and bookmark the site.

Switching makes sense when you spend most of your day on Windows, need your notes offline on the PC, or are leaving Apple devices altogether.

How to choose

  • Pick iCloud.com if you want to keep using Apple Notes and only need occasional access on a PC.
  • Pick OneNote if you want a free desktop app with sync on both Mac and Windows.
  • Pick Obsidian if you want your notes in Markdown and are happy to pay for Sync or skip it.
  • Pick Notion if your notes are really projects, plans or shared docs.
  • Pick Gubb if you want a quick scratchpad with checklists, boards and inline math on each computer, and separate notes per machine are fine. The Mac version has a 7-day free trial at gubb.net/download.

For more options, see Apple Notes alternatives for Mac and the best note taking apps for Windows.

FAQ

Is there an Apple Notes app for Windows?

No. Apple doesn't make one, and iCloud for Windows doesn't include Notes. Use Notes at icloud.com in a web browser.

Can I edit Apple Notes on a Windows PC?

Yes. At icloud.com you can create and edit notes, and the changes sync back to your Apple devices. Only notes stored in iCloud appear, not notes in On My Mac.

Does Gubb sync notes between Mac and Windows?

No. Gubb has no sync and no account, so each computer keeps its own notes. Copy a note with ⌘⇧C (Ctrl-Shift-C on Windows) and paste it on the other machine if you need it there.