What it does
HeaderNotes, also called Header on its site, is a macOS beta for notes, meetings, and research stored as plain Markdown files. The product page describes pointing the app at a local folder, iCloud Drive, or Dropbox; recording calls or in-person meetings into a notes vault; and linking summaries, decisions, and action items to transcript moments. The site says the beta is free, supports macOS 14.4 or later on Apple silicon and Intel, and requires no account.
HeaderNotes joins a local Markdown notebook with a meeting-capture workflow. Its page says recordings are made on the Mac and that summaries, decisions, and action items can be linked to the point where they were spoken. Users can select an existing folder, including iCloud Drive or Dropbox storage, rather than importing notes into a hosted database. The product is explicitly in free public beta, so the feature set and future pricing should be treated as provisional. The vendor also notes that speech recognition may use Apple’s servers on earlier macOS versions and for some languages; that caveat matters to teams handling sensitive conversations. I did not test recording, transcription, or calendar integration.
Strengths
- Keeps notes as plain Markdown files in a user-selected folder.
- Meeting notes can include summaries, decisions, and action items linked to transcript moments.
- The vendor states that the Mac beta is free and does not require an account.
Watch out for
- The product is pre-release beta software, not a finished release.
- Some speech-recognition paths may process audio through Apple servers, depending on macOS version and language.
Best for
- Mac users who want local Markdown notes and meeting summaries in one vault
- People who prefer to review and retain meeting audio and transcripts on their own computer
Sources
- HeaderNotes — local-first Markdown notes for Mac (Oct 25, 2026)
- Help, feedback & FAQ — Header user guide (Oct 25, 2026)
- Terms of Service — HeaderNotes (Oct 25, 2026)