Everything you need
to get writing.
Set up your vault, learn the editor, and connect the tools you want. Start with the four steps below, then dive into any feature area — most of it works the moment you open the app.
Up and running
in four steps
From download to your first exported document — no account, no setup ritual, no cloud to configure.
Download & open
Get Ampersand for your platform and launch it — drag it to Applications on a Mac, or run the installer on Windows and Linux. It opens in about a second.
Pick a vault folder
Choose any folder on disk or in iCloud Drive. That folder is your vault — a set of plain .md files you own.
Import or start writing
Bring in an Obsidian, Notion, or Word export, or create a new note and start typing with slash commands.
Connect AI & export
Add your own AI key when you want it, and export to PDF, Word, HTML, or Markdown whenever you need to.
Find your way
around the app
The guides are organized by feature area. Pick a topic to see what Ampersand can do.
Getting started
Install the app, open your first vault, and learn the layout — tabs, sidebar, and command palette.
Editor & blocks
Slash commands, drag-and-drop blocks, spreadsheet tables, wiki-links, and writing modes.
Smart blocks
Callouts, code, math, Mermaid diagrams, Vega charts, and live calculation — all in plain markdown.
AI & providers
Bring your own key for Claude, OpenAI, Gemini, Apple Intelligence, local Ollama models, or CLI agents.
Export
Turn any note into a pixel-perfect PDF, an editable Word file, self-contained HTML, or a Markdown bundle.
Recording a meeting
Record a conversation or a call, transcribed on your own Mac, and get a note with a summary, decisions and action items. A Pro feature.
Publishing to the web
Publish a single note to a secret share link — self-contained, script-free, unpublish anytime. A Pro feature.
Vaults & sync
Work across multiple vaults, keep settings in sync via iCloud, and store files wherever you like.
Encryption & security
Encrypt individual notes with a vault passphrase and unlock them with Touch ID.
Importing
Move a whole library over from Obsidian, Notion, or Word without losing structure or attachments.
Keyboard shortcuts
Every action has a shortcut, all of them remappable, with an in-app cheat sheet on Cmd + /.
Several areas already have full product pages: read about the block editor, the smart blocks, the AI providers, the export engine, how to record a meeting, how to publish to the web, and the full keyboard shortcuts reference.
Something missing?
Good to know
Do I need an account to use Ampersand?
No. There is no account and no sign-up. You download the app, pick a folder for your notes, and start writing. Everything stays on your computer unless you choose to sync the folder yourself.
Where are my notes stored?
In a vault — a plain folder you choose on disk or in iCloud Drive. Every note is a standard .md file with optional YAML frontmatter, so you can open, move, and back it up with any other tool.
Is the AI required?
Never. AI is entirely optional and bring-your-own-key. If you add a key for Claude, OpenAI, or a local model, you get inline writing help and an agent; if you do not, the editor works exactly the same.
The best way to learn it
is to open it.
Ampersand is free to start — not a trial. Download it, point it at a folder, and write your first note in about two minutes.
Free to start · Mac, Windows & Linux · No account required