Glass Notes - Transparent Notes App for Windows

Glass Notes is a modern, lightweight, open-source note-taking application for Windows 10/11 that features a beautiful transparent overlay. If you are looking for a transparent notes app, a minimalist sticky notes alternative, or an "always on top" desktop widget for productivity, Glass Notes is designed perfectly for your workflow!

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Features

• Always On Top - Keep your notes visible while working in other applications
• Customizable Appearance - Choose between light and dark themes
• Adjustable Transparency - Set the perfect opacity level (30%-100%)
• Hide Notes - Quickly toggle the visibility of all your notes to declutter your workspace
• Multiple Notes - Create and manage multiple notes with quick switching
• Auto-Save - Your notes are automatically saved every 3 seconds
• Clean, Modern Interface - Built with Windows Fluent Design principles
• Lightweight & Fast - Minimal resource usage, instant startup
• Resizable Windows - Adjust size and position to fit your workflow

Requirements

• Windows 10 (version 1809 or later) or Windows 11
• .NET 10.0 Runtime

Building from Source

Prerequisites

• .NET 10.0 SDK

Build Instructions

1. Clone or download this repository
2. Open a terminal in the project directory
3. Run the following commands:

cd GlassNotes
dotnet restore
dotnet build

Run the Application

dotnet run

Or build a release version:

dotnet build --configuration Release

The executable will be in: bin\Release\net10.0-windows\GlassNotes.exe

Usage

Basic Controls

• Drag the title bar to move the window
• Hide/Show Notes by clicking the eye icon or pressing Ctrl + Shift + Z
• Click the gear icon to open settings
• Click New to create a new note
• Click Delete to delete the current note
• Type directly in the text area - changes auto-save

Settings

• Opacity: Adjust window transparency (10%-100%)
• Font Size: Change text size (10-24pt)
• Theme: Switch between Light and Dark modes
• Always on Top: Toggle whether window stays above other windows

Data Storage

Notes and settings are stored in:

%APPDATA%\GlassNotes\
├── Notes\           # Individual note files (.json)
└── settings.json    # Application settings

Technology Stack

• Framework: WPF with .NET 10
• MVVM: CommunityToolkit.Mvvm
• Data: Newtonsoft.Json for persistence
• Design: Windows Fluent Design with Acrylic effects

Project Structure

GlassNotes/
├── Models/              # Data models (Note, AppSettings)
├── ViewModels/          # MVVM view models
├── Services/            # Business logic (NoteService, SettingsService)
├── Helpers/             # Utility classes (WindowBlurHelper, ThemeHelper)
├── Resources/
│   ├── Themes/         # Light and Dark theme definitions
│   └── Styles/         # Control styles (buttons, textboxes, etc.)
├── Controls/           # Custom user controls
└── Assets/             # Icons and images

License

This project is open-source and licensed under the MIT License.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Feel free to submit issues and pull requests.