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Distraction-Free — Zen Mode#

macOS only.

Zen Mode strips the editor back to calm text — muted Markdown syntax, a faded interface, no toolbar, an unobtrusive word count — while keeping every structural affordance live. Folding, hoisting, and drag-to-reorder all still work; the outline stays scannable. It's serenity and structure: the calm of a minimal writing app without giving up the outliner underneath.

Turning it on#

Zen Mode is a per-window toggle — quiet one window while another keeps the full interface.

  • Focus ▸ Zen Mode, or Ctrl+Cmd+Z.
  • To open notes in Zen by default, turn on Prefer Zen Mode in Settings → Editor → Distraction-Free — Zen. New editor windows then start in Zen; the ⌃⌘Z toggle still overrides any individual window.

It's most at home in a note popped out to its own window (double-click a note, or Open in New Window) — no sidebar, no list, just text on a page.

What changes#

Markdown syntax recedes. Emphasis marks (**, *, _, ~~), the # on headings, code back-ticks, and link/URL punctuation all fade to a muted tint so your words carry the page. A link's [label] stays readable while its (url) fades furthest.

Headings go monochrome — they keep their full size and weight so the outline is still scannable, but drop the accent colour to sit calm against the body.

The interface steps back — indent guides, task counters, the task-comment icons, and the bottom toolbar all disappear.

Affordances reveal on hover. The gutter controls stay live but get out of the way:

  • Fold arrows are always visible (a faint chevron) — they're the anchors of the document.
  • Drag handles and hoist arrows fade in when you move the pointer near them, and are fully clickable even before they appear.

A quiet word count sits in the bottom-right, updating as you type — the only piece of interface that stays when the toolbar is hidden.

What doesn't change: folding, hoisting, drag-to-reorder, tasks, and the list/quote structure (bullets, numbers, >, checkboxes) all stay at their normal weight — they're structure, not syntax noise.

Intensity#

Settings → Editor → Zen intensity sets how far the syntax and interface fade:

  • Low — barely muted; the syntax is still clearly present.
  • Medium — the default balance.
  • High — faintest; maximum focus on the words.

Keep the toolbar#

Prefer the calm rendering but still want the bottom toolbar? Turn on Show bottom toolbar in Zen Mode (Settings → Editor). With it on, the toolbar stays and the word count steps aside; with it off, the toolbar hides and the word count takes its place.

Works with Focus Mode#

Zen Mode is orthogonal to Focus Mode: Zen changes the interface and rendering, Focus dims everything except the line or sentence you're on. Combine them — typewriter scrolling and paragraph focus inside a quiet Zen window — for the deepest writing view FoldNotes offers.

See also: Settings → Zen, For Writers.