Writing & Formatting Notes

Write without distractions. DaVinci formats your text automatically as you type, so you get clean headers, interactive checklists, and clickable links without complicated menus.

Writing with Live Preview

You don't have to switch between "edit mode" and "preview mode". As soon as you type, headers become large, checklists become clickable boxes, and links become clickable text. If you click on a line, you can edit it immediately.

flowchart LR
    Type["✍️ You Type Markdown (e.g. # Title, - [ ])"] --> Preview["✨ Formats Automatically on Screen"]
    Preview --> Click["👆 Interactive: Click Links & Check Tasks"]
    Preview --> Save["💾 Saves Silently to Plain Text on Disk"]

How the editor works as you write

How to Link Notes Together

Connecting ideas is the heart of DaVinci Notes. To link to another note, just type [[ anywhere:

Type two brackets [[

A list of your existing notes appears instantly.

Select or type a note title

Press Enter to pick an existing note, or keep typing a new title like [[Book Recommendations]] to create a note for it later.

Click to navigate

Clicking any link opens that note in a new tab immediately!

Checklists, Tables & Images

Here is a quick reference for common formatting tricks:

You type	What happens
`- [ ] Call dentist`	Creates a clickable checklist box. Tap it to check it off!
`# Heading`	Creates a big section title (use `##` for smaller headings).
`bold text`	Makes text bold.
`![[photo.png]]`	Embeds an image from your notes folder right on the page.

Example Formatted Note

# Vacation Ideas

Planning our summer trip with [[Sarah]].

## Things to Pack
- [x] Passports and tickets
- [ ] Sunglasses
- [ ] Camera and charger

## Estimated Budget
| Item | Cost |
| :--- | :--- |
| Flights | $450 |
| Hotel | $600 |

Link to daily thoughts: [[July Trip Planning]]

Fonts & Editor Settings

Open Settings > Editor to make the writing experience yours:

Font Size: Slide between 12px and 24px for comfortable reading.
Font Family: Switch between clean sans-serif (Inter) or typewriter monospaced fonts (IBM Plex Mono).
Vim Mode: If you love terminal editing, turn on Vim mode to navigate with h, j, k, l.