Using the Scratchpad to save and edit notes
Available on: Mac, Windows, iOS
Scratchpad is a built-in notepad for quick thoughts, drafts, and reminders. It auto-saves as you type, syncs across your signed-in devices, and lets you dictate or paste images directly into a note.
What it is
Scratchpad is a lightweight notepad inside Wispr Flow, available from the Notes tab. Write in a plain-text editor, then exit edit mode to see the note rendered with markdown formatting. Toggle between edit and read modes using the book/pencil button in the toolbar.
When to use it
Use Scratchpad when you want to:
Jot down quick thoughts or ideas on the go.
Draft content you plan to paste or dictate into another app later.
Dictate text directly into a note using voice input.
Paste images into a note and have them appear on all your signed-in devices.
How it works in Flow
Overview
Notes auto-save as you type, sync via the cloud, and stay available offline. Write by typing or tap the microphone to dictate. Pasted images sync too, so notes appear complete on every device where you're signed in.
Note: The Flow Bar button and keyboard shortcut for Scratchpad are available on Mac and Windows only.
Key behaviors
Notes order: Notes display newest-first, including older notes created before modification dates were tracked.
Voice dictation: Tap the microphone button to dictate. Text is inserted at the cursor position. Tap again to stop.
Sync status: A progress indicator appears during sync. A cloud checkmark means sync is complete; a slashed cloud means you're offline. Pull down on the notes list to trigger a sync.
Image sync: Images pasted into a note upload to secure cloud storage and download automatically on your other signed-in devices.
Offline support: Notes save locally and sync automatically when you're back online.
Keyboard dismissal: The keyboard dismisses automatically when you leave the Notes tab, tap outside the search field, or add a new note.
Spotlight search: Notes are indexed in Spotlight, so you can find them from your iOS home screen.
Auto Open Note: Off by default. Turn it on in Settings to automatically open a new note when the Notes tab is in view and the app becomes active.
Focus behavior (Mac): Opening or interacting with Scratchpad does not take focus away from your active application, so you can keep typing without interruption.
Flow Bar button (Mac, Windows): An Add to Flow Bar toggle in the Notes hub controls whether a Scratchpad button appears in your Flow Bar. It's on by default. Hover over the button to see your bound keyboard shortcut in the tooltip (e.g., "Scratchpad ⌘+⇧+S"). If no shortcut is bound, only the label appears.
Keyboard shortcut (Mac, Windows): No shortcut is assigned by default. Click the Click to enable shortcut pill in the Notes hub to bind a key combination, and use Disable shortcut to remove it. Re-enabling pre-fills your last-used binding.
Tag management: Tags are managed from the Scratchpad tab. Select a bullet and create or assign tags from the tag picker. Tags not assigned to any bullet show a hollow dot.
Archiving pills: Swiping a pill away archives it instead of deleting it. Archived pills stay in the Scratchpad sidebar and can be recovered at any time.
Common issues
Opening Scratchpad interrupts typing in another app (Mac)
This was caused by the Scratchpad window taking focus away from your active application when it appeared. On Mac, Scratchpad no longer steals focus — your foreground app stays active when you open or interact with it. Update Wispr Flow to the latest version and restart Flow to get this fix.
Clicking a link in a web tab does nothing
This was caused by links that open in a new window (such as middle-click links or links on sites like DoorDash) not being handled inside Scratchpad. These links now open as a new Scratchpad web tab, with your login session preserved. Update Wispr Flow to the latest version and restart Flow to get this fix.
Notes displayed in the wrong order
This was caused by a bug where older notes without a recorded modification date were not consistently sorted newest-first. Notes now always display newest-first, including legacy notes. Update Wispr Flow to the latest version and restart Flow to get this fix.
FAQs
Where are my notes stored?
Notes sync via the cloud. If you're offline, notes save locally and sync when you reconnect. Pasted images are stored in secure cloud storage and sync to all your signed-in devices.
Can I format notes with markdown?
Yes. Write markdown in edit mode, then exit edit mode to see the formatted version.
What image formats can I paste into a note?
Scratchpad supports WebP, PNG, JPEG, and GIF. Each image must be under 5 MB and no larger than 4096×4096 pixels. Each note can contain up to 100 images.
Can I find notes from outside the app?
Yes. Notes are indexed in Spotlight, so you can search for them from your iOS home screen.
How do I add or remove the Scratchpad button from my Flow Bar?
Open the Notes hub and toggle Add to Flow Bar on or off. The button is included by default.
How do I set up a keyboard shortcut for Scratchpad?
In the Notes hub, click the Click to enable shortcut pill and press the key combination you want. To remove it later, click Disable shortcut. Re-enabling pre-fills your previous binding. Once set, hovering over the Scratchpad button in the Flow Bar will show your shortcut in the tooltip.
How do I manage and delete tags?
From the Scratchpad tab, select a bullet and use the tag picker to create or assign tags — creating a new tag while a bullet is selected automatically assigns it. To delete a tag, hover over it in the picker and click the × button.
Can I recover a pill I swiped away?
Yes. Swiping archives a pill rather than deleting it. Archived pills remain in the Scratchpad sidebar, where you can recover them at any time.
Limitations and notes
Scratchpad is available on Mac, Windows, and iOS.
The Flow Bar button and keyboard shortcut are available on Mac and Windows only. The shortcut is not assigned automatically — you must enable it from the Notes hub.
Supported image formats are WebP, PNG, JPEG, and GIF. Images must be under 5 MB and 4096×4096 pixels. Each note supports up to 100 images.
Notes always display newest-first; custom sorting is not available.
Tag management is available from the Scratchpad tab only — tags cannot be created or edited from the pill overlay.