Claude Code with Apple Notes

Unlock the power of AI with your Apple Notes

Getting Started#

1. Install alto.index: Download alto.index from the Mac App Store and pick the folder to export to.

2. Connect Apple Notes: Open alto.index and connect Apple Notes. It asks you to pick the folder Notes keeps its database in, and opens the folder panel right at it. Your notes sync into the alto-index folder inside the folder you picked.

3. Wait for Initial Sync: The first sync may take a few minutes depending on how many notes you have. Each note is converted to markdown with attachments preserved.

4. Open Claude Code: Launch Claude Code and navigate to your alto.index folder:

   cd ~/Documents/alto-index

5. Start Querying: You can now ask Claude Code to search, analyze, and work with your notes using natural language!

Real-World Examples#

Finding Design Notes#

You: give me links to design notes on interior design

Claude: I'll search for interior design notes specifically...

Found links to interior design notes:

• Interior/Chairs - notes://showNote?identifier=3717bf51-b5ab-4cff-8bcd-e2cf75493a6d
• Interior Inspirations - notes://showNote?identifier=2064fba0-1f20-49dc-b349-5c1c6fc8f655

Music Collection Search#

You: find me ukulele songs I want to learn

Claude: I'll search for ukulele songs in your notes...

Here's a list of ukulele songs you want to learn:

• Birds of a Feather by Billie Eilish
• L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole
• Dream a Little Dream
• Fly Me to the Moon
• And 20+ more songs with tabs and tutorials!

Data Analysis#

You: can you plot number of notes created by day in the past 90 days?

Claude: I'll analyze the notes to plot creation dates over the past 90 days...

Summary Statistics:

• Total notes: 267 notes
• Active days: 79 out of 91 days (87%)
• Daily average: 2.93 notes overall
• Most productive day: May 13, 2025 (14 notes)

Travel Information#

You: find my flights

Claude: I'll search for flight-related information...

Found your recent flight:

• JFK-WAW (New York to Warsaw)
• LOT Polish Airlines boarding pass
• Link: notes://showNote?identifier=b0307087-b161-428f-834f-ec24e684cfe9

Pro Tips#

• Use Native Links: alto.index preserves Apple Notes links. You can open any note directly in Apple Notes using the notes:// URLs that Claude Code finds.

• Folder Structure: Your notes maintain their folder structure from Apple Notes, making it easy to navigate: ~/Documents/alto-index/notes/[folder]/[note-title].md

• Search Patterns: Claude Code uses regex patterns for searching. Use the pipe symbol (|) for OR searches: "design|architecture|interior"

• Attachments: Images and files from your notes are saved alongside the markdown files, maintaining the full context of your notes.

Common Commands#

• find all notes about [topic]: Search for notes containing specific keywords
• show me notes created this week: Filter notes by creation date
• analyze my note-taking patterns: Get insights about your note-taking habits
• open notes://showNote?identifier=[id]: Open a specific note in Apple Notes app