Personal knowledge · Local-first · Your agent on Mac

Your knowledge.
Answers, writing, slides.

Bring your notes, documents, images and discoveries together. Markdown carries the content; your knowledge stays local by default. On Mac, connect an agent you choose to ask questions, write from your material, create slides and present them.

Type Markdown directly — Zebra Mac

Zebra on Mac · fictional notes, real app screenshots

Personal knowledge, local-firstMarkdown carries the contentYour agent, on Mac

Your knowledge, connected to your agent

Ask it. Write from it.
Present what you know.

On Mac, your knowledge becomes working context for an agent you choose. Move from finding material to an answer, a draft or a presentation in the same workspace.

Agent features are available on Mac and require a compatible tool you install and sign in to. Content is shared after permission and processed by the agent and its model service. Local knowledge storage does not mean all AI inference is on-device.

Ask your knowledge

Work across your library or current material, reference notes with @ and follow source citations back to the original.

Write from your material

Draft outlines, articles and summaries with your agent. Refine a selection with Smart Edit, compare suggestions and review proposed changes.

Create and present slides

Ask your agent for a deck structure, slide content and speaker notes. Keep editing beside a live preview, then present full screen or with a separate speaker view.

Zebra in 14 seconds

Watch an idea take shape.

Every app screen in this film is a real Zebra capture; the moving type is added for the film.

The tools behind your knowledge

Capture, connect and make ideas clear.

Build knowledge you can return to and keep creating from. Explore the native content tools and choose a device to see its capabilities.

Concurrent editing · Private iCloud sync

Your edits merge
automatically.

Add a task on iPhone while revising a plan on Mac. Concurrent edits to note text merge when you sync, reducing the work of choosing between conflict copies.

Your devices · Same Apple Account · Your choice

Your notes: edits come together.

Enable iCloud sync on devices signed in to the same Apple Account. Concurrent changes to note text merge automatically. Write offline and sync when you reconnect. Sync is off by default on new installations.

Notes with a password: synced the same way.

A note password hides the note in Zebra until you enter it. It is not encryption: the content syncs and merges like any other note. Only a password check and an optional hint sync with it, never the password itself.

At home on each device.

Knowledge across your devices, with connected-agent creation on Mac.
CapabilityMaciPhone & iPad
Write & organizeMarkdown, tables, diagrams, math, code, folders and nested tagsMarkdown, tables, diagrams, math, code, folders and nested tags
FindLocal semantic + keyword search, find within notesKeyword search and find within notes
Bring in & take outLocal document conversion and exports including PDF, DOCX and ePubPhoto and file attachments; share Markdown or a note package
Appearance22 themes, custom colors, and theme-file import/export22 themes, with typography and layout options
Continue writingOptional iCloud sync with your own devicesOptional iCloud sync with your own devices
Agent Q&A & writingConnect your own compatible agent; review edits and keep local conversationsConnected-agent features are currently available on Mac
SlidesAgent-assisted creation, live preview, speaker view and PDF/PPTX/PPT exportPreview and present slide notes; agent creation is on Mac

A helping hoof

A few useful answers.

From the first note to a detail worth finding again. Here is how writing, search, sync and your data work.

Privacy & data ↗
What is Zebra?

Zebra is a personal, local-first knowledge base. Markdown carries notes and documents, with images, links and structured content. On Mac you can connect your own compatible agent to ask questions of your material, write, create slides and present them.

Which devices does Zebra support? Are the features the same?

Zebra requires macOS 14 or later on Mac, and iOS 17 or later on iPhone and iPad. All platforms support Markdown, tables, math, Mermaid diagrams, code highlighting, folders, and nested tags. Mac also offers local semantic search, document conversion, and more export formats. iPhone and iPad offer keyword search, find within notes, photo and file attachments, and sharing as Markdown or a note package with attachments. All devices offer 22 built-in themes. Mac also lets you create custom themes and import or export .zebratheme files to share them.

Do I need an account or an internet connection?

No Zebra account is required. Notes are stored on your device by default, and core writing and organization work offline. Changes save automatically on the device. iCloud sync needs an Apple Account and a connection. Web clipping, link previews, and remote attachments connect to the relevant websites.

How do I sync my own devices?

Sign in to the same Apple Account on each device and make sure iCloud is available. Then enable iCloud sync in Zebra's settings on each device. Sync is off by default for new installations; existing choices are preserved. The first sync can take time, so open Zebra and keep a network connection available. If changes have not arrived, check the app's sync status, your connection, and your iCloud sign-in. Turning sync off on one device does not turn it off elsewhere or erase cloud copies.

What happens if I edit on two devices at once?

Note text uses CRDT sync to merge concurrent edits across devices, and notes with a password sync and merge the same way. Offline edits can join those changes when you reconnect. Sync connects your own devices; it is not a shared team workspace.

How can I bring existing work in and take my notes out?

On Mac, import Markdown, HTML, TextBundle, and other supported formats. Text-based PDFs, DOCX, XLSX/XLS, PPTX, and other supported documents can be converted locally into editable notes while keeping the originals. Conversion focuses on text and structure; complex layouts may change. Mac exports include Markdown, PDF, HTML, DOCX, and ePub. On iPhone and iPad, attach photos or files, then use the note menu to share Markdown or package the note and its attachments together.

Is sync a backup? What happens when I delete something?

Sync carries changes between devices and should not be your only backup. On Mac, choose File > Export Backup to save a .zebrabk library backup with notes and attachments. You can review the effect of a restore before proceeding. Turning sync off or removing the app does not erase copies on other devices, exported files, backups, or existing cloud copies. Deleting a note updates its current state, but older records in cloud sync history and the attachments they reference may remain. There is currently no button to erase all cloud history. Keep an independent copy before deleting or restoring important work.

What if I forget my note password?

The developer cannot recover it: Zebra never stores the password itself, only a password check. All notes with a password share one password, so keep it somewhere safe. A note password is not encryption. Zebra only asks for it before showing the note; the content itself stays in plain text on your devices, in iCloud, and in library backups.

Something not quite right?

Email us for help or privacy questions. Include your device, Zebra version, what you expected and what happened. You can also report a public issue on GitHub.

entropysniper@gmail.com