# DS note

> Mobile note-taking and organization app synced with Synology NAS. (iPhone/iPad app by Synology Inc..)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ds-note/id918177542 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Synology Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/321493109)
- Category: Productivity, Utilities
- Price: Free
- Rating: 2.80/5 from 109 App Store ratings · 398 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 14.0 · 38 MB
- Languages: German (Germany), Danish, American English, French (France), Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and 11 more
- Released: 2014-09-30
- Data updated: 2026-09-02
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ds-note/id918177542/reviews.md

## What is DS note?

**You must own a Synology NAS to run this app, and be running the Note Station 1.1 to get the complete set of features**

Whether for creating your weekly to-do list, sharing information on projects with your teammates, or simply describing your best holiday memories, DS note’s editing features make it easy and pleasant to take note of anything you want, anywhere you need, even with no network. Use tags, notebooks and shortcuts to organise all your notes, and share them instantly with anyone you want. And that’s always safe as DS note keeps it all in sync with your note library on your Synology NAS server, your personal cloud.

Find all detailed features about the app on our website:
https://www.synology.com/dsm/software_spec/note_station

## Key features

- Note creation and editing
- Offline access
- Tagging and notebook organization
- Note sharing
- Sync with Synology NAS

## What do users think of DS note?

Overall sentiment: negative

**Pros**

- 🔒 Data stored on personal NAS for privacy
- 🔄 Reliable synchronization across devices
- 💰 Free alternative to Evernote
- 📱 Available on multiple platforms (iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Web)
- ✅ Simple and intuitive interface
- 🏠 Self-hosted solution without cloud dependency
- 📝 Basic note-taking features work well
- 🔐 Encrypted note support
- 👥 Note sharing capabilities
- 📋 Task/to-do list functionality

**Cons**

- 🐛 Notes disappear when app left open without saving
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and app instability
- 🐛 Copy-paste functionality unreliable
- 🐛 Keyboard arrow keys don't work on iPad
- 🐛 Apple Pencil causes app crashes
- 🐛 Sync failures and connection issues
- 🐛 Data loss and content corruption
- 🎨 Outdated and unattractive UI design
- ⏱️ Very slow performance and lag
- 🔄 Inconsistent syncing between devices
- ⌨️ Poor text editing experience
- 📱 iPad and iPhone versions have different features
- 🚫 No dark mode support
- 🚫 No offline mode available
- 🚫 No auto-save functionality
- 📦 Minimal updates in years
- 🔌 High battery consumption on iPad

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Notes content erased when leaving app open
- App crashes on startup
- App crashes when using Apple Pencil
- App crashes during text input with swipe-to-text
- App crashes when printing
- Keyboard disappears during note editing
- Cannot paste text from clipboard
- Arrow keys non-functional in note body
- Sync stuck at certain percentage
- Login failures with QuickConnect
- HTTPS connection not working on iOS
- Formatting changes after sync between devices
- Shared notes don't sync properly
- Copy-paste causes font changes
- Phantom bullets in lists after paste
- Cursor control issues in text editing
- Images not displaying or loading slowly
- Voice input crashes app
- Checklist items not syncing in shared notes
- iPad version text input issues
- Incompatibility with iOS 14 and 15
- DynDNS connection broken after updates
- Sync conflicts between devices
- Search returns irrelevant results
- Notification functionality unreliable
- iPad Pro resolution not interpreted correctly

**Most requested features**

- Dark mode for all platforms
- Apple Pencil support for iPad
- Arrow key support for Bluetooth keyboards
- Auto-save functionality
- Offline mode for note creation
- Markdown support
- Code block formatting
- Table creation and editing
- PDF import and annotation
- Export to PDF and other formats
- Nested notebooks/folders (sub-notes)
- Drag-and-drop file attachments
- Web clipper browser extension
- Recurring tasks/reminders
- Task assignment to other users
- Calendar integration
- Improved search functionality
- Import from Evernote (.enex files)
- Widgets for home screen
- Better formatting options
- Image editing and markup
- Handwriting recognition
- Split-screen support on iPad
- Collaborative editing
- Password-protected note sharing
- TLS 1.3 support

## Recent user reviews (10 of 398)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ds-note/id918177542/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Lost Note Contents

*2026-08-26, version 1.12.4*

Opened an important note, checked info on another app, moved back to the Synology note and all the note data was wiped clean!!!
This has happened before. Grrr!! Not reliable.

### 2/5 — Needs improvement

*2026-08-22, version 1.12.4*

Cannot paste into the notes, cannot import photos from the photo albums, only real way to paste notes in is by creating them in Apple Notes first then copy or cut and paste but still very difficult for images as they do not paste.

### 1/5 — ABANDONWARE

*2026-07-07, version 1.12.4*

Synology hasn’t updated this in over 3 years. It’s rife with bugs and will work just long enough to really sting. STEER CLEAR!

### 4/5 — 복사한 내용 붙여넣을 때 프로그램이 멈춰버리네요.

*2026-06-26*

텍스트 복사 후 붙여넣기 하는 순간 멈춰버립니다. 그 이후로 껐다 켜면 이전 상태대로 남아있네요. 많이 사용하는 것이 붙여넣기일건데 업데이트 해 줄 것 같지는 않고... 그냥 웹에서 사용하는 것이 훨씬 안정적으로 쓸 수 있는 것 같습니다.

### 2/5 — Compatibilité TLS 1.3 ?

*2026-06-17*

Quand la compatibilité TLS 1.3 sera disponible dans l’appel iOS ?

### 3/5 — Just old not updated

*2026-03-03, version 1.12.4*

This app has potential but think it’s just been buried. No dark mode. No ability to collaborate at the same time with another user. No password protected note sharing. Sync issues which can lead to conflicts with notes. Pls Synology bring notes some decent updates like that of Synology Office

### 1/5 — Synology ты это читаешь???

*2026-02-28, version 1.12.4*

Приложение очень неудобное, все записные книги в один ряд, это удобно если тебе это приложение нужно что бы поиграться, для работы это непригодно. Я думаю Synology просто наплевали на обычных пользователей. Скажите, сколько вам нужно заплатить что бы вы обновили приложение, добавили дерево вложений??? Или лучше искать ему замену в Docker???

### 1/5 — バグ？

*2026-02-21, version 1.12.4*

メモを描いてる途中にスマホをロックすると、書いた内容は全て消えてしまいます。ロックする前に保存しないとダメな仕様のようです。でも、意図せずロックされることもあるわけで、そういうことを想定してないならば、設計段階から残っているバグと考えるべきでしょう。
簡単に直せるバグとおもいますが、メンテもされてないアプリなので期待薄ですね。

### 1/5 — Can’t even connect to the NAS

*2026-02-03, version 1.12.4*

Promising as a concept but never worked

### 3/5 — Необходимо обновление

*2026-01-07, version 1.12.4*

Обновите уже наконец приложение : добавьте markdown и отображение связей!

## Frequently asked questions about DS note

### What is DS note?

DS note is a mobile application designed for creating, organizing, and sharing notes. It allows users to manage various types of information, from to-do lists to project details and personal memories, with robust editing features.

### Do I need a Synology NAS to use DS note?

Yes, you must own a Synology NAS to run this app. It is designed to sync and work in conjunction with the Note Station software installed on your Synology NAS server, your personal cloud.

### How can I organize my notes with DS note?

You can organize your notes using tags, notebooks, and shortcuts. This system allows for efficient categorization and quick retrieval of your information, making it easy to manage your notes.

### Can I use DS note without an internet connection?

Yes, the app allows you to take notes anywhere, even with no network. Your notes are kept in sync with your Synology NAS, ensuring that your data is always up-to-date once you reconnect.

### Is DS note free to use?

DS note is a free application. However, it requires you to own a Synology NAS and have Note Station 1.1 or later installed on it to access its full range of features.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.12.4 — 2023-03-13

Compatibility & Installation
1. Updated the minimum support version to iOS 14.0.

Fixed Issues
1. Fixed an issue where notebooks might not be archived properly.
2. Fixed an issue where users could not edit notes normally.
3. Fixed an issue where clipboard content could not be pasted to a note properly.
4. Fixed an issue where search criteria might not work properly.
5. Fixed some issues regarding voice input.
6. Fixed an issue where the app might quit unexpectedly upon glide typing input.
7. Fixed an issue where the arrow keys on an external keyboard might not work properly.
8. Minor bug fixes and stability enhancement.

### 1.12.3 — 2020-09-15

Fixed Issues
1. Fixed the issue where the application might quit unexpectedly upon login.
2. Minor bug fixes.

### 1.12.2 — 2019-04-17

1. Optimized display on the new iPad Pro and iPhone XR
2. Fixed lagging issue when users type multiple lines of text
3. Fixed an issue where users might not be able to input Chinese correctly
4. Minor bug fixes

### 1.12.1 — 2018-10-15

1. Optimized interface display for iPhone XS Max
2. Fixed an issue where it might crash when using Touch ID on iPhone X
3. Minor bugs fixes

### 1.12.0 — 2018-08-13

1. Supports Thai user interface
2. Fixed an issue where Smart Notebooks might fail to be shared
3. Fixed an issue where the content of notes might disappear after restoring to earlier versions
4. Fixed an issue the creation time of notes might be incorrect
5. Supports sharing images of notes with other applications
6. Supports saving images of notes in original resolution
7. Minor bugs fixes

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## More apps by Synology Inc.

- [DS photo](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ds-photo/id321493106)
- [DS audio](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ds-audio/id321495303)
- [DS cam](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ds-cam/id349087111)
- [DS file](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ds-file/id416751772)
- [DS finder](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ds-finder/id429865523)
- [DS video](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ds-video/id540949418)

All apps by Synology Inc.: https://appshunter.io/developer/321493109

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-02.*