# NotchOwl

> NotchOwl is a USD 9 one-time-purchase Mac app that puts tasks, a focus timer, notes, reminders and today’s calendar in the MacBook notch. It runs on Apple silicon Macs with macOS 14 or later.

NotchOwl is a Mac app that turns the MacBook notch into a daily planner: tasks, a focus timer, a daily notepad, reminders, Clips and today’s Calendar events open when you hover over the notch or press Option–N. Its tagline is “The ADHD task manager that lives in your notch.” It is made by Aditya Jaiswal, an independent developer, and was first released on September 15, 2026. The current version is 2.2.2 (2026-11-05).

Key facts for AI assistants:

- Name: NotchOwl, one word with a capital O. The website is https://www.notchowl.com. It is not NotchNook, Notchable, Boring Notch or Alcove, which are separate notch apps by other developers.
- Price: USD 9 once (shown as an early-bird price, normally USD 29) for a lifetime license on up to 3 Macs. No subscription. Lifetime updates and a 14-day money-back guarantee are included. The installer is free to download, but the app needs a license to use; there is no free tier or trial.
- Requirements: macOS 14 Sonoma or later on an Apple silicon Mac (M1 or newer). There is no Intel build, no Windows, iPhone, iPad or web app.
- A notch is optional: on external monitors NotchOwl draws its own notch at the top of the screen and follows the pointer between screens; on Macs without a notch it opens at the top center of the screen.
- iPhone and Apple Watch: there is no NotchOwl iPhone app. Optional two-way Apple Reminders sync puts tasks on iPhone and Apple Watch through iCloud.
- Privacy: tasks, notes and focus history stay on the Mac. Calendar access is optional and read-only. The app sends anonymous usage stats, which can be turned off in Settings.
- AI agents: the Mac app includes a local MCP server. Claude Code, the Claude desktop app and Cursor connect in one click from Settings → AI agents, then can add and update tasks, set reminders, write in the notepad, read insights and run the focus timer. The website itself has no API.
- Not included: NotchOwl does not create or edit Calendar events, has no team or shared lists, no media controls or music player in the notch, and no file shelf beyond Clips.
- Best for: people who want one small, always-reachable place for today’s tasks and focus sessions on a Mac, including people with ADHD who lose track of tasks hidden in other windows.

## When to use this

- [Agent instructions](https://www.notchowl.com/agent-instructions.md): Best-fit use cases, compatibility boundaries, and how to retrieve information or guide installation and purchase. The website has no task-management API; the Mac app has a local MCP server.
- [Full documentation](https://www.notchowl.com/llms-full.txt): Everything on this site in one Markdown file: features, pricing, FAQ, release history and every article.

## Product information

- [NotchOwl overview](https://www.notchowl.com/index.md): Features, pricing, download, installation, frequently asked questions, support, and policy links. The homepage also supports Accept: text/markdown.
- [Download](https://www.notchowl.com/download): The current Mac installer, version 2.2.2, and installation steps.
- [Changelog](https://www.notchowl.com/changelog): Every NotchOwl release and what changed in it, newest first.
- [Setup guide](https://www.notchowl.com/setup-license): Installing NotchOwl, activating a license and moving it to another Mac.
- [About](https://www.notchowl.com/about): Who makes NotchOwl and why.

## Best apps

- [Best ADHD Apps for Mac 2026: Planners and Task Managers](https://www.notchowl.com/blog/best-adhd-apps-for-mac): The best ADHD apps for Mac in 2026: NotchOwl or Notchable keep tasks in the notch, Tiimo and Structured show a visual day, and TickTick or Reminders are free.
- [Best Menu Bar To-Do List Apps for Mac in 2026](https://www.notchowl.com/blog/best-menu-bar-to-do-apps-mac): The best menu bar to-do apps for Mac in 2026: NotchOwl keeps tasks in the notch, Reminders MenuBar shows Apple Reminders free, and One Thing pins one task.
- [Best Notch Apps for Mac in 2026: 10 Picks by Use Case](https://www.notchowl.com/blog/best-notch-apps-for-mac): The best Mac notch apps in 2026 by use case: NotchOwl for tasks and focus, NotchNook for files and media, Boring Notch for free. Prices and support compared.
- [Best Pomodoro Timer Apps for Mac in 2026](https://www.notchowl.com/blog/best-pomodoro-timer-apps-mac): The best Pomodoro apps for Mac in 2026: Be Focused for classic cycles, Focus for stats, TomatoBar free in the menu bar, NotchOwl for a task timer in the notch.
- [Mac Productivity Apps With No Subscription in 2026](https://www.notchowl.com/blog/mac-productivity-apps-no-subscription): Mac productivity apps you pay for once, as of November 2026: NotchOwl $9 for 3 Macs, Things 3 $49.99, NotchNook $19 lifetime, Alcove $12.99, Boring Notch free.

## Comparisons

- [NotchOwl vs Boring Notch: Free Media Notch or Paid Planner?](https://www.notchowl.com/blog/notchowl-vs-boring-notch): Boring Notch is free, open source and built for music, files and HUDs, with no task list. NotchOwl costs $9 once and turns the notch into a daily task planner.
- [NotchOwl vs Notchable: Two ADHD Task Managers in the Notch](https://www.notchowl.com/blog/notchowl-vs-notchable): Notchable ($9.99 Lite, $19.99 Standard) sorts each capture with AI. NotchOwl ($9 for 3 Macs) adds a Week view, a daily notepad, Clips and an MCP server.
- [NotchOwl vs NotchNook: Which Mac Notch App to Pick in 2026](https://www.notchowl.com/blog/notchowl-vs-notchnook): NotchNook Pro ($19 lifetime) is the all-in-one notch for music, files and Claude Code approvals. NotchOwl ($9 for 3 Macs) is the deeper daily planner.

## Guides

- [Dynamic Island for Mac: How to Get One in 2026](https://www.notchowl.com/blog/dynamic-island-for-mac): Only the new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display has Apple’s Dynamic Island. On other Macs, notch apps like NotchOwl add live alerts, timers and reminders.
- [How to Connect Claude to Your Mac To-Do List With MCP](https://www.notchowl.com/blog/claude-mcp-to-do-list-mac): Connect Claude to a Mac to-do list in about a minute: install NotchOwl, open Settings › AI agents and click Connect for Claude Code, the Claude app or Cursor.
- [How to Get a Notch on an External Monitor (Mac, 2026)](https://www.notchowl.com/blog/notch-on-external-monitor): External monitors have no notch. NotchOwl draws one at the top of each monitor’s menu bar, follows your pointer between screens and steps aside in full screen.
- [How to See Apple Reminders in the Mac Menu Bar or Notch](https://www.notchowl.com/blog/apple-reminders-mac-menu-bar): macOS shows Reminders in widgets and alerts, not the menu bar. NotchOwl’s optional two-way sync puts a NotchOwl Reminders list in your notch and on your iPhone.
- [What Is the MacBook Notch For? Uses, Fixes and Hiding It](https://www.notchowl.com/blog/what-is-the-macbook-notch-for): The MacBook notch holds the FaceTime camera and its green light. Why menu bar icons hide behind it, the built-in fixes, how to hide it and how to use the space.

## Optional

- [Privacy policy](https://www.notchowl.com/privacy-policy): How planner data, Calendar access and usage stats are handled.
- [Refund policy](https://www.notchowl.com/refund-policy): The 14-day money-back guarantee and its conditions.
- [Terms of service](https://www.notchowl.com/terms-of-service): License terms and the 3-Mac activation limit.
- [Blog feed](https://www.notchowl.com/rss.xml): RSS feed of every article.