Run AppFlowy: Your Private Notion Alternative in Minutes

// Before you start

What you need

A Mac, Windows PC, or Linux computer
About 200 MB of free disk space
An internet connection for the initial download

Step 1 of 6

Download the AppFlowy installer for your OS

3 min

AppFlowy ships pre-built installers for every major desktop platform. You do not need to install any programming tools. Just grab the right file from the official releases page on GitHub.

Terminal · mac

$ Open your browser and go to: https://github.com/AppFlowy-IO/AppFlowy/releases/latest

$ Look for the file that matches your system:

$ macOS → AppFlowy_<version>_macos-x86_64.dmg (Intel)

$ AppFlowy_<version>_macos-aarch64.dmg (Apple Silicon / M-chip)

$ Windows → AppFlowy_<version>_windows-x86_64.exe

$ Linux → AppFlowy_<version>_linux-x86_64.deb (Debian/Ubuntu)

$ AppFlowy_<version>_linux-x86_64.rpm (Fedora/RHEL)

$ or install via Flathub / Snapcraft (links on the README)

$ Click the file name to download it.

What you should see

A single installer file lands in your Downloads folder.

This might happen

You see many files and don't know which to pick.

Match your OS first, then your chip. On a Mac, click the Apple menu → About This Mac. If it says 'Apple M' anything, download the aarch64 file. Otherwise download x86_64.

Step 2 of 6

Install AppFlowy on your computer

3 min

Run the installer you just downloaded exactly like any other app. No terminal needed.

Terminal · mac

$ macOS: Double-click the .dmg file → drag AppFlowy into your Applications folder → eject the disk image.

$ Windows: Double-click the .exe file → click 'Yes' on the security prompt → follow the on-screen installer steps.

$ Linux (Debian/Ubuntu):

$ sudo dpkg -i ~/Downloads/AppFlowy_*_linux-x86_64.deb

$ Linux (Fedora/RHEL):

$ sudo rpm -i ~/Downloads/AppFlowy_*_linux-x86_64.rpm

What you should see

AppFlowy appears in your Applications folder (Mac), Start Menu (Windows), or app launcher (Linux).

This might happen

macOS says 'AppFlowy cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified.'

Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → scroll down and click 'Open Anyway' next to the AppFlowy message. This is a standard macOS gatekeeper prompt for apps outside the App Store.

Step 3 of 6

Launch AppFlowy and create your account

2 min

Open AppFlowy for the first time. It will ask whether you want to use AppFlowy Cloud (syncs across devices) or stay fully local. For maximum privacy, choose local. You can always connect to the cloud later.

Terminal · mac

$ macOS: Open Spotlight (Cmd+Space), type AppFlowy, press Enter.

$ Windows: Click Start → search AppFlowy → click to open.

$ Linux: Search for AppFlowy in your app launcher, or run: appflowy

What you should see

A welcome screen appears asking you to sign in or continue locally.

This might happen

The app opens to a blank white screen and freezes.

Quit the app, restart your computer, and try again. On Linux, make sure your graphics drivers are up to date.

Step 4 of 6

Create your first workspace page

5 min

AppFlowy organizes everything into pages inside a workspace. Think of a page like a Notion page — it can be a document, a database, a kanban board, or a calendar. Click the '+' button in the left sidebar to add your first page and pick a type.

Terminal · mac

$ No command needed — this is all point-and-click inside the app.

$ 1. In the left sidebar, click the '+' icon next to 'Getting Started'.

$ 2. Choose a page type: Document, Grid, Board, or Calendar.

$ 3. Give the page a name and start typing or adding content.

What you should see

A new blank page opens in the main area, ready for content.

Step 5 of 6

Enable AI features (optional)

5 min

AppFlowy has built-in AI writing tools. To use them you need to connect either AppFlowy Cloud (free tier available) or your own OpenAI/Ollama key. If you just want a local notes app, skip this step entirely.

Terminal · mac

$ Inside AppFlowy:

$ 1. Click your workspace name (top-left) → Settings.

$ 2. Go to 'AI Settings' or 'Cloud Settings'.

$ 3. Choose one option:

$ a) AppFlowy Cloud — click 'Sign in with AppFlowy Cloud' and create a free account at appflowy.io.

$ b) Local AI (Ollama) — enter your Ollama server URL (e.g. http://localhost:11434) if you already run Ollama.

$ c) OpenAI — paste your OpenAI API key.

$ 4. Save settings.

What you should see

A small AI icon (sparkle or robot) appears in the editor toolbar. Highlight text and click it to get AI suggestions.

This might happen

AI features don't appear after saving.

Restart AppFlowy. If still missing, confirm your API key or cloud login is correct under Settings → AI Settings.

Step 6 of 6

Import content from Notion or Markdown (optional)

5 min

If you are migrating from Notion, export your Notion data as Markdown & CSV first (Notion → Settings → Export). Then import that folder into AppFlowy. This is the fastest way to move existing notes over.

Terminal · mac

$ Inside AppFlowy:

$ 1. Click the '...' menu next to any page in the sidebar, or go to Settings → Import.

$ 2. Select 'Import' → choose 'Markdown' or 'Notion'.

$ 3. Navigate to your exported folder and confirm.

$ For Notion exports specifically, export from Notion as 'Markdown & CSV', unzip the downloaded file, then point AppFlowy's importer at that unzipped folder.

What you should see

Your imported pages appear in the left sidebar under a new section.

This might happen

Notion databases import as plain tables and lose some formatting.

This is a known limitation. Complex Notion databases may need manual cleanup after import. Simple documents import cleanly.

// Status

cooked. baked. worked.

A fully working, private desktop workspace app where you can write documents, manage tasks in boards and grids, and optionally use AI writing assistance — with all data stored on your own machine.

// the honest bit

The honest part

AppFlowy's desktop app is solid and actively developed, but it is not yet a full feature-for-feature Notion replacement. Real-time multiplayer collaboration requires self-hosting AppFlowy Cloud (a separate, more technical setup) or using the hosted AppFlowy Cloud service. Mobile apps exist but are less mature than the desktop version. The AI features require either a paid API key or a running Ollama instance — they are not free out of the box unless you use the AppFlowy Cloud free tier.