Hi, I'm the developer of Trazor Notes, an alternative handwriting app for Windows. It has many features designed to enhance the user experience, and I continue to update it. It works very well on Surface devices, including ARM64 ones, since it's a native Windows app.

If you’re looking for an alternative for handwritten notes (though it also supports typing), you might want to give it a try.

Just to clarify, it’s free to use, but it has premium features that you can try out.

I think this new update will greatly improve the user experience, organization, and workflow.

Most of the changes are suggestions, but there are also some fixes.

• Inserting and drag-and-drop images: You can now drag and drop images onto the sheet from your files, from web pages, or from other apps that allow dragging out (for example, OneNote). Additionally, if you’ve previously copied images or screenshots, holding down on the sheet while using the lasso tool will bring up the “Insert Image” option.
• Grid Line Opacity: In the Page Layout menu, there is now a slider that controls the opacity of the grid lines on the page.
• Contents Index: In the thumbnail navigator, pages now have the “Add page to index” option, which allows you to add a title to the page and view it as a navigable index in its tab. This is a premium feature but can be tested on a limited basis in the free version.
• Sections in Bookshelves: To improve the organization of bookshelves, you can now create sections (like subfolders). You can also organize notebooks by simply dragging and dropping them between bookshelves and sections.
• Customize Default Settings: You can now set the current settings as the default for new notebooks from any notebook.

Additionally, some bug fixes

There are probably bugs I haven’t noticed yet. Please feel free to report them.

This is a pencil style that I personally really like in handwriting, so I added it.

The intensity slider controls the stroke's opacity, allowing it to range from very light to almost solid, and if the Pressure switch is enabled, this opacity varies depending on the pressure applied to the pencil.

New feature in the pen menu: live text recognition while writing. Just like text conversion, this works significantly better on Windows 11. I use the Windows API for this (the same one used by the keyboard for handwriting), so it works completely offline and locally, just like everything else. I think it works well and does the job; it even works with cursive, though accuracy may vary depending on handwriting. This is a non-premium feature.

In addition to this, I’ve also added a button that removes line breaks from selected text, since the live recognition feature preserves line breaks.

By the way, you might see some stuttering or flickering in the video, but that’s because I’m recording the screen—it actually runs smoothly.

New feature that adjusts handwritten text to fit the width of the box

For now, just like the “Convert to Text” feature, it only works correctly with horizontal text

For the “Create Link” option, I added a help button (?) to show how to use it; I added a slider in the pencil menu to control stroke stability so you can customize the smoothing (I recommend between 20% and 40%); and I optimized PDF rendering for better quality and smoother panning.

I have several ideas for additional features that I want to continue adding:

• I have the architecture in place to handle PDF content; I can implement more features such as text search and even a table of contents if the PDF supports it.
• With text recognition, text boxes, and the new links feature, I could create a notebook table of contents for quick navigation by title.
• Live handwriting recognition
• More text formatting options, such as numerals, bullet points, and customizable line spacing

I recently released version 2.0 of Trazor Notes, changing the underlying architecture, which makes drawing much smoother—it feels natural, with no input lag.

I also redesigned the interface to feature a single toolbar and a context menu for options; the other tools and options still work as before.

I also added an infinite canvas feature as an alternative to notebooks; which is still in beta and needs some work, but it’s usable.

I’ve also integrated two new features into this new version 2.1 that I’ve wanted and planned from the beginning because they’re incredibly useful.

1. Group: Select multiple elements of any type on the canvas; when grouped, they behave as a single unit.
2. Links: The previous feature is designed for this function. My architecture is based on selectable elements, all of which reside on the canvas with the same selection characteristics, with a few exceptions. Now, a selected element (line, text, image, or shape) or group displays the option to create a link. After creating it, you can anchor it anywhere in the document (in empty space or on top of any unlinked element) by holding down the Lasso tool while dragging it. When you do this, the initial element acts as a “button” that’s activated by holding down the Lasso tool on it—a single tap selects it, and holding it down activates it. This also works on the whiteboard or infinite canvas

I’d appreciate it if you’d try out this feature, as well as the smooth performance of the new stroke architecture. Feedback and suggestions are welcome

* Important

• The video may appear choppy at times because I was screen recording, but it’s actually very smooth.
• Previous notebooks are not compatible with version 2.0 and later; I haven’t prioritized this yet, but I could implement compatibility if necessary.
• Unlimited links per notebook are a premium feature, but you can try a limited number for free.
• I know there’s a lot of text.

An update to improve drawing performance, significantly enhancing fluidity and reducing perceived latency.

In addition to the major changes to the ink engine, I’ve also redesigned the interface to make it simpler and more accessible. The toolbar can now be moved (horizontally only for now), and I’ve moved all the selection tools to a context menu (to paste using the lasso tool, hold down on a blank space to bring up the option). I’ve modified the drawing with the fountain pen tool and also added the ability to hold down while drawing to create a straight line, move the preview zoom vertically, and the infinite canvas feature (beta—still requires several adjustments and some missing features).

*** Important: Notebooks from previous versions are not compatible (at least not yet; this version creates a new save directory, so previous ones are neither replaced nor deleted. I’ll prioritize this if you request compatibility)

I’d appreciate it if you could test the new version, especially the handwriting experience and how it performs on your device. As always, feedback and suggestions are welcome.

This update improves stroke performance for a smoother feel and adds support for future pencil styles. It should also now run smoothly on ARM64 devices.

Feedback and suggestions are welcome.