Pinto Notes combines a conventional notes application with optional connections that let ChatGPT or Claude read and update notes. The official description puts the familiar parts first: folders, checklists, tables, attachments and offline writing. The unusual part is allowing an assistant to work with that library when you approve the connection.
This First look uses the App Store description. We have not connected an AI account, inspected the encryption implementation or tested recovery. The central decision is what information an assistant should be able to read or change, not simply whether a notes app has an AI feature.
Based on official store information. We have not tested this app hands-on.
What it does
The developer gives examples such as adding an item to a shopping list, answering a question from travel notes or turning a meeting into a checklist. These examples explain the intended interaction: the assistant accesses an existing note rather than requiring you to paste its contents into every conversation. They are developer examples, not actions we have verified.
Each AI connection is approved on the device as read-only or read-and-edit access. The listing says you can disconnect an AI at any time, that changed lines are highlighted with Undo nearby and that earlier versions are retained. That creates a documented review path, but you should still inspect whether a change preserved the intended meaning before relying on it.
The underlying editor supports headings, lists, quotes, checklists, tables and sub-notes. Photos, PDFs and files can be placed in notes and folders. Completed checklist items can move to the bottom. A note can be locked using a password and Face ID according to the description. These features make the product relevant even when you choose not to connect an assistant.
Offline writing continues without a connection, with changes syncing later. Imports are listed for Evernote, Google Keep, Markdown and text, and Apple Notes import is described on Mac. A practical migration would begin with a small set containing text, an attachment and a checklist, then confirm that each remains useful before importing an entire library.
Notes can also be shared as web pages and sharing can be stopped. That is a separate publication action from synchronising a private note or letting an approved assistant access it. Check the note and its audience before creating a link.
Before you install
The encryption statement has explicit exceptions. The developer says notes are encrypted on iPhone and Mac before syncing and cannot normally be read by the provider. However, a connected AI reads the notes it requests through the service's server, and a web-shared note is readable by anyone with its link. Preserve those qualifications when deciding what belongs in the library.
Read-only and edit permission also have different consequences. Reading can disclose information to the connected service even if it never changes a word. Edit permission adds the possibility of an unwanted alteration. Highlighting and version history can support review, but neither should be interpreted as preventing every inappropriate request.
If a note contains private details about other people, your ability to connect an AI does not determine whether sharing those details is appropriate. Review the current privacy terms of both Pinto Notes and the assistant service and start with non-sensitive sample material. We have not audited provider handling or connection scope.
Imports, sync and account deletion are important operational questions. The description says you can delete the account and everything in it from Settings. Check how you would retain any records you need before deleting an account or leaving the service. We have not verified export completeness, attachment preservation or recovery after deletion.
Price and access
The linked US App Store download is free. The retained description lists 2 GB of storage, no advertising or tracking, and an open-source product. Sign-in can use Apple, Google or email; connecting ChatGPT or Claude requires your own account with that service. It does not establish an included paid AI subscription or unlimited storage. Confirm live access conditions and device compatibility before moving important notes.
Our take
Pinto Notes has a clear differentiator: notes remain an organised library, while an assistant can become an explicitly authorised reader or editor. Highlighted changes and earlier versions make that proposition more reviewable than an unexplained background rewrite. Their actual behavior still needs direct testing.
Start with a note you can easily inspect and grant the narrowest access needed. Ask for a bounded change, compare the result and check how disconnecting works. Keep a separate copy of important source material during a migration or an initial experiment.
Our take is conditional on understanding the privacy boundary. The documented encryption and its exceptions are both part of the product. We have not validated security, import accuracy or AI reliability, so this remains a source-based introduction rather than an endorsement of storing every sensitive record in an assistant-connected library.
For an AI-edited checklist, verify more than the added line. Check that existing items, quantities and context remain intact. A visible change highlight is a useful place to start reviewing, not proof that the whole note still expresses the original intention.
Sources
App icon from the official store listing.
