---
title: "Use the scratchpad"
summary: "The scratchpad is a small window above every program for a list, a draft or a thought. How to open it, dictate into it and insert a note into your program."
url: "https://help.medisynchealth.ai/en/dictate/scratchpad"
product: "MediSync Dictate"
platforms: ["windows","macos"]
access: "public"
updated: "2026-11-11"
version: "Dictate 0.4.0-beta.6"
---

# Use the scratchpad

The scratchpad is a small window above every program for a list, a draft or a thought. How to open it, dictate into it and insert a note into your program.

The scratchpad is a small window that stays above every program. You type or dictate into it and insert the note into a program later.

## Open the scratchpad

There are three ways:

- Open **Scratchpad** in the sidebar and click **New note**.
- A shortcut of its own. There is none by default.
- A button in the Action Bar. It is off by default.

You set both on the **Scratchpad** page under **Opening**.

1. Open **Scratchpad** in the sidebar.
2. For the Action Bar button, turn on **Add to the Action Bar**.
3. For a shortcut, click **Set** next to **Shortcut**, then **Record key**, and press the keys.

The shortcut opens the scratchpad from anywhere. Press it again to close it. **Remove shortcut** deletes it.

Under **When it opens** you choose what the scratchpad shows: **Last note** (the default) or **New note**.

## Type and dictate

Click into the window and type. To dictate, hold `Ctrl` + `Win` and speak. Dictate writes into the scratchpad as into any other program.

Dictate saves the note by itself after a short pause. The bottom of the window shows the number of words and **Saved**.

## Several notes

- **New note** (the plus) opens a new tab. `Ctrl` + `N` works too, on a Mac `Command` + `N`.
- **Close tab** closes a tab. The note stays saved. The last tab closes the window.
- **Notes** shows the list on the left, with a search.
- **Small window** and **Large window** change the size.
- **All notes** opens the **Scratchpad** page in the main window.

Dictate deletes empty notes when you close the window. The window opens again in the same place.

## Insert a note into a program

Open the scratchpad from the program the note should go into. The bottom of the window then shows a button with the program's name, for example **Insert into Word**. Click it, or press `Ctrl` + `Enter`, on a Mac `Command` + `Enter`. The scratchpad closes, and Dictate inserts the note at the cursor.

If this fails, the text is on the clipboard: `Not inserted. The text is on the clipboard.`

More buttons at the bottom of the window:

- **Copy** puts the note on the clipboard.
- **Delete note** asks **Delete?**. A second click deletes the note.

## Manage your notes

The **Scratchpad** page lists all notes under **Your notes**. A click opens a note in the window. With the mouse over a row, **Rename** and **Delete** appear. You cannot undo a delete. The magnifier **Search notes** searches your notes.

## Where the notes are kept

Notes stay on this computer, encrypted with the key of your system. **Settings › Privacy › Export data** puts the scratchpad into the ZIP file. [Privacy in Dictate](https://help.medisynchealth.ai/en/dictate/privacy-in-dictate) has more.