Notavi

Notavi is a documentation app that converts routine computer tasks into structured, numbered procedures. When a person performs a process, they press a keyboard shortcut to save each step. The program records a screenshot and builds a complete written guide with numbered steps, warnings, and a consistent template. The output is stored as ordinary files in a folder on the user’s own computer or cloud storage. The program also identifies near-duplicate procedures, tracks revisions, groups related guides into runbooks with manager sign-off sheets, and exports documents in multiple formats and languages. It runs on Mac and Windows, both signed and notarized.

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Download Notavi (Official links)

File size: 333 MB

The latest version of Notavi is: 200.2.0266

Operating system: Windows, Mac OS

Languages: English

Developer: Notavi LLC.

Price: $0.00 USD (Freemium product ($10 or $20 per month or free version))

Manual guide creation. A user can build a guide from scratch without any automation. Steps are added, text and sections are inserted, order is rearranged, and every title or instruction is edited directly in place. This function gives full control over the final document when a person prefers to write the procedure by hand rather than rely on generated content.
AI writeup. After a capture session is submitted, the optional AI component returns a titled step for every screenshot. The result is a complete draft guide with numbered instructions. This function is a paid feature and is never required to produce documentation. It serves users who want a first draft without writing each step themselves.
Step capture shortcuts. Two keyboard shortcuts are available for saving a step. The default keys are Ctrl+D and Ctrl+L. Both shortcuts can be reassigned in Settings. This function lets a person keep one hand on the keyboard and save steps at the exact moment they occur, without interrupting the task being documented.
Three capture modes. Fullscreen mode records the whole display, Window mode crops to the focused window and removes the desktop and dock, and Selection mode lets the user drag a region around a single panel or dialog. A default mode is set in Settings, and each capture can still be zoomed or cropped later in the editor while the original remains intact. This function ensures each step shows the correct context.
Screenshot markup. A blur tool permanently redacts sensitive content such as names, identifiers, or internal links directly on the screenshot. An arrow tool points to a specific element, and a text-box tool adds labels. This function prepares images for sharing or for submission to the AI writeup, and the redaction is baked into the image rather than applied as a removable layer.
Version tracking. Every revision of a guide is kept with a plain-language note describing what changed, when, and who changed it. Small fixes are recorded as minor versions and full rewrites as major versions. Any earlier version can be reopened for reading or restored as the current one without losing newer versions. This function keeps a guide current and preserves its full lineage.
Duplicate detection. The program searches across all folders and flags new guides that resemble existing ones, scoring how alike they are. The pair is reviewed side by side, and the user decides to merge them into one authoritative version, cross-reference them, or keep both. Nothing changes until a decision is made. This function prevents multiple conflicting copies of the same procedure.
Change logs. Each guide carries an automated record of its history. Differences between versions are written in sentences rather than technical diffs. This function gives readers a clear account of how a procedure evolved and supports audits or reviews without manual documentation of the documentation itself.
Runbook grouping. Related procedures are grouped into a runbook, and a manager sign-off sheet is produced for the collection. This function organizes individual guides into a larger operational document and provides a formal approval record for teams that require authorization before procedures are used.
Export options. Any guide is exported as a polished document in two-column, quadrant, or single-page layout. Output formats include PDF, web page, and Word document. Exports are available in eleven languages. This function prepares procedures for new hires, tickets, or printed handouts without additional formatting work.
Preview before sharing. A preview mode shows exactly how a guide will read before it leaves the user's hands. This function allows a final review of layout, step order, and wording so errors are caught before distribution to a team or external recipient.
Local storage. Guides live in storage the user already owns, including OneDrive, iCloud, Dropbox, Proton, or SharePoint. Content is not kept on the vendor's servers. When the AI writeup is used, only the captured steps of that session are sent for processing on US-based infrastructure and are never used to train AI. This function keeps files, folders, and access under the user's control.
Automatic library search. A search function scans every folder to locate the correct guide in seconds. This function supports large collections where manual browsing would be slow and helps maintain a single source of truth across an organization.
Branching and clean starts. A new version can be started from an existing guide or from a blank document under the same lineage. This function supports experimentation with a revised procedure while preserving the original and its history.

Notavi was created by a development team building documentation tools for technical and operational teams. Work on Notavi began in the early 2020s, and the first public releases arrived in the middle of the decade for Apple Silicon Mac computers with M1 or later chips and for Windows 10 and 11 in 64-bit versions. The application is written in a combination of compiled and web-based languages typical for modern cross-platform desktop software, with a native capture layer for screenshots and shortcuts and a separate interface layer for editing, versioning, and export. The AI writeup component runs on US-based infrastructure and processes only submitted capture sessions. The team has continued to refine duplicate detection, version tracking, and export formats since launch.

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