October DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsWindows FixRecommendedWindows errors stealing your time? Find the fix fastScan stability, cleanup and performance issues.Fix NowOctober DealsAmazon USDeal season is back - check today's better picksAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.See Picks×
Skip to content
Mountain View desk5 min

I Abandoned Google Keep for an Open Source App: What Logseq Changes for Linked Notes

A first-person account describes moving research and linked ideas from Google Keep to Logseq while keeping Keep for quick lists. Here is what Logseq changes, where the split works, and what the evidence does not establish.

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

The short answer is that the writer did not abandon Google Keep entirely. In a first-person account published by Android Police on September 16, 2026, Anu Joy describes moving research, outlines, and ideas meant to be revisited into Logseq, an open source, Markdown-based notes app, while keeping Keep for grocery lists, reminders, and shared checklists. The reason for the move was a structural problem: Keep stores each note separately, so related ideas are hard to connect, and longer notes are hard to organize.

The flaw: separate notes that do not talk to each other

Keep works well when a note is a single thing: a list, a reminder, a quick thought. The trouble starts when the same idea appears in several notes under different wording. According to the article, the author could not reliably find related material without remembering the exact phrasing used in each earlier note. A second problem followed from the first. Once a note grew past a few paragraphs, Keep offered little help in turning it into a structured document.

Both problems are described from the author’s own use. The article does not measure how common they are among Keep users, and it should be read as one person’s experience rather than a general finding.

What Logseq changes

Logseq is organized around pages and linked blocks rather than standalone notes. The article describes four features that address the problem above.

Free tools Windows power users keep installed

One-click scans. No signup required.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Linked notes and backlinks

Typing a name inside double square brackets, written as [[Note Name]], links one page to another. Each page then shows backlinks, meaning the other places that refer to it. The author’s point is that backlinks surface related ideas automatically, so finding a connection no longer depends on recalling the exact words used when the earlier note was written.

Daily notes

Logseq gives each day its own page. Capture happens there without first choosing a title or label, which removes the friction of deciding where a passing thought belongs. Ideas that deserve a permanent home can later be moved into their own linked page. The article presents this as a capture habit rather than a filing system.

Rank #2
Amazon Basics Executive Lined Notebook, 240 Pages, 100 GSM Paper, Hardcover Leather, A5 (5.7 x 8.4-Inch), Grey, for Work, School, Writing
  • SHIPMENT CONTAINS: A5 notebook (5.7 x 8.4 inches) with 240 lined pages of 100 GSM acid-free paper, navy leather hardcover and elastic closure for professional writing
  • PREMIUM PAPER QUALITY: 100 GSM thick paper provides smooth writing surface and prevents ink bleed-through, suitable for fountain pens, gel pens and markers---need to revise
  • DUAL ORGANIZATION FEATURES: Two ribbon bookmarks help mark multiple important pages while expandable inner pocket securely stores loose papers and cards
  • LEATHER HARDCOVER DESIGN: Durable navy leather cover with elastic closure band protects pages and contents during daily transport and travel
  • PORTABLE A5 FORMAT: Compact 5.7 x 8.4-inch size offers ample writing space while maintaining portability for office, school and business use

Bullet-based outlining

Content is written as bullets that can be indented, collapsed, and moved. The article presents this structure as the reason Logseq suits research and article drafts that have outgrown a simple list. Sections can be folded away while the author works on another part of the same outline.

Plain Markdown files and file-based sync

Logseq stores notes as plain Markdown files on the local device, and the user chooses how those files move between devices. The author names Syncthing as the method used to mirror a folder between a computer and a phone. This is one workflow the author reports, not a setup guide. Platform support for Syncthing and Logseq changes over time, so check the current instructions for each before copying the setup.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #3
(2-Pack) Activity Log Notepad - Spiral Activity Log Book for Business Work, Undated Weekly To Do List Notepad, Organized Time Spending, Appointment or Contact, Total in 104 Sheets, 100gsm Paper, 8.5" x 11"
  • ACTIVITY LOG NOTEPAD - The format of this activity log allows for tracking date, starting time, and ending time. Use a single line or multiple lines to describe the appointment, task, or contact. It has a blank line at the top of each sheet to title each activity log sheet.
  • PERFECT SIZE - The activity log pad size of 8.5 x 11 inches, per pack 52 sheets, total in 104 sheets activity logs are helpful for work, home, personal and professional use.
  • HIGH QUALITY - Daily activity log with 100gsm smooth paper for easy writing and reducing ink leakage. Premium quality covers and twin-wire binding, it responds well to almost all pen types, fountain pen, gel pen, ballpoint pen, highlighter, pencil and etc.
  • EASY TO USE - This simple and easy to use/see/refer to tool to keep track of where and how much your time spending.
  • STAY ORGANIZED WITH PROJECTS - Keep track of the tasks and steps involved in completing projects using our project activity log, ensuring nothing is overlooked and promoting successful project management.

How the split works in practice

The author’s arrangement is best understood as two tools with separate jobs rather than one replacement. The table below compares the two based only on what the article states. Where the article does not address a point, the cell says so.

Factor Google Keep (per the article) Logseq (per the article)
Quick capture of small items Described as the author’s fastest option for grocery lists and quick notes Daily notes accept capture without a title, but the article does not frame it as the fastest route
Reminders and shared checklists Kept in use by the author for reminders and shared checklists Not stated in the article
Organizing longer notes Described as hard to structure once notes grow long Bullet outlines with indentation, collapsing, and moving blocks
Links between related ideas Separate notes with no described linking; related ideas are hard to find Double-bracket links and automatic backlinks
File portability Not stated in the article Plain Markdown files stored locally
Cross-device sync Not stated in the article as a comparison point File-based sync; author mirrors a folder with Syncthing
Privacy model Not assessed in the article Not assessed in the article
Setup effort Not stated in the article Requires choosing and configuring a sync method, according to the author’s workflow

Deciding what goes where

The author’s split suggests a simple test for each new note. The following checklist reflects the article’s own division of work and is not a rule the author states in these terms.

Rank #4
Sale
Adams Activity Log Book, Spiral Bound, 8.5 x 11 Inches, 100 Pages, White (S1185ABF)
  • The perfect product for busy offices, walk-in advising centers, call centers, and other high-traffic businesses
  • Keep track of activities and follow-ups
  • Includes columns for date, time, name of contact, phone number, subject, follow-up action required, initials of individual completing the log, and check box to signal completion
  • Spiral bound at left
  • 100 pages per book
  • Use Keep when the item is a list, a reminder, or something shared with another person and needs no later connection to other ideas.
  • Use Logseq when the item is a fragment you expect to return to, a research thread, or an outline that will grow beyond a few paragraphs.
  • Start a note in a daily page in Logseq when you are unsure where it belongs, then link it to a named page once the subject is clear.
  • Link to an existing page by name before creating a new one, so that backlinks collect in one place.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Privacy and the alternatives worth comparing

The article does not evaluate how either app handles encryption or data access, so readers who care about privacy should not treat the Keep-to-Logseq move as a security decision. Privacy Guides, in a page on notebooks with content dated May 15, 2025, recommends that people leaving services such as Google Keep consider alternatives that support end-to-end encryption. It names Notesnook, which it describes as open source and encrypted, and Joplin, which it describes as open source with Markdown notes, notebooks, tags, sync options, and import support.

Those are comparison points, not evidence that Logseq offers the same protections. A reader who needs end-to-end encryption should check Logseq’s own documentation and sync method before assuming it meets that requirement, and should check Privacy Guides’ current criteria directly rather than relying on the 2025 snapshot.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Best Value
Life Charge Activity Log Notepad for Work, 60-Page Pad, 8.5 x 11 Inch
  • ACTIVITY LOG NOTEPAD FOR WORK – Structured activity log book and time log designed as a work log and task tracker with expanded tracking space
  • TRACK WORK WITHOUT RELYING ON MEMORY – Use this work log, time log, and task tracker to maintain detailed workflow records and accountability
  • TIME TRACKING LOG FOR WORK, PROJECTS & CLIENT TASKS – Track workflow and tasks using a structured productivity planner and task tracker format It also works as an activity log notebook, call log notepad, time tracker notebook, and employee activity log for detailed work records.
  • ANALOG TIME TRACKING THAT WORKS – Written tracking improves recall, reduces errors, and increases execution accuracy
  • STRUCTURED TIME & TASK LOGGING SYSTEM – Organized layout provides clear tracking for workflow, tasks, and time entries

What this account does and does not establish

This is a single first-person account. It describes a workflow that worked for one writer, without measured productivity results, usage statistics, or a controlled comparison of the two apps. The headline’s phrase “massive note-taking flaw” is the writer’s framing of a problem they experienced, not a finding that other users share it to the same degree. The most defensible reading is narrower and more useful: Keep handles small, quick, shared items well, while Logseq’s linked pages and outlines suit notes that need to connect to other notes and grow over time.

“

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More from the Wire

  1. World desk4 min
    How to Spot an AI Voice Scam Before Sending MoneyDon’t rely on how a caller sounds. Pause, call back through a known number, and verify the emergency with another trusted person before sending money.
  2. Mountain View desk4 min
    Google’s SynthID Detector: How to Check AI-Generated Images, Video and AudioGoogle’s SynthID Detector looks for an embedded watermark in supported images, video and audio. Here is what its results do—and do not—show.
  3. Redmond desk20 min
    How to create a link to File or Folder in Windows 11Windows 11 gives you several ways to point to a file or folder without moving or duplicating it. You can create a desktop shortcut,…
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?Free driver scan
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?Free scan - under a minute

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.