Simple Side Note 1.0.2: Bigger Text, Faster Formatting, and Auto-Save

Update summary: Simple Side Note 1.0.2 increases the default text size, replaces a crowded formatting toolbar with direct controls, and saves the current note before creating another one.

A side panel has different readability needs

Simple Side Note started as a personal tool for keeping notes beside articles, documentation, videos, and AI-assisted research. The first editor used 14 px text, which looked acceptable in isolation but felt too small during a long reading session.

Version 1.0.2 raises the default editor size to 18 px. The change reduces the amount of text visible at once, but that is a reasonable trade-off in a narrow panel where readability matters more than page density.

The larger default is particularly useful beside:

• technical documentation;
• video transcripts;
• language-learning material;
• long search or research results;
• code review notes.

Direct font-size controls

Instead of hiding common actions in a general formatting menu, the editor provides direct size buttons:

Control	Size	Suggested use
Large	20 px	Important sentence
Larger	26 px	Section heading
Huge	34 px	Short warning or key result

Selecting an active size again returns the text to the default size. This makes the control reversible without requiring a separate reset command.

Three useful text colours

The update also provides black, red, and blue as direct choices. Limiting the palette keeps the toolbar compact and encourages consistent meaning.

For example:

• black for normal notes;
• red for a warning or unresolved problem;
• blue for a conclusion or link to investigate.

The selected colour can be toggled off by selecting it again.

Save before creating a new note

The more important change is behavioural. Earlier versions could make the New action risky when the current note had edits that were not yet persisted.

The updated sequence is:

1. Save the active note.
2. Create a blank note.
3. Select the new note for editing.

The user does not need to respond to a confirmation dialog during this ordinary workflow. Saving first turns New into a predictable transition rather than a possible loss point.

Why the toolbar became smaller

Version 1.0.1 explored a broader rich-text toolbar. Daily use showed that most notes needed only readable text, a small hierarchy, and a few colour signals. Version 1.0.2 removes less-used controls and gives the limited panel width back to the editor.

This is a useful product lesson: adding capability and improving usability are not always the same thing. A control earns its space only when it supports the primary workflow often enough.

Install or update

Existing Chrome Web Store installations normally update automatically. You can check the installed version from chrome://extensions/.

Install Simple Side Note from the Chrome Web Store, or inspect the open-source implementation in the GitHub repository.

The next releases continue the same direction: better export and recovery, clearer organisation, and useful automation without turning a quick side-panel notepad into a complicated workspace.