Linwood Butterfly is free, open-source software for handwriting, drawing and document annotation on an infinite canvas. This guide takes one small note from installation to a backed-up editable file and a shareable export. It suits selected OneNote and PDF-markup tasks; it does not promise every feature or perfect conversion of an existing notebook. AltStack reviewed the provider's downloads, v2 documentation and licensing on October 24, 2026. We did not run the software, install an APK or test a document conversion for this article.
1. Choose a task and understand the real costs
Start with a disposable meeting agenda, worksheet or a page of your own notes. A small file makes it easier to see whether handwriting and PDF placement fit your device before moving a large notebook. Decide which result matters: an editable working note, a fixed document for someone else, or both.
Butterfly's AGPL-3.0 software does not require a subscription or account for local work. You supply the device, storage and optional stylus. A WebDAV host, Nextcloud service or collaboration server is separate and may charge for resources. The provider describes collaboration as experimental. Do not assume an unlimited hosted account, included cloud backup, OCR or a paid competitor's complete workflow.
2. Install a stable package from the provider
Open Butterfly's official Downloads page and choose your platform. On Windows, its instructions recommend the Microsoft Store and also document Winget and downloadable packages; Windows 10 or newer is listed. On Linux, use the linked store route or the package suitable for your system; manual binary instructions list additional dependencies. On macOS, the provider links a DMG and portable package. Choose Stable rather than Nightly for the first trial.
The Android page lists Android 7.0 or newer and provider-hosted APKs, including a universal build and architecture-specific choices. Keep one signing/update channel: F-Droid builds can use different signing certificates from project APKs. Verify a downloaded APK against the provider's current signer guidance rather than assuming its file checksum proves who signed it. iOS is described as a preview, so this walkthrough does not treat it as a stable supported installation.
3. Create and save the first note
From Quickstart, choose the built-in Light or Dark template. In the document view, give the note a recognizable name using the name field and save it. On a phone, the Files tab leads to the file list; the plus control offers file and import actions. Use the provider's v2 Introduction screenshots to orient yourself if your layout differs.
Write a short title rather than importing the entire notebook immediately. Leave the app, reopen that test note and confirm the saved work is where you expect it. This is a check for you to perform, not a test AltStack has already completed. Keep its filename and storage location in your migration notes.
4. Check pen and navigation behavior
Choose Pen for a few strokes, then select it again to inspect its properties. Adjust width and color first. Pressure-related thinning, smoothing and streamline settings influence the result; change one setting at a time so you can understand it. Use Hand for canvas navigation when you want to move the view without adding marks.
For a highlighter, the provider documents adding a separate pen and configuring its stroke and transparency. Keep your ordinary writing pen separate from that wider translucent tool. Test both over a short line before marking a long document. If a stylus produces unexpected strokes, review its input behavior and the provider's stylus guide rather than assuming the PDF itself is damaged.
5. Import one document and inspect the result
Open the note, choose Add, then the Import section and an appropriate file source. The provider documents PDF, images and other supported formats, with import options depending on the type and device. Use a small document that you are permitted to copy. Follow the dialog and position the imported content on the canvas before writing over it.
Check orientation, page size, legibility and whether each page you need is present. Importing an SVG places an image; it does not turn every graphic into individually editable Butterfly shapes. A flattened PDF or image from another notes app also cannot be assumed to restore that app's original objects, links or handwriting structure.
6. Define an output boundary before sharing
An infinite canvas has no automatic promise of a neat printed page. Use an Area to identify the region you want to export. Give it enough room for the document and annotations, then inspect its edges so a note near the margin is not unintentionally omitted. If you need several output pages, plan those regions before exporting.
For a picture, choose Export > Image or Export > SVG from the Butterfly menu. Its preview can use the current View or the page content and lets you adjust the framing. For a fixed document, Export > PDF uses areas that can be ordered and configured. Inspect the preview and the saved result; an export button being available does not establish that your particular document converted correctly.
7. Keep the editable note and a separate backup
Export a packaged .bfly note to preserve an editable copy. The documented .tbfly format is the text-based alternative. Keep a separate PDF or image when another person only needs to read the result. Those output copies are not substitutes for an editable Butterfly note.
On native platforms, review the storage location in Settings > Data and back up the intended files independently. In the web app, working data resides in the browser; clearing site data or changing browser profiles can remove access to that local working copy. Before cleaning browser storage or replacing a device, export a note and reopen the exported copy. Keep at least one backup outside the working location.
8. Add synchronization only after the local workflow works
Stay with local files for the initial trial. Native Butterfly can connect to WebDAV storage, including an appropriately configured Nextcloud service. That requires the correct service URL, account details, folder permissions and a separate cost/privacy review. A directory connection and a cloud backup are different things.
Read the provider's current connection instructions before entering credentials. Use the permissions and authentication method appropriate to that service, and keep those details out of shared notes. A successful connection is not proof that every edit reached another device. Make one harmless change, verify it from the other location and confirm that your independent backup still opens before entrusting important work to the arrangement.
9. Troubleshoot the sample before migrating more
If an imported file appears blank, try a small known-good file of the same type and review the import options. If an export cuts off writing, return to the area or preview framing. If a tool seems missing on a narrow display, the v2 documentation explains that the toolbar can be scrolled. Avoid repeated conversions of the only original.
For a save or location problem, identify whether the note lives in browser storage, native storage or a remote connection before changing settings. Reopen the editable backup to separate a file problem from a storage problem. If the small trial still fails, retain your existing notes application and report the exact version, platform and reproducible symptom to the provider without sharing private document contents.
Official instructions and sources
Provider downloads and platform choicesAndroid packages and signer guidanceWindows installationLinux installationmacOS packagesv2 Introduction and document controlsPen settingsImportingAreasExportingStorage and WebDAV limitationsProvider privacy disclosureOpen-source project and licenseGenuine artwork reuse licenseOriginal AltStack guide by Sushil Kumar Sah. Installation steps follow provider documentation; they do not imply testing on every supported device.