A Pattern Keeper alternative for Windows
Pattern Keeper is an Android app, and there’s no Windows version. Flossmark opens the same “Pattern Keeper compatible” PDF charts on a Surface or any Windows tablet or laptop. It runs in Edge or Chrome, installs like an app and works offline.
Last checked 26 October 2026
Why Pattern Keeper doesn’t run on Windows
Pattern Keeper is built for Android and sold through Google Play. Its own site lists Android (4.1 or later) and says an iOS version is planned. Windows isn’t mentioned. Stitchers with a Surface have tried Android emulators, but they’re fiddly to set up and often don’t run chart apps smoothly, which is a common complaint on r/CrossStitch.
What Flossmark does on Windows
- Opens the PDF you already have. Use the file the designer labels “Pattern Keeper compatible”. Flossmark finds the grid, the symbols and the key, and joins multi-page charts using their row and column numbers.
- Touch, pen, mouse or trackpad. Tap or drag to mark stitches on a touch screen. Pinch or Ctrl+scroll to zoom. On a laptop, the arrow keys move a cursor and Space marks a stitch.
- Highlight one colour. Tap a thread to fade everything else and outline what’s still to stitch, with the stitches left for each colour.
- Works offline. Once it’s installed, it opens with no internet connection.
- Private. The PDF is read on your computer. Charts and progress stay in your browser.
Installing it on a Surface or Windows laptop
- Open flossmark.onibaku.co.uk/app in Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome.
- In Edge, choose the “App available” icon in the address bar (or Settings, then Apps, then “Install this site as an app”). In Chrome, choose the install icon in the address bar.
- Flossmark gets its own window, a Start menu entry and a taskbar icon, and opens offline.
How it compares
| Flossmark | Pattern Keeper | Markup R-XP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows | Yes (installs from Edge or Chrome) | No | No |
| Chromebook | Yes | Only through the Play Store, where available | No |
| iPad | Yes (Add to Home Screen) | Planned, not released | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes | No |
| Price | Free for one chart; £9.99 once | $9 lifetime, after a free trial | $9.99 once or $19.99 a year |
| Imports PDF charts | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Works offline | Yes, once installed | Yes | Yes |
Pattern Keeper and Markup R-XP are established apps with features Flossmark doesn’t have yet (backstitch tracking, for one). If you’re on a device they support, they’re worth a look. Flossmark exists for the devices they don’t reach.
Moving between devices
If you stitch on a Windows tablet at home and a phone on the go, “Save a backup” makes one file with every chart and its progress. Restore it on the other device. One purchase covers three browsers.
Questions
Will my Pattern Keeper progress carry over?
No. Pattern Keeper keeps its progress inside the Android app, and there’s no way to export it. Import the same PDF into Flossmark and mark what you’ve done (highlight a finished colour and use “Mark every … stitch as done” to catch up quickly).
Does it work with a Surface Pen?
Yes. The pen marks like a finger. Drag along a row to mark it.
Is there a Microsoft Store version?
Not yet. Installing from Edge gives you the same thing: its own window, a Start menu entry and offline use.