Easy methods to use Notes in iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura

Article Hero Picture

YourNextApp could earn an affiliate fee on purchases made via hyperlinks on our website.

Apple’s Notes app is commonly ignored, however has newfound energy. Here is methods to create, edit, collaborate, and share notes from throughout the app.

From the very fundamentals of utilizing Notes by your self, to collaborating with others, these are essentially the most helpful options Apple has launched to the Notes app through the years.

From the introduction of the Notes app, you may at all times sort your notes together with your machine’s keyboard. From iOS 9, although, Apple gave extra choices on methods to sort and edit textual content from throughout the Notes app.

There are a number of methods to format your textual content in Notes. Right here is how one can choose from them.

Faucet on the Writing tab (the sq. with the pencil icon on the underside proper of the display screen)
Faucet on the Fonts tab (the icon with the uppercase and lowercase “A” (the second tab to the left))
Spotlight the textual content you need to format (when you have already typed it)
Choose how you want to your textual content formatted (B = bolding, I = italicizing, or U = underlining)

There may be additionally an possibility that lets you insert strains within the letters of your textual content.

Preset codecs are additionally accessible so that you can use. The preset codecs you possibly can choose from are:

Titles
Headings
Subheadings
Physique textual content
Monospaced textual content

Bullet pointing lists are simple as effectively with the choice to create a bulleted, lined, or numbered listing. You can even indent or de-indent paragraphs or lists as effectively.

With these talents, you possibly can customise your notes and element them to the way you see match. It helps you set up and part completely different elements of every observe once you assume it’s wanted.

Easy methods to begin drawing

Typing shouldn’t be the one means you possibly can write out notes, you can too write them by hand or add drawings as effectively. In iOS 9, Apple additionally expanded the Notes app to let you do much more throughout the app than you may earlier than.

You’ll be able to add a number of drawings inside completely different areas of your observe. You’ll be able to add drawing to at least one space of your notes or in-between textual paragraphs.

You’ll be able to select from a marker, a highlighter, a pencil, an eraser, a text-lasso, and a ruler to work with within the drawing tab. Right here is the way you entry them.

Faucet on the place you want to insert your drawing
Faucet on the marker icon on the backside of the display screen (second icon to the precise)
Choose the writing device you need to use
Begin drawing with both your finger or Apple Pencil

There are a number of capabilities every utensil brings to the Notes app.

Easy methods to use and customise writing instruments

The marker device lets you draw and write in a extra outstanding ink-like textures. The highlighter lets you spotlight areas with a extra clear coat to it. The pencil brings the textures of an actual pencil in a digital kind.

You’ll be able to both draw with the pre-set thickness and opacity of every writing utensil or you possibly can edit them. Right here is methods to change the writing-thickness and opacity of every writing utensil.

Faucet on the writing device you need to use to pick out it
Choose the colour you need to write with
Faucet on the identical writing device once more to convey up additional choices
Choose the thickness you need the tip of your writing device to be
Beneath is a colour slider, drag how darkish or mild you need the colour’s opacity to be

You can even write out typed textual content as effectively, but it surely solely works on iPads proper now. Right here is how you are able to do that.

Faucet on the Marker icon
Choose the writing device with an “A” on it
Begin writing – together with your Apple Pencil – wherever and it’ll convert to typed textual content

You can even choose earlier written textual content and faucet on “Copy as Textual content” to repeat and paste your written textual content wherever.

In iPadOS 16, if you wish to write your notes however they aren’t straight, you possibly can choose your written textual content and faucet on “Straighten” to have your machine straighten the textual content you will have written.

Easy methods to use the eraser

The eraser – because the title suggests – erases what you draw or write. The customization choices are completely different than what you possibly can choose from with the writing instruments.

Right here is methods to customise the eraser device.

Faucet on the eraser device to pick out it
Faucet on the eraser device once more to customise it
Choose if you wish to erase by object or by pixel
Begin erasing content material you need to erase

If you choose to erase by pixel, then you possibly can select how massive you need the eraser to be. You can not select that possibility for those who select to erase by object.

Easy methods to use the lasso and ruler instruments

The lasso device lets you lasso up any textual content or drawings that you’ve carried out and have the ability to change the colour of them or transfer them wherever on the web page. That is useful for in case you are writing down a brainstorming chart and wish to maneuver concepts, or need to transfer a topic in a drawing you might be creating.

The ruler device will help you draw straight strains in your observe. The device will be rotated any diploma so you possibly can place it any means you need.

The ruler device will keep on the display screen when deciding on one other device (just like the marker, highlighter, or pencil). Every writing device will discover the ruler and draw alongside it when making a straight line.

How to attract shapes

Launched in iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, the Notes app can acknowledge shapes and assist you create excellent variations of them.

“Typically you need that extra skilled cleaned-up look,” mentioned Jenny Chen, an engineer for Apple Pencil software program, at WWDC 2020. “And so now, once I draw a easy form and pause on the finish, it’s going to routinely convert to that ultimate form.”

Drawing excellent shapes can work with both drawing with an Apple Pencil or your finger. Right here is how to attract shapes within the Notes app.

Draw the form you need to embody in your drawing
As soon as carried out drawing the form, maintain your finger or Apple Pencil down on the finish of the drawing
Wait a few second or two and the form ought to convert right into a extra skilled wanting model of it

This could work with triangles, circles, rectangles, hearts, stars, and different shapes as effectively.

This additionally works with arrows and contours. Simply maintain on the finish of drawing them and the app will both straighten the road or fixate the arrow. The arrow can both be curved or straight.

Sadly, if the app can not depict what sort of form you are attempting to attract, it won’t convert it and you’ll have to strive once more.

Shapes will be pre-added inside a drawing with out you having to attract them. Right here is methods to add them.

Faucet the Plus icon on the finish of the device choice bar (subsequent to the colour selector)
Choose “Add Form”
Choose the form you need

When you place the form, you possibly can transfer it round, resize it, resolve what colour you need it to be, how thick you need the strains of it to be, and the way outstanding you need the opacity of the colour of the form to be.

Textual content, signature, and colours

Although you possibly can sort in textual content round drawings, you can too add textual content into drawings. Right here is how one can accomplish that.

Faucet the Plus icon on the finish of the device choice bar
Choose “Add Textual content”
Double faucet on the textual content field to insert your textual content
Sort within the textual content you need added to the drawing

You’ll be able to customise your textual content with the font you need, the font measurement, the textual content alignment, and in order for you it to be bolded, italicized, and/or underlined. You can even change the colour, the textual content field measurement, and transfer it wherever throughout the drawing.

Signatures are one other addition you possibly can add to your drawings. Right here is methods to add a signature.

Faucet the Plus icon on the finish of the device choice bar
Choose “Add Signature”
Choose the signature you need to use (you possibly can have multiple)
You’ll be able to add one other signature by tapping “Add or Take away Signature”. You’ll be able to take away signatures from there as effectively.

When you insert your signature, you possibly can change the dimensions, rotation, colour, and line thickness of it to your likings.

Colour choices have been expanded as effectively. With altering the opacity of the colour, you can too choose any colour your coronary heart wishes.

Primary colours like black, blue, inexperienced, yellow, and crimson will likely be pre-shown, however deciding on on the colored-circle with a colour ring round it should let you choose from an array of colours. You’ll be able to configure the colour you need both by a grid, spectrum, or slider selector.

You can even use a color-selecting device to particularly decide the colour from a drawing based mostly on the pixels in it. You can even select the opacity of the colour you need to use as effectively.

Apple Pencil help

If you’re utilizing an Apple Pencil and an iPad that helps it, you’ll have extra customization management when writing or drawing throughout the Notes app.

Extremely delicate sensors throughout the tip of the Apple Pencil permits it to acknowledge place, drive, and tilt when writing or drawing. Because of this for those who push more durable with Apple Pencil, the strains will get thicker, and for those who tilt the Apple Pencil, the strains will likely be wider – like for those who have been drawing with an actual pencil. It mimics the true particulars of a bodily writing utensil relying on how you utilize them.

You probably have an Apple Pencil (2nd Era) – that works with the iPad Professional, iPad mini, or iPad Air – and also you faucet the flat floor twice, it should swap between the eraser device and the final drawing device you have been utilizing. This permits simpler and extra fluid drawing and writing actions than beforehand with the Apple Pencil.

Easy methods to allow strains and grids

When writing notes, drawing on a clean canvas could also be arduous to configure your notes and maintain every part organized. The Notes app lets you add a lined or grid structure to your observe to maintain your handwriting neat and arranged.

Right here is methods to add strains and grids to your observe to be extra organized.

Faucet on the Extra Choices icon (the three dots in a circle icon normally within the higher proper of the display screen)
Choose “Traces and Grids”
Select the dimensions and structure of the strains or grid you need
The one you select will then present up in your observe

Any textual content, lists, or media you add to your observe will divide the road or grid design you select. Because of this the content material you add won’t overlap the grid or strains until it’s in a drawing.

You’ll be able to create Tables as effectively from inside a observe. Right here is methods to add a desk to your observe.

Faucet wherever in your observe
Faucet on the Plus icon on the precise aspect of the display screen over the keyboard
Faucet on the Tables icon all the best way on the left of the choices
A 2×2 desk will likely be inserted into your observe that you would be able to rescale
Faucet throughout the desk and hit “Subsequent” in your keyboard so as to add extra rows

Rows will be moved with the three dots surrounding the desk. You can even faucet the Tables icon – that you simply tapped to create the desk – once more and it will provide you with the choices to delete, share, or copy the desk and likewise convert it to textual content.

Easy methods to add lists

You’ll be able to create To-Do lists in your notes as effectively to assist set up chores it’s a must to do or a purchasing listing you need to create – for instance. Right here is methods to create or add an inventory to your observe.

Faucet on the Record icon on the backside of the display screen (far-left icon with the 2 circles (the highest being crammed in and having a checkmark in it) and contours)
A circle will seem subsequent to your cursor and it’ll create the primary job you need to put in your To-Do listing
Sort in your first job
Faucet “Subsequent” on the keyboard and it’ll create one other job

A circle will seem subsequent to your whole duties on the listing. Tapping on it should signify that you simply accomplished that job and a inexperienced checkmark will present within the circle. The duty will transfer to the underside of the listing as soon as tapped.

Easy methods to scan paperwork

The Notes app lets you take an image and scan paperwork so you possibly can have them later in digital kind. Right here is methods to scan them.

Faucet on the Digital camera icon on the backside of the display screen
Choose “Scan Doc”, or you can too faucet on the Extra Choices icon and choose “Scan” to seize a doc as effectively
A yellow filter will likely be positioned throughout your doc to indicate you what your machine will seize
Faucet on the shutter icon to seize the doc, or your machine will routinely do it for you
The doc captured will shrink to the underside of the display screen and you may faucet on it to edit it
As soon as you might be carried out modifying and capturing, you possibly can faucet “Save”
The doc will likely be inserted into your observe into a piece known as “Scanned Paperwork”

When scanning the doc, you possibly can select in order for you the flash to be one, in order for you a filter utilized over it, and/or in order for you the shutter to be on.

To edit your captured doc, you possibly can rearrange the 4 corners to have the ability to align the doc to the proper place in case your machine didn’t achieve this within the first place. You can even set a filter on it and rotate the seize whether it is within the incorrect orientation.

You’ll be able to faucet on the scanned doc and share it to different individuals, different apps, or reserve it to the Information app for higher group.

The doc you captured will likely be formatted as a PDF, and will likely be shared and saved as that as effectively.

Easy methods to insert photos and movies

Identical to scanning a doc, you possibly can add pictures and/or movies to your notes as effectively. Right here is methods to add them.

Faucet on the place you need to insert the media when you have textual content already written in your observe
Faucet on the Digital camera icon
Choose “Select Photograph or Video”
Choose the photograph(s) and/or video(s) you need to add
Faucet “Add” within the higher proper of the display screen when you will have chosen every part
The photograph(s) and/or video(s) will then be inserted into your observe

You can even take an image or video immediately from the Notes app to insert into your observe.

Faucet on the place you need to insert the media when you have textual content already written in your observe
Faucet on the Digital camera icon
Choose “Take Photograph or Video”
Seize the photograph or video what you need to add
When carried out, the photograph(s) and/or video(s) will then be inserted into your observe

Including pictures and movies into your notes ia a good way to prepare your notes with media in the event that they go collectively and wish a fast approach to entry them sooner or later.

Easy methods to insert exterior textual content

For those who write down one thing on a chunk of paper or board and want to convert it right into a observe within the Notes app, you possibly can. Here is methods to convert it.

Faucet on the Digital camera icon
Choose “Scan Textual content”
A mini-camera will pop up on the backside of the display screen. The textual content that will likely be added will likely be highlighted and bordered with yellow strains across the corners.
Faucet the blue Insert button on the backside of the display screen as soon as the textual content you need to be added is highlighted
As soon as tapped, the textual content that was highlighted will likely be added to your observe

You’ll be able to convert handwritten textual content (like from a observe) or textual messages (like from an indication) into your observe.

The textual content will be edited and deleted as soon as added.

Easy methods to collaborate with others

If you’re working with others and need to all have the ability to take part, add content material, and edit what’s in a observe collectively, you are able to do that.

In iOS 16, Apple lets you collaborate on a observe with others additionally utilizing Apple units.

Sending a collaboration invite is simple. Right here is methods to begin one.

Faucet on the Share icon
Be sure that the invite is ready to “Collaborate” earlier than sending the invite. The choice is subsequent to Notes app icon on the share sheet.
Choose the individuals you need to invite from the share sheet or ship it immediately from one other app

As soon as the individuals who you need to collaborate with settle for the invite, they’ll go proper into the observe and begin modifying. The invite will likely be despatched to them the identical means as for those who have been sending a hyperlink.

There are other ways you possibly can collaborate within the observe to verify it’s simple to seek out edits and point out individuals as effectively.

If you would like somebody to work on one space of a observe, now you can “@” them in there and they are going to be notified and dropped at the place they have been talked about.

You can even add hashtags to tag the observe into completely different classes to prepare your notes with others. These tags will be added wherever within the observe. You’ll be able to then discover the observe(s) you tagged with the key phrase(s) you will have chosen within the Tag Browser within the Folders view.

There may be additionally an Exercise tab to see what modifications have been made by who within the observe so you possibly can keep up-to-date once you step away.

If you’re not trying to collaborate with others on a observe and simply need to share the content material in it, you are able to do that as effectively.

Faucet on the Share icon
Change “Collaborate” to “Ship Copy”. The choice is subsequent to Notes app icon on the share sheet.
Choose whom you want to share the observe with or what app you want to share it inside

Not like Collaborate, when sharing the observe, it should copy and paste the content material of the observe into the message field and never ship it as a hyperlink to the Notes app.

Notes which are locked can’t be shared till unlocked.

Easy methods to lock and pin notes

Typically you could have private and personal data in a observe that you don’t want anybody else to see. You might also have a observe that has necessary data that you simply need to pin on the high of your listing of notes so that you should not have to go on the lookout for it later.

The locking and pinning options will help you retain your necessary notes simply accessible and personal when wanted.

Easy methods to lock notes

Right here is methods to lock a observe.

Choose the Extra Choices icon
Faucet on Lock to lock your observe
The observe will routinely lock as soon as the choice is chosen

This observe won’t be able to be unlocked until you confirm your authentication with Face ID, Contact ID, or sort within the password you created for it.

In iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura, it is possible for you to to make use of your machine’s password to unlock your notes. It will solely work for units working 2022 software program updates and later.

To take away a lock from a observe, it’s practically much like locking it.

Choose the Extra Choices icon
Choose Take away beneath the icon that has a lock with a slash via it
Confirm your authentication
The observe will then stay unlocked

Passcodes are synced throughout all units and are protected via end-to-end encryption via your iCloud account.

Easy methods to pin notes

Right here is methods to pin notes for simpler entry to them sooner or later.

Choose the Extra Choices icon
Choose Pin
Return into the view of all of your notes and the observe you simply pinned will likely be on the high of the entire notes

A brand new “Pinned ” part will likely be created in your All iCloud viewer of notes. The order of pinned notes will likely be ordered on the date that the observe was created. So for those who pin a observe that was created earlier than one other observe that’s already within the pinned class, then it should seem beneath that observe.

You can even unpin notes you do not need pinned anymore. Right here is methods to unpin a observe.

Choose the Extra Choices icon
Choose Unpin
The observe will likely be faraway from the pinned space and returned to the place it was initially earlier than you pinned it to the highest of the web page

Pinning notes is a good way to prepare your most necessary notes for simpler entry later once you want them straight away.

Easy methods to create and set up folders

You’ll be able to set up your notes in particular person folders nonetheless you need them to be organized and separated.

Right here is methods to create and set up folders within the notes app.

Go into the Folders view
Faucet the Folder icon with the Plus signal on it on the backside left of the display screen to create a brand new folder
Choose the place you need the folder to go
Title the folder

You can even make the folder a Good Folder – which organizes it with tags and different filters you need added to it (akin to date created, date edited, shared, point out, checklists, attachments, folders, Fast Notes, pinned notes, and locked notes). You’ll be able to combine and match which filters you need to be utilized to the Good Folder.

After getting created your folder, you possibly can add notes to it. There are two methods you possibly can add your observe(s) to a folder – one is by swiping left on the observe within the Notes view and tapping on the observe icon, or going into the observe, tapping the Extra Choices icon, and deciding on “Transfer Be aware”.

Both means will convey up an inventory of all of the folders which have been created. Faucet on the one you need to transfer the observe to and will probably be moved there.

Shifting a observe to a folder won’t make it disappear from the listing of all of the notes you will have created and/or those you will have pinned.

You’ll be able to add folders inside present folders too. Right here is methods to add a folder right into a folder.

Go into the folder you need to add a folder into
Faucet on the Extra Choices icon
A listing will seem, and beneath “Share Folder” will likely be “Add Folder”
Faucet on that, title the folder, and will probably be added to the general folder

Including a folder right into a folder is a good way to extend your group within the Notes to know the place every part is and which notes belong collectively in the identical class.

Fast Be aware

Folks with Apple Pencils have been already capable of faucet the display screen or Lock Display screen of their iPad when it was locked to simply soar into a brand new observe and begin writing or typing immediately. Since iPadOS 15, Apple has taken having the ability to shortly jot down a observe even additional.

Right here is methods to entry and create a Fast Be aware.

With an Apple Pencil, swipe up from the underside proper of the display screen and slightly observe will seem
You’ll be able to sort, draw, write, and/or add a hyperlink into it to shortly write down slightly memo
When carried out, swipe the observe away

To get entry to it later, you possibly can swipe from the underside proper of the display screen or view it within the Notes app within the Fast Notes folder.

You are able to do practically something you may do within the Notes app from the Fast Notes device. You’ll be able to change the colour and writing utensil you might be utilizing, and faucet on the observe to start out typing.

If you’re on a webpage when beginning a Fast Be aware, a button will seem on the high of it suggesting so as to add the hyperlink of the webpage to the observe for straightforward entry to it later.

You’ll be able to choose a portion of textual content from an online web page and choose “Add to Fast Be aware” to have the ability to add it to a observe. While you click on on it later within the observe, it should convey you to the net web page and the world the textual content is positioned on that web page for straightforward steerage.

Fast Notes will be created on Macs as effectively.

Maintain the Management key and click on on the textual content you need to add to a Fast Be aware
Choose Add to Fast Be aware
The Fast Be aware will be seen once more by bringing the cursor to the backside proper of the display screen

It is doable to create a Fast Be aware on iPhone, too, but it surely’s a unique course of and not likely as fast. For a brand-new Fast Be aware, it’s a must to arrange Management Middle to offer you a button. Nonetheless, iOS apps can save into a brand new Fast Be aware via their Share possibility.

Faucet on the Share icon
Choose Add to Fast Be aware
The Fast Be aware will seem from the backside of the display screen
You’ll be able to add extra to it, choose Cancel to both save or delete the observe, or Save to reserve it
The observe will then shrink down to the underside proper of the display screen so that you can faucet on if you wish to view it or add extra to it

Fast Notes are a straightforward and quick means to have the ability to write down fast data when needing to. They are often edited and deleted within the Notes app as soon as created.

Keep organized and inventive

The Notes app is extra than simply an software that lets you write down data or textual content, however is now a platform to unleash your creativity in several methods of textual content, drawings, and shapes as effectively.

Be aware-taking on Apple units has come a good distance because the starting, and the addition of the Apple Pencil has opened up the probabilities of what the Notes app can do.

The Notes app is pre-installed on all iOS, iPadOS, and macOS units.

Easy methods to get round typing in Notes