The prime usage of note-taking apps differs from person to person. Some use it to take casual notes, others dump every idea in the note-taking app. Power users treat their preferred note-taking app as the second brain. It’s a challenge for companies to develop a solution that works for each kind of user. As for Apple users, people prefer to stick with the default Apple Notes app. The Notes app on Mac might seem basic at first glance, but the Notes app is full of tips and tricks on a closer look.
Note taking apps need absolutely clean interface to allow unobtrusive note taking and not a struggle to search for which buttons to click. It focuses on the search feature so much that it doesn't encourage or make it immediately easy to organize your notes and thoughts. It's essentially a sophisticated notes dump with good search. Note taking apps have become increasingly common. Making it easy to keep track of notes. It is available for iOS, Android, Mac, Windows and Linux, with data synced automatically.
Apple adds new features to the default Notes app with ever major macOS update. With macOS 11 Big Sur, it gets a nice UI redesign and new features. Finally, it's ready to take on its third-party alternatives in the Mac App Store.
Let’s talk about Apple Notes tips and tricks so that you can get a clear picture of how good Apple’s note-taking app is on the Mac platform.
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- If you like the idea of cyber note taking, but are worried about hackers snooping on your thoughts, Standard Notes has you covered. This simple, easy-to-use app was designed with privacy in mind.
- The first reliable note-taking application for Mac is Apple Notes. Since Apple Notes is a part of Apple’s productivity suite it comes pre-installed on every modern-day mac computer. You can attach all sorts of media files like photos, videos, documents scanned from your iPhone, hand-drawn sketches, audio recordings, and much more to your notes.
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Read More1. Organize Notes
You need to keep the Apple Notes app organized. You might waste a lot of time searching the note if your notes aren’t organized carefully. Apple Notes offers folders to organize notes. The better news is, you can even create subfolders within folders. It’s similar to how pages and notebook work in OneNote and Evernote, respectively.
Apple offers a couple of ways to customize the notes view in the app. You can either use the default list view or opt for the Gallery view to display notes.
Go to any folder and tap on the three-dot menu at the top. Select view as Gallery/List from the bottom menu. I prefer a List view.
I hope Apple gets around adding the tag support for even better organization.
2. Pin Notes at Top
Do you want to keep track of your most-important notes at the top? Apple Notes on Mac offers a handy Pin note feature to tuck notes at the top. Right-click on any note, and use the Pin note function and Apple Notes will keep the note at the top.
You will see a separate Pinned section at the top for easy access. At any time, you can unpin a note using the same trick.
3. Lock Notes
Apple Notes allows you to protect sensitive information from others. You can password-protect any note using the Lock option inside the note.
Simply open the note with confidential information and tap on the lock icon at the top. Apple will ask to set a password for the note. You can use Touch ID (on newer Macs) or password text to open the note the next time you try to view it.
4. Clip Web Articles
There can be times when you come across an interesting read from the web. Most note-taking apps, such as Evernote and Notion, offer a dedicated Chrome extension to clip web content.
Apple Notes lack such functionality. You get a simple share menu integration in the Safari browser on Mac. You can tap on the share button during web browsing and add the article to Apple Notes app.
5. Move Items Up and Down
Let me be clear here. Apple Notes isn’t a modular productivity app. But it does allow you to move things up and down quickly. For example, you can use the keyboard shortcut Control + Command + Up/Down arrow to more items up or down in the note.
I was surprised to find this trick. It can be a real time-saver during long notes.
6. Enable Dark Mode
Are you taking frequent notes at night? You might need to use the macOS dark theme to go easy on the eyes. Open the System Preferences menu and go to General > Appearance and select the Dark theme.
Enable dark mode and start taking notes to avoid the brightness after sunset.
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Read More7. Change Font Color
As simple as it may sound, there is no easy way to change the font color on Apple Notes.
You can select the paragraph text and use right-click (If you are using a mouse) or double-click on the trackpad and open the floating menu. Go to Fonts > Show Colors, and it will open the color wheel to select the preferable color.
8. Store Notes on Mac
By default, every note in the Apple Notes gets synced to the iCloud platform. The problem is, iCloud only offers 5GB of space to start with. It’s quite easy to fill up space with photos, videos, iPhone backup, and more. In such cases, you can always store notes on the device.
Tap on the Notes name in the menu bar and open Preferences. Enable ‘On My Mac’ option to store notes on Mac.
Just keep in mind, when you use this option, you won’t be able to see your notes on other Apple devices as your notes aren’t syncing with the iCloud platform.
9. Use Notes Widget
Taking a page from iOS 14 notebook, the macOS Big Sur also offers redesigned widgets in various sizes. Open the widget menu and tap on the Edit Widgets at the bottom.
It will open the widget menu. Select the Note widget size, look at the preview and drag it to the main menu. From now on, you can access the recently-added notes from the widget.
Note Taking For Macbook
10. Share Notes
The sharing options are limited compared to Apple Notes rivals on Mac. However, if the receiving person is already a Mac or iPhone user, you can use their Apple ID to share notes seamlessly.
Open the note that you want to share and tap on the profile icon in the toolbar. Add the receiving person’s Apple ID and set permission for edit or view.
11. Use Apple Notes Keyboard Shortcuts
If you are a power user of Apple Notes, I would highly recommend you master Notes keyboard shortcut. There is a keyboard shortcut for practically every option/tweak/function in the app. The good news is, Apple has done a good job suggesting keyboard shortcuts for every option in the toolbar.
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#notes
Click here to see our notes articles pageMaster Apple Notes
It’s sufficient to say that Apple Notes is more than a basic first-party app from Apple. Using the tricks above, you can leave established rivals and switch to Apple Notes comfortably. Go ahead, give Apple Notes a try and see if it fits your usage. While you are at it, do let us know about your favorite function of Apple Notes on Mac.
Next up:Getting confused between Apple Notes and Evernote? Read the comparison post below to pick a better note-taking app for you.
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
Read NextApple Notes vs Evernote: Which Note-Taking App Is BetterAlso See#Tips & Tricks #apple Did You Know
In December 2009, the Apple version of WhatsApp was updated to include photo sharing features.
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From that random idea that needs to be jotted down, to making complex notes and mind maps, in today’s day and age, it’s better to stick to a note taking application, rather than relying on physical pen and paper.
In our previous article, we saw some of the best note taking apps for Windows, and in this one, we have got you covered with our list of the best note taking apps for Mac.
Best Note Taking Apps for Mac
1. Apple Notes
The stock Notes app that comes with Mac OS itself, is actually not that bad. It comes with basic note taking functionalities like formatting, lists, checkboxes, drag and dropping pictures/files. While it doesn’t offer anything out of the box, where Apple Notes shines is how fast it is to open and get started with a new note. Also it syncs immediately and effortlessly with the Notes app on your iPhone and iPad. We highly suggest you first checking out this app which already comes with your Mac, before buying or installing another note taking app.
Pros:
– Very fast and simple to use
– Comes pre-installed
– Sync with notes app on iPhone and iPad
Cons:
– Not ideal for handwritten notes or drawings
– No charts, graph support
– Works only within the Apple Ecosystem
Bottom Line: If you are someone who needs to take notes on your computer very rarely, might be for a grocery list or quick information, you’ll get by easily using the stock Notes app. Apple Notes does offer all the basic functionalities you might need and best of all, you don’t even need to install another app.
Price: Free
Link: Use Apple Notes on iCloud here
2. Evernote
Chances are you have heard of Evernote, as it is one of the most popular note taking apps available on almost all platforms. Evernote offers some great ways to keep all your notes perfectly organised. You start off your note by creating/selecting a particular notebook and all your notes are kept organised in these notebooks. You also have a tags to classify all your stuff, and it basically works like a File Cabinet.
In terms of features, it is a beast and it has almost any and every feature you’d want in a note taking app including pie charts and bar graphs to searching text in a picture. We also strongly recommend trying Evernote with its Web-clipper companion which makes taking notes/clips form the web so easy, you can never go back. But all this does come at a price, which makes Evernote a little on the bulkier and slower side.
Pros:
– Feature packed to the brim
– Available on all platforms
– Easy organisation of notes
Cons:
– Heavy app and takes time to start up
– Costly
Read: Don’t Like Their New Pricing, Try These 8 Best Free Evernote Alternatives
Bottom Line: Well, if you are someone who has to take loads of notes and are also looking to keep them organised in the best way possible, Evernote is a really good investment.
Price: Free(Basic), $34.99/Year(Plus), $69.99/Year(Premium)
Link: Download Evernote from here
3. Unclutter
Unclutter is a neat tool which can increase your productivity by many folds. The app works almost like Sticky Notes; you can access it very quickly from any window you are working on. Just go to the top of your screen and scroll down, Unclutter should appear with its three windows: the first being the Clipboard, second being Files and the last being the Notes section.
Creating a note is pretty fast, just make Unclutter appear and start with your new note or even copy directly from the clipboard or even a file. Click on the ‘+’ to take another note and you can also see all your notes or search through them.
But do keep in mind that the notes you can take are pretty limited to text only and the absence of formatting and checkbox lists might be. Ideal breaker for some.
Pros:
– Easy access, one swipe away
– Pretty fast
– Comes with a Clipboard as well as a file holder
Cons:
– Supports only text notes
– No organisation
– No sync, only on Mac OS
Bottom Line: Unclutter is a very cool app where you can take notes in a jiffy, so we’d recommend this app for someone who is looking to take some quick text notes while working on their computer and doesn’t need any fancy formatting or feature.
Price: $9.99 (Free Trial available)
Link: Get Unclutter here
4. BoostNote
Next on our list, we have a note taking app specifically designed for programmers. BoostNote started out as a open source project and has gained a lot of popularity among the programming community over the years.
What this app basically allows you to do is store your code or code snippets as notes. You can access quickly or even take notes in markdown. Once you open the app, you can select if you want to create a markdown note or create a code snippet. And when I said it is meant for developers, I meant it. BoostNote supports code syntax highlighting in more than a hundred languages and it is also very easy to keep all your notes organised.
Pros:
– Supports markdown notes
– Code highlighting
– Plenty of syntax and UI themes
– Open source
– Available on all platforms
Cons:
– Bulky
– Takes time to startup
Bottom Line: Well the answer is obvious, this app is a blessing for programmers as they can now manage all their code snippets and keep them organised while also not losing on the ability to take notes in markdown.
Price: Free
Link: Download Boostnote from here
5. OneNote
OneNote is a full blown note taking application from Microsoft, which has been here for a while now. And over all these years, it feels like Microsoft has almost perfected the note-taking experience.
What separates OneNote its competitors is that it using the app feels very close to taking notes on a real notebook; you can write, draw, add pictures literally anywhere on the page at any orientation, just like on a paper notebook. It also comes with a ton of features, the biggest selling point would be built in OCR reader. While you can get it for free for almost all platforms, the Mac app is huge in size and a little slow to use.
Pros:
– Feature-rich note taking app
– Office integration
– Notebook like experience
– Completely free
Cons:
– Huge size
– Can be sluggish at times
Bottom Line: If you are invested even a little in the Microsoft space, OneNote is a no brainer and even if you are not and looking for a great digital notebook, OneNote won’t disappoint.
Price: Free
Link: OneNote is available here
6. Notability
Notability is our pick as the best note taking app for students. It works exceptionally well with the Apple Pencil on the iPad to create beautiful hand-written notes and sketches. You can rotate, scale, and recolour your ideas and sketches until your notes are just how you want them. You can even markup photos and annotate PDFs and once you’re done you can easily share them through Airdrop or any other storage service.
Notability keeps all your notes neatly organised and also syncs them up between your iPad, iPhone and Mac, so you can access them anytime anywhere.
Pros:
– Great for hand-written notes and sketches
– Support for pressure sensitive strokes of the Apple Pencil
Cons:
– No search tags
– No support for shapes
– Pricey
Bottom Line: If you have an iPad which you use to take or sketch notes, Notability works really well with the Apple Pencil and if you have the money to spend, just go for it.
A great alternative to Notability would be ZoomNotes which comes at a lower price, but offers almost all the features of Notability.
Price: $9.99
Link: Buy Notability from here
7. Journey
The next app on our list is Journey, which takes maintaining your daily notes to a whole new level. While Journey is aimed more to be a digital journal, you can still use the feature-packed text editor to take quick notes and Journey will keep them ordered by the date. You can also search through all your notes and even view them by locations. The app backs up and syncs all your notes using Google Drive and it should be imperative to say, it also does provide impressive security features to protect your privacy.
Pros:
– Keeps everything organised like a Diary
– Easy note taking
– Streamlined review of your notes
Cons:
– Costly
– Requires Gmail/Google Drive account
Bottom Line: Journey works best for noting down your everyday goals or writing something about your day. If you are looking to make the switch from a physical diary to a digital one, Journey might be your best bet.
Price: $16.99
Link: Download Journey from here
8. Manuscripts
With all the normal note taking apps or text editors, it gets really hard to note down or represent scientific equations, derivatives and mathematical graphs. Enter Manuscripts, a free note taking app made for scientists and scholarly writing. Describing it as just a note taking app would be an understatement as it is capable of much more from a writing a research article to penning down a book.
There are various templates which you can choose from and a plethora of import and export options including LaTeX.
Pros:
– Scientific Notes/Writing
– Solid import and export formats
– Citation and bibliography formatting
Cons:
– Not quick for taking simple notes
Bottom Line: Manuscripts is a capable and powerful app for when the going gets tough. Of course, it isn’t for the average Joe, but rather for taking scientific notes with equations and graphs. If you are looking for more of a digital laboratory notebook with support for experiment templates along with equations and graphs, check out Findings.
Price: Free
Link: Ger Manuscripts here
9. iThoughtsX
Last but definitely not least, we have iThoughtsX, a mind mapping tool that lets you organise your thoughts and at a glance see the whole project. Mind maps are ideal for brainstorming with means of keeping your ideas structured and nothing gets omitted out in the whole process.
Although it has a steep learning curve, it’s really easy once you get the hold of it. There are multiple templates and layouts from which you can start and there’s an impressive amount of built-in icons and clipart images.
Pros:
– Create perfect mind maps for summarising and meeting notes
– Task Management
– Hand-off feature(Start your min map on one device and finish on another device)
Cons:
– Steep learning curve
– Not good for other kind of notes
Bottom Line: Mind maps are especially useful for managers and developers or anyone managing a large project. So if you know you need to create mind maps, this app is for you.
Note Taking Software Free
Price: $49.99
Link: Get iThoughtsX here
Wrapping Up: Best Note Taking Apps for Mac
Notes Application For Mac
Best Note Taking For Mac
We believe that there is an app for everyone with their own particular need. So whether you are a student or programmer or businessman, we really hope that you could find at least one note taking app from this list suitable to your own needs. And that concludes our list of the top note taking applications available for the Mac. Don’t forget to connect with us and tell us your favourite app from the list or if we missed yours.