Notes
Apple Inc.
Notes is a versatile note-taking application pre-installed on macOS, iOS, and iPadOS devices. It allows you to create rich text notes, checklists, sketches, and attach files, all synced seamlessly across your Apple devices via iCloud. It's designed for quick and easy note capture, organization, and collaboration.
User Sentiments
Top Likes
- Seamless integration with Apple ecosystem
- Easy to use and intuitive interface
- Free and pre-installed on Mac devices
- iCloud sync across devices
- Versatile features including checklists, sketching, and file attachments
Top Dislikes
- Limited export options
- Basic formatting features compared to dedicated apps
- No advanced organization features like tags in all views
- Web version less feature-rich than native apps
Popular Comments
Zapier - Jessica Thrasher
2024-07-18
If you've got an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, Apple Notes is the first app to try. Everything syncs easily and, in that classic Apple way, just works. It isn't the most feature-filled app, but for most occasional note takers, it does more than enough.
Reddit User - johndesmarais
2020-04-29
The current Notes app is pretty good, but for a very long time it simply lacked a lot of expected features, which caused people to find other tools. Once you get invested in a tool that works, you tend to be reticent to change - and when asked for opinions, the tendency is recommend what you're using.
MacUpdate User - Alessandro
2024-01-15
Great app, I use it every day for quick notes and to store important information. It's simple, fast and reliable.
App Store User - Badgirlsyndie
2024-07-14
As much as I love this app, and I've been using it many, many years, my issue is being able to lock the app itself. I know you can lock individual notes but I have SO many that to do that individually would be way too much. I have thousands and thousands of separate notes. If we could lock the app...
Reddit User - AlyxerHL
2024-02-21
I really like Apple Notes, but it has a very annoying bug in my native language. I tried Simple Notes, but it's too simple. Here's what I need. apple like design. folder structure. bullet points (with swipe gestures). links (including note backlinks). integration of edit mode and view mode. sync between Mac and iPhone.
YouTube - Reviewer
2024
Apple Notes… It’s dead simple to use… It’s already on all of your Apple devices… It’s free… It’s fast… It’s reliable… For the vast majority of people, Apple Notes is going to be more than enough.
Detailed Review
Apple Notes is a free note-taking application developed by Apple Inc., deeply integrated into the macOS, iOS, and iPadOS ecosystems. It serves as a convenient tool for quickly capturing thoughts, ideas, and information. Since its initial versions, Apple has significantly enhanced Notes, evolving it from a basic text editor to a feature-rich application capable of handling various types of content. It excels in its simplicity and ease of use, making it accessible to all users, while still providing enough functionality for many note-taking needs. Its seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem and iCloud synchronization are major advantages for Apple users.
Standout Features
- Quick Notes: Easily create notes from anywhere within macOS using a keyboard shortcut or from the share sheet on iOS/iPadOS.
- Rich Text Formatting: Offers basic formatting options such as bold, italics, lists, headings, and more. Text color change is available on the Mac app.
- Checklists & Tables: Create simple checklists for to-do items and basic tables for organizing data.
- Sketching and Apple Pencil Support: Allows drawing and sketching directly within notes using a finger or Apple Pencil on compatible devices.
- File Attachments: Users can attach various file types, including images, documents, PDFs, and audio files to notes.
- Web & Map Link Previews: Automatically generates rich previews for web links and map links embedded in notes.
- Document Scanning: Ability to scan documents directly into notes using the camera on iOS and iPadOS devices.
- Note Linking: Create links between notes to connect related ideas and information.
- Tags and Smart Folders: Organize notes with tags and automatically categorize them into Smart Folders based on predefined rules.
- Collaboration: Share notes and folders with others for real-time collaboration.
- Search Functionality: Robust search that can find text within notes, handwriting, and even text inside images and scanned documents.
- iCloud Sync: Notes are automatically synchronized across all Apple devices logged into the same iCloud account.
- Note Locking: Secure sensitive notes with password protection.
Conclusion
Apple Notes is a highly capable and convenient note-taking application, especially for users within the Apple ecosystem. Its ease of use, seamless integration, and free availability make it an excellent starting point for anyone needing a note-taking solution on their Mac. While it may lack some of the advanced features found in dedicated note-taking apps like Notion or Obsidian, it provides a solid balance of functionality and simplicity for everyday note-taking, organization, and collaboration. For users deeply invested in Apple's ecosystem, Apple Notes is often the best and most readily available option.
