Thread by @HeyJennyLee

9 Must-know tips for using Apple Notes better

In the name of digital simplicity, I use Apple Notes for my second brain.

Follow me @HeyJennyLee for the benefits of using Apple Notes for BASB; I’ll explore that soon!

1️⃣ Organize with nested folders

Like other beloved note-taking apps, you can have nested folders allowing you to further organize your folders.

Simply create a new folder (use the keyboard shortcut CMD+Shift+N on a computer), then drag it on top of another folder to nest.

2️⃣ Organize with tags

With iOS15 and iPadOS15, you can now use tags in all of your notes using # and your word.

For longer strings, use CamelCase, hyphens, or underscores.

Your tags will be in the tag explorer at the bottom under your folder list.

Not on desktop yet. Soon? 🤷🏻‍♀️

3️⃣ Organize with Smart Folders

The newest iOS has Smart Folders, allowing you to create automated folders based on a tag or tags that appear in your notes.

Quickly create a Smart Folder that is at the intersection of multiple tags to organize your complex notes.

4️⃣ Capture with Quick Notes

With iPadOS15, you can now swipe from the bottom right corner—anytime, anywhere—to bring up a Quick Note to capture your thought or idea.

These get filed in an inbox called Quick Notes, which you can comb through at your own pace.

5️⃣ Write quickly with keyboard shortcuts

Some formatting keyboard shortcuts which are excellent for quick, organized writing:

- CMD+Shift+T for Title
- CMD+Shift+H for Heading
- CMD+Shift+J for Subheading
- CMD+Shift+B for Body
- CMD+Shift for the list of all shortcuts

6️⃣ Handwriting is searchable and smart

Bust out your Apple Pencil and get ready to handwrite notes.

Search within the note (CMD+F) or search across all notes to locate all instances of your word, whether handwritten or typed.

And yes, create tags even from handwriting.

7️⃣ Draw, prettier

Draw and hold to make your shapes, lines, and arrows prettier.

8️⃣ Move your drawings and words around

With the lasso tool, draw a shape around the word or object you wish to move.

The selection doesn't need to be perfect; Apple Notes will do its best to figure out what you wanted to select and draw a nice bubble around it.

9️⃣ See the Created Date in your note

By default, Apple Notes will show you the date that the note was last updated.

You can show the Created Date by tapping the date, which will cycle through Created and Edited.

Thanks for reading! This is def not the entire list of tips and hacks for Apple Notes. Just some of my favorites.

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