iCloud Notes

How to use Smart Folders in the Notes app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Ankur Thakur ∙ October 12, 2022

You can create folders inside the Apple Notes app to organize your writings, to-dos, sketches, and notes. With iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura, you can also create Smart Folders based on certain conditions. Any note that fits those conditions will automatically appear in that Smart Folder.

Smart Folders are an excellent way to have your notes organized and clearly accessible based on tags, date created, date edited, shared, mentions, checklists, attachments, folders, quick notes, pinned notes, and locked notes.

In this tutorial, we will show you how to create and use Smart Folders in the Notes app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

How to fix the Notes app not working or responding on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Ankur Thakur ∙ August 25, 2022

The Apple Notes app, which comes prebuilt in iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, is an excellent place to jot notes, to-dos, sketches, and more. Until it stops working!

At times, the iPhone, iPad, and Mac Notes app may freeze and refuse to show you the saved notes. Other times, it may crash the moment you open it. And sometimes, the Notes app may not respond at all to your touches and clicks.

If you're stuck in one of these situations where you can't use the Apple Notes app to create new notes or access existing ones, the following solutions will help.

How to stop specific notes from uploading to iCloud and prevent them from syncing to all your Apple devices

Ankur Thakur ∙ August 12, 2022

iCloud stores your notes and syncs them wirelessly to all your Apple devices. As a result, a note you create in the Notes app on your iPhone immediately syncs to your other iPhone, iPad, Mac, and vice versa.

However, there are situations and some types of notes that you might not want to upload to iCloud and be available everywhere. For example, you may not want to clutter the Notes app on all your devices with some not-so-important notes. Or, it may be a note of a random shopping list that you only want on your iPhone, or a quick sketch you only wish to have on your iPad.

To address such scenarios, here's how to use the local on-device notes account. This keeps those notes offline and prevents them from uploading to iCloud and syncing to all your devices.

The best ways to access your iPhone Notes on Windows PC

Ankur Thakur ∙ February 17, 2022

The built-in Notes app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac lacks a Windows version or browser extension. But thanks to the two methods shown below, accessing Apple Notes on your Windows PC is easy. Have a look.

How to create Quick Notes on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Siddharth Suvarna ∙ Updated September 28, 2022

As the name suggests, Quick Notes is a fast way to take notes without opening the Notes app. It allows you to jot down things on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac without having to switch apps. The feature can also detect which app you're using and provide customizable ways to create notes, like offering you an easy button to save a link.

In this article, you'll learn how to use Quick Notes on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

iMessage, iCloud Calendar, Find My, and many other services experiencing an outage

Evan Selleck ∙ February 3, 2021

Apple's iCloud service is currently experiencing a widespread outage, with many users potentially impacted.

How to automatically sort completed items in Notes checklists

Sandy Writtenhouse ∙ Updated November 16, 2022

The Notes app is a terrific tool that you can sync with your iOS device and your Mac. One useful feature is the ability to create checklists. This makes Notes handy for to-dos, shopping lists, project tasks, gift lists, and more.

Along with the checklist feature is a convenient setting. You can automatically sort completed items in your Notes checklists. So whenever you check the circle to cross an item off your list, it moves right to the bottom. This is helpful for seeing your remaining items at the top of the checklist, waiting for you to complete them.

Here’s how to enable the automatic sorting for Notes checklists on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

How to attach files, photos, and videos to Notes on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Sandy Writtenhouse ∙ December 17, 2020

The Notes app is a terrific tool for keeping, syncing, and referencing your notes. And one thing that makes it even better is the ability to attach files or add images to your notes. When you’re taking notes for a lecture, jotting down instructions, or making a list, adding a PDF, photo, video, or other item that pertains to the note is super convenient.

We’ve shown you how to scan documents in Notes and insert links in your notes. So it seems fitting to walk you through adding other items like files and images to Notes on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

How to save a Safari webpage to Notes on Mac, iPhone, and iPad

Sandy Writtenhouse ∙ November 1, 2020

There’s no easier way to capture a note from Safari than with the Notes app. Whether you’re doing research for school or work, planning a trip or event, or just want to make note of an article, Apple’s integration makes it simple.

Here, we’ll show you how to share a Safari webpage to a new, existing, or pinned note on your Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

How to organize Notes with the collapsible Pinned section on iPhone and iPad

Sandy Writtenhouse ∙ Updated September 16, 2020

Users have had the ability to pin notes in the Notes app for a few years now. While the feature has worked well, there’s always room for improvement. And that’s exactly what Apple did with iOS 14 and iPadOS 14.

Along with a bit of a redesign to the menus and actions, the Notes app also offers a collapsible Pinned note section.

How to use the enhanced actions menu in Notes on iPhone and iPad

Sandy Writtenhouse ∙ Updated September 16, 2020

Some might say there’s nothing wrong with the menus in the Notes app on iOS. But once you take a look at the redesigned menus on iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, you’ll appreciate the new arrangement and appearance.

An actions menu appears for both a note and a folder allowing you to do things like pin, lock, or copy a note as well as add people and view attachments. These types of actions remain in each menu with the update, just arranged differently so that you can access key actions quicker.

Here’s what you’ll find with the enhanced actions menus in the Notes app on iPhone and iPad.

How to add and remove links in Notes on iPhone, iPad and Mac

Sandy Writtenhouse ∙ Updated December 1, 2022

Notes is a terrific app for doing exactly what the name implies. And whether you use Notes for work, school, or personal items, there’s bound to be a time when you want to include a link. By adding a link in a note, you can simply tap or click it and go right to the site or page without copying and pasting the URL.

You can add links to Notes in a few different ways on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, as shown in this guide.