How to use Notes on iPhone and iPad: The ultimate guide

August 18, 2014

The Notes app is the built-in way to take notes, draft memos, jot down thoughts, and otherwise record text on your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. As apps go, Notes is bare-bones. You can enter and edit text, look for replacement words, and get definitions, sync between iOS, Mac, and iCloud.com, and even control Notes via Apple's virtual personal assistant, Siri, but that's about it. Previously you could change the font but that went away with iOS 7. However, iOS 8 will be bringing a few new features, including support for rich text — bold, italics, and underline — as well as the ability to insert pictures.

For now, this is everything you can do with Notes for iOS 7, but we'll be updating for iOS 8 as soon as its released so keep checking back!

How to setup Notes sync on iPhone and iPad

If you didn't originally set up Notes sync when you first setup iCloud, Google, or another IMAP service on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, or if you want to use a different iCloud account than you do for iTunes purchases, you can easily set it up or change it later. Once you have Notes sync set up, it's a great way to send text — including webpage links — from one device to another!

Note: If you're setting up Gmail, you have to use the standard (IMAP) setup in order to sync notes. Google Sync (ActiveSync) doesn't support Notes. The same holds true for Microsoft Exchange (ActiveSync) accounts, including Outlook.com.

How to create, edit, and delete Notes on iPhone and iPad

The Notes app on iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad lets you quickly write down your thoughts, draft out your memos, or store any text you want to keep around for any length of time. With it, you can easily create new notes, update or append existing notes, and delete old notes you no longer need. All with just a few taps and swipes.

How to replace or define words and manage the dictionary in Notes for iPhone and iPad

Notes not only lets you do the basics of editing — cut, copy, and paste — but also let find replacement words if the one you typed didn't autocorrect exactly right, look up definitions to words you aren't sure about, and even add or remove different dictionaries depending on which languages and dialects you want to use. All of it is contained in the popup menu, and all of it is simple and easy to do once you know how.

How to share and print Notes on iPhone and iPad

The Notes app makes it easy to take down quick notes, memos, thoughts, or any other bits of text you want to keep handy on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. It also makes it easy to share those notes, memos, thoughts, and other bits of text with your friends, family, and colleagues via AirDrop, Messages, Mail, or even print it out and hand it to them with AirPrint.

Coming this fall with iOS 8, you'll be able to use sharing and action extensions to do even more, like post to Pinterest and maybe even auto-translate with Bing. Here's what you can do right now and we'll update when the new features go live.

How to dictate, find, and update notes on your iPhone or iPad with Siri

The default Notes app on the iPhone and iPad is a great place to jot down random thoughts, memos, and other bits of text. If your hands are full, however, or if you're driving, or if you're simply to lazy to type, you can use Siri to take the notes for you, and even to find and update your exiting notes.

How to access your iCloud notes via the Web

While iCloud is meant to be used on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac, times may arise when you'll need access to your notes from a public computer. Perhaps your iPhone is dead and you need to use a friend's laptop, or you're on holiday and don't have mobile data but there is an internet cafe or terminal close by. Either way, you can quickly and easily get to your iCloud notes, and many of the other iCloud services, from any web browser.

How to access your iCloud notes via the Web

Best notes apps for iPhone and iPad

If you're looking for something more than Apple's built-in Notes app for iPhone and iPad, the App Store provides for a ton of alternative options. Whether you want to stick to short, text based notes, switch to text editors proper, or take the leap to hand writing-based note taking apps, all of them, and more, are available to you.

How to get more help with Notes and iOS