Goodnotes 6 simplifies note-taking with features that make it easy to stay organized and be creative. From marking up a PDF to seamlessly converting your scribbles into legible text, the app covers all the bases. Dive in with these tips and tricks .
1. Transform your handwriting
Jot down your thoughts with Apple Pencil on iPad. When viewing a document on your Mac—all your content syncs across devices—select words with the Lasso tool, then Control-click and choose Convert to transform them into text.
Tip: The same process works with handwritten math equations too!
2. Straighten (or smooth) your lines
Want to draw a perfect line, rectangle, circle, oval, or tetradecagon? Keep pressing your trackpad or mouse button after you’ve finished a stroke to make all the lines snap neatly into place. This works with curves and any straight-sided shape—even irregular ones.
Tip: Once your lines have snapped, continue to press the mouse button or trackpad and continue drawing. You’ll be able to adjust your newly perfected shape even more—for example, to adjust the size of a circle.
3. Make a sticker
The app’s sticker feature is a great way to save custom icons you’ve drawn—anything from a little flower that’s just the right shade of yellow to esoteric symbols for your elaborate dot journal. Simply circle your doodle with the Lasso tool, then Control-click and choose Add Element; add the new sticker to any collection.
To use the sticker later, click the Elements tool icon (the one that looks like a sticker).
4. Lean on AI to review your copy
Want to summarize your notes from a bio lecture or team meeting? The app’s experimental AI feature can tackle that automatically. To try it out, highlight your typed notes and click the sparkle icon (✨) and choose the Make Shorter option. The tool can also fix grammatical errors and adjust the tone to be more professional, friendly, or confident.
5. Find aesthetically pleasing planners, stickers, and more
Trying to organize your family’s favorite recipes or beautifully build out a budget? Head to the expansive Marketplace tab (via the sidebar) to find ready-to-use notebooks and templates. Plus, you can create the perfect aesthetic for all your documents with vibrant covers and cute stickers. (Baby hamsters, anyone?) Goodnotes subscribers can unlock exclusive specials.
Tip: The Marketplace’s Education section includes interactive courses, like one for the SAT math test. You can even get step-by-step, AI-powered feedback on your solutions.