Apple Notes is a great app that syncs with your iPhone, iPad, and Mac using iCloud. So, you always have your notes close at hand.
But, part of having the notes you need at your fingertips is being able to find the ones you need quickly. Keeping your Notes app organized can help you navigate faster and find notes quicker.
To help you, here are several tips for how to keep your Apple Notes organized.
Just like you use folders on your computer to organize documents, images, and other files, you can use them in the Notes app for the same reason.
Add Folders
On your iPhone or iPad, you can create a new folder with a tap. Open the Notes app and make sure you’re on the main Folders screen.
Tap New Folder on the bottom right.
Give your folder a meaningful name.
Tap Save.
On your Mac, it’s just as easy. Open the Notes app and be sure the Folders sidebar on the left is open. If not, click the Show Folders button in the toolbar.
At the bottom of the list, click New Folder.
Give your folder a meaningful name.
Hit the Enter
Alternatively on Mac, you can select File > New Folder from the menu bar.
Move Folders
Mac lets you nest folders within other folders in the Notes app. This is an excellent way to organize tasks for a project or categories for a topic.
Select the folder that you want to move inside of another. Drag the folder over the top of the new parent folder and release. You can then collapse the parent folder and expand it again to see those notes nested within it.
If you want to move the folder back to its original spot, just drag it out of the parent folder.
Rename Folders
Giving your older folders new names might be a way that you want to better organize the app. You can rename folders on both iOS and Mac.
On iPhone or iPad, head to the main Folders screen.
Tap Edit from the top right.
Select the folder you want to rename.
Enter the new folder name.
Tap Save.
On Mac, you can rename a folder using the following methods:
Right-click the folder name and select Rename Folder.
Hold the Control key, click the folder name, and select Rename Folder.
Click the folder name twice – slowly, type the new name, hit Enter.
Delete Folders
If you end up with a folder you decide that you don’t need after all, you can delete it just as easily as you created it.
On your iPhone or iPad, open the Notes app to the main Folder screen.
Tap Edit from the top right.
Mark the folder you want to remove.
Tap Delete on the bottom right.
Instead, you can swipe the folder from right to left on the main Folders screen and tap Delete when it appears.
On your Mac, you have a few different ways to delete a folder:
Right-click the folder name and select Delete Folder.
Hold the Control key, click the folder name, and select Delete Folder.
Select the folder and from the menu bar click Edit > Delete.
Pin Notes You Use Often
When you Pin a note, that note stays at the top of the list within that folder. This is a terrific way to access those notes that you need often.
On your iPhone or iPad, head to the folder containing the note you want to Pin. Slide the name of the note from right to left and tap the Pin icon when it appears.
On your Mac, do one of the following to Pin a note:
Right-click the note name and select Pin Note.
Hold the Control key, click the folder name, and select Pin Note.
Select the note and from the menu bar select File > Pin Note.
Stay Organized
While the Apple Notes app may not offer robust organizing features like similar apps, these few tips will definitely help if your notes have gotten out of control.
If you have tricks for organizing the Notes app that have helped you and you’d like to share, feel free to comment below.
Sandy worked for many years in the IT industry as a project manager, department manager, and PMO Lead. She then decided to follow her dream and now writes about technology full-time. Sandy holds a Bachelors of Science in Information Technology.
She loves technology– specifically – terrific games and apps for iOS, software that makes your life easier, and productivity tools that you can use every day, in both work and home environments.
Her articles have regularly been featured at MakeUseOf, iDownloadBlog and many other leading tech publications.
I have had great success using Apple’s Notes program but am missing two features – 1) Being able to color code notes and sort based on color and 2) changing the font size in the mobile app. How can we get Apple to address these issues?
Do you use iCloud for the Notes app? If not, consider toggling on the Notes app in your iCloud settings for any devices signed in with the same Apple ID. Go to Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > Notes
To move folders, swipe left on the folder name, tap the folder icon then choose a different location. You can also press and hold the folder’s name and then drag it to another location.
To move a folder into another folder so it’s a subfolder, drag that folder onto the name and icon of another folder.
How to rename the actual note? I see renaming the folder is fairly straight forward, but I can’t seem to figure out how to give my note(s) a proper name!
On an iPad, press down on the Note and drag down (not a drag down from above the top of the screen, which takes you to the Notification Center). That reveals the Note Title along with an Edit link and date/time. The Edit link allows you to change the title of the Note.
You can also just be very clear about the very first word you write/type at the top of the Note. If you are using Pencil and your handwriting is legible, there’s your title automatically.
d3swiss says
i used to search topics or text in NOTES. It does not work any more. How to search?
Jetson Davis says
I have had great success using Apple’s Notes program but am missing two features – 1) Being able to color code notes and sort based on color and 2) changing the font size in the mobile app. How can we get Apple to address these issues?
Donna says
I added some new folders to my notes and now I have two lists of folders.
How do I integrate the list of new folders with the old ones?
Thank you for your very helpful article on the Notes app.
Elizabeth Jones says
Hi Donna,
Do you use iCloud for the Notes app? If not, consider toggling on the Notes app in your iCloud settings for any devices signed in with the same Apple ID. Go to Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > Notes
To move folders, swipe left on the folder name, tap the folder icon then choose a different location. You can also press and hold the folder’s name and then drag it to another location.
To move a folder into another folder so it’s a subfolder, drag that folder onto the name and icon of another folder.
Chris says
How to rename the actual note? I see renaming the folder is fairly straight forward, but I can’t seem to figure out how to give my note(s) a proper name!
SK says
Hi Chris,
The Notes App usually takes a note’s name from the first line of your note. Change that first line, and you change the name of your note.
To change that setting, go to Settings > Notes > New Notes Start With
If using a Mac, change this setting in Notes App > Preferences > New notes start with and choose title
Hope that helps!
Sam
Chris says
On an iPad, press down on the Note and drag down (not a drag down from above the top of the screen, which takes you to the Notification Center). That reveals the Note Title along with an Edit link and date/time. The Edit link allows you to change the title of the Note.
You can also just be very clear about the very first word you write/type at the top of the Note. If you are using Pencil and your handwriting is legible, there’s your title automatically.