Contents
How the section works
The Notes tab is in the bottom bar. On the left there is a narrow column of folders, on the right the notes in the selected folder.
- Folder column: when collapsed, it shows emoji and counters. The arrow in the header expands it with folder names.
- “All notes” 🗂️ is the first row and holds everything. Below it is “Shared” if you have shared notes.
- The last folder is remembered: the section opens where you left off.
- Note card: title, an access badge on shared notes, folder, life area, date and a task icon if the note is linked to a task.
- Sorting is switched with the button on the right of the header: by date modified or date created. The date on the card follows it.
- Long press on a card: “Copy text”, “Send a copy”, “Collaborate”, “Move to folder”, “Select life area”, “Pin to widget”, “Delete”.
Creating a note
Tap +. An empty note opens with the cursor in the title. There is no “Save” button to press: the note saves itself.
- Title
The first block is written as a large heading and becomes the title in the list. You can skip it: the list will then show the first line that isn’t empty.
- Text
Enter creates the next block. Tapping the empty space below the text adds a block at the end.
- Header badges
Life area, folder and task. Tap a badge to open the picker. If you were inside a folder, the new note is already in it.
- “Done” only hides the keyboard. While you type, the header with badges is hidden on iPhone and iPad.
- The “⋯” menu: “Copy text” with formatting, “Send a copy” as plain text, “Select life area”, “Note settings”, “Delete”.
- An empty note isn’t saved, and a note you erase down to nothing is deleted. A shared note stays, even when empty.
Blocks and the “/” menu
A note is made of blocks. Each paragraph, list, photo or file is a separate block with its own type, and you can change the type at any time.
How to change a block’s type
- The button on the left of the bar above the keyboard shows the block type and opens the “Turn into” menu: Text, Lists, Other and Media.
- The “/” menu: type “/” at the start of a block or after a space and keep typing: “/head”, “/list”, “/voice”. Short aliases work too: “/h1”, “/todo”, “/code”. Pick with a tap or with the arrow keys and Enter, Esc closes it.
- In the title and in code “/” stays a regular character.
- “Image”, “Files”, “Voice note” insert a new block: the photo or document picker opens, and voice recording starts right away.
- A divider in a block with text goes below the text. For other types the text stays put and only its style changes.
Formatting
Select some text and tap a button on the bar above the keyboard. You can also turn a style on beforehand: new text will use it.
Text style
Bold, italic, underline and strikethrough, in any combination.
Color and highlight
Eight text colors and eight highlight colors. The bar turns into a palette with a check on the current color.
- Link: select text and tap the link button. Web addresses you type are highlighted automatically.
- You can open a link when the keyboard is hidden. While it’s open, a tap places the cursor.
- Selecting across blocks: drag your finger or the selection handle past the edge of a block. “Select all” selects the whole note.
- Smart paste: text from a browser or an email keeps bold, italic and lists, and each paragraph becomes a block. Between MyLife notes, to-dos, headings and colors carry over too.
Lists, to-dos and code
List blocks work just like in the text editors you already know.
- Autoformat: “- ” or “1. ” at the start of a regular text block turns it into a list. In headings and quotes the marker stays as text.
- Enter creates the next item of the same type, Enter in an empty item exits the list.
- To-do: the circle on the left checks the item off and strikes the text through.
- Code: Enter inside adds a line break, pressing Enter twice exits the block.
- Backspace at the start of a block merges it with the previous one, in an empty block it deletes the block.
Photos, files and voice notes
Attachments are stored privately in your account and are visible on all your devices and to the members of a shared note. That’s why you need to be signed in to use them.
- Photos: a shot from the camera or several pictures from the gallery in one block. A tap opens the gallery full screen.
- Photo layouts are in the block menu under “Display”: Large, Grid, Carousel, Compact. “Add photo” and the photo order are there too.
- Files: any type up to 25 MB, several at once, each in its own block. A tap opens the built-in viewer.
- Voice note: “/voice” or “Turn into” → “Voice note”. Recording starts right away, up to 30 minutes, and the red button stops it.
- The transcript appears by itself after recording, and the icon on the right of the player expands it. Speech is recognized on your device, no audio goes to the internet. The transcript syncs together with the note.
- If something didn’t upload, the attachment shows a retry icon.
Working with blocks
Hide the keyboard and the editor switches to block mode: you can’t edit text, but you can move whole blocks.
Drag and drop
Press and hold a block and move it right away to a new spot. Near the edge of the screen the list scrolls by itself.
Block menu
Long press without moving: “Turn into”, “Duplicate”, “Move up” and “Move down”, “Delete”. For photos, the photo options come first.
Folders
Once you have lots of notes, sort them into folders: work notes in one, recipes in another.
- Create a folder
The dashed “+” below the folder column. A name is required, an emoji is optional: it shows in the collapsed column too.
- Add a note to it
The folder badge in the note header or “Move to folder” in the card menu. The picker has “No folder” and “New folder”, and a new folder gets the note right away.
- Keep it tidy
Reorder folders by dragging. Long press: “Edit” and “Delete”.
Notes and tasks
When a task description isn’t enough, attach a note with blocks, photos and files. A task can have several notes.
Task description
A couple of lines of details right on the task screen. Free.
Task notes
A separate section on the task screen. The chip at the bottom of the screen adds the first note.
- Task badge in the note header: “About task”, “Edit task” (link to a different one) and “Unlink task”.
- Life area: a note without a life area gets the task’s life area.
- Task notes also appear in the main list, but don’t count toward the free limit.
- Deleting a task doesn’t delete its notes, they just lose the link.
- A task note can’t be shared, and a shared note can’t be linked to a task.
Widgets, Siri and search
You can get to your notes without opening the section.
- 📌
“Pin to widget”
The note appears in the Pinned widget on the Home Screen or Lock Screen. A to-do list is visible there, but you check items off in the app.
- ➕
Quick capture
“Add note” in Siri and Shortcuts, a Control Center button, a quick action on the app icon and buttons in the Navigation and My Day widgets.
- 🔍
Spotlight search
The section has no search of its own, but system search finds notes by title and text. Task notes don’t show up there.
- Sync works block by block: only what changed goes to the server. Offline edits are sent as soon as you’re back online.
- Life Areas: a note with a life area slightly affects the balance radar in your profile.
- Deleting can’t be undone, there is no trash. A swipe deletes a personal note right away, from the menu the app asks you to confirm. Only the owner can delete a shared note, and it disappears for everyone.
Limits and PRO
The whole editor, attachments and voice notes are free. A subscription removes the limits and unlocks task links and sharing.
- 📝10 free
Notes
Task notes don’t count toward the limit.
- 🗂️3 free
Folders
“All notes” and “Shared” don’t count.
- 📎Free
Photos, files, voice notes
You only need to be signed in.
- ✅PRO
Notes in tasks and linking to a task
Task notes you created earlier stay available.
- 👥PRO
Share a note
Joining someone else’s note is free.
FAQ
Are notes available on Android and in the web app?
Do I need to tap “Save”?
Can I restore a deleted note?
How do I find a note?
What happens to notes if I delete a folder?
How many notes and folders are free?
Do I need PRO for photos and voice notes?
Where does the voice note transcript go?
How do I share a note?
What happens if two people edit a note at the same time?
Why did a shared note disappear?
I see “This block is from a newer version of MyLife”. What is it?
What happened to my old notes after the switch to blocks?
Write down your first thought
Start with a short note or a voice note: the transcript appears by itself, and you can sort everything into folders later.
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