Goodnotes has revolutionized the way we take digital notes, offering a perfect blend of traditional handwriting and modern technology.
While many users rely on its basic features, the app harbors numerous advanced capabilities that can dramatically improve your note-taking experience.
Whether you’re a student, professional, or creative enthusiast, these ten innovative hacks will help you unlock Goodnotes’ full potential and transform your digital organization.
Take a look.
1. Master the Lasso Tool for Advanced Organization
The lasso tool is arguably the most powerful feature in Goodnotes, yet most users barely scratch the surface of its capabilities.
Beyond simple selection and movement, this versatile tool offers a gateway to advanced organization techniques. When you double-tap selected content, you’ll discover a world of formatting options that can revolutionize your note-taking approach.
The handwriting-to-text conversion feature is particularly powerful – simply select your handwritten notes and transform them into crisp, editable text with remarkable accuracy.
For mathematical equations or complex diagrams, use the lasso tool to adjust the size of multiple elements simultaneously, maintaining their proportions and relationships.
Creating perfectly aligned columns becomes effortless: select your content, copy it, and paste it with precise positioning.
Advanced users can even use the lasso tool in combination with the zoom function to work on intricate details while maintaining a consistent scale throughout their documents.
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2. Create Custom Paper Templates
While Goodnotes provides an impressive array of built-in templates, creating your own can elevate your note-taking to new heights.
Begin by designing your ideal layout in your preferred design software or even within Goodnotes itself.
Consider including elements like header spaces, margin guides, specialized sections for summaries or key points, and custom ruling that matches your writing style.
When designing your template, use light gray lines (RGB: 220, 220, 220) to ensure they don’t compete with your actual notes. Include small corner markers or alignment guides to maintain consistency when adding elements later.
For academic work, consider templates with dedicated spaces for citation information, key terms, or summary boxes. Professional users might include areas for action items, meeting participants, or project timelines.
You can even create templates with built-in weekly or monthly planners, complete with time blocks and task lists. Save these templates in a dedicated “Templates” notebook for easy access and sharing across devices.
3. Build a Hyperlinked Table of Contents
Transform your notebooks into sophisticated, easily navigable documents by creating an interactive table of contents.
Begin your notebook with a structured overview of your main topics, subtopics, and key sections. For each entry, use the highlighting tool to select the text, then tap the link icon to connect it to its corresponding page.
Consider creating a hierarchical structure with main topics in one color and subtopics in another for visual organization. For lengthy notebooks, create secondary navigation pages at the beginning of each major section, linking back to the main table of contents.
This creates a web of interconnected pages that makes navigation intuitive and efficient. Professional tip: Include a small “Return to TOC” link at the bottom of each page for quick navigation.
For research papers or study guides, create additional topic-specific indices that link to relevant content throughout your notebook, making it easier to cross-reference information.
Also Read: Goodnotes vs OneNote
4. Utilize Split Screen for Smart Note-Taking
The split-screen feature in Goodnotes is a game-changer for complex note-taking scenarios.
Opening the same notebook twice allows you to view different sections simultaneously, but the real power lies in how you utilize this setup. Position your reference material on one side.
This could be lecture slides, source material, or earlier notes, while keeping your active note-taking space on the other. For language learning, use one side for vocabulary and the other for practice sentences.
When studying complex subjects, keep theoretical content on one side and worked examples on the other. During meetings, maintain your agenda and reference documents on one side while taking minutes on the other.
You can even use this feature to compare different versions of your notes or to compile information from multiple sources into a single, coherent document.
The key is to organize your split screen based on your specific workflow needs.
5. Maximize Search Efficiency with Tags
Implementing a sophisticated tagging system transforms how you organize and retrieve information in Goodnotes.
Rather than using simple keywords, develop a comprehensive system of visual markers that serve as searchable tags. Start each important section with a specific symbol or emoji that indicates its content type.
Use “❗” for crucial information, “📅” for deadlines, “⭐” for summaries, “📚” for definitions, “🔍” for detailed explanations, and “💡” for personal insights.
Create a legend at the beginning of each notebook explaining your tagging system. These visual markers not only make your notes instantly searchable but also help in quick visual scanning.
For project management, include tags like “🎯” for objectives, “📋” for tasks, and “✅” for completed items. Academic users might use “📝” for exam tips, “❓” for questions to follow up on, and “📌” for key concepts.
Maintain consistency in your tagging system across all notebooks to build a searchable knowledge base.
Also Read: Goodnotes vs Notability
6. Create Reusable Element Libraries
Establishing a dedicated notebook for frequently used elements revolutionizes your note-taking efficiency.
Think of this as your personal design system for notes. Create a collection of headers, dividers, decorative elements, and commonly used diagrams or frameworks.
Organize these elements by category, perhaps one section for decorative headers, another for chart templates, and another for bullet point styles.
When creating these elements, consider using a consistent color palette and design style to maintain visual coherence across your notes. Include variations of each element in different sizes or colors to suit different contexts.
For professional use, include company logos, project timeline templates, or meeting note frameworks. For academic work, create standard templates for concept maps, citation formats, or laboratory report layouts.
When you need these elements, simply copy them using the lasso tool and paste them into your active notebooks.
This approach ensures consistency in your note-taking while significantly reducing the time spent on formatting and design.
7. Master Flash Card Creation
Transform your study materials into effective learning tools by mastering Goodnotes’ flash card capabilities. Start by creating a structured template with clearly defined sections for questions and answers.
For maximum effectiveness, include spaces for difficulty ratings, review dates, and topic categories. When designing your flash cards, use color coding to distinguish between different types of information, perhaps blue for definitions, green for examples, and red for common mistakes or important warnings.
Create your content in a two-column layout, with questions on the left and detailed answers on the right. Use the export function to save individual cards as PDFs, then import them back as a new notebook with each card on its own page.
Consider creating different sets of cards for different learning stages – basic concepts, detailed explanations, and advanced applications. Include visual elements, diagrams, or mind maps where appropriate to enhance learning.
You can even add voice recordings to your flash cards for auditory learning support.
Also Read: Best Free Note-Taking Apps For iPad
8. Implement Smart Color Coding
Develop a sophisticated color-coding system that enhances both organization and learning retention.
Instead of random highlighting, create a deliberate color scheme where each color serves a specific purpose. Use blue for definitions and core concepts, helping them stand out as fundamental knowledge.
Green can indicate examples and practical applications, making it easy to find real-world connections. Orange might highlight questions or areas needing clarification, serving as visual reminders for review.
Purple could connect related ideas across different sections or notebooks, creating a web of interconnected knowledge. For project planning, use red for urgent items, yellow for in-progress tasks, and green for completed work.
In academic notes, use different colors for theories, experiments, and conclusions. Create a color key at the beginning of each notebook and maintain this system consistently across all your documents.
Consider using different highlighting styles (solid, striped, or dotted) in combination with colors for even more detailed categorization.
9. Leverage the Background Music Feature
The background audio recording feature in Goodnotes offers powerful capabilities for creating comprehensive study materials.
When recording, the app synchronizes your writing with the audio, creating an integrated learning experience. Start by preparing your note-taking template with clear sections and adequate space for annotations.
Begin recording before playing your lecture audio, and take notes as you listen. Use different colors or symbols to mark key moments in the lecture, making it easier to find specific content later.
You can pause the recording to catch up on notes or add detailed explanations. The synchronized playback feature allows you to review your notes while listening to the corresponding audio segment, making it perfect for complex topics or language learning.
For group study, record discussions and brainstorming sessions, capturing both the verbal exchange and the written notes.
This feature is particularly valuable for music students who can record practice sessions while making notations on sheet music.
Also Read: Best Note-Taking Apps With Stylus
10. Create Custom Shortcuts for Efficiency
Optimizing your toolbar and gestures in Goodnotes can significantly improve your note-taking speed and efficiency.
Start by analyzing your most frequently used tools and arrange them in order of usage frequency. Consider creating different toolbar configurations for different types of work, one for general note-taking, another for detailed drawings, and a third for document annotation.
Experiment with different pen types and sizes to find your perfect combination, then save these as presets for quick access. Learn and utilize gesture shortcuts like double-tapping for eraser access or using two fingers to zoom.
For Apple Pencil users, set up the double-tap feature for quick tool switching. Create custom gestures for common actions like undo/redo or switching between notebooks.
Position your favorite tools within easy reach of your dominant hand, and group related tools together for logical access.
Remember that many toolbar icons have hidden features accessible through long-press actions. Explore these thoroughly to maximize your efficiency.
Final Thoughts
These Goodnotes hacks represent just the beginning of what’s possible with this versatile digital note-taking platform.
The key to mastering these techniques lies in consistent practice and gradual implementation. Start by incorporating one or two hacks into your workflow, perfect them, and then move on to others.
Remember that the goal isn’t just to use all these features, but to develop a personalized system that enhances your productivity and learning experience.
Experiment with combining different techniques to create workflows that match your specific needs and working style.
As you become more comfortable with these advanced features, you’ll discover new ways to adapt and combine them, creating an even more powerful and personalized note-taking system.
Pro Tip: Establish a regular backup routine for your notebooks using iCloud or other cloud storage services. Sync your devices frequently to ensure your masterfully organized notes are always accessible and protected. Consider reviewing and refining your organization system monthly to ensure it continues to meet your evolving needs.
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