Text Document

Create documents that think with you — organise information with a superior typing experience, develop ideas with rich inline block and collaborate with others with documents smart enough to support your creative process. Goodnotes can help you refine your writing, ensuring it's polished, professional, and error-free.

What are Text Documents?

Text Documents are Goodnotes' new typing-focused format designed for structured writing with AI assistance. They're perfect for everything from quick notes to meeting minutes, research papers, project documentation, and collaborative work—all with rich formatting and seamless organisation.

What makes Text Documents different?

Coming from freeform notebooks? Here's what's new:

• AI Co-editing: Real-time writing assistance and suggestions
• Pageless Flow: No page breaks - your ideas flow continuously
• Rich Formatting: Tables, media, and text styling options
• Powerful tables: Insert tables for structured data, with drag-to-reorder, smart selection, and a context menu that adapts to what you're editing
• Easy Organisation: Drag & rearrange elements easily
• Real-time Collaboration: Multiple people editing simultaneously with comments (available for Goodnotes Pro)

• Cross-platform: Seamless experience across iPad, iPhone, and Mac

   

What is not available?

• Drawing elements, tape tool, ruler, highlighter tools, and freeform annotation features Text Documents excel at structured, collaborative writing. For mixed drawing and writing, continue using freeform notebooks.

   

Create your Text Document

1. In your Library view, tap the + button
2. Select Text Document
3. Your document appears in Library view alongside notebooks

Features & Workflows

Elements-based Organization

Each paragraph, heading, list, table, or media item is a separate "elements". Elements can be rearranged, edited independently, and targeted for AI assistance

Types of Elements

You can select different types of Elements by typing /, which will bring up a menu you can scroll through.

Drag to Rearrange:

1. Select a Block: Tap anywhere within the text block → look for the ⋮⋮ handle on the left side (Pencil is not supported)
2. Move: Tap and hold ⋮⋮ to drag blocks up or down to reposition

Content and Formatting

Adding Media

• Insert tables for data organisation
• Add photos, screenshots, and diagrams
• Embed video content directly in your document

Tip: Tap the Image icon in the toolbar to access the Camera app or insert photos from your library. You can also type /image to upload or link an image in a block.

Text Formatting

You can customize text formatting by selecting the text then tap into the Aa menu in the tool bar or select "Format" or "turn into" from the native context menu.

• Text style and colour: Bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, and multiple color options
• Headers: Format text as H1, H2, or H3 headings

• Block types: Convert text into lists, quotes, codeblock, etc.

  

Working with tables

Tables help you organise structured information directly in your document — from project plans to meeting agendas.

Insert a table

• Tap the table icon in the toolbar, or
• Type / and select Table

Select a row, column, or whole table

• On Mac: hover over a row or column to reveal its handle, then click to select
• On iPad: tap into a cell, then tap the row or column handle that appears

To select content inside a cell, double-tap (iPad) or click and drag (Mac/Web).

Edit with the floating menu

Once you've selected a row, column, or whole table, a floating menu appears with options that adapt to your selection — change background color, change borders, add before/after, merge/split cells.

Resize a column

• On Mac: hover over a column divider and drag
• On iPad: tap the divider to enter resize mode, then drag the handle

Note: Rows are not resizable; they only grow based on their content.

Reorder rows or columns

Drag a row or column by its handle to move it to a new position — no more cut and paste.

Move a table within your document

Tables behave like any other block. Use the block handle on the left of the table to drag it up or down to a new position.

Tip: Type / inside a cell to insert content. The menu shows a focused set of options that work well in tables.

Collaboration

Sharing Your Document

1. Tap the share icon in the toolbar to generate a shareable link
2. Copy and paste the share link with anyone.

Note: Text documents can’t be shared and collaborated on with anyone outside the Beta program.

Collaborative Features

• Live Cursors show where collaborators are working in real-time
• Add feedback to specific sections
• Sync Across Devices: Changes appear instantly on all platforms. 

Using AI Co-editing

Goodnotes AI - Your Document Companion

Document-Wide Help 
Use this when you want to work on your entire document - planning, organizing, or improving the overall structure

• Click the Goodnotes AI icon in the toolbar

  See also A guide to Goodnotes AI

Targeted Edits 
Use this when you want to improve a specific section, paragraph, or heading

• Select any text block and select the AI icon

Element-level Assistance

Use this for making targeted improvements to specific sections of your content

• To access this, click on any text block (paragraph, heading, list) and click on the AI chat icon on the right of the text.

For the best AI assistance experience, start with the big picture by asking about your document's overall structure and goals. Then zoom in for details by clicking on specific sections that need improvement. As you work, choose what works for you by reviewing suggestions and applying only the ones you like. Finally, keep refining your content by continuing the conversation with AI until you're completely satisfied with the result.

Common Use Cases

FAQs

Can I convert my freeform notebook to a Text Document? 
You can copy and paste text content, drawings and annotations will transfer as images. Text Documents and freeform notebooks serve different purposes.

Why can't I find drawing tools? 
Text Documents focus on structured writing. For drawing and annotation, continue using freeform notebooks.

How do I work offline? 
Basic editing works offline on all devices. AI features and real-time collaboration require internet connection. When you come back online, your document changes will be synced and you can use AI features and collaboration again.

Can I print my Text Document?
Yes! Use the share menu to export as PDF or print directly from any device.