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Frequently Asked Questions - GoodNotes for Institutions

From July 8, 2023, access to GoodNotes 5 through Apple Business Manager and Apple School Manager will be changing. In order to continue receiving access, you will need to have a license key to continue access to GoodNotes for Institutions on your devices. Below are some questions related to our GoodNotes for Institutions product for both businesses and schools:

  • If I bought GoodNotes 5 via Apple Business Manager previously, do I have to pay again?
    • If you purchased before April 2022, you will be entitled to a free license of GoodNotes for Institutions. Please respond to this form and our business team will get back to you. Ensure you have your receipt of purchase and number of licenses in use and we will be able to generate your license key.
    • If you have downloaded GoodNotes 5 through Apple Business Manager after April 2022, you will have to purchase a license for GoodNotes for Institutions.
  • Will this change require my school / institution to migrate to a new app or install a new version of GoodNotes 5?
    • This change does not change the app you're using, so no migration would be necessary with this change.
    • Simply contact us for the new licensing key, and your app usage will continue with no disruption to your institute's daily workflow. 
    • Whilst this will not affect your institute's daily workflow or cause any data loss, it's always good practice to encourage students and teachers to regularly back up their notes.
  • GoodNotes for Institutions is available for both Education and Business, what’s the difference?
    • While both businesses and schools exist as GoodNotes for Institutions downloads and are available through Apple Business Manager and Apple School Manager respectively, both now have to be unlocked via a license key in order to retain access.
    • GoodNotes for Institutions is still a free service for Educational institutions and does not offer the ability to disable any features, while Businesses now have two separate purchasing tiers, with the higher tier offering disabled features, shorter support wait times and dedicated account support.
  • Can I disable any in-app features?
    • Yes, for businesses only! You will have the option between two tiers, with Tier 1 offering you the option to disable iCloud Sync, Auto Backup, GoodNotes Shop & Community.
  • Can I upgrade or downgrade between business tiers?
    • You have the option to upgrade tiers during your subscription year. The difference between the base tier and the upgraded tier will be pro-rated.
  • Can I buy the retail version of GoodNotes 5 for my business instead?
    • Yes, you can still buy the retail app via the App Store personally, however this will not have the option to disable features, it will be a personal purchase to your device Apple ID and will not be deployed through Apple Business Manager. In order to deploy through Apple Business Manager, you would need a license key and this can only be obtained as a GoodNotes for Institutions license.
  • Do you provide Intune Protection Policy (SDK) support?
    • While the GoodNotes for Institutions app can be used with Intune, we do not offer support for Intune App Protection Policies. This is something on our roadmap and our team is looking into it at present. If you’d like to share more about your requirements, fill in this form and we will get back to you for more information.