Writing with pen and paper has been an essential part of human life for thousands of years. At Goodnotes, we understand the significance of this experience, and with the advent of the iPad in 2011, we saw an incredible opportunity to bring the traditional pen and paper experience to the digital world.
With Goodnotes 6, we wanted to take things even further. What if the digital paper could understand your writing and help you write better? What if it could even spot and correct your mistakes?
With the introduction of generative AI for handwritten notes, Goodnotes 6 represents a major leap forward in the world of digital note-taking. Our smart digital paper can now detect spelling mistakes and offer to correct them for you, all while preserving your handwriting style.
We also know that many of you rely on Goodnotes for math-related tasks. For this reason, we have introduced an AI Math Checker in Goodnotes 6, helping you spot mistakes in your handwritten math.
In addition to these AI note-taking experiences, Goodnotes 6 comes with various other improvements, including enhanced customization options for folders, paper size, and colors. Furthermore, we have completely redesigned the user interface to make it more intuitive, delightful, and versatile than ever before.
Let's get started!
To start using Goodnotes 6, you will be asked to log in to what’s called a “Goodnotes account.” This account is used to identify your subscription status so that we can make sure you enjoy the exclusive benefits you’re currently subscribed to.
It’s very easy to create a Goodnotes account! Simply log in to one of the following accounts that you likely already have: a Google, Apple, or Microsoft account. Any of those accounts that you sign in to within Goodnotes becomes your Goodnotes account:
Important: If you buy the yearly subscription/one-time payment, take note of the login provider and the respective account with that provider so that you can log back to the correct Goodnotes account without this issue. You can check for these details by tapping the ⚙️ icon in the top-right corner of the Library view > your profile name, and looking at "Linked Via" and "Email".
Get to know the main interface
GoodNotes has a clean and intuitive interface to help you take notes as efficiently as possible. Familiarize yourself with the following interface elements before embarking on your GoodNotes journey.
The Library View
When you open Goodnotes 6, you'll find yourself in the Library View, which serves as your homepage. Here, you can easily access all your notebooks and folders.
On the left side, you'll see a convenient navigation panel that allows you to access various sections:
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Favorites: Bookmark your most frequently used notebooks or pages for quick access.
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Search: Quickly find specific content within your notes.
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Shared: Collaborate with others and share notebooks seamlessly.
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Marketplace: You can explore a vast collection of new items, including paper templates, stickers, and digital planners created by talented creators from all around the world.
Creating your first notebook is easy!
Simply tap the plus sign and select "Notebook". Goodnotes 6 offers a variety of preset covers and templates to choose from. If you found the templates in GoodNotes 5 limited, you'll love the new customization options in Goodnotes 6. You can now fully customize and create your own paper templates by adjusting size, background color, and lines to match your preferences.
Document View
The Document View is where you can let your creativity flow! It's the view where you can take notes, using several editing tools at your disposal. This is what you see when you tap to open a document from the Library View.
Document Tab Bar
Located at the top of the screen, the Document Tab Bar displays all of your open documents (by default). You can switch between documents and close them from here.
Nav Bar
The Nav Bar is located right below the Document Tab Bar and provides quick access to different sections of the app, such as the Library, Favorites, and Settings as well as the core note-taking modes: Handwriting, Typing and Recording.
1 - Library View takes you back to the library, where you can organize folders and notebooks.
2 - Thumbnail View lets you manage the pages of the current document.
3 - Search allows you to search the document.
4 - Recording Player keeps all your recorded audio clips, if any, in the document.
5, 6, 7 - The input modes that allow you to create handwritten, typed, or audio notes, respectively.
8 - Add Page offers several ways to add new content as pages.
9 - Bookmark marks the current page as a favorite for quick retrieval.
10 - Share and Export helps you share, collaborate on, and present your notes.
11 - More lists additional tasks you can do.
Toolbar
The Toolbar is located underneath the Nav Bar and will change depending whether you are using Handwriting or Typing mode, giving you access to all the necessary tools to create your notes.
(The toolbar in Handwriting mode)
(The toolbar in Typing mode)
In the right-hand part of the toolbar is the contextual section, which lists the relevant properties of the selected tool. For example, if you select the Pen Tool, you’ll see several color and thickness slots on the right that you can choose from for your strokes.
The new features in Goodnotes 6 that you'll love
The Spell Checker in Goodnotes 6 automatically detects and corrects spelling mistakes in your handwritten notes, ensuring your writing is accurate.
Goodnotes 6 also introduces new pen gestures to enhance your writing experience. For instance, the "Scribble to Erase" gesture allows you to effortlessly erase content by scribbling it out with your pen.
Instead of breaking your flow and changing tools, you can use the Pen Tool to select and manipulate groups of notes with the Circle to Select gesture.
One of the exciting new additions in Goodnotes 6 is the Marketplace. You can buy a variety of planners, paper templates, covers and stickers created by a range of third-party content creators.
On the Marketplace, you'll not only find a plethora of new items but also a fantastic feature called Interactive Exam Practice. This feature is perfect for students preparing for exams. You can access practice questions and scratch paper to work out problems. The AI Math Assistance built into Goodnotes 6 will double-check your work, ensuring accuracy and helping you stay on the right track.
And if you prefer typing your notes, Goodnotes 6 has you covered! Tap the keyboard icon in the Nav Bar to access Typing Mode. You can type your notes alongside your handwritten content seamlessly, making Goodnotes a versatile tool for all your note-taking needs. Goodnotes now includes AI-assisted typing which can help you paraphrase, summarize, correct your spelling and also make suggestions for your choice of words.
Goodnotes 6 represents a significant step forward in the world of digital note-taking, offering innovative AI-powered features, improved customization options, and a delightful user experience. Whether you're a student, professional, or creative individual, Goodnotes 6 is your ultimate digital note-taking companion.
Get started today and unlock the full potential of your handwritten and digital notes!
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For more information on the new features in Goodnotes 6, please see our other help articles: