Getting Started

Once you have downloaded the app, and launching the app for the first time, you’ll be greeted with a Welcome page to sign in.

Sign in

1. Choose from one of the following:
   • Sign in with Microsoft
   • Sign in with Apple ID
   • Sign in with Google 

2. Upon entering your login details, your Goodnotes Account is successfully created! You are now greeted with the Library View.

Sign out

• In Library View, choose Gear icon  > Manage Account > Sign out.

After Sign out, you will be taken back to the Welcome page.

Get to know the interface

Goodnotes has a clean and intuitive interface to help you take notes as efficiently as possible. Familiarize yourself with the interface before embarking on your Goodnotes journey.

The Library View

The Library is home to your valuable notes. It's what you see after launching the app and logging in. Initially, the library is empty, but as you work with Goodnotes, you'll see all your creations here.

This is where all documents, folders, and notebooks are saved. At the left of the screen, different tabs are visible: 

The Document View

The Document View refers to the view where you take notes, using several editing tools at your disposal. 

The Nav Bar

The Nav Bar houses buttons that help you perform common tasks on the current document.

• Library View the back arrow takes you back to the library.
• Sidebar View lets you manage the pages of the current document.
• Document Details shows the last edit time, sync status, and allows you to rename the notebook
• Read Only Mode disables editing the document.
• Add New page adds a new page.
• Bookmark allows you to bookmark the document.
• Share lets you export and share the document for collaboration.
• More lists additional tasks you can do.

The Toolbar

The Toolbar contains a variety of editing tools to help you take good notes.

Create your first notebook

You're invited to learn to use the app by playing with it right away. Simply follow these steps.

Step 1: Create a new notebook

1. In the Documents tab, choose New > Notebook:

   
   

2. Template library is shown:

   

3. Customize your notebook by choosing a template from the template library:

   • Set the paper size: Select a size from the dropdown list.

   • Set the paper color: Select a color from the dropdown list.

   • Set the paper orientation:
     • Portrait: A list of template with vertical layout is shown.
     • Landscape: A list of template with horizontal layout is shown.

   • Set the cover: Choose Cover on the left panel and select a template.

   • Set the paper template: Choose Paper on the left panel and select a template.

     Note: These properties will be saved as defaults for the next notebook you create.

4. Name your notebook in the Title field and choose Create Notebook.

5. The notebook will be opened automatically.

Step 2: Start Taking notes!

Use the note taking tools

Although Goodnotes ships with a variety of tools to suit the user's diverse note taking needs, you actually need to know just one handy tool or two for your simple notes. For more details about these tools, please check out the corresponding articles linked to the tool names below.

• Undo and Redo Use them to rectify mistakes.
• The Pencil Tool: Select it to draw realistic pencil strokes.
• The Pen Tool: Select it and write on the page with your finger/mouse or a tablet-specific stylus just as you would with a pen on paper.
  • Set the color and thickness: Choose a slot in the contextual section on the right.
  • Customize the selected color: Tap the slot again and select a new color. You can tap the multi-colored slot at the end to add a custom color.
• The Eraser Tool: Use it to erase handwriting and highlighting.
• The Highlighter Tool: Use it to highlight noteworthy details in your notes.
• The Shape Tool: Use it to help draw geometric shapes or straight lines.
• The Lasso Tool: Use this tool to draw a loop around some content to select it for moving, copying, deleting, and so on.
• The Elements Tool: Use this tool to add stickers to your notebooks.
• The Image Tool: Use this tool to insert an image.
• The Text Tool: Creates a text box. Just tap anywhere on the page and start typing with the keyboard.
• The Laser Pointer: Use this tool to focus attention.
• Contextual section - Thickness slots: Use this to choose Thickness for the selected tool.
• Contextual section - Color slots: Use this to choose Color for the selected tool.

Add a new page

1. Open the Sidebar and scroll to the bottom.

2. Tap the Add page button:

   

Alternatively, you can insert a page at a precise location in the notebook by tapping the ... icon under the thumbnail of an existing page and choosing Add page before or Add page after.

You can also add page by choosing the Add new page icon on the upper right.

Jump to a page

• Choose More icon [...] > Go to page, then type a page number to jump to.

See also: How to zoom or scroll through pages?

Importing files

There are multiple ways of importing files. PDF documents are supported.

The most common method is to choose New > Import. The Files interface will show up and you can select a document to import by tapping on it.

Learn more: How to import documents?

Exporting files

The app allows you to effortlessly export your notes as PDF files. Once you've created your notes, you can save them directly to your device.

Learn more: How to export my notebook as PDF?

Sharing documents

The app allows you to create shareable URLs to documents that others can use to access and edit them together with you. You are now able to collaborate with other users to work on the same document and exchange comments.

1. Open the document to share.
2. Choose Share icon on the upper right.
3. Enable Share link > Done.
4. Share link is copied to Clipboard and ready to be shared.

Learn more: How to share my notebooks?