Apple Notes review

Apple Notes is the handwriting app every iPad owner already has, and it covers more than its plain look suggests. You can use a finger or Apple Pencil to sketch in a note or on an inline PDF, pick from several brush styles and colors, and add lines or grids to guide writing. Search finds words in your handwriting as well as in scanned documents and photos. Quick Note opens from a swipe of the Apple Pencil from the corner of the screen, which makes it fast for a thought mid-task. Notes can hold audio recordings with transcripts, checklists, tables and attachments, and iCloud keeps everything in sync. Shared folders and mentions help with family or team lists. The limits are clear when you compare it with Goodnotes or Noteshelf. Apple Notes is a typed-first app with drawing added, not a notebook with pages, templates and paper styles. It also stays on Apple devices only.

Who it is for

iPad owners who want quick handwritten notes and sketches without installing or paying for anything.

Price

Free on Apple devices.

Notes Take note of almost anything Free
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 10, 2026.

Key features

• Sketch with Apple Pencil in a note or on an inline PDF
• Search that finds text in your handwriting and in scans
• Quick Note by swiping up from the corner with Apple Pencil
• Lines and grids added to a note for easier writing
• Audio recording and transcription inside a note

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Free and preinstalled on iPad, iPhone and Mac
• Strength: iCloud keeps notes in sync across Apple devices
• Strength: Shared notes and folders with mentions and activity view
• Weakness: No Android or Windows app
• Weakness: Fewer pen types, page templates and notebook layouts than dedicated stylus apps
• Weakness: Built around typed notes with handwriting added, rather than full notebooks

Key facts

• Free plan: Yes
• Platforms: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro
• Handwriting search: Yes
• Sync: iCloud

Where it ranks

Apple Notes is No. 7 in our Best Handwritten Note-Taking Apps verdict.