Note-taking with Outline incorporates the best of OS X and the App functionality. Creating, organizing, storing and editing notes with Outline is as simple as that with a real paper notebook. Outline structure is flexible. It follows and reflects the way your ideas develop. . PDF. Macs read PDFs natively probably because the user interface is a cached version of PostScript that is then rendered in the Apple Quartz renderer so the internal workings of macOS are based on Postscript (Apple has a long time relations. No list of best note-taking apps is. Making it easy to keep track of notes. It is available for iOS, Android, Mac, Windows and Linux, with data synced automatically.

Do you love the tactile experience of taking notes on paper but prefer the organization features of digital note-taking apps? We do, too.

And until recently, the best compromise we’d found was taking notes on paper and then scanning them into an app like Evernote.

While this approach worked, it wasn’t as seamless as we wanted. So for a while now, we’ve been experimenting with ways of taking handwritten notes with an iPad. And we’re excited to share that we’ve finally found a method that combines the best parts of writing by hand with the best parts of digital note-taking.

The key is to use a quality stylus, a screen protector that mimics paper, and, most importantly, the right note-taking app.

In this post, we’ll show you six of the best note-taking apps for the iPad. With a bit of practice, these apps will give you all the benefits of writing by hand without sacrificing the convenience of digital organization.

Note: All of the apps below work for both the iPad Pro and Classic, though the Pro’s larger screen size makes note-taking easier.

1. Notability

If we had to recommend just one iPad note-taking app, it would be Notability. The app offers a delightful writing experience, yet it also makes it easy to embed images, annotate PDFs, and even record voice memos.

Sketching and drawing in Notability is easy and downright delightful. Being able to doodle and quickly sketch out illustrations is one of our favorite things about taking notes on paper. Notability does an excellent job of emulating this experience, while also allowing you to do things you can’t do on paper such as resizing and moving your drawings.

Best Note Taking Apps

In addition, Notability includes a variety of flexible layout options. This allows you to, for instance, have a slide or reference material open on one side of the page while you take notes on the other.

And beyond the layout of individual pages, you can also organize your notes using digital “Dividers” (which is perfect if you’re used to taking notes in a physical binder).

Finally, Notability gives you plenty of options for exporting and sharing your notes, including Google Drive, Dropbox, and AirDrop.

Price: $8.99

Check out the video below to see Notability in action:

2. Noteshelf

Best Note Taking App For Mac Pdf Download

Noteshelf was our favorite note-taking app for the iPad before we discovered Notability, and it’s still a superb option.

It has many of the features we love in Notability, including the option to annotate PDFs and multitask with the iPad’s split screen. You can also record voice notes to go along with your handwritten notes, which is perfect for recapping a lecture or meeting at a later date.

If you speak/write multiple languages, you’ll also be pleased to know that Noteshelf can recognize handwriting in 65 different languages. This makes it a powerful tool whether you’re taking a language class or learning a language on your own.

Finally, Noteshelf lets you export your notes to iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and Evernote. The option to export to Evernote is noticeably missing from Notability, making Noteshelf our top pick for serious Evernote users.

Apple Watch users will also benefit from the app’s ability to record voice notes using the Noteshelf Apple Watch app.

Price: $9.99

3. GoodNotes 5

Up next, we have GoodNotes 5. This app has everything you want for taking notes, including the ability to switch between typing and writing. Plus, you can choose from several built-in note layouts and templates, as well as import your own.

Notably, GoodNotes 5 lets you adjust the sensitivity and palm recognition of the pen to match your writing style. This is perfect if you’re like me and tend to press very hard when writing.

Finally, GoodNotes 5 includes a “Presentation Mode” that lets you turn your iPad into a digital whiteboard. Using either AirPlay or an HDMI cable, you can project what you’re writing onto a larger screen while still being able to see the GoodNotes interface on your iPad. This is handy whether you’re giving a class presentation or pitching a business idea.

Price: $7.99

Want to learn how to take better notes? Check out our guide to the best note-taking systems.

4. Apple Notes

We couldn’t discuss iPad note-taking apps without mentioning Apple Notes. The app comes free with macOS/iOS devices, and it does a great job of letting you type or take notes by hand. The app’s drawing features are also solid, making it easy to add sketches and illustrations to your notes.

Aside from being free, the biggest advantage of Apple Notes is its deep integration with iOS. If you use iCloud and other Apple devices, you can effortlessly switch between taking notes on your iPad, iPhone, and Mac.

Plus, everything you create is automatically backed up to iCloud, and you can even create voice notes using Siri while you’re on the go.

Price: Free

5. Penultimate

Developed by Evernote, Penultimate is designed to be the go-to note-taking app for Evernote users. It has all the standard note-taking features you want, including a variety of layouts and the ability to search your handwritten notes with optical character recognition.

If you already use Evernote, then you can seamlessly add Penultimate to your workflow. Once you sign into the app with your Evernote account, all your notes will automatically sync to the Evernote notebook of your choice.

While the additional writing features of Noteshelf still make it our preferred note-taking app to use with Evernote, Penultimate remains a solid choice (especially if you’re looking for a free app).

Price: Free

6. Microsoft OneNote

Odds are, you’ve used (or at least have access to) Microsoft OneNote at work or school. But did you know that the OneNote iPad app allows you to take handwritten notes?

OneNote lets you write notes either on a blank page or a layout that emulates a sheet of lined paper. The general setup of the app mimics a physical binder, allowing you to organize your notes by topic.

OneNote for iPad also offers a variety of multimedia features. You can type text, insert graphics, and even include voice recordings. You can also search notes for specific words and view your notes across devices. And everything you create in OneNote is automatically backed up to OneDrive.

If you’re already a serious Microsoft app user, then OneNote will integrate seamlessly into your workflow.

Price: Free (with a Microsoft Account)

Start Taking Notes With Your iPad Today

I hope this article has shown you the exciting options you have for taking notes with your iPad. It’s now easier than ever to get the benefits of writing on paper without sacrificing the organization features of digital apps.

Of course, to benefit from taking notes, you need to make it a habit. If you’re looking to build the habit of taking notes (or another productive habit), you’ll love our latest course.

Click the button below to learn how you can take it (and thousands of other classes) for free:

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Building habits isn’t just about discipline; there are real-world steps you can take to set yourself up for success! In this course, you'll learn how to set realistic goals, handle failure without giving up, and get going on the habits you want in your life.

Sep 29,2020 • Filed to: PDF Editor

PDF annotation feature makes it easy for us to highlight and edit important text or ideas within a PDF document. You are also able to write comments on a PDF page without affecting the layout. This article will review 10 PDF annotator software, which enables you to easily annotate PDF files on Mac and Windows. One of the best PDF annotators is PDFelement Pro.

Part 1. Top 10 PDF Annotator for Windows and Mac Users

1. PDFelement Pro (Windows & Mac)

A top of the line PDF editor also works as an excellent PDF annotator for PDF documents. It has a similar style to Microsoft Word, which makes it even easier for those who are more familiar with Microsoft Office programs. You can annotate your PDFs with a wide range of tools like highlight, underline, strikethrough, wave line, shapes, sticky note, text fields, and hand drawing to leave comments on a PDF to collaborate with your colleagues.

Pros:

• Annotate PDF files with sticky notes, text boxes, and freehand drawing tools.
• Add highlights, underline text, or strikethrough text using the vast amount of annotation tools.
• You can modify PDF text, links, images, and pages.
• Convert PDF to Word, Excel, PPT, EPUB, images, and vice versa.
• Supports Password protection to keep the document from unwanted and unauthorized changes.
• OCR scanned PDFs and combine, split, and compress PDF files.

Cons:

• Free trial will add watermark to PDF.

2. PDF Annotator（Windows)

A simple yet powerful annotator for PDF documents, PDF annotator allows users to highlight, underline, or make notes and drawings on a PDF page. One great feature of the software is the ability to restore the document to its original page in one click, effectively removing the annotations without damaging the file or its layout.

Pros:

• Align annotation function available for an easy to view and organized layout.
• Add stamps including date stamps, customized stamps are also available with virtually limitless options.
• Add images to an existing PDF file.
• Group and lock annotation.
• Take a snapshot of the work you are doing.

Cons:

• Could not handle large PDF files without sacrificing performance, making it impossible to edit and annotate files with several pages like eBooks.
• The app is just specialized for annotation purposes.

3. Microsoft OneNote (Windows & Mac)

Microsoft OneNote is a digital notebook, which is available for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and web. You can use it to annotate PDF files, and it provides flexible and powerful annotate tools, such as sketches, lists, clippings, photos, tables, and more. It is one of the most user-friendly PDF annotator tools in the market.

Pros:

• Supports voice and video functions.
• Provides cloud storage services and syncing notes across your devices.
• Share works on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Tumbler.
• Interactive web browser feature.

Cons:

• No private encryption.

Best Note Taking App For Windows 10

4. Xodo PDF Reader (Windows & Mac)

Xodo PDF Reader works as a good PDF annotator for Windows and Mac devices. The free PDF annotator tool lets users take notes, comment, print, manage, and even add bookmarks on a PDF page.

5. PDF Max (Mac)

Annotating and commenting on PDF documents on a mobile device is easy with this PDF annotator Mac. It can help you annotate PDF documents with highlights and handwriting, insert PDF texts and stamps, and more. This PDF annotation software is designed for desktop and mobile users and provides a cross-platform program for synchronizing documents.

6. Expert PDF Reader (Windows)

Sticky notes, text highlighting, and strikethroughs are some of the features which are added to this PDF annotator free. This application is thought to be one of the most user-friendly PDF annotators. There are several social media platforms added as well. The PDF bookmarking and comment addition is also very valuable with this program. It also has several tools that can be used to easily create separate sets of PDF annotations. You can easily review annotations before submitting them for the ultimate convenience.

7. PDF-XChange Viewer (Windows)

PDF-XChange Viewer is the best PDF annotator free for users who are used to Microsoft Word. Since the layout is similar to MS Office, the interface is very easy to learn for beginners. There are many annotation tools available in the PDF annotation software. This program includes the following features: highlight tool, strikethrough, note tools, and drawing tools. You will get a pleasant viewing experience with full optimization features.

8. Nitro Reader (Windows & Mac)

Nitro Reader does not have a ton of advanced tools but is still a very useful PDF annotation software. There is a limit of available tools, and it doesn't include more advanced annotation tools. The bookmarks, already added annotations and social media sharing are possible however, and standard annotation can be performed, ensuring that the PDF appears clean and professional. PDF files can also be converted to text and vice versa using this program.

9. Adobe Acrobat Reader (Windows & Mac)

There aren't many PDF annotation software that can match the level of adobe acrobat reader. This is a system based program which is completely free to download and install. There is a wide range of PDF annotation tools that can be used easily. From adding notes to rotating your file, this program has it all. Signatures can be added and modified PDFs can be easily stored in the system. It also allows the users to easily print the documents as well.

10. Foxit Reader (Windows & Mac)

This is another free PDF annotator that has all the functions you need. It includes the typewrite tool, note highlighter, strikethrough, double strikethrough, underline, and pencil. The interface is easy to use and therefore it is rated highly by users. Digital stamps, scales, and area highlighters are some of the other functions available as well. The annotations can easily be printed separately and social media sharing has been embedded.

Best Mac Note Taking App

Thanks to PDF annotators, students and professionals can annotate PDF documents much more easily. Transform your work productivity with handy online tools like the ones mentioned above. With some programs to choose from, it is best to choose the one which is packed with important and useful features that best suit your needs. Collaborate seamlessly with other users with the tools we have outlined above.