how to write nice in goodnotes

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Why use a note-taking app on your apple devices?

I used to carry around a physical notebook and a stack of papers wherever I went. It was really troublesome and inefficient. Then I found out about the Good notes, which lets you write notes on your iPad using the Apple Pencil as if you’re writing on real paper.

The app has made my life so much easier and more organized. I no longer have to carry around a physical notebook and a stack of papers. I can just take my iPad and the Apple Pencil with me and I’m good to go.

It is user-friendly, easy to navigate and has a lot of helpful features like the handwriting recognition and the integration with Dropbox or Google Drive. The handwriting recognition is really accurate and it makes searching for my digital notes so much easier.

I no longer have to go through a stack of papers to find the one I’m looking for.

And I can access goodnotes online anytime, anywhere: using the integration with Dropbox or Google Drive I have full access to my digital planner from anywhere and on any apple devices. I can just pull up my notes on my laptop or my phone and I’m good to go.

My good note review– Overall, the goodnote for iPad is an amazing productivity tool for note taking and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a digital notebook solution. It has made my life so much easier and more organized. Look over all my specs below and give it a try (or, check my goodnotes tutorials on the youtube).

Starting April 2022, Goodnotes 5 is free to download and try it from the Appstore. And you’ll be able to create 3 digital notebooks to use. You can also import any of my FREE goodnotes planner templates (free account needed before downloading.)

Note-taking is for you if…

Note-taking is not for everyone. But it’s an excellent option if you’re often taking personal notes, family notes, work notes or, lecture notes … and you want to:

• stop carrying around  so many heavy paper notebooks
• have all your notes and documents  neatly organized and always with you
• take notes by hand  (so you can remember them better), yet  easily erase mistakes  without leaving marks
• search and  find what you wrote
• share your notes  with family and colleagues

What CAN you do with Goodnotes 5

Whether you’re creating default digital notebooks or annotating imported PDF documents, you can use this note-taking app to:

• write your plans inside your best digital planner
• organize your thoughts inside a digital diary
• write meeting notes using a simple meeting note template or a ready-to-use digital meeting planner
• enjoy a quick access to your daily to-do list
• scribble and share your project notes during ZOOM calls (share your iPad screen for everyone to see)
• create a workout planner and track your fitness progress on all your devices
• keep track of your meals inside a meal planner or meal diary

What you CAN’T do with Goodnotes 5

Using the Good notes5 app for digital note-taking is like writing on a paper notebook inside your tablet. So there are some limitations like:

✘ it does NOT sync with Google Calendar ✘ it does NOT sync with Outlook Appointments ✘ it does NOT send reminders ✘ it does NOT create links between notebook’s pages. (I know! A lot of us asked goodnotes the “link to another page” feature, but it’s just not there yet)

Digital Planner for iPad: Tools & Steps to Take Notes on iPad in 2023

10 Best practices

#1. organize your notes in folders.

Now it’s easy to organize your notes. Just create as many folders and subfolders as you need, then move digital notebooks between them. 

And you can choose to display all folders and digital planners as lists or as a grid for a comfortable experience.

To create a folder tap the  + New  >  Folder  >  Name the Folder  >  DONE

To move a folder tap the  Arrow  (next to the folder’s name) >  Move  >  Select a Location  >  Move

#2. Open digital planners in tabs or side by side

By far, this is one of the favorite features to have when working with the same digital planner every day. You’ll found it extremely helpful to have all these digital notebooks open in tabs and ready to use while taking notes on multiple documents at a time.

Plus, Goodnotes app has made multi-tasking easy: you can read an article on one side, and write digital notes on the other. Or easily drag and drop information from one note to another.

#3. Get organized inside a Notebook (using the Outlines)

Want a better structure for your digital planner? Then look it’s time to use the Outlines section to create chapters and easily navigate your notes. Here’s how you do it:

• Go to the page you want to mark as the chapter’s first page
• Then tap the 4 rectangle icon in the top toolbar > the Thumbnails window will open
• Locate the chapter’s first page and click the small arrow beneath its thumbnail
• Tap Add Page to Outline
• Enter the title for this page, exactly as you want it to appear in the Outlines tab
• Go to Outlines and see all the defined chapters

#4. Search your handwriting effortlessly

Using the fantastic  Search function , no matter how many digital notes and PDF files you have stored inside your library, you can quickly find the note you’re looking for, by searching a relevant keyword – whether handwritten or typed. If you’re in love with fancy fonts, learn how to install custom fonts on the iPad before using them Goodnotes.

OPTION 1: Search the Entire Library of Notebooks

For every Library Search , you’ll get organized results based on “Titles,” “PDFs,” “Document Outlines,” “Typed Notes,” and “Written Notes.” Plus, searching on Goodnotes only takes a few seconds (not minutes, like in other note-taking apps).

To search in your entire Library go to the main Dashboard and in the bottom bar tap the  Search  > type the  Term  > hit  Search  (in the keyboard)

OPTION 2: Search inside a Digital Notebook

To search inside a digital notebook only, open the notebook and on the top navigation tap the  Search  icon > type the  Term  > tap  the page  where the term was found.

#5. Annotate PDFs with ease

You can easily import a PDF document and start taking notes in seconds (assuming you have a good WiFi connection). To import a PDF file, go to Goodnotes 5 Dashboard, and tap  +New  >  Import  >  locate the PDF file  > hit  Select

If you don’t have a PDF planner to try, download my goodnotes planner templates FREE to try today.

Once you’ve imported the PDF file in Goodnotes 5 app it will open in the Editing mode , which means that you can start adding notes straight away. Tap the Pen icon in the toolbar twice and select your  Pen Style (I love the Ball Pen). If you want to type your notes, tap on the Text icon and tap anywhere on the screen to start typing your notes.

While you’re in the  Editing Mode  you can also:

• Erase your handwritten text
• Highlight any text on the page
• Move images, or text around (using the lasso tool)
• Add digital stickers or photos

HOWEVER, you can’t use the hyperlinks while you are in the Editing Mode .

To use the hyperlinks you must switch to the Viewing Mode by tapping the small icon with a Crossed Pen from the top right side of the toolbar.

This picture below shows you how the Toolbar looks in the VIEWING MODE (when you can click on the hyperlinks):

#6. Navigate digital planners using the hyperlinks

I’ll say this again, if your digital notebook has hyperlinks, you’ll need to switch to the  Viewing mode   to use them. To do so, just tap once the Crossed Pen icon in the top right side of the Toolbar. While this requires some extra tapping and may disrupt the note-taking process, it can be useful in some cases to prevent clicking on hyperlinks while writing. I know it may feel frustrating, but that’s how the Goodnotes 5 work. This is one of the main reasons why I use the Noteshelf app for my daily digital notes.

This picture below shows you how the Toolbar looks in the EDITING MODE (when you can’t click on the hyperlinks) when I am using my Life-Work Outline Planner .

And while I show you more about Goodnotes, make sure you also check these 10 best goodnotes templates to take better notes at work.

#7. Use templates to organize daily, good notes

Goodnotes 5 comes with a set of basic templates for portrait and landscape notebooks. Just go to Template Librar y and choose from various covers and paper templates, from the graph, dotted, and lined paper, to weekly planners. Plus, you can easily add your custom templates to create the notebook you want.

To access the  Template Library  go to the main Goodnotes 5  Dashboard  and hit the  Gear icon  >  Notebook Templates .

In my BESTSELLER Digital Planners , I have also included a fantastic collection of digital templates to enhance the planning experience. The advantages of using these built-in template pages (instead of the basic Goodnotes templates) is that:

• you’ll still see the right side navigation on the template page too (just like in your entire digital planner)
• you won’t mess up the monthly tabs hyperlinks when copy-pasting a built-in template to a new location.

Here’s just an image of my Planning Templates included in the Life-Work Outline Planner, however there are so many more page templates available inside. So if you want to try them, download my FREE Digital Planners for Goodnotes (digital notebooks samples) and get started today.

BTW, if you scroll to point #9 you’ll see the steps to copy and paste a built-in template from the EXTRA section to your preferred location.

#8. Add, move or delete pages easily

Goodnotes 5 is a great app when it comes to managing digital notebook pages without losing your mind and your work! 

You can easily add pages, move or delete one or multiple pages at once, duplicate pages, change a page template or rotate a page without changing the whole document. 

To edit pages, go to the  4 rectangle icon  >  Thumbnails  and start playing around.

#9. Copy-paste pages without messing up the hyperlinks

You can also copy-paste one or multiple pages in a new location. It is handy when you’re using built-in templates inside a digital planner.

With the Copy-Paste function , you can copy a template page and paste it ANYWERE inside the planner, without messing up the right-side monthly tabs’ hyperlinks.

To quickly copy a page go to that page and select the 3 Dots icon > Copy page .

To paste that page go to the new location and tap the + icon > Paste Page .

#10. Easily share your notes

You’ll love to hear that, you can export editable or flattened PDF files , images or .goodnotes formats . This comes in very handy when you’ll need to share your good notes. You’ll be able to export one page, multiple pages or the entire document and share it with your clients, colleagues, friends or family members.

What’s also amazing about Goodnotes is that you can share a link to your notebook, so you and your colleagues can collaborate in real time.

BTW, if you’re looking for a top-quality digital planner to help you lead your team to results, you’ll love my WORK Digital Planner Goodnotes Templates . The planner comes with a wealth of features to help you get the most out of your planning, including:

-Task Management

-Set and track goals

-Undated pages for easy re-use

-Notes section for projects or meetings

-Add images, PDFs, and more

Moreover, the Outline Planner Digital Planners are perfect for anyone who wants to get the most out of their planning. You will LOVE them!

7 Best Goodnotes features to love

• Settings flexibility – in Goodnotes 5 I can opt for top/bottom toolbar that can improve my digital handwriting experience. I do however like the default option with the top editing toolbar.
• Easy to work with images/stickers once you add them to the Elements tool (a much loved goodnotes widget). This way you can create your own elements and use them with ease.
• Easy drag & drop text, photos from other apps into Goodnotes 5 with Multitasking
• Great handwriting experience – great sizes and color choices for the ink, and highlighter. Also, I can easily customize them with my own colors and stroke thickness.
• Advanced lasso tool – This works very well! I can move the selection around the page, copy it, delete it, resize it or rotate it! For the handwritten content I can also change the pen color or convert it to text.
• The eraser tool works super smooth – it can delete parts of the stroke, the entire stroke or the highlighter only, giving me so much more flexibility when taking notes
• Presentation Mode available – this is a killer feature when you need to present in front of an audience. Just mirror your screen and you’re good to go. I did not use this feature yet, but I hope I’ll have the chance to use it soon. To use this feature just tap the Share icon and choose to Collaborate , Export your pages or, enter a Presentation Mode .

7 Reasons NOT to LIKE Goodnotes 5 (and why I’ve chosen Noteshelf )

• You can’t add links to pages – Being able to add a link from one particular note (like the client’s name) to another page inside your notebook (like the client’s profile page or project’s page) may be excellent. Still, Goodnotes has not yet implemented this feature.
• POOR Performance and speed – This is the main reason I do not use Goodnotes 5 as my main note-taking app. You may experience Goodnotes 5 as being laggy or slow; files do not import correctly, and the app crashed on files bigger than 7-10MB (so pay attention if you’re using a lot of images or stickers).
• Requires a considerable storage space on my iPad – Definitely, Goodnotes 5 app has a lot to improve in this chapter. It easily exceeds 1 GB of storage. Since I like to keep my digital planners and notebooks inside the app for 1-2 years, keeping the storage size as decent as possible is necessary.
• Unproductive and less intuitive toolbar layout – If you wish for a simpler and more organized toolbar, Goodnotes 5 may not be for you. I suggest to try Noteshelf app instead.
• Not so easy to bookmark and label a page – This is a very useful feature whenever I need to bookmark a client profile page, or a particular meeting. However, in Goodnotes 5 app there is no straight forward and efficient way to do this. You can bookmark a page (add to Favorites), but you can’t label that bookmark. A workaround would be to go to Thumbnails or Favorites tab, click on the small arrow on the bottom left of a page thumbnail, and tap Add Page to Outline . You will be prompted to add a page title and you’ll find this new labeled page inside the Outlines tab.
• DOES NOT HAVE the Record and playback audio – This is a killer feature that GoodNotes 5 does NOT have. Would have been so useful to audio record my meetings or skype discussion while talking notes on my dedicated Digital Clients Book. Hopefully the team will include this into a feature app update. If this feature is essential for you, try Notability app instead.
• DOES NOT recognize dates links, emails and phone numbers so I CAN’T add events to the calendar, call a phone number or write an email.
• Goodnotes insert table – wouldn’t it be easier to have a way to create tables vs using the shape draw too? For now, you can create a table in a Microsoft app for example, and then just copy / paste to goodnotes from there
• Goodnotes hyperlink to another page – this is a much desired feature that is not yet (or ever) implemented. If you want to add a hyperlink to another page inside your notebook, try and use Zoomnotes instead
• How to create an index in goodnotes – since you can’t add links, you can’t create index pages either. What you can do it use the Outline Feature to put your chapter titles for a bit more quicker access.
• goodnotes 5-2 page view – at the moment you can only see one page at a time, however, would be very helpful to be able to see 2 pages at a time. For now you can use the split screen feature, although my idea is to see 2 consecutive pages from the same notebook, and not pages from different notebooks
• Go Back / Go to Page buttons – I got used to these 2 buttons when working in Goodnotes 4 (“Go Back” no longer exist in Goodnotes 5 app – such a pity!) so I could see how massively useful they are! If there is one NEW feature that I would like to see implemented in Goodnotes 5 that would be the “Go Back” Button
• At the moment Goodnotes 5 is for iOS only; A good notes 5 windows or android friendly app is NOT available

If I convinced you try one of the best note-taking apps for iPad, then go and download it from the App Store (you can also find it by searching for “good notes 5 windows” in a Safari window).

GoodNotes Pricing: FREE to try

Recently Goodnotes have switched to a FREE trial model.

So you can get started with 3 free notebooks, then go limitless and unlock the full GoodNotes experience whenever you want.

EXTRA goodies…

Once you decide on using Goodnotes 5, you can go even farther. Because, handwriting is a lovely experience with the right tools! And writing with the Apple Pencil or Stylus (check my article on  Apple Pencil vs Stylus + 3 Best iPad Stylus options ) is as close as it gets to writing on paper. Yet, there’re extra things you can do to make your experience even better:

• apply a  paperlike screen protector
• use the  cleaning kit  to keep the screen clean
• use a  paperlike pencil grips  to keep a good grip on the pen.

UNLOCK the Freebies Vault

Once you get familiar with Goodnotes app, go ahead and claim a free account in my FREEBIES Vault. You’ll get to download 17+ FREE goodnotes planner templates to play with. Bonus: you’ll also be able to try my bestsellers.

Lastly, make sure you’re using lag-free digital planners (optimized PDF planners) to avoid the lag when writing or scrolling the pages.

If you want to dive in straight away, check my premium digital planners in the shop:

More on digital planners

(and some info about the outline planners best templates).

Digital notebooks  are ready to use PDF files (with/without hyperlinks) or JPEG images (use them to build a digital planner yourself) imported into a note-taking app like Noteshelf, GoodNotes, or Notability. You can use it on any tablet that you can write on, but the iPad Pro + Apple Pencil combo is the most loved by far.

The  winning digital planners  are PDF templates designed to plug in and play inside PDF annotation apps such as Noteshelf, GoodNotes, and Notability (available for iOS devices) and XODO PDF (for Android devices). They also include convenient indexes with super-smart hyperlinks to navigate to any date, week, or month, and other sections in your planner. The best digital planners must be small-sized PDF files (less than 8 MB), high-quality layout, and intuitive navigation.

This type of digital templates  work with any app that supports PDF annotations. Noteshelf, Goodnotes, and Notability offer the best handwriting experience for digital planning, but these are for iOS only. For Android, you can try XODO PDF, yet the experience is not the best.

You can: if you are using Goodnotes or Noteshelf, you can sync the digital planner across devices using iCloud. But an iPad digital planner it’s not 100% iPhone friendly. Writing on the phone can be a bit painful since the design is not adaptable, and your handwriting will not be super visible. However if you have a bigger iPhone (I use an iPhone 11) you can still comfortable check your plans on it.

You can use Noteshelf, Goodnotes 5 and Notability for iOS. I have chosen Noteshelf, just like many of my clients. Here’s what one of my clients said: “I started off using Noteshelf initially before ever using Goodnotes. Neither app is perfect but there are three things I like better about Noteshelf: 1) the ability to lock down an image layer for inserted planner widgets. I can erase writing and move stickers around without moving the base image. 2) I can copy the setup (highlighter, text, stickers) that I want on each page and paste to another and it will place it in the EXACT same location without realignment which is time consuming in Goodnotes and 3) squared off highlighter. I dislike Goodnotes’ rounded highlighter. AND….I almost forgot to mention one of my favorite features! You can save numerous fonts and text styles as favorites so that you can easily change between them. I have thirteen favorites. Goodnotes does not handle text well.”

No. This type of PDF planner template does not come with such a feature. This feature needs to be implemented by the annotations apps (Goodnotes, Noteshelf) in order to work. So, at the moment, the digital planners do NOT sync with Google Calendar, any other calendar, or the Outlook.

No. This type of PDF planner template does not come with such a feature. This feature needs to be implemented by the annotations apps (Goodnotes, Noteshelf) in order to work. So, at the moment, the digital planners do NOT send ANY reminder, notification or alert.

If you are NOT a Vault member, and buy a single version of a planner you will get the download links in the THANK YOU page and in the order confirmation email. However, during the checkout you have the option to create an account (or login to your account if you already have one) so all your download links will be stored in the Downloads area on My Account page .

After you have downloaded the digital template in the  On My iPad  /  Downloads  folder, go and open the app and import the planner from the Downloads folder using the add new functions: – in Goodnotes tap:  New+  >  Import – in Noteshelf tap:  +  >  Import Document  – in Notability tap:  Import  >  Files

Once you have downloaded the planner on your iPad, you won’t need Wi-Fi to use it. However, if you are using the iCloud to sync across devices, the planner will only sync when you have a Wi-Fi connection.

When you get the OUTLINE PLANNER , you can choose between: – Sunday Start calendar planners that use a standard time – Monday Start calendar planners that use a military clock So just make sure that you choose the best option for you.

You must be in the  viewing mode  to use the hyperlinks and switch to  editing mode  when you want to write. There is a  pen icon inside a circle  in the top right corner of the navigation that you need to tap to switch between the two modes.

Yes, all 2023 digital planners have tutorial pages included. You will learn how to navigate the planner with hyperlinks, how to fill in the pages, and how to contact me. Just open your 2023 digital planner, go to EXTRA section and look for the “Tutorial”   section on the bottom left of the page.

All 2023 digital planners use a smart system of hyperlinks: – the main VERTICAL navigation – placed on the right side of the screen ON ALL PAGES, allows you to access the Calendar, 2023 Master plan, Master to do, all twelve Monthly pages, and seven special sections. – the secondary HORIZONTAL navigation – placed on the top right of the screen ON DATED PAGES ONLY, allows you navigate between inter-connected dated pages (eg: connects the same day’s: daily planning page, daily journaling page, and daily meeting notes page) – the yearly calendar page – also has links to any weekly or daily planning page inside the planner – the monthly planning pages – have links to weekly or daily planning page from that month – the weekly planning pages – have links to all seven daily planning and daily notes pages from that week – the monthly habits and workout trackers – have links to planning weeks and days from that month – the weekly meal plan pages – have links to all seven daily planning pages from that week

Inside a digital planner, you can always duplicate the monthly planning pages to track different subjects. The vertical navigation’s monthly tabs will still get you to the 1st planning page of that month. Then you can flip the page to see the extra monthly page too. Another thought will be to fit all activities inside one monthly calendar page and use color codes to differentiate them.

You can, but be careful what you delete since it will also delete the hyperlinks to those pages. You can’t undo it once deleted. I suggest to duplicate the planner and try to delete these pages from the clone version first. If you like the result, you can then implement this action inside the original digital planner too.

In Goodnotes 5, Notability or Noteshelf you can move pages by drag and dropping their thumbnails. However, the planner has too many pages, so I recommend to copy a page (or template) and place it in a new location inside the planner.

Go to that day’s notes page and duplicate that exact page.  Plus, if you need more space for your notes or daily plans, go to the  EXTRA  templates section, copy a  Notes  page and paste it after the planning page.

There is no fast way to add that meeting other than to copy & paste the text to the next week’s slot using the  dotted rectangle  or  lasso tool . In Noteshelf, if you tap on the dotted rectangle and hit Paste, the text will be pasted in the same location on the page.

Locking an image is only possible in Noteshelf (at the moment). To do so, tap & hold the image until an editing menu bar will appear. Tap  Lock , and you’ve done it.

Sure. Any PDF annotations app has a “ Type tool ” that you could use. Just import the planner inside your PDF annotations app and start typing.

Yes, in the 2023 digital planner, ALL DAILY PAGES are DATED and inter-connected. So from a weekly page, you can go to the DAILY planning page, or DAILY meeting page, or DAILY Journaling page for the same day (eg: Monday, June 23). Plus, using the “heart” or “meeting” icons you can switch between these inter-linked pages easily. And YES I have already added day names (eg: Monday) to each dated daily page.

Unfortunately, Notability, Goodnotes, and Noteshelf do not have this feature (so far), but I hope they will soon add this to their apps. Playing with bookmarks/tags can help you reach another location in your planner. Or, add a note (like “client name”) on the new page and use the search function to find it.

All dated digital planners need to be purchased every year. The undated planners are the ones that can be bought once and used many times. But you will need to add the dates to the pages.

While Goodnotes, Noteshelf or Notability are paid apps, there are some free alternatives as well. The two alternatives I recommend are: XODO PDF and CollaNote.

If you’re starting with digital planners, try the FREEBIES Vault and download 17+ full digital planners, stickers and digital covers, You’ll also get samples for the Outline Planner, the Meeting Book, the People Book, the Project Book and a few more bestsellers.

When you’ll want to share a PDF copy of your planner you can use the SHARE option (the rectangle with an arrow pointing up) and export your planner as PDF format. If your planner uses hyperlinks and you want to keep them working, just make sure your PDF file is Editable, before exporting it.

Starting in 2023, all dated planners will be available in the Vault once the Vault doors open on September 7th. Planners will also be added to my public shop as individual purchases 5-6 weeks later, and to Etsy 8-9 weeks later.

You have two options: get  a single digital planner  (buy any version all year round) or,  join the Vault  to get them ALL (the BUY BUTTON will be active every year between Sep 7th-Oct 7th.)

The Vault is a cozy space with my collection of premium digital planners (37+ so far). Customers buy the 1-year access pass every year, in September.  Access to the Vault is limited . The Vault opens between Sep. 7th to Oct. 7th every year. No exceptions. In the first 48 hours EVERYONE can enter the vault for the crazy price of $47 (instead of $97). However, existing customers can claim the discount anytime in the first 7 days after launch. Read more about Vault related questions here.

2 responses to “GoodNotes App Ultimate Guide – Take good notes on iPad (FREE Goodnotes templates)”

I use Goodnotes 5 and I have multiple notebooks. In one of the notebooks, The pages icon (4 rectangle) has a number next to it (like a notification) but when I click on it I can’t figure out what it corresponds to. Any ideas?

Hi, Goodnotes 5 is having a lot of glitches ever since the Goodnotes 6 was released. So I assume that is one of them. Best option would be to upgrade both the Goodnotes app and the iOS.

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Tools & requirements

Quick steps, step by step guide, final thoughts.

These days, apps of all shapes and sizes are putting artificial intelligence (AI) to use. Popular note-taking app Goodnotes is no different, and Goodnotes 6 comes with a slate of AI-enhanced features that make writing and doodling an absolute breeze.

Many of these features really come alive on the iPad. That’s because the developer has used AI to boost not just your typed notes, but those written using an Apple Pencil. It can learn your handwriting, then recognize spelling mistakes and even autocomplete words you haven’t yet finished – and do so in your own style.

There are plenty of other good reasons to give Goodnotes 6 a try. It now comes with an extra set of math tools that can convert your handwritten equations into text, show you where you’ve made a mistake, and more. As well as that, the developer has packed in new quality-of-life features and a marketplace full of courses to help you learn within the app itself.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to get to grips with the new features in Goodnotes 6 on iPad. Many of them still work on iPhone and Mac, and as the app is a universal purchase, you can also use it on any of these other platforms.

• Goodnotes 6
• An iPad that can run iPadOS 15.4 or later
• An Apple Pencil (optional)
• Type a row of text, highlight it, then tap the star button on the resulting pop-up. This lets you use AI to manipulate the text.
• When writing using an Apple Pencil, Goodnotes 6 can check your spelling and autocomplete your handwritten words.
• Goodnotes 6 is able to convert handwritten equations to text and check your math when using an Apple Pencil.
• Instead of using the eraser tool, try scribbling through writing using an Apple Pencil. This is a quick way to erase text without breaking your flow.

1. Try the new AI tools

AI is a major focus of Goodnotes 6. It’s found in the AI Typing feature, its ability to spellcheck your handwriting, and much more.

Highlight a row of text you have typed , then tap the stars button (this button also appears in the toolbar near the top of the app). You can now fix grammar and spelling mistakes, paraphrase your text, change its tone (to professional, friendly or confident), or make it longer or shorter. Note that this only works with words written using a keyboard (on-screen or hardware), not with handwritten text.

Goodnotes uses AI to spellcheck your handwriting. After writing something with an Apple Pencil, you might notice some words are underlined in red. Tap any word that is , then tap a spelling suggestion to change the word. The inserted word will match your handwriting.

Word Complete predicts what you’re writing and can finish words for you, including matching your handwriting. Tap the Pen Tool, then go to Writing Aids and enable Word Complete. Now start writing using your Apple Pencil. After you’ve written enough letters, a pop-up appears with full-word suggestions. Tap one to fill the rest of the word.

Word Complete is an experimental feature and as such is being rolled out gradually. If the autocomplete pop-up doesn’t appear for you, try fully quitting the app and reopening it. If you still don’t see it, the feature might not have been rolled out to you yet.

2. Math conversion and correction

Goodnotes 6 has a new feature that turns handwritten equations into standard fonts. The app can also correct mathematical equations you have got wrong.

To get started, write out an equation, then select it with the lasso tool . Tap the selection and choose Convert > Math (you might need to tap the right arrow first if it’s not in the first set of options). You can now copy the equation as an image. Or copy the original handwriting by tapping Edit > ... > Copy Handwriting .

You can use the app’s math assistance by downloading a math course. Go to Goodnotes 6’s main screen (it has the Documents heading) and tap the sidebar button in the top-left corner. Now go to Marketplace > Education . Pick a course, start it and progress through it until you get to a practice area.

When you first launch a practice session, a pop-up will appear letting you know that you are using AI Math Assistance.

Now write out an equation in the scratch area of the course (it is marked like lined paper). You’ll see what you’ve written shown as regular text in the top-left corner of the scratch area.

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If you’ve made a mistake, your equation will be underlined in red. Tap the red line to see where you went wrong.

You can now delete the mistake and correct it from within the pop-up. Alternatively, you can get back to editing, erase the line and rewrite it again using your handwriting, at which point Goodnotes will be able to recheck your equation.

3. More new features

There are plenty of other interesting new features to try in Goodnotes 6. Here are a few of them.

Normally, you would use the erase tool to remove something you’ve written in Goodnotes with an Apple Pencil. In Goodnotes 6, you can erase writing by simply scribbling through it .

The Marketplace mentioned above is a new feature. It lets you download courses that you can take right inside the app. Some cost an additional fee, but many are free.

The Marketplace includes Interactive Exam Practice, which can help you get ready for upcoming exams in a range of topics.

The AI tools and features in Goodnotes 6 can help on any platform, but their integration with handwritten work makes them especially potent on iPad. Now, you can have spelling mistakes corrected in your own handwriting, saving you the trouble of having to erase and rewrite them.

Since Goodnotes 6 is a universal app, you just need one purchase to unlock it on iPad, iPhone and Mac. That makes it easy to start your notes on one platform and pick up where you left off on another.

Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he's learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That's all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.

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5 Free Goodnotes Templates for Digital Note-Taking

Praburam Srinivasan

Growth Marketing Manager

May 15, 2024

Digital planner apps are lifesavers. They let you access your quarterly goals, to-do lists, project objectives, meeting notes, or anything else you’re planning anywhere, at any time. 

They even let you share your thoughts and progress with just one clickable link. There is no need to transfer handwritten data to a chat or document or worry about the readability of your handwriting.

Goodnotes is one such digital planner. In this post, we share five of the best Goodnotes planner templates and their benefits to help you get the most out of this tool.

Towards the end, we’ll also share five free alternatives for those with professional planning needs. Let’s dive in!

1. Extensive applications 

2. time-saving design, 3. customizable options, 4. consistent formatting, 5. professional appearance, 6. generative ai note-taking , 1. aesthetic all-in-one planner template, 2. cornell notes template, 3. digital ultimate planner, 4. graph paper template, 5. lined paper template, limitations of using goodnotes templates, 1. clickup project note template, 2. clickup daily notes template, 3. clickup meeting note style template, 4. clickup class notes template, 5. clickup cornell note template.

Benefits Of Using Goodnotes Templates

With over 21 million monthly active users , in 2022, Goodnotes users created a total of 1.9 billion digital notebooks. Goodnotes 6 is an AI digital paper application that allows users to take handwritten digital notes, search for handwritten text, and organize all notes in a digital library. 

Goodnotes for digital planning has been popular among Apple users since its first four versions were iOS-friendly. Here’s why. 

Goodnotes templates offer structured layouts for various purposes (such as daily schedules, project planning, or meeting notes ). These layouts help you easily organize your information no matter what you need help with—from digital planning to daily to-dos and habit tracking. 

Save time using the pre-designed layouts Goodnotes templates provide instead of creating layouts from scratch. This lets you focus more on meaningful tasks rather than formatting or brainstorming on how to create layouts to match your requirements. 

Goodnotes templates have customizable elements, so you can personalize them to fit your unique preferences and workflow. They let you adjust colors, fonts, and sections to create templates that best suit your needs. 

Using Goodnotes digital planners ensures consistency in formatting across all your notes and documents. Consistency makes it easier for you to navigate your digital notebooks and find relevant information quickly.

Since Goodnotes planner templates are professionally designed, they improve the appearance of your notes and presentations. Whether it’s business meetings, presentations, or academic projects, you’re bound to impress your audience with professional-looking notes.

The handwriting AI note-taking features of Goodnotes 6 can identify spelling mistakes in your notes and use AI to correct them. For typed text, Goodnotes’ integration with Claude helps you shorten, expand, summarize, and change the tone of your notes. 

5 Free Goodnotes Templates

The Goodnotes development team creates some templates for Goodnotes, while others are designed by third-party creators specializing in creating templates for digital planning tools.

These templates are available on online marketplaces, personal websites, and digital planning communities. 

If you’re looking for Goodnotes templates for AI and digital note-taking, check out our handpicked collection of the five best Goodnotes templates to make the best of this note-taking app.

This All-in-One Aesthetic Goodnotes Template is suitable for tracking year-round personal goals. It’s one of the best digital planners offered by For Little Lion on Etsy and costs $20.57.

The kit offers the following planning pages:

• 366 daily planning pages
• 366 daily reflection pages 
• Monthly calendar, overview, and review pages
• Yearly calendar, overview, half a year at a glance, goals, and critical dates pages 
• Nine goals pages
• Nine project plan pages
• Nutrition pages, including meal planner, grocery list, recipe book, kitchen inventory, and food journal pages
• Wellness pages, including mood, habit, hydration, sleep, and vitamins and supplements pages
• Fitness pages, including fitness plan, exercise plan, diet plan, steps tracker, workout log, progress tracker, and fitness journey pages
• Finance pages, including monthly finances, yearly finances, bill tracker, savings tracker, and debt payoff tracker pages

You also get additional planning sheets, such as Vision Board, Brain Dump, and Accounts, meaning this template has a planner sheet for every aspect of life.

The template offers three colors, various covers, and 10,000+ digital stickers to help you customize the visual layout.

Given the details, this Goodnotes aesthetic template might confuse users new to digital planners and productivity tools. 

While this Goodnotes digital planning template is ideal for self-care and daily personal planning, it lacks a weekly planner, making it less suitable for business-related planning. 

Cornell Notes Template is a free template crafted by Goodnotes. Download Goodnotes on your device and start a notebook with the Cornell Notes template to access it. 

If you already use Goodnotes and have used up your three free notebooks, you must subscribe to their paid plan to use this template.

The template is based on the Cornell note-taking system, one of the most popular note-taking strategies . The strategy divides study material into sections for main points, cues for review, and summaries. This structured approach enhances comprehension, retention, and engagement with the material. 

Here’s how Goodnotes recommends using the template:

We recommend this digital planning template to students and researchers.

The Digital Ultimate Planner is one of the best goal and habit tracker templates. It integrates Google and Apple calendar entries with digital scheduling on Apple devices. 

Use this free Goodnotes digital planning template as a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly planner. You can track your habits, fitness, and self-care with productivity templates .

• Synchronization with Google and Apple calendars (but there are no AI calendar features )
• 30+ productivity layouts, including ideas inbox, personal tasks, priority matrix, and to-do lists
• The ability to manage up to 10 projects with timeline views, Kanban board, and project budget layouts
• The ability to add up to 10 custom sections to the planner with your names and layouts

You also get 50+ note-taking layouts:

The only downside is that, like the first template on this list, the Digital Ultimate Planner might be overwhelming for users unfamiliar with digital planning.

Here’s another template offered by Goodnotes. It features over 40 different types of graph papers in three colors. The Graph Paper Template is free if you have a free notebook in your Goodnotes account. 

Goodnotes recommends this template for writing neatly on the iPad, which makes it great for students. 

The idea is to start writing on graph paper, which will help you write in a straight line and keep your notes tidy. Once you’ve done this, switch the template to blank paper so it looks like you’ve mastered digital handwriting on blank pages.

This is a plain-lined template offered by Goodnotes. Consider using the Lined Paper Template if you prefer designing your tables, lists, and layouts when planning.

Here’s what it looks like:

There are over 50 lined paper templates to choose from, including:

• Two columns
• Three columns
• Single column mix

This is one of the simpler daily planners recommended for basic note-taking and everyday to-do lists. But it may not be a great choice if you prefer pre-made planning layouts and don’t want to spend time creating tables or labeling. 

Despite Goodnotes’ raving reviews, there are four main limitations to using its templates. These include:

• No note interlinking : You can’t link notes between pages, meaning complicated planners will quickly become disorganized and difficult to use 
• Poor image support : Adding photos is difficult and tiring if you add multiple images. Goodnotes templates also tend to become slow if you add too many images 
• Clunky copy-paste functionality: For example, if you have a section set up in the daily planner and you want to copy and paste it to the next day, the formatting will get messed up and need to be redone
• Cost: Most Goodnotes templates are priced, meaning your digital planning might quickly turn into an expensive endeavor

Don’t worry, though. We’ve got the perfect alternative to Goodnotes templates—ClickUp templates for digital planning. 

5 Alternative Goodnotes Templates

With collaboration features like task assignments, comments, and real-time editing for professional use, allowing your team to plan, track, and measure progress collaboratively, ClickUp offers so much more than Goodnotes. 

ClickUp templates are ideal for planning and note-taking as they’re free, customizable, integrate with third-party apps, and are also perfect for personal use. Choose from 1000+ free customizable templates organized into 13 neat categories.

Below, we’ve reviewed the top five ClickUp templates for note-taking and digital planning. 

The ClickUp Project Note Template is fully customizable and best suited for beginner project planners or managers. It helps you stay organized at every stage of a project.

Here’s how the template looks:

Some of the key features include:

• Custom statuses, which let you update the progress of different milestones
• Custom fields, which allow you to set up different project attributes (like task resources and duration)
• Custom views, which help you look at your progress in the list, board view, or timeline views
• Link files or leave comments, which help you collaborate with team members and use the template for cross-referencing 

Within the template, you can enter details such as purpose, goals, timeline, key milestones, and other relevant information. 

ClickUp’s built-in AI writing assistant— ClickUp Brain , comes in handy when leaving feedback or drafting notes, making it an excellent AI tool for note-taking . 

When you create subtasks within the template to complete the project or build your action plan, use ClickUp Brain to accelerate the process. 

If your task was to plan company-wide SOPs, it may lack the details required to determine the next subtasks. Over the next few days, as your conversations evolve along with the addition of audiences, delivery formats, and timelines, ClickUp Brain will ingest the new information. 

It will recommend customized subtasks based on updated context and details such as the people involved and their responsibilities, types of documents to create, and more. 

The ClickUp Daily Notes Template is a beginner-friendly template for capturing quick notes and action items in real time, tracking the progress of your goals visually, and ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. 

The key features of this template are similar to the ClickUp Project Note Template. But the layout is a bit different:

The template also comes with a ‘Getting Started Guide’ that explains how to use it to its full potential.

It is the best life planning template because it allows you to prioritize projects based on importance and urgency and visualize your workload and schedule with ClickUp’s Gantt Chart View . 

Overall, it’s an excellent free template for daily personal and work-related planning needs, especially if you’re trying to break old habits, build new routines, or establish an organized work-from-home routine. 

Whether leading a team discussion, participating in a client presentation, or trying to stay on top of your tasks, the ClickUp Meeting Note Style Template provides the ease and clarity you need to stay focused and productive. 

You get a neat, well-structured, and all-embracing format streamlining the meeting management process.

The template comes with the following dedicated sections:

• Agenda items
• Discussion points
• Action items
• Follow-up tasks

You want to be organized and consistent in capturing your meeting notes and what’s being discussed. 

The meeting note style template is an excellent way to capture and store information, including the key ideas, decisions, and action items to accomplish—all in the same format. It allows you to refer to past notes and review information from previous meetings when needed. 

Use this one-pager template to take basic notes, and it will supplement other meeting materials, such as the ClickUp Minutes of Meeting (MoM) Template .  

The ClickUp Class Notes Template is designed for students. Here’s what it looks like:

Students often stress out juggling between multiple subjects, assignments, and study materials. This template eliminates the stress by allowing you to organize class notes, homework, and helpful links all in one convenient location. 

If you’re using this, you don’t need to search through piles of printouts or struggle to find the right notebook. 

The ClickUp Cornell Note Template is based on the Cornell note-taking system. There are four main sections:

• Summary 

This template alternative allows students and academicians to review and process large amounts of information from lectures and recordings. 

Here’s how students benefit from this free ClickUp digital planner: 

• Organize notes into different categories, such as key ideas, questions, summaries, doubts, etc 
• Sort and manage notes in a logical format to review and recall information for tests and examinations 
• Summarize sections to identify critical sections and important facts during revisions 

Level Up Your Digital Note-Taking with ClickUp Templates 

Digital planning through Goodnotes templates saves time and helps you create professional-looking notes. However, there are several limitations to Goodnotes, such as the inability to interlink notes and cost barriers that make people look for alternatives. 

That’s where ClickUp comes in. It provides free customizable templates and collaborative features to help you stay on top of your tasks. 

Using digital planning templates to organize daily tasks, track your team’s progress, or prepare for exams is an excellent way to document and categorize information systematically. 

Sign up for free today and take digital planning to the next level.

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Goodnotes Adds New Features That Work With Apple Pencil Pro

Popular note taking app Goodnotes today announced new features that are designed to work with the Apple Pencil Pro that launched alongside the 2024 iPad Pro models. The ‌Apple Pencil‌ Pro supports a squeeze gesture with haptic feedback, as well as a barrel roll for better control over shaped pen and brush tools.

Goodnotes' Fountain Pen now includes Dynamic Ink with an ink flow that is able to respond to the rotation of the ‌Apple Pencil‌. Instead of just responding to pressure sensitivity, the Fountain Pen is able to make thinner or thicker lines based on the orientation of the ‌Apple Pencil‌, for a more natural pen-like feel.

Strokes will vary with calligraphic flourishes as a physical fountain pen would, which Goodnotes says can bring more personal expression to digital writing. Rolling the barrel of the ‌Apple Pencil‌ Pro can also provide more precise control over stroke thickness, and stroke preview is available using ‌Apple Pencil‌ hover.

Goodnotes 6 can be downloaded from the App Store for free, but it costs $9.99 per year after a free trial. [ Direct Link ]

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Top Rated Comments

A lot of student use Goodnotes, and the way they use it is just the same as what they can do with the native Notes app. Apple are really bad at explaining what their native apps can do. So many people use things like Fantastical, 1Password, OmniFocus, Scanner Pro, Evernote etc - and when you look at what they do with them, they just don't need to use them...

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Goodnotes launches new features for apple pencil pro, including palette and dynamic ink.

With Palette users can stay in the flow as they think and create by accessing essential tools and commands with a simple squeeze of the Apple Pencil Pro 

Dynamic Ink for Fountain Pen adjusts ink flow based on Apple Pencil Pro rotation for more personalized expression in digital writing 

LONDON , May 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --  Goodnotes , the beloved AI note-taking app and Apple's 2022 iPad App of the Year, today unveiled two new features, Palette and Dynamic Ink, that unlock the power of Apple Pencil Pro's new interactions. The updates take Goodnotes' best-in-class Apple Pencil support to the next level, making writing and creating more seamless than ever before.

Users can simply squeeze their Apple Pencil Pro to bring up the Palette in Goodnotes right at the tip of their Pencil, enabling them to quickly switch between essential tools, access common commands such as undo, and modify ink stroke thickness and color.

With these frequently used functions just a little squeeze away, users can stay focused and in the flow as they think and create. Switch between highlighting text and writing in the margins when marking up a PDF, or jump from drawing a mind map to using the lasso tool to reorganize it—the new Palette makes it all effortless.

Dynamic Ink for Fountain Pen

The Fountain Pen in Goodnotes will now feel even more like the real thing, with its ink flow responding dynamically to the rotation of Apple Pencil Pro, in addition to the Fountain Pen's existing responsiveness to pressure sensitivity.

As users write fluidly, their stroke varies with calligraphic flourishes just as a fountain pen should, bringing even more personal expression to their digital writing. Or, users can roll the barrel of Apple Pencil Pro for precision control of stroke thickness, with a stroke preview visible on hover.

"We're always pursuing better ways to make thinking, writing, and creating in Goodnotes simply flow—and the new interactions of Apple Pencil Pro take that to the next level," said Steven Chan , founder and CEO of Goodnotes. "Apple Pencil and Goodnotes have always been perfect companions, and we can't wait to share even more features in the near future that make capturing and expressing your ideas easier than ever."

The new Palette and Dynamic Ink for Fountain Pen features are available today for all Goodnotes users on iPadOS 17.5 using Apple Pencil Pro and a compatible iPad.

About Goodnotes

Goodnotes is the leading AI digital paper used by millions of users worldwide. Launched in 2011, Goodnotes started as an improvement to physical paper notes—introducing the ability to take handwritten digital notes, search handwritten text, and organize everything into a digital library. Today, Goodnotes is pioneering generative AI for digital handwriting in the productivity space. Goodnotes was named Apple's 2022 iPad App of the Year.

View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/goodnotes-launches-new-features-for-apple-pencil-pro-including-palette-and-dynamic-ink-302146081.html

SOURCE Goodnotes Limited

• Entertainment

Goodnotes launches new features for Apple Pencil Pro, including Palette and Dynamic Ink

• With Palette users can stay in the flow as they think and create by accessing essential tools and commands with a simple squeeze of the Apple Pencil Pro 
• Dynamic Ink for Fountain Pen adjusts ink flow based on Apple Pencil Pro rotation for more personalized expression in digital writing 

LONDON , May 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --  Goodnotes , the beloved AI note-taking app and Apple's 2022 iPad App of the Year, today unveiled two new features, Palette and Dynamic Ink, that unlock the power of Apple Pencil Pro's new interactions. The updates take Goodnotes' best-in-class Apple Pencil support to the next level, making writing and creating more seamless than ever before.

Users can simply squeeze their Apple Pencil Pro to bring up the Palette in Goodnotes right at the tip of their Pencil, enabling them to quickly switch between essential tools, access common commands such as undo, and modify ink stroke thickness and color.

With these frequently used functions just a little squeeze away, users can stay focused and in the flow as they think and create. Switch between highlighting text and writing in the margins when marking up a PDF, or jump from drawing a mind map to using the lasso tool to reorganize it—the new Palette makes it all effortless.

Dynamic Ink for Fountain Pen

The Fountain Pen in Goodnotes will now feel even more like the real thing, with its ink flow responding dynamically to the rotation of Apple Pencil Pro, in addition to the Fountain Pen's existing responsiveness to pressure sensitivity.

As users write fluidly, their stroke varies with calligraphic flourishes just as a fountain pen should, bringing even more personal expression to their digital writing. Or, users can roll the barrel of Apple Pencil Pro for precision control of stroke thickness, with a stroke preview visible on hover.

"We're always pursuing better ways to make thinking, writing, and creating in Goodnotes simply flow—and the new interactions of Apple Pencil Pro take that to the next level," said Steven Chan , founder and CEO of Goodnotes. "Apple Pencil and Goodnotes have always been perfect companions, and we can't wait to share even more features in the near future that make capturing and expressing your ideas easier than ever."

The new Palette and Dynamic Ink for Fountain Pen features are available today for all Goodnotes users on iPadOS 17.5 using Apple Pencil Pro and a compatible iPad. 

About Goodnotes

Goodnotes is the leading AI digital paper used by millions of users worldwide. Launched in 2011, Goodnotes started as an improvement to physical paper notes—introducing the ability to take handwritten digital notes, search handwritten text, and organize everything into a digital library. Today, Goodnotes is pioneering generative AI for digital handwriting in the productivity space. Goodnotes was named Apple's 2022 iPad App of the Year.

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Why writing by hand beats typing for thinking and learning

Jonathan Lambert

If you're like many digitally savvy Americans, it has likely been a while since you've spent much time writing by hand.

The laborious process of tracing out our thoughts, letter by letter, on the page is becoming a relic of the past in our screen-dominated world, where text messages and thumb-typed grocery lists have replaced handwritten letters and sticky notes. Electronic keyboards offer obvious efficiency benefits that have undoubtedly boosted our productivity — imagine having to write all your emails longhand.

To keep up, many schools are introducing computers as early as preschool, meaning some kids may learn the basics of typing before writing by hand.

But giving up this slower, more tactile way of expressing ourselves may come at a significant cost, according to a growing body of research that's uncovering the surprising cognitive benefits of taking pen to paper, or even stylus to iPad — for both children and adults.

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In kids, studies show that tracing out ABCs, as opposed to typing them, leads to better and longer-lasting recognition and understanding of letters. Writing by hand also improves memory and recall of words, laying down the foundations of literacy and learning. In adults, taking notes by hand during a lecture, instead of typing, can lead to better conceptual understanding of material.

"There's actually some very important things going on during the embodied experience of writing by hand," says Ramesh Balasubramaniam , a neuroscientist at the University of California, Merced. "It has important cognitive benefits."

While those benefits have long been recognized by some (for instance, many authors, including Jennifer Egan and Neil Gaiman , draft their stories by hand to stoke creativity), scientists have only recently started investigating why writing by hand has these effects.

A slew of recent brain imaging research suggests handwriting's power stems from the relative complexity of the process and how it forces different brain systems to work together to reproduce the shapes of letters in our heads onto the page.

Your brain on handwriting

Both handwriting and typing involve moving our hands and fingers to create words on a page. But handwriting, it turns out, requires a lot more fine-tuned coordination between the motor and visual systems. This seems to more deeply engage the brain in ways that support learning.

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"Handwriting is probably among the most complex motor skills that the brain is capable of," says Marieke Longcamp , a cognitive neuroscientist at Aix-Marseille Université.

Gripping a pen nimbly enough to write is a complicated task, as it requires your brain to continuously monitor the pressure that each finger exerts on the pen. Then, your motor system has to delicately modify that pressure to re-create each letter of the words in your head on the page.

"Your fingers have to each do something different to produce a recognizable letter," says Sophia Vinci-Booher , an educational neuroscientist at Vanderbilt University. Adding to the complexity, your visual system must continuously process that letter as it's formed. With each stroke, your brain compares the unfolding script with mental models of the letters and words, making adjustments to fingers in real time to create the letters' shapes, says Vinci-Booher.

That's not true for typing.

To type "tap" your fingers don't have to trace out the form of the letters — they just make three relatively simple and uniform movements. In comparison, it takes a lot more brainpower, as well as cross-talk between brain areas, to write than type.

Recent brain imaging studies bolster this idea. A study published in January found that when students write by hand, brain areas involved in motor and visual information processing " sync up " with areas crucial to memory formation, firing at frequencies associated with learning.

"We don't see that [synchronized activity] in typewriting at all," says Audrey van der Meer , a psychologist and study co-author at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. She suggests that writing by hand is a neurobiologically richer process and that this richness may confer some cognitive benefits.

Other experts agree. "There seems to be something fundamental about engaging your body to produce these shapes," says Robert Wiley , a cognitive psychologist at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. "It lets you make associations between your body and what you're seeing and hearing," he says, which might give the mind more footholds for accessing a given concept or idea.

Those extra footholds are especially important for learning in kids, but they may give adults a leg up too. Wiley and others worry that ditching handwriting for typing could have serious consequences for how we all learn and think.

What might be lost as handwriting wanes

The clearest consequence of screens and keyboards replacing pen and paper might be on kids' ability to learn the building blocks of literacy — letters.

"Letter recognition in early childhood is actually one of the best predictors of later reading and math attainment," says Vinci-Booher. Her work suggests the process of learning to write letters by hand is crucial for learning to read them.

"When kids write letters, they're just messy," she says. As kids practice writing "A," each iteration is different, and that variability helps solidify their conceptual understanding of the letter.

Research suggests kids learn to recognize letters better when seeing variable handwritten examples, compared with uniform typed examples.

This helps develop areas of the brain used during reading in older children and adults, Vinci-Booher found.

"This could be one of the ways that early experiences actually translate to long-term life outcomes," she says. "These visually demanding, fine motor actions bake in neural communication patterns that are really important for learning later on."

Ditching handwriting instruction could mean that those skills don't get developed as well, which could impair kids' ability to learn down the road.

"If young children are not receiving any handwriting training, which is very good brain stimulation, then their brains simply won't reach their full potential," says van der Meer. "It's scary to think of the potential consequences."

Many states are trying to avoid these risks by mandating cursive instruction. This year, California started requiring elementary school students to learn cursive , and similar bills are moving through state legislatures in several states, including Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina and Wisconsin. (So far, evidence suggests that it's the writing by hand that matters, not whether it's print or cursive.)

Slowing down and processing information

For adults, one of the main benefits of writing by hand is that it simply forces us to slow down.

During a meeting or lecture, it's possible to type what you're hearing verbatim. But often, "you're not actually processing that information — you're just typing in the blind," says van der Meer. "If you take notes by hand, you can't write everything down," she says.

The relative slowness of the medium forces you to process the information, writing key words or phrases and using drawing or arrows to work through ideas, she says. "You make the information your own," she says, which helps it stick in the brain.

Such connections and integration are still possible when typing, but they need to be made more intentionally. And sometimes, efficiency wins out. "When you're writing a long essay, it's obviously much more practical to use a keyboard," says van der Meer.

Still, given our long history of using our hands to mark meaning in the world, some scientists worry about the more diffuse consequences of offloading our thinking to computers.

"We're foisting a lot of our knowledge, extending our cognition, to other devices, so it's only natural that we've started using these other agents to do our writing for us," says Balasubramaniam.

It's possible that this might free up our minds to do other kinds of hard thinking, he says. Or we might be sacrificing a fundamental process that's crucial for the kinds of immersive cognitive experiences that enable us to learn and think at our full potential.

Balasubramaniam stresses, however, that we don't have to ditch digital tools to harness the power of handwriting. So far, research suggests that scribbling with a stylus on a screen activates the same brain pathways as etching ink on paper. It's the movement that counts, he says, not its final form.

Jonathan Lambert is a Washington, D.C.-based freelance journalist who covers science, health and policy.

• handwriting

Early release prison scheme causing 'high-risk' offenders to be let out, new report finds

The findings, part of a wide-ranging inspection at Lewes prison in February, found that some prisoners who are being released under the scheme are a "risk to children" and "had a history of stalking, domestic abuse, and being subject to a restraining order".

By Mollie Malone, news correspondent

Tuesday 14 May 2024 00:25, UK

An early release prison scheme, used to free up space in jails across England and Wales, is causing "high-risk" offenders to be let out, some of whom are a "risk to children", according to a new report.

The examination of HMP Lewes, by the chief inspector of prisons, found that "safe risk management" is being undermined.

The findings, published on Tuesday, were part of a wide-ranging inspection at the East Sussex prison in February, but some similar problems were highlighted in a parallel report into Chelmsford prison published last week.

The government says that those guilty of serious crimes, such as terrorism or sexual offences, plus those serving sentences of more than four years, are not eligible for early release.

But this inspection at Lewes found an example of a prisoner who had their release date brought forward under the early release scheme despite deeming him a "risk to children" and "having a history of stalking, domestic abuse, and being subject to a restraining order".

Another example cited a "high-risk prisoner with significant class A drug misuse issues" being released without a home.

"This release took place despite appeals for the decision to be reversed and staff having serious concerns for his and the public's safety," it said.

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The report makes clear that the inspection was done only months into the scheme launching in October, and hopes the "serious concerns" they raised about its implementation were "teething troubles".

However, these findings follow Sky News exposing widespread concern among the probation service about the early release measure, which has been regularly revised and updated since it was launched in October.

Labour is calling for the government to be more transparent about the parameters of the scheme.

"The public will rightly be worried to hear of cases where violent prisoners are being released without a proper assessment of the risk they pose to the public, and specifically children," said the shadow justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood.

"It's being left to prison inspectors to tell the public the truth because this government is refusing to level with them on the scale of the prisons and probation crisis," she said.

Prisons across England and Wales are under pressure, and severely overcrowded.

Figures published on Friday showed 87,691 people are currently behind bars in England and Wales.

The number of people that can be held in "safe and decent accommodation" in prison, known as the "certified normal accommodation" or "uncrowded capacity", is considered by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to be 79,507.

That means the current overall system is at 110% capacity, or overcrowded.

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Responding to the inspectorate report, the chief executive of the Howard League, Andrea Coomber, said: "This is the latest in a seemingly never-ending line of inspection reports revealing major problems in a prison system that has been asked to do too much, with too little, for too long."

"While action to ease pressure on jails is necessary, this temporary measure is no substitute for what is really needed: a more sensible response to crime that puts fewer people behind bars and more money into services that can help them," she said.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

As of 23 May, eligible male prisoners across 84 prisons in England and Wales can be freed up to 70 days before the end of their sentence. This has been extended from the original 18 days as overcrowding pressures in prisons continue.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "While we will always ensure there is enough capacity to keep dangerous offenders behind bars, this scheme allows us to ease short-term pressures on prisons by moving some lower-level offenders at the end of their custodial term on to licence.

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"These offenders will continue to be supervised under strict conditions such as tagging and curfews, and the prison service can block the earlier release of any individual who poses a heightened risk."

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110 Best "Happy Anniversary" Wishes and Messages for Couples

Whether you're celebrating your own big day or another duo you love, here's what to write in your card.

For husbands

For partner, for parents.

When it comes to extending these warm and well wishes, whether it's for your wife or husband or another duo you love, you go wrong with any of these thoughtful wedding anniversary wishes for couples that will pull at their heartstrings (and yours).

If you’re the one writing inside an anniversary card for your partner, include love quotes for her or heartwarming messages for him — or get personal and add inside jokes and references that only the two of you would know. Including personal tidbits makes the message even more impactful. When it comes to other couples, of couse, you don't have to wish anyone a happy anniversary, but when it's a particuarly big year, it's definitely nice to acklowledge it. You can use one of these in a card if they are close friends or family. Or, drop them in the comment's section on Instagram or send as a text after they share a photo of their day together.

For couples

• There’s nothing better than watching your love for each other flourish and grow each year. Happy anniversary to a wonderful couple.
• You two are made for each other and it shows! Happy anniversary to one of my favorite couples.
• Wishing you both all the love and happiness today and forever. Happy anniversary!
• No other couple complements each other the way that you do. Happy anniversary to the beautiful pair who makes marriage look so easy!
• The way you look at each other shows everyone around you just how much you respect and love each other. Keep being a shining example of what real love looks like. Happy anniversary.
• May God continue to cover and bless you in your union.
• Who said that marriage was hard? Not you guys because you make it seem absolutely effortless. Happy anniversary
• What a beautiful and loving couple. Wishing you a lifetime of love. Happy anniversary!
• No marriage is perfect, but you guys come really close. Happy anniversary!
• Wow, another year in the books! You guys are the perfect match. Happy anniversary!
• Happy anniversary to the couple who demonstrates unconditional love.
• It’s a privilege and honor to watch your love continue to blossom. Happy anniversary!
• May you be blessed with many more! Happy anniversary.
• You two are the most adorable love birds I’ve ever known. Wishing you a lifetime of love.
• Your love is so inspiring. You’re the perfect example of real love. Happy anniversary.
• Happy anniversary to the couple whose love lights up every room.
• Family gatherings wouldn’t be the same without you guys. Happy anniversary to one of my favorite couples.
• I marvel at the wonderful life you’ve built together. You guys could teach a class on how to do marriage right. Congratulations!
• You two are a true inspiration! Cheers to making marriage look easy.
• A marriage anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, and partnership. You exemplify all of those qualities beautifully.
• Wishing you an eternity of holy matrimony. Happy anniversary.
• May your love continue to burn. Happy anniversary to one of my favorite couples.
• Spending time with you guys is one of my favorite pastimes. You make life more enjoyable. Happy anniversary!
• Another year married, another year to celebrate! Happy anniversary.
• Congratulations on another year together as a healthy and happy couple.

• Marrying you was the best decision I’ve ever made. Happy anniversary, baby. I love you with all my heart.
• Thank you for being my husband, protector, and best friend. Happy anniversary!
• There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t thank God that you’re my person. Thank you for loving me unconditionally. Happy anniversary, babe!
• Spending my life with you is the greatest blessing I could’ve ever received. Cheers to another year together in love. Happy anniversary.
• Happy anniversary to the man who will always have my heart. I love you!
• You light up my life in ways that you can’t even begin to imagine. Saying “I do” have been the two most important words I’ve ever uttered.
• Cheers to us! We’ve made it another year as one. I love you! Happy anniversary.
• Wishing us a lifetime together. Happy anniversary, honey.
• I’m the luckiest person on earth to have a husband as loving and kind as you! Happy anniversary.
• Every day my love for you grows deeper. I can’t imagine my life without you. Happy anniversary.
• Here’s to another year around the sun being great together!
• You’re the cherry on top of life. You make everything better. Happy anniversary!
• I’ve loved you since the first day our eyes locked. Nothing has changed. Happy anniversary to my better half.
• I love doing life with you! You’re the greatest and I’m forever grateful. Happy anniversary.
• Loving you is so easy. You’re truly the best husband any person could ever hope for! Happy anniversary.
• I’m so proud to call you my husband. Cheers to another year in love. Happy anniversary.
• I can’t imagine spending my life with anyone else. Happy anniversary to the person who brightens every day.
• I can’t believe I get to call you mine. Happy anniversary to my forever knight in shining armor.
• Some things are just meant to be. We’re one of them. Thank you for loving me another year. Happy anniversary!
• As long as I have breath in my body, you’ll always be the love of my life. Happy anniversary!
• Cheers to another fantastic year together. I look forward to many more. Happy anniversary, babe!
• When I saw you walk down the aisle all those years ago, I knew that we’d be together forever. Your beauty is unmatched. Happy anniversary, my love.
• I’m the luckiest person on the planet because I get to wake up to you every day. Here’s to another year of seeing beauty up close and personal. Happy anniversary.
• I’ll never stop loving you. Here’s to a lifetime together. Happy anniversary.
• So many years ago you made me the happiest person on earth. That feeling hasn’t changed. Happy anniversary!
• Your smile could light the darkest room. I plan to keep you smiling! Happy anniversary, sunshine.
• You make me better. Thank you for loving me after all these years. Happy anniversary!
• Wishing us the happiest anniversary. Our marriage is one of the things I’m most proud of.
• Having you as my life partner is the best thing that could’ve ever happened to me. Wishing us a lifetime of happiness. Happy anniversary!
• Our love grows stronger every year and for that I’m forever grateful. Happy anniversary, my love.
• Doing life with you is one of my greatest joys. I’m blessed beyond measure. Happy anniversary.
• Happy anniversary to the woman responsible for making me the happiest person to ever walk the earth.
• 365 down, a lifetime to go! Happy anniversary.
• I look forward to growing old with you. You are my favorite person and I’m the luckiest. Happy anniversary.
• I couldn’t have dreamed of a more perfect wife. You are everything and then some. Happy anniversary to the love of my life.
• Happy anniversary! I’m so glad I got to marry my best friend.
• Like anything, marriage has its ups and downs. Thank you for always sticking by my side through the good times and bad. I love you to infinity and beyond. Happy anniversary!
• You are my soulmate and I can’t imagine a second without you in my life. Happy anniversary.
• My love for you deepens with each breath. You are my favorite human.

• I can’t believe we’ve been together for so long, but I guess time flies when you’re having fun! Happy anniversary.
• You make me smile every day of the year and today is no exception. Happy anniversary to the love of my life.
• I love you more with each passing day. I love watching you blossom in all areas of your life. Happy anniversary!
• Through thick and thin, I will always love you. Happy anniversary!
• You’ll always be my rock! Thanks for rocking with me another year. Happy anniversary, my love.
• It’s such an amazing feeling to be loved by you. Happy anniversary, sweetheart.
• You bring so much joy to my life! I can’t imagine a day without you. Happy anniversary, honey.
• You are the yin to my yang. Happy anniversary to my lover and best friend.
• Thank you for loving me unconditionally. Happy anniversary, my love.
• Happy anniversary to the strongest, most thoughtful and caring person I know. Happy anniversary, baby.
• Life with you is like heaven on earth. I love you so much! Happy anniversary.
• You guys, I literally wouldn’t be here without you! So thank you for being the most amazing parents on the planet. Happy anniversary!
• I’ve grown up watching what it meant to be a loving and caring couple. Thank you for being the blueprint for a healthy marriage. Happy anniversary!
• Wishing my favorite couple a happy anniversary!
• Happy anniversary to you two crazy kids!
• I’ve learned from the best when it comes to what a happy marriage should be. Thank you for setting such a wonderful example. Happy anniversary!
• You two were made for each other and meant to be. I’m living proof! Happy anniversary.
• Happy anniversary to the most loving love birds I’ve even known.
• Your love for one another is so admirable. I’m lucky to have witnessed it on a daily basis. Happy anniversary to my all-time favorite couple.
• Happy anniversary to the best parents anyone could ever have! Wishing you a day filled with food, love, and laughter!
• Watching you look into each other’s eyes is something that will never get old. Happy anniversary, love birds!
• After so many years together, you’re starting to look alike! Just kidding. Happy anniversary.
• Happy anniversary, mom and dad! I’m so grateful to have the both of you as parents. Keep being the wonderful couple that I’ll always look up to.
• I know that you’ll keep enjoying each other’s company for years to come. Here’s to a lifetime of bliss.
• You two make marriage look easy. I hope that one day I can find someone who I can live happily ever after with — just like you guys! Happy anniversary.
• It’s hard to believe that you two have been together for half a century. But hey, who’s counting? Happy anniversary!
• You’ve both set a high standard on what it means to be happily committed. Thank you for being the best parents. Happy anniversary!
• Happy anniversary, mom and dad. I’m so glad you guys found each other because if you didn’t, where would I be?
• You two have a love that seems to get stronger each year. I love and respect you for always putting our family first. Happy anniversary!
• I hope you both continue to love and cherish each other for the rest of your lives. Happy anniversary!
• No other couple could ever compare to you two. Happy anniversary to the best to ever say “I do!”
• If marriage is anything like you’ve demonstrated, I can’t wait for my wedding day. Thank you for being a shining example in so many ways. Happy anniversary!
• I don’t know where I’d be without the two of you! Thank you for coming together to create such a magnificent human being: me! Happy anniversary.
• Happy anniversary! I’m so honored that I get the chance to celebrate your love.
• Decades of love, support and kindness. Your relationship is what I aspire to have one day. Happy anniversary.
• Best wishes and blessings as you continue walking life’s path united in love. Happy anniversary!
• Congratulations on another year of love and togetherness. Wishing you a fantastic anniversary!
• Here’s to another year of creating beautiful memories together. Happy anniversary!
• Celebrating your love today and always. Happy anniversary to a fantastic couple!
• Congratulations on another year of love and companionship. May your bond continue to strengthen with each passing year. Happy anniversary!
• Everyday we see how happy you make each other. That’s what they call true love!
• Wishing you both a lifetime of love, laughter, and unforgettable memories. Happy anniversary!
• Here’s to the love that grows stronger with each passing year. Happy anniversary and cheers to many more years of happiness together.
• Happy anniversary to two incredible people who deserve all the happiness in the world. Cheers to your love!
• Congratulations on [insert number] years together — here’s to many more.
• Enjoy your anniversary and the many more to come!

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New! Everything you can do with the Apple Pencil Pro in Goodnotes

Are you eagerly anticipating Apple Pencil Pro? Wondering how you can maximize its potential in Goodnotes? 

Well, we have exciting news for you! 

We've just released two exclusive features designed specifically for the new Apple Pencil Pro (plus some bonus features for all Goodnotes 6 users!), available with iPadOS 17.5!

Get ready to take your kick your note-taking up a notch with the Apple Pencil Pro in Goodnotes.

A floating toolbar that appears wherever your pen is

Toolbar feel a bit too far up the page? 

With just a squeeze, you can summon the Palette menu which will immediately appear wherever your pen tip is.

Switch seamlessly between different tools, like pen and highlighter, or adjust stroke color and thickness without lifting your palm off the screen. 

The fountain pen has never felt so natural

Say hello to the new Dynamic Ink for the fountain pen! Now, the ink responds to the rotation of the Apple Pencil Pro, emulating the behavior of a real fountain pen. 

Roll the barrel of Apple Pencil Pro to exactly exercise precise control over stroke thickness and shape. What’s also new is that you’ll now see a stroke preview when hovering. 

Additional new features for Goodnotes 6

If you don’t have Apple Pencil Pro, don’t worry. You can still take advantage of the new stroke preview feature, which will show you the stroke and placement of your pen, highlighter, or shape tool when your Apple Pencil is hovering, with any devices that support hover detection. 

And all Goodnotes 6 users can bring more personalization to the fountain pen with the new tip flatness adjustment option.

Excited to get started? 

That’s not all! We’ve got even more exciting (and highly requested!) features rolling out soon. Stay tuned!

Download Goodnotes here today.

This Mother's Day, share a heartfelt message with these 30 quotes about mothers

Celebrating mothers and motherhood has been a tradition for centuries, even before Mother's Day was officially created. It dates back to  the ancient Greeks and Romans who held festivals for Rhea and Cybele, the mother goddesses, the History Channel reports. Today, the holiday continues to honor mothers and mother figures.

While you might think that you show your mother love for everything she does throughout the year, the second Sunday in May serves as another chance to do so. And how you display your gratitude could vary depending on your love language .

If you're a fan of words of affirmation, here are some quotes to share – or write on a card – this Mother's Day.

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Mother's Day, motherhood quotes

• "I realized when you look at your mother, you are looking at the purest love you will ever know." – Mitch Albom , "For One More Day"
• "Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love." – Stevie Wonder
• "A mother is your first friend, your best friend, your forever friend." – Amit Kalantri , "Wealth of Words"
• "Mother's love is peace. It need not be acquired, it need not be deserved." – Erich Fromm
• "Mother is a verb. It's something you do. Not just who you are." – Cheryl Lacey Donovan , "The Ministry of Motherhood"
• "Acceptance, tolerance, bravery, compassion. These are the things my mom taught me." – Lady Gaga
• "A mother's love is patient and forgiving when all others are forsaking, it never fails or falters, even though the heart is breaking." – Helen Rice
• "A mother's love is more beautiful than any fresh flower." – Debasish Mridha
• "When your mother asks, 'Do you want a piece of advice?' it's a mere formality. It doesn't matter if you answer yes or no. You're going to get it anyway." – Erma Bombeck
• "All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother." – President Abraham Lincoln
• "I wondered if my smile was as big as hers. Maybe as big. But not as beautiful." – Benjamin Alire Sáenz , "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe"
• "Sometimes the strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws." – Barbara Kingsolver , "Homeland and Other Stories"
• "A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take." – Gaspard Mermillod
• "I can imagine no heroism greater than motherhood." –   Lance Conrad , "The Price of Creation"
• "To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Or the climbing, falling colors of a rainbow." – Maya Angelou
• "A mother's arms are more comforting than anyone else's." – Princess Diana
• "My mother is my root, my foundation. She planted the seed that I base my life on, and that is the belief that the ability to achieve starts in your mind." – Michael Jordan
• "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one." – Jill Churchill
• "Being a mother is an attitude, not a biological relation." – Robert A. Heinlein , "Have Space Suit—Will Travel"
• "Mothers and their children are in a category all their own. There's no bond so strong in the entire world. No love so instantaneous and forgiving." – Gail Tsukiyama , "Dreaming Water"
• "When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. You are connected to your child and to all those who touch your lives. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child." – Sophia Loren
• "Once you’re a mom, you’re always a mom. It’s like riding a bike, you never forget." – Taraji P. Henson
• "The world, we'd discovered, doesn't love you like your family loves you." – Louis Zamperini
• "The woman who is my best friend, my teacher, my everything: Mom." – Sandra Vischer , "Unliving the Dream"
• "Mothers possess a power beyond that of a king on his throne." – Mabel Hale
• "The influence of a mother in the lives of her children is beyond calculation." – James E. Faust
• "But behind all your stories is always your mother's story, because hers is where yours begins." – Mitch Albom , "For One More Day"
• "My mother sacrificed her dreams so I could dream." – Rupi Kaur
• "Mother's arms are made of tenderness, and sweet sleep blesses the child who lies within." – Victor Hugo
• "No language can express the power and beauty and heroism of a mother’s love." – Edwin Hubbel Chapin

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Just Curious for more? We've got you covered

USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day. From " Who was the oldest Golden Girl? " to " What is the smallest country? " to " What's May's birthstone? " − we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our  Just Curious section  to see what else we can answer.