ULTIMATE GOODNOTES 5 GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS

Welcome to The Beginner’s Guide to Getting Started with GoodNotes! If you’re new to digital note-taking, or just want to get the most out of GoodNotes, this guide is for you. I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to start using the app, from setting it up to creating your first notes and exploring its features. So let’s get started!

WHAT IS GOODNOTES

GoodNotes is a digital note-taking app where you can import documents, take notes, and use digital planners and notebooks with hyperlinks—all right from your iPad! It’s one of the most popular note-taking apps for iPad users because of its intuitive interface and versatility.

GoodNotes offers a free plan, but to access all the premium features, you’ll need to purchase either a $9.99/year subscription or a $29.99 one-time purchase. Luckily, it comes with a 7-day free trial, so you can give it a try before committing.

If you haven’t already, you can download GoodNotes on the Apple App Store or Google Play and start using it today!

HOW TO IMPORT YOUR FILES INTO GOODNOTES

Import Hyperlinked Planners/Notebooks from Your Files

If your file is downloaded in a ZIP format, tap on it to unzip it first.
Then, tap and hold your notebook or planner file.
From the menu that appears, select “Share” and choose GoodNotes.
If “Open in GoodNotes” appears, you can select that option as well.

Import Hyperlinked Planners/Notebooks within GoodNotes

Open the GoodNotes app.
Tap the “New…” with the + icon on the home screen, then select “Import.”
In the Files app, choose your PDF planner or notebook to import.

GOODNOTES TOOLBAR

Lasso Tool:
- Function: Use the Lasso Tool to select, move, or resize handwritten notes, text, or images in your document. Simply draw a circle around the content you want to select.
Pen Tool:
- Function: This is the primary tool for writing or drawing in GoodNotes. You can choose from various pen types and adjust thickness and color for your handwriting or doodles.
Highlighter Tool:
- Function: Use the highlighter tool to emphasize specific text or parts of your document. You can adjust the opacity and color to suit your preferences.
Eraser Tool:
- Function: The Eraser Tool lets you remove parts of your writing or drawings. You can choose between erasing by stroke or area.
Text Tool:
- Function: Tap to add typed text anywhere in your document. You can adjust font, size, and color.
Shape Tool:
- Function: Automatically draw shapes like circles, squares, or lines. You can adjust the size and color of the shape.
Undo/Redo:
- Function: Undo or redo your most recent actions, helpful if you make a mistake or change your mind.
Zoom Tool:
- Function: Zoom in for more precise writing or drawing. It allows you to work in finer detail.

HOW TO ACTIVATE HYPERLINKS IN GOODNOTES

To use the hyperlinks, tap the icon (pen with a line through it) in the top right corner. This will hide the Tool Bar and leave only the Navigation Bar visible. Now, you can tap the links in your document to navigate easily.

HOW TO EDIT YOUR PLANNER IN GOODNOTES

To edit your document, tap the (pen icon) in the upper right corner of the navigation bar. This will enable the toolbar, where you can use various tools to edit your document.

HOW TO REORDER PAGES ın goodnotes

Tap the sidebar icon again to view all your pages.
Press and hold the page you want to move.
Drag the page to the desired position in the thumbnail view.
Release the page to drop it in place.

HOW TO DUPLICATE PAGES ın goodnotes

Tap on the sidebar icon in the top left corner to view all pages.
Press and hold the page you want to duplicate.
From the menu that appears, select Duplicate.
The duplicated page will appear right next to the original.

Copy and Paste Pages to a Desired Location in GoodNotes

To Copy a Page:

1. Go to the page you want to duplicate.
2. Tap the Three Dot Icon in the top-right corner.
3. Select Copy Page from the menu.

To Paste the Copied Page in a Desired Place:

1. Tap Show Sidebar (located at the top-left of the screen).
2. Tap the Thumbnails Icon in the top-left corner to view all pages.
3. Locate where you’d like to paste the copied page.
4. Tap the ‘v’ Icon and select Add Page After.
5. Then select Paste Page to insert it in the desired location.

BOOKMARK PAGES in GoodNotes

Select the Bookmark Icon in the top-left corner. Your bookmarked pages will appear in the sidebar, under the Bookmarks section.

HOW TO IMPORT YOUR TEMPLATES AND COVERS TO GOODNOTES

In GoodNotes Home Page, tap the Settings Icon in the top-right corner.
Select either ‘Cover’ or ‘Paper Template’ at the top of the menu, depending on which template you want to import.
Tap the + Icon in the top-right corner to create a new group. Name your new group.
After the group is created, tap Import + under the group.
Select the templates or covers you want to import from your files.

Now your templates or covers are imported into GoodNotes. You can add them to an existing notebook or create a new notebook with it.

HOW TO CHANGE NOTEBOOK COVERS IN GOODNOTES

Open the document you want to change the cover for.
Navigate to the first page of the document.
Tap the Three Dots in the top-right corner.
Select Change Template from the menu.
Tap on Cover at the top.
Choose the cover you’d like to use and tap Apply.

HOW TO ADD PAGES TO YOUR DOCUMENT

With your document open, tap the paper icon with a ‘+’ in the navigation bar.
In the menu that appears, select ‘More from Templates.’
Choose from the templates you’ve imported beforehand or from pre-downloaded templates.
You can also select ‘Import’ to add your own templates from your files.

HOW TO ALIGN TEXT WITH TEMPLATE LINES

Select the Text Tool and tap to add a text box anywhere in your document. You can adjust the font, size, and color. To make your text fit perfectly in a template or align with the lines, tap the Paragraph icon in the toolbar and adjust the line spacing until it fits your template.

HOW TO USE STICKERS IN GOODNOTES

Precropped GoodNotes Sticker Book

Digital Sticker Book allows you to easily copy and paste your stickers to your planner within the note-taking app you are using. Open the sticker book and your planner in split-screen view as preferred.

Select the ‘Lasso Tool’ from the toolbar.
Double-tap to ensure ‘Images’ is switched on.
Draw a circle around the sticker or stickers you want to use.
Tap on your selection and select ‘Copy’.
Tap and hold where you want to add the sticker and select ‘Paste’.

Individual PNG Stickers

With Drag & Drop:

Open your stickers in the gallery in split-screen view.
Drag and drop your stickers into your planner or notebook.

With the Image Tool:

Select the Image Tool from the toolbar.
Tap anywhere on the page.
Select an image you want to add from “Photos” or “Insert from…” and choose from your Files.

GoodNotes Elements

The Elements tool in GoodNotes allows you to add your stickers to it for quick access in any notebook you open. Once you’ve created or imported a sticker, you can save it as an Element for future use.

How to Import an Element Collection:

Tap the Elements tool in the toolbar.
From the bottom scrollable list, tap the “+” icon.
Tap “Import from…” and choose the .collection file.

How to Save an Element:

Select the Sticker: Use the lasso tool to select the sticker you want to save.
Add to Elements: Tap the “Add to Elements” option and assign it to a category.

Among all the digital note-taking apps, GoodNotes is perhaps the most well-known and popular, with millions of users worldwide. Whether you’re just getting started with digital note-taking or diving into digital planning, GoodNotes has everything you need to make the process seamless and enjoyable.

If you’re ready to dive deeper into GoodNotes, these resources can help you explore even more:

I hope this guide helped you get started with the GoodNotes app. Happy note-taking!