Notes is a notetaking app developed by Apple. It is provided on their iOS and macOSoperating systems, the latter starting with OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. It functions as a service for making short text notes, which can be synchronised between devices using Apple's iCloud service. The application uses a similar interface on iOS and macOS, with a textured paper background for notes and light yellow icons, suggesting pencil or crayon. Until 2013, both applications used a strongly skeuomorphic interface, with a lined paper design; the Mountain Lion version placed this inside a leather folder. This design was replaced in OS X Mavericks and iOS 7.
Starting with iOS 9, Notes received a significant functional overhaul; iCloud sync, the ability to create sketches, advanced text formatting options, several styles of lists, rich web and map link previews, support for more file type attachments, a corresponding dedicated attachment browser, and a system share extension point for saving web links, images, etc. As of iOS 9.3, individual notes can be password-protected, however only one password can be set for all notes locked henceforth. The password syncs across compatible devices.
The update to Notes released with iOS 11 adds tables, pinned notes, a document scanner, graph and lined paper, monospaced text support, handwriting search, and improved integration with Apple Pencil. Tapping the Pencil on the Lock screen will bring up a new note with drawing active; the Pencil can also be used while in the Notes app to start an inline drawing.
macOS version
Prior to Mountain Lion, Mail on macOS supported a mailbox containing notes, which was synced with notes in the Notes application in iOS. This situation was a kludge: as Mail already implemented the IMAP mailbox synchronisation protocol, it could also sync notes with minimal additional work. In Mountain Lion, notes were moved to a separate Notes application. Created notes are synced through all the user's Apple devices through the iCloud service. Notes can be arranged in folders, and pinned to the user's desktop. When the application is closed, the pinned note still remains. Additionally, unlike the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch version, the OS X Mountain Lion Notes application allows for images to be embedded within notes. Originally, notes could be created in three different default fonts - Noteworthy, Marker Felt, and Helvetica. Users could also add custom fonts by visiting the "Show Fonts" menu. The menu allows users to change text size, format lists, choose the alignment, assign a writing direction, and indent text. Attachments, images, and hyperlinks can also be added into a note. Attachments cannot be viewed on iOS devices.
As of OS X 10.11, Notes received a significant functional overhaul, with major features including iCloud sync, the ability to view sketches created on the iOS counterpart, advanced text formatting options, several styles of lists, rich web and map link previews, support for more file type attachments, a corresponding dedicated attachment browser, and a system share extension point for saving web links, images, etc. As of OS X El Capitan 10.11.4, individual notes can be password-protected, with the password syncing across compatible devices.
macOS 10.13
The update to Notes released with macOS 10.13 adds tables.
Social media users have often used the Notes application to write short notes which can then be posted as a screenshot to social media sites such as Instagram or Twitter. Writers have noted that this form of communication has often been used by celebrities to make public statements, perhaps to give them an informal feel or extend beyond platform character limits, including often to post public apologies.
