How to share notes using iPhone’s Notes app (and why you should)

Essentials Week spotlights unexpected items that make our daily lives just a little bit better.

As a writer and an information-hungry air sign with too many thoughts spinning around in my brain, I know the value of writing things down. I’ve carried around pocket notebooks, used an abundance of Post-It Notes, and even bought a fridge whiteboard for spur-of-the-moment kitchen thoughts. But I’ve found the best way to keep track of my life (and my friends’ lives) is an underutilized iOS feature: real-time shared notes.

Over the years, Apple’s Notes app has gotten upgrade after upgrade with each iOS drop. Notes now has drawing tools, photo scanning capabilities, and smart features like tags. But my favorite part of the app is the sharing option that lets you collaborate with friends in real time. The possibilities are endless.

You can share notes from the Notes app using your iPhone, iPad, or other Notes-friendly iOS device. Use them to keep a running list of favorite films with your best friend, start a Pictionary-style drawing contest, or curate party playlists with people who don’t use the same streaming services as you. (Apologies to all my Spotify-user friends.) Shared notes are also a super practical way to make shared grocery runs, vacations, and general group planning even easier.

When using shared notes, everyone with access is automatically notified when edits are made, so you can see what’s been added or removed as soon as it happens. You can even watch your friends make real-time changes. (Personally, I like watching my friends type and erase elaborate cocktail ideas over and over again, only to land on “buy beer.”)

I’m the type of person who gets a real rush from tapping ideas, funny jokes, and to-do lists into my Notes app, hitting a button, and sharing my Big Brain Moments™ with loved ones. So next time you want to exchange ideas, why not skip the group chat and collaborate through the humble Notes app? The convenience factor alone will make your lives easier. Shared notes will cut down on iMessage notifications, and they’ll offer another way for you to bond with loved ones without leaving your couch. 

Want to start sharing notes but not sure where to start? Here are four ways I use the feature.

1. Vacation planning

Whether or not you’re the designated calendar-making friend, a shared note for vacation planning is one of the easiest, least stressful ways to make sure your trip goes smoothly. You can organize your shared note by day and include simple bullet point lists for things like meals and activities. I ask everyone to include their travel plans in the note, too. Plop in your arrival times so everyone can plan accordingly without needing to follow up repeatedly. Plus, one shared note with everything in it ensures information won’t get lost, forgotten, or buried deep within emails or text messages.

2. To-do, to-watch, and to-read lists 

The list function is one of my favorite visual aspects of the Notes app, and it’s great for shared notes. The check-off boxes (in this case, circles) are big — really in your face compared to other design choices — which means I can’t ignore them. A sweet little animation occurs whenever you check off an item, and completed tasks automatically jump down to the bottom of the list, which is helpful. (If your lists aren’t reordering themselves, go to your phone’s settings, hit Notes, and make sure “Sort Checked Items” is set to “Automatically.”)

To-do lists are helpful in multi-person households when keeping track of things like utility payments or grocery lists for house dinners. I even exchange Christmas lists with my mom using shared notes. Just make sure you tell shared note recipients that you can see when they cross things off, or it might ruin the surprise. (Sorry, mom). 

Beyond daily practicality, I use shared notes to track and organize ever-changing lists of media that my friends and I want to consume. I share to-read lists to keep track of yearly reading goals, kind of like a Notes app book club. And I have a to-watch list with my roommate, categorized by TV shows, films, and podcasts. Though I’ll probably never escape the curse of endlessly scrolling, referencing our to-watch list often makes picking a movie or TV show a bit easier and ensures I never forget that my roommate still hasn’t seen The Breakfast Club. 

3. Likes, dislikes, and everything in between

A little more niche, keeping a running list of personal information with my friends and family is the most impactful way I use shared notes. It’s not a great idea to include sensitive information such as a social security or credit card number in shared notes, but consider using the feature to track people’s likes, dislikes, and everything in between. 

I have two shared notes for this purpose. The first is a list of current mailing addresses, so people can make edits as needed. I don’t know about you, but my friends move a lot. This shared note helps prevent those embarrassing, “I know I’ve asked you this five times, but what’s your address again?” texts. 

The second is a note where my friends can add their current interests and preferences. A note like this comes in handy when you want to send someone a surprise gift, but you can’t remember their favorite ice cream flavor or current media obsession. Using the Notes app to share personal interests has come in handy for almost every Secret Santa exchange or congratulatory present I’ve sent to my friends. It might sound a little extra and very Type A, but I’m both of those things, so I love it.

You can also make shared notes for more personal, practical details like important medical information, emergency contacts, or allergies. Share them with the people you live with, your parents, or partners in case of emergency.

4. Get creative

One of my longest-running shared notes, carried across phones and iCloud backups over the last three years, is called Creative Thoughts. It’s home to every weird idea that pops into the brains of me and my friend. Highlights include a book pitch about a wormhole in our neighbor’s apartment, a fan-cast live action version of The Emperor’s New Groove, and the outline of a jukebox musical featuring the songs of Rascal Flatts. The shared Creative Thoughts note holds podcast ideas, tweet drafts, future party ideas, and more. Who knows, maybe your shared notes will hold the next great American novel!

For the kid at heart, the drawing feature in Notes (combined with live editing) is also a fun way to play impromptu games like tic-tac-toe or Pictionary. Shared notes are whatever you want them to be.

So I’ve convinced you to start sharing notes…

Using Apple’s shared notes feature is a really simple, convenient way to share information in a single place — no extra accounts, apps, robust spreadsheets, or calendar skills required. If you want to try sharing your own notes, here’s how:

1. Make sure your device’s iOS is updated, then open the Notes app.

2. Select the note you want to share or create a new note by tapping the paper and pencil button on the bottom right hand corner of your screen.

3. Once a note is ready to share, tap the button with three dots in the top right hand corner of your screen.

Credit: APPLE

Credit: APPLE

4. Tap “Share Note” and select your sharing preferences. You can choose to share your note with others through messages, email, or even on your social media accounts. You can also copy the link to the note and share it manually. (Be sure to check out the “Share Options” section before sending, which allows you to choose who can edit the note and add other people.)

5. Once you share your note, manage who has access to it by tapping the small circle with a person inside. This management screen shows who is in your note and keeps a history of any edits made. 

6. You can also make shared folders for enhanced organization of all your notes. Go to the app’s Folders screen (you’ll probably have to tap out of your Notes list) and add a new folder using the folder icon in the bottom left of the screen. Folder sharing works the same way as a single note.

Credit: APPLE

Credit: APPLE

Push notifications are automatically turned on for all shared notes, but you can turn them off for your personal device in the note’s management settings. Just remember that the Notes app will still alert friends who have their own notifications on whenever you make an edit.

Keep in mind, anything you wouldn’t put in a shared Google Doc or the group chat shouldn’t go in a shared note, and know that everyone can see your activity in the note. Notes shared in the Notes app are also added to your iCloud and available across your devices. 

Notes app alternatives for friends without iOS

Unfortunately, not everyone has access to the magic of Apple’s Notes app. Don’t be discouraged by your Android-using friends, though. They can still join in the note-sharing fun. For Google and Android users, try out Google Keep, a free web-app downloadable to your phone that syncs to a Google account, has similar list features, and is shareable with friends and family. Other note-sharing alternatives include the popular Evernote, Microsoft OneNote, or Notebook, which all let you share and edit notes with other users.

Now, go forth and share your notes, fellow over-thinkers.

Even more essentials