Share notes and folders on Mac
If you use upgraded iCloud notes, you can collaborate with others by sharing a note or a folder. Anyone you add receives a link that opens the note or folder in the Notes app or on iCloud.com. You can also manage shared notes and folders by removing access, hiding notifications and more.
Share a note or folder
In the Notes app on your Mac click the note or folder you want to share with others.
Note: You can’t share a locked note, a Smart Folder, a folder that contains locked notes or a folder that contains a note that has been shared with you.
Do one of the following:
For a note: Click the Share button in the toolbar. You can also swipe left on the note (in the list of notes) using two fingers on the trackpad (use one finger on a Magic Mouse), then click the Share button .
For a folder: Click the More button next to the folder in the sidebar, then choose Share Folder.
Click the pop-up menu, then choose whether to collaborate on the note or send a copy.
If you’re sharing a folder, you can only collaborate.
Note: If you choose Send Copy, you only send a static copy of the note — recipients can’t make changes to the note or see an updated version of the note unless you send it to them again. See Send a note using other apps.
If you choose to collaborate, click the right arrow below Collaborate, then choose the following options:
Who can access: Choose who can view the note or folder (only people you invite or anyone with the link).
Permissions: Choose whether people can make changes or only view the note or folder.
If you allow only invited people to view and edit the note or folder, select “Allow others to invite” to let the people you share with add other participants.
Select how you want to share the note, such as Messages, Mail or AirDrop.
People and groups you’ve had recent Messages conversations with are listed at the top. Click one to share the note with them in Messages.
Tip: If you share the note in Messages, you get updates in the Messages conversation whenever someone makes a change to the shared note.
If you selected a method that requires it, add recipients by doing one of the following:
Type a name, email address or phone number for each recipient.
Click the Add button to select someone from Contacts.
Manage a note or folder that you shared
If you’re the owner of a shared note or folder, you can add or delete notes or subfolders, edit notes, and move notes or subfolders out of the main folder. See Add and remove folders.
You can also invite more people to collaborate, remove a participant, change permissions or stop sharing the note. Participants can choose how highlights and notifications appear when others make changes. They can also edit the note, if they have permission.
In the Notes app on your Mac, do one of the following:
Manage a note: Click the shared note you want to manage, click in the toolbar, then click Manage Shared Note.
Manage a folder: Click the shared folder you want to manage (or any note inside it), then click in the sidebar.
Do any of the following:
Invite more people to collaborate: Click Share With More People, then follow the steps to share a note or folder.
When a person has been invited, but has not accepted, “Invited” appears under the person’s name.
Always see change highlights: Select “Highlight all changes.”
You can set this option only for an individual note — not for a shared folder.
With this option selected, every change made by a participant appears as a highlight in that participant’s colour. If the option isn’t selected, you have to swipe or select to see the highlight. See View highlights for a shared note.
Hide change notifications: Click “Hide alerts”.
You can set this option only for an individual note — not for a shared folder.
With this option selected, you won’t be notified when other participants make changes to this note.
Change who can view and make changes to the note or folder: Choose options from the Permissions pop-up menus.
If a shared folder or note is in another shared folder click Show Shared Folder to make the changes.
To change the permissions for one participant, move the pointer over the participant’s name, click the More button , then choose “Can make changes” or “View only”.
Choose whether participants can share the note or folder with others: Select or unselect “Anyone can add more people”.
To specify who can share the note or folder, move the pointer over the participant’s name, click the More button , then choose Allow to Add Other People.
Stop sharing the note or folder with all participants: Click Stop Sharing, then click Continue.
If a shared folder or note is in another shared folder click Show Shared Folder to make the changes.
The note no longer appears in the participants’ list of notes; however, you still have access to it.
Copy the link: Click Copy Link.
If you’re viewing a note or folder that’s in another shared folder, the link you copy is to the main folder.
Note: Although the owner or a participant can copy the link to send to others, only people who have been invited to open the note can use the link.
Remove a participant: Move the pointer over the participant’s name in the window, click the More button on the right, then choose Remove Access.
The colour of the More button is different for each participant.
Manage changes to a note or folder that’s shared with you
What you can do with shared notes and folders depends on the permissions the owner gave you.
If you have view-only permission: You can remove yourself from the note, copy the link and choose how highlights and notifications appear when participants make changes.
If you have permission to make changes: You can do all of the above plus edit the note, add or delete notes or subfolders, and move notes or subfolders out of the main folder. See Add and remove folders.
In the Notes app on your Mac, click the shared note or folder you want to manage, then click in the toolbar.
Click Manage Shared Note, then do any of the following:
Remove yourself as a participant: Move the pointer over your name, click the More button , then choose Remove Me.
If the note is in a shared folder, click Show Shared Folder, move the pointer over your name, click the More button then choose Remove Me.
Add other participants: If the owner has given you permission, you can add other people to the note. Click Share with More People, choose how to send the invitation, then click Share.
Copy the link: Click Copy Link.
If you’re viewing a note or folder that’s in another shared folder, the link you copy is to the main folder.
Note: Although the owner or a participant can copy the link to send to others, only people who have been invited to open the note can use the link.
Always see change highlights: Select “Highlight all changes.”
You can set this option only for an individual note — not for a shared folder.
With this option selected, every change made by a participant appears as a highlight in that participant’s colour. If the option isn’t selected, you have to swipe or select to see the highlight. See View highlights for a shared note.
Hide change notifications: Select “Hide alerts.”
You can set this option only for an individual note — not for a shared folder.
With this option selected, you won’t be notified when other participants make changes to this note.