Write and format notes on Mac

1. In the Notes app on your Mac, in the sidebar, click the folder where you want to put the note.

2. Click the New Note button in the toolbar (or use the Touch Bar).

3. Type your note. You can use typing suggestions, if available.

   The first line of the note becomes the note’s title. You can change how the first line is formatted in Notes preferences.

   Your note saves automatically as you work.

1. In the Notes app on your Mac, click a note in the notes list or double-click a note in gallery view. To find it quickly, search for notes.

2. In the note text, select the text you want to edit or click where you want to add text, then make your changes.

1. In the Notes app on your Mac, click a note in the notes list or double-click a note in gallery view.

2. To copy and paste text, do any of the following:

   • Copy all the text in a note: Click anywhere in the note text, choose Edit > Select All (or Command-A), then choose Edit > Copy (or Command-C).

   • Paste text: Choose Edit > Paste (or Command-V).

     While some formatting is retained when you paste, the original font and colour may not be retained.

   • Paste text using the surrounding style: Choose Edit > Paste and Match Style.

     The style information is ignored from the clipboard and the text is pasted with the surrounding styles applied.

   • Paste text using the original style: Choose Edit > Paste and Retain Style.

     The style information stays with the copied text and the text is pasted with the original style applied.

You can also use Universal Clipboard to copy text, images, photos and video on one Apple device, then paste the content on another Apple device.

You can add bulleted, dashed and numbered lists to notes. If you’re using upgraded iCloud notes or notes stored on your Mac, you can also turn existing lines of text into a list.

1. In the Notes app on your Mac, click a note in the notes list or double-click a note in gallery view.

2. To add or change a list, do any of the following:

   • Add a list: Click at the beginning of a line, then do one of the following:

     • Type an asterisk followed by a space.

     • Type a hyphen followed by a space.

     • Type a number and full stop followed by a space.

     • Click the Format button , then choose Bulleted List, Dashed List or Numbered List. (You can also use the Touch Bar.)

   • Add to a list: Click at the end of a list item, then press Return.

   • End a list (and add a new paragraph): Click at the end of the last line item, then press Return twice.

   • Increase list level: Click a line in the list, then press Tab to indent.

     Tip: If you want to insert a tab character in a list item, click where you want to insert the tab, then press Option-Tab.

   • Decrease list level: Click a line in the list, then press Shift-Tab.

   • Add a line break (soft return) to a list item: Press Control-Return at the end of a list item to start a new line without starting a new list item.

   • Move a list item up (or down) in the list: Press Control-Command-Up Arrow (or Control-Command-Down Arrow).

1. In the Notes app on your Mac, click a note in the notes list or double-click a note in gallery view.

2. To add or change a checklist, do any of the following:

   • Add a checklist: Click at the beginning of a line, then click the Checklist button (or use the Touch Bar).

   • Convert paragraphs into a checklist: Select the lines you want to turn into a checklist, then click the Checklist button .

   • Add to a checklist: Click at the end of checklist item, then press Return.

   • Reorder items in a checklist: Drag a checklist item to a new location.

     Tip: You can also move a list item up (or down) in the list — just press Control-Command-Up Arrow (or Control-Command-Down Arrow).

   • End a checklist (and add a new paragraph): Click at the end of the last checklist item, then press Return twice.

   • Increase list level: Click a checklist item in the list, then press Tab to indent.

   • Decrease list level: Click a checklist item in the list, then press Shift-Tab.

   • Add a line break (soft return) to a checklist: Press Control-Return at the end of a checklist to start a new line without starting a new checklist item.

   • Check or uncheck one item: Click a circle to mark an item as complete.

     To automatically move checklist items to the bottom of the list as they are checked, select “Automatically sort checked items” in Notes preferences.

   • Tick or untick all items: Choose Format > More > Tick All or Untick All.

     You can also Command-click any checklist item. If any item is unticked, all items are ticked (and vice versa).

You can apply a style — such as heading or body — to quickly format a paragraph.

1. In the Notes app on your Mac, click a note in the notes list or double-click a note in gallery view.

2. To format text, do any of the following:

   • Change the formatting of selected text (such as changing a phrase to bold): Select some text, click the Format button , then choose an option (or use the Touch Bar).

   • Change text alignment: Click anywhere in the text you want to change, choose Format > Text, then choose an option.

   • Change text font, colour, size and more: Select the text you want to change, Control-click the selection, choose Font > Show Fonts, then use the Fonts window to make changes.

   • Apply a paragraph style to a paragraph: Click anywhere in the text you want to format, click the Format button , then choose a style.

   • Change the default title paragraph style: Choose Notes > Preferences, click the “New notes start with” pop-up menu, then choose an option.

1. In the Notes app on your Mac, click a note in the notes list or double-click a note in gallery view, then choose Edit > Substitutions > Smart Links (a tick shows it’s on).

2. Do one of the following:

   • Type a URL and it becomes a link automatically.

   • Select the text to change to a link, choose Edit > Add Link, then type or paste the URL.

To edit, remove or open a link, Control-click the link, then choose an option.