Create and edit notes on Mac
In Notes on your Mac, you can create and edit notes, add drawings, and copy and paste text. You can also create copies of notes, or copy and paste text from a note.
Note: All Notes features described in this guide are available when using iCloud notes. Some features aren’t available when using accounts from other providers.
Create a new note
Siri: Ask Siri something like, “Create a note.” Learn how to use Siri.
Go to the Notes app
on your Mac.
In the sidebar, click the folder where you want to put the note.
Note: If you don’t see the sidebar, choose View > Show Sidebar.
Click
in the toolbar (or use the Touch Bar).
Type your note.
The first line of the note becomes the note’s title. You can change how the first line is formatted in Notes settings.
Your note saves automatically as you work.
Tip: You can choose dictionaries for specific languages, see suggested spellings for words, or add frequently used words or terms to a dictionary. See Get typing suggestions and correct mistakes. You can also translate text in a note.
Edit a note
Go to the Notes app
Open a note you want to edit or search your notes to find it quickly.
Make your changes.
Changes save automatically as you work.
Tip: When you type specific data (such as dates, times, locations, or phone numbers), you can easily add that information to another app. For example, Control-click a time, then choose Create Event to create a calendar event or Create Reminder to create a reminder. See Detect dates, contacts, and more in documents.
Add drawings to a note
Go to the Notes app
In a note, click
to open the Markup palette.
Start drawing, or do any of the following:
Select a tool: Click
in the Markup palette at the bottom of the window, then choose a tool such as Fountain Pen or Watercolor.
Change a tool’s size: Choose a nib size at the top of the menu. For the Reed tool, you can also choose an angle.
Change a tool’s color or opacity: Click
, then choose a color. To change the opacity of your strokes or the fill, click Show Colors, then adjust the slider.
Select and edit your drawing: Click
, then double-click a stroke or drag around strokes to select them. Drag to move the selected strokes, or Control-click for more options such as Duplicate, Merge, and Separate.
Remove strokes from a drawing: Click
Recolor strokes: Click
Resize a drawing: Click
Add shapes, lines, and arrows: Click
; click a shape, line, or arrow; then drag it where you want. To resize it, use the blue handles. If it has green handles, use them to alter the shape.
Add text boxes: Click
, type your text, then drag the text box where you want.
Add your signature: Click
. If signatures are listed, click one, then drag it where you want. To resize it, use the blue handles. To create a new signature, see [mh-Create and use signatures].
When you’re done drawing, click
Create a copy of a note
Go to the Notes app
Select the note from the list, then choose File > Duplicate Note (or Command-D).
Note: If you duplicate a shared note, the copy isn’t shared. You can’t create a copy of a locked note.
Use Writing Tools in Notes
With Apple Intelligence, you can use Writing Tools to summarize selected text with a click, proofread your work, and create different versions of the same text to help you find the right wording and tone. See Use Writing Tools to write, improve, and summarize content.
Note: Apple Intelligence on macOS 27 is not available in all languages or regions. Usage limits may apply.*