Apple Notes
An app that keeps quick notes on your iPhone and iPad.
What Apple Notes does
Apple Notes is the free notes app that comes preinstalled on every iPhone and iPad. It handles quick notes, checklists, scanned documents, Apple Pencil sketches and audio recordings with transcripts, and syncs through iCloud to your Mac and to iCloud.com in a browser. The apps are Apple-only, so it's not a fit if you also use Android or Windows.
Before you download anything, it's worth knowing you probably already have a capable notes app. Apple Notes is built into iPhone and iPad (it's also listed in the App Store, so you can get it back if you deleted it). It costs nothing and has no premium tier.
It covers a lot. Make checklists and tables, scan paper documents with the camera, attach PDFs, photos and links, and record audio that gets transcribed into the note. On a compatible iPad you can sketch or handwrite with Apple Pencil, and your handwriting is searchable. Folders, tags and smart folders keep things tidy, and you can lock private notes.
Sharing works well for families and small groups: share a note or a whole folder and see who changed what. The big limit is that it lives inside Apple's world and syncs through iCloud. If you switch between an iPhone and an Android phone or a Windows PC, you'll want something cross-platform. And if handwriting is your main thing, dedicated notebook apps offer more pens, paper and PDF tools.
Alternatives to Apple Notes
Who it's for
Skip it if: Anyone who also uses Android or Windows. People who want a full paper-style handwriting app.
Pricing
Free planApple Notes is free. It comes preinstalled on iPhone and iPad, and there is nothing to buy inside it.
Prices can vary by country. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
What people like
- Completely free with no paid tier
- Already installed, nothing to set up
- Scanner, audio transcripts and handwriting search built in
- Easy sharing with other Apple device owners
Watch out for
- Apple devices only
- Fewer pens, paper styles and PDF tools than dedicated handwriting apps
- Syncing depends on your iCloud storage
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Questions people ask
Is Apple Notes free?
Yes. It's built into iPhone and iPad at no cost, and there is no paid version.
Can I handwrite in Apple Notes on iPad?
Yes. On a compatible iPad you can sketch and write with Apple Pencil, and your handwriting is searchable.
Does Apple Notes work on Android or Windows?
Not as an app. Apple Notes is made for Apple devices and syncs through iCloud. You can open your notes at iCloud.com in a web browser.
Can Apple Notes record audio?
Yes. You can record audio into a note and get a transcript.