With iOS 18, the Notes app is about to achieve a number of new options. There aren’t many updates to the general design, however Notes has deeper integrations with different apps that add all types of latest performance. There are additionally just a few nifty iPad-only Notes options that contain the Apple Pencil.
Math Notes
Notes integrates with the Calculator app in iOS 18 for a brand new characteristic referred to as Math Notes. Math Notes is designed to allow you to clear up equations, so you are able to do issues like add up your month-to-month funds, calculate what folks owe for a gaggle journey, or break up a restaurant invoice.
Math Notes works instantly within the Notes app or within the Math Notes part of the Calculator app. Any equation that you just kind in is routinely solved whenever you add an equals signal, and there may be assist for variables.
For those who outline a number of variables, you’ll be able to then use these definitions in your calculations. For those who write dinner = $42, motion pictures = $24, and dessert = $18 within the Notes app, you’ll be able to then kind in dinner + motion pictures + dessert and add an equals signal to get the whole. Variables can be utilized in equations and graphs (with a related equation) and adjusted later to alter the outcomes.
You possibly can even do unit conversions with Math Notes. Simply kind in what you wish to convert, and you will get the end result. For those who kind in 10 euros to kilos in a word after which add an equals signal, the Notes app gives you the reply.
Apple says that Math Notes is ready to clear up all the similar capabilities as a scientific calculator.
Math Notes is accessible for math written utilizing Western Arabic numerals and customary mathematical symbols, or typed utilizing Arabic (Japanese & Western) and Devanagari numerals and customary mathematical symbols.
Math Notes in iPadOS 18
On the iPad, you should utilize Math Notes with the Apple Pencil. Simply write out equations by hand and add an equals signal to have the Notes app clear up them.
All the Math Notes options work with handwriting, together with unit conversions.
Audio Recording and Transcription
The Notes app can be utilized to report any audio, profiting from the microphones within the iPhone. To report audio, faucet on the paperclip icon within the toolbar after which faucet on the “Record Audio” button.
From there, faucet on the purple report button to start out a recording, and the cease button to finish it. The choice to report audio proper within the Notes app is beneficial for lectures, conferences, and extra.
All recordings that you just seize with the Notes app are routinely transcribed in real-time so you’ll be able to learn by means of what was recorded and even seek for key phrases.
Audio recording and transcribing is accessible on the iPhone 12 and later, however the characteristic solely works in English.
Cellphone App Recording
iOS 18 helps recording cellphone calls, and whenever you provoke a recording of a cellphone name, that recording is saved within the Notes app. Cellphone app recordings have all the similar performance as audio recordings made within the Notes app, with transcriptions offered.
Transcription Summaries (Apple Intelligence)
Apple Intelligence can be utilized to summarize a transcript of an audio recording or a recorded cellphone name within the Notes app.
A tool that helps Apple Intelligence is required for this characteristic, and that features the iPhone 15 Professional/Professional Max and later in addition to Macs and iPads with an M-series chip.
Collapsible Sections
If in case you have lengthy notes with a number of headings, now you can collapse these headings right down to create a extra compact word.
Any part header will be collapsed, together with headings, subheadings, and titles. Simply faucet on a heading after which faucet on the down arrow to break down it. Faucet the arrow once more to open it up.
Spotlight Colours
The Notes app helps colours for typed textual content for the primary time, permitting for highlighting. Apple added 5 colours, together with pink, purple, orange, mint, and blue, with the colours in a position to be added by means of the formatting interface. Simply faucet on the Aa button to get to the colour choices when a phrase or phrase is chosen.
A number of colours can be utilized for a similar sentence, and the colours can be utilized for titles and headings, in addition to mixed with textual content formatting like daring and italics.
Connect Recordsdata
The toolbar icon that permits you to add pictures or scanned paperwork to a word has been up to date to do extra in iOS 18. Tapping on it permits you to connect a file from the Recordsdata app, which makes it a lot simpler so as to add paperwork to a word. You may as well use it to report audio, which is one other new characteristic.
Prior to now, you needed to copy and paste a file into notes so as to add it, a course of that required a number of steps.
The prior Select Picture or Video, Scan Paperwork, Take Picture or Video, and Scan Textual content choices stay. To indicate the brand new performance, the icon for the instrument is now a paperclip as a substitute of a digital camera.
As an alternative choice to utilizing the toolbar, you’ll be able to lengthy press on a word to connect a file, an choice that wasn’t beforehand obtainable.
Notes Settings
For those who faucet on the icon that has three dots on the prime proper of a word, you may get to the Notes settings, the place there are a variety of latest choices.
You possibly can see Latest Notes from this interface, with the Notes app displaying a number of of your prior notes for fast entry. There’s additionally a toggle for Math Notes for selecting between prompt outcomes and outcomes which might be routinely inserted when an equals signal is typed, or turning the characteristic off.
Prior options for looking by means of the word, transferring the word, including strains and grids, and altering the attachment view are all nonetheless obtainable.
Lock Display Notes
In iOS 18, you’ll be able to add Management Middle controls to the Lock Display. With this characteristic, you’ll be able to add the choice to open the Notes app into one of many slots that was beforehand taken up by the Flashlight and Digital camera, supplying you with an choice for rapidly jotting down your ideas.
You might get to the Notes app from the Lock Display beforehand, but it surely required going by means of Management Middle.
Sensible Script (iPadOS 18)
On the iPad, there is a new characteristic referred to as Sensible Script that is designed to enhance your handwriting with the Apple Pencil. The characteristic makes use of machine studying to recreate your individual handwriting fashion to refine what you’ve got written, making messy writing look neater.
Sensible Script does not change your handwriting, but it surely makes it smoother, straighter, and simpler to learn.
With Sensible Script, you may also paste typed textual content into your individual handwriting, appropriate handwritten spelling, contact and drag phrases to maneuver them or change the spacing, and scribble out what you’ve got written to erase it.
Writing Instruments is an Apple Intelligence characteristic that may enhance your writing. It will not generate textual content from scratch for you, however it may proofread, enable you rewrite to match a particular tone, and create summaries.
- Proofread textual content for spelling and grammar errors, together with phrase selection and sentence construction. You possibly can settle for all options with a faucet or undergo them one after the other with explanations.
- Rewrite for cleansing up what you’ve got written and shifting the tone with out impacting your content material. Choices embrace Pleasant, Skilled, and Concise.
- Choices for choosing textual content and summarizing it. You possibly can select to create a paragraph, pull out key factors, make a listing, or create a desk. Summaries can be found in Mail, Messages, and extra.
To make use of Writing Instruments within the Notes app, all it’s essential do is write one thing, choose your textual content, after which faucet on the short entry Writing Instruments choices on the prime of the keyboard or choose Writing Instruments by tapping in your chosen textual content.
Writing Instruments will not be obtainable when iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 launch, however the characteristic might be coming in iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 updates that we count on to see in October.
Picture Wand (Apple Intelligence)
The Notes app is designed to combine with Picture Playground, Apple’s upcoming AI-powered picture technology app. It is possible for you to to have the Notes app create a picture that goes together with what you’ve got typed up, and on the iPad, you may make a tough sketch of what you wish to embrace after which have Apple Intelligence generate a extra polished model.
The characteristic that provides pictures into the Notes app known as Picture Wand, and it is not but clear when it is going to be applied.
Learn Extra
Extra info on new options that Apple has added in iOS 18 will be present in our iOS 18 roundup.