How to Use Quick Notes in iPadOS 16: A Complete Guide

Things to know before using Quick Notes in iPadOS 16:

• You can easily access Quick Notes on iPad by swiping from the bottom right corner.
• Quick Notes can also be accessed from the Control Center.
• Press the global key (function key) + Q using an external keyboard to bring up Quick Note.

We never know when a random idea will pop into our mind and we need to be lightning fast to write it down. Because closing the current app we’re using and opening the Notes app is a rather lengthy process, Apple has introduced Quick Notes.

With Quick Notes, you can quickly jot down something without leaving the app you’re currently using. This is an important feature that you need to master if you have an iPad. And with this guide, I will teach you how to use Quick Notes and all of its hidden features.

• What is Quick Note in iPadOS?
• How to create a quick note on iPad
• Open Quick Note with external keyboard on iPad
• How to Enable Quick Notes in iPad Control Center
• Save links, text and images from Safari to Quick Note
• How to View Your Quick Notes on iPad
• Move Quick Notes to iPad
• Share your Quick Note on iPad
• How to Delete Quick Notes on iPad

What is Quick Note in iPadOS?

Quick Note makes the Notes app more accessible from anywhere on iPadOS. This function can record something without leaving the current application. In iPadOS 16, it received a few more optimizations and improvements.

Let’s say you were looking for good book recommendations in Safari and came across some interesting recommendations. You can quickly mark these recommendations by creating a quick note without leaving your browser.

Once you create Quick Notes, you can access them anywhere on your Apple devices and use any of the features available with regular notes.

How to create a quick note on iPad

You can open Quick Note anytime, anywhere with either the first or second generation Apple Pencil. You can also choose any Apple Pencil alternative to use this gesture. Although Apple has stated that it works with a finger, for me it was mostly an accidental hit.

1. Swipe from the bottom right corner of the iPad screen with any compatible stylus.
2. A small gray box will appear.
3. Keep holding the pencil until the box has fully expanded and is opaque.

That’s all! You can now write or draw in the field with the stylus. You can use the picture in the bottom right corner to adjust your pencil or use the keyboard and type. You can also see the app’s special features and use them as you choose.

Change or disable the corner gesture for quick notes

If you accidentally call up quick notes with this gesture several times, you can change or disable it. Here’s how:

1. Open settings.
2. Click Notes.
3. Select “Angle Gesture”in the “Quick Notes”section.
4. To change, enter Slide Left or Slide Right.
5. Now choose Off, Quick Note, and Screenshot.

Open Quick Note with external keyboard on iPad

In addition to the stylus, you can also use any keyboard compatible with your iPad to call up Quick Note without touching the screen. You have to press the globe key (function key) and Q on the keyboard. And voila! You have Quick Note on your iPad screen.

How to Enable Quick Notes from Control Center on iPad

In addition to gestures and keyboard shortcuts, you can also use Control Center to access Quick Notes on iPad. But before that, you should make sure that it is enabled for the Control Center. Here’s how you can check it:

1. Go to Settings → Control Center.
2. Tap the + icon next to the quick note under ADDITIONAL CONTROLS.

You have successfully added Quick Note to Control Center. If you want to change its position, open Settings → Control Center under ENABLED CONTROLS. You can touch and hold the three lines next to the quick note and adjust them accordingly.

Now that you know how to add quick notes to your iPad’s Control Center, let’s see how you can access it from there.

Access Quick Note from Control Center

1. Swipe down to open Control Center.
2. Tap the quick note icon.

A quick note window will appear on your iPad screen, and you can get started with the activities you want to do.

Save links, text and images from Safari to Quick Note

With Quick Notes in Safari, you can easily save links, text, and images from a web page. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open Safari.
2. Start a quick note.
3. Click “Add Link”in Quick Note to save the current URL to the note.

To add text or images:

1. Press and hold them with the stylus or your finger.
2. Once it’s highlighted, drag it into Quick Notes.

Alternatively, you can highlight text, tap the arrow next to options, and choose New Quick Note. You can also minimize and move Quick Note to the side and continue working accordingly.

How to View Quick Notes on iPad

1. Open the Notes app.
2. Select “Quick Notes”in folders.

View all attachments in Quick Notes

You can also view quick notes based on the attachments you’ve added. Here’s how:

1. Navigate to the Quick Notes folder.
2. Click on the three dots at the top.
3. Select View Attachment.
4. To jump to a quick note with a specific attachment, tap the attachment’s thumbnail and select Show in Note.

How to Move Quick Notes on iPad

1. Navigate to the Quick Notes folder.
2. Tap and hold on the note you want to share.
3. Select Move.
4. Choose where you want to move the note.

Alternatively, you can open a note, tap on the three dots in the top right corner, and select Move Note.

Moving a quick note to another folder becomes a standard note and no longer appears as a quick note.

Share your Quick Note on iPad

1. Navigate to the Quick Notes folder.
2. Open a quick note to share.
3. Click the Share button.
4. Select an exchange option.

Also, when you long press a quick note in the Notes app, you get all the usual options with regular notes. These include the ability to “Open in new window”, “Pin note”, “Send a copy”and “Move note”.

How to Delete Quick Notes on iPad

1. Open the Quick Notes folder.
2. Tap and hold the quick note you want to delete → select Delete.

Alternatively, you can open a note and tap the delete icon to delete a quick note on iPad.

To delete multiple notes

1. Touch the three dots at the top.
2. Select Select Notes.
3. Select the notes you want to delete.
4. Tap Remove.

Delete Quick Notes Permanently

1. Go to Recently Deleted.
2. Here, press and hold the note and select Delete.

If you want to delete multiple notes:

1. Click Edit and select the notes you want to delete.
2. Now click “Delete”.
3. Confirm by clicking Delete X NotesHere, X means the number of notes you have selected.
4. If you want to undo the note, click “Move”and choose where to move it.

Note. You can recover a deleted note within 30 days from the date of deletion. But once it’s deleted from the Recently Deleted folder, you won’t be able to recover it.

That’s all!

Quick note is a feature that saves a lot of time, especially for users who like to multitask or work on ideas. What do you think of this quick note? Share in the comments below.