Write and format notes on Mac
You can write notes and change the formatting in a note—for example, change the font size or alignment, or make text bold. If you use upgraded iCloud notes or notes stored on your Mac, you can also apply paragraph styles and specify the paragraph style that’s used when you start typing a new note.
Write a new note
Siri: Say something like: “Create a note.” Learn how to ask Siri.
In the Notes app
on your Mac, in the sidebar, click the folder where you want to put the note.If you don’t see the sidebar: Choose View > Show Folders.
Click the New Note button
in the toolbar (or use the Touch Bar).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.
Tip: You can also start a Quick Note while working in another app.
Edit a note
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.In the note text, select the text you want to edit, or click where you want to add text, then make your changes.
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.
Create a copy of a note
In the Notes app
on your Mac, click an unlocked note.Choose File > Duplicate Note (or Command-D).
Note: If you duplicate a shared note, the copy isn’t shared.
Copy and paste text
In the Notes app
on your Mac, click a note in the notes list or double-click a note in gallery view.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 color 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.
Format text
You can apply a style—such as heading or body—to quickly format a paragraph.
Note: To use paragraph styles, you must be using upgraded iCloud notes or notes stored on your Mac.
In the Notes app
on your Mac, click a note in the notes list or double-click a note in gallery view.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, color, 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.
Tip: You can choose dictionaries for specific languages, see suggested spellings for words, or add frequently used words or terms to a dictionary. See Check spelling and grammar. You can also translate text in a note.