The Best New Apple Notes Features in iOS 16

The Best New Apple Notes Features in iOS 16

Apple’s iOS 16 (which is currently available as a public beta) comes with a lot of small new features for the Notes app, but the biggest update is the addition of Quick Notes. Of course, it doesn’t work exactly like it does on the iPad, but it’s still just as useful. Here are all the new and awesome Notes features you should know about.

How to take Quick Notes on the iPhone with iOS 16

Screenshot: Khamosh Pathak
Screenshot: Khamosh Pathak

iOS 16 gets a new system-wide Quick Notes feature that’s linked to the Share menu. Open any page or app, hit the Share button, and use the “Add to Quick Note” option, which will open a new Quick Note panel. You’ll see the link or the selected text there; then tap “Save.”

Just like on the iPad, Quick Notes are linked to the page or the app where you took them. When you go back to that page, you’ll see a little floating icon in the bottom-right corner, and you can tap on it to bring up the Quick Note again.

Quick Notes are saved in a separate folder in the Notes app (at the top of the Folders page), and you’re free to create as many of them as you want. In fact, you can create a Quick Note from Control Centre as well. Go to Settings > Control Centre, add the “Quick Note” control to the Favourites, and tap “Done.”

Smart Folders get new rules

Smart Folders, the feature that brought intelligent folders to Apple Notes, gets many new rule parameters. You can create new Smart Folders using rules like Date Created, Date Modified, Shared, Mentions, Checklists, Attachments, Folder, Quick Notes, Pinned Notes, and Locked Notes.

Your iPhone passcode becomes your locked notes passcode

In the past, locked notes in Apple Notes were protected using Face ID or Touch ID, but that only worked if you had a separate passcode for them. That’s another thing to remember. Now, when you try to lock a note, Apple Notes will ask you if you’d like to convert the Apple Notes passcode to your device passcode. You can still use Face ID to protect the notes, and because you’ll be using your device passcode, there are fewer chances of you forgetting the code.

Collaborate on notes with just a link

Apple Notes is another iPhone app that’s hopping on the link-sharing bandwagon. You can now add collaborators to Apple Notes by generating a link, which can be shared on any messaging platform. Tap Share, make sure the “Collaborate” feature is selected, and from the Share Options, choose “Anyone with the link.” From the Share menu, choose a contact or app to share the iCloud link.


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