The Ultimate Guide to Notability for Mac: Tips, Tricks, and Features
Notability for Mac: A Powerful and Versatile Note-Taking App
If you are looking for a digital note-taking app that lets you combine handwriting, photos, and text in one place, you might want to check out Notability for Mac. Notability is a popular note-taking app that has been available on iOS devices for years, and now it has been optimized for Mac as well. In this article, we will review what Notability for Mac is, why you should use it, and how to use it.
Notability For Mac
What is Notability for Mac?
Notability for Mac is a digital note-taking app that lets you create and annotate notes using various media tools. You can write with a pencil, highlighter, or text tool, insert photos, audio recordings, PDFs, GIFs, and more, and mark up documents, textbooks, lecture slides, assignments, or images. You can also convert your handwriting to text using the Math Conversion or MyScript Handwriting Recognition technologies.
Notability for Mac supports Apple Pen and Logitech Crayon, which are styluses that allow you to write naturally on your screen. You can also use your mouse or trackpad to draw or write on your notes. You can adjust the size, color, shape, and style of your handwriting and sketches, and scale, rotate, move, or erase them as you wish.
Notability for Mac syncs across your devices via iCloud, so you can access your notes from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or any other Mac device. You can also backup your notes to other cloud services such as Google Drive or Dropbox. This way, you can keep your notes with you without the hassle of paper waste or losing them.
Why use Notability for Mac?
Benefits of using Notability for Mac
There are many benefits of using Notability for Mac as your note-taking app. Here are some of them:
Capture ideas in many forms and from many sources
With Notability for Mac, you can capture ideas in many forms such as photos, sketches, audio recordings, text, equations, etc. You can also import ideas from many sources such as conversations, nature, books, websites, etc. You can mix and match different media types in one note to create rich and expressive notes.
Organize notes with customizable subjects and dividersWith Notability for Mac, you can organize your notes with customizable subjects and dividers. You can create different subjects for different topics, such as school, work, personal, etc. You can also create dividers to group related subjects together, such as math, science, history, etc. You can change the color and icon of your subjects and dividers to make them easy to identify. You can also sort your notes by name, date, or size.
Record and replay audio synced to your notes
With Notability for Mac, you can record and replay audio synced to your notes. This means that you can capture the sound of a lecture, a meeting, an interview, or anything else while taking notes. You can then play back the audio and see your notes highlight as they were written. This helps you review your notes and recall the context of what you heard. You can also adjust the playback speed, jump to a specific time, or trim the audio as needed.
Present and share your notes in full-screen mode or via Notability Gallery
With Notability for Mac, you can present and share your notes in full-screen mode or via Notability Gallery. Full-screen mode lets you display your notes on a larger screen, such as a projector or a TV. You can use the laser pointer tool to highlight important points or the zoom tool to focus on details. You can also use the presenter mode to see your notes and the audience view on separate screens. Notability Gallery lets you share your notes with other Notability users via a link or a QR code. You can also collaborate with others on the same note in real-time.
Work with two notes side-by-side and drag and drop content between them
With Notability for Mac, you can work with two notes side-by-side and drag and drop content between them. This is useful when you want to compare or combine information from different sources. For example, you can drag and drop text, images, or audio from one note to another. You can also resize, rotate, or crop the content as you wish. You can also use the split view feature to work with Notability and another app at the same time.
Import, annotate, and share various types of documents and media
With Notability for Mac, you can import, annotate, and share various types of documents and media. You can import PDFs, DOCs, PPTs, images, web pages, and more into Notability and annotate them with your tools. You can also add comments or feedback to your annotations using the sticky note tool. You can then share your annotated documents via email, AirDrop, Messages, or other apps. You can also export your notes as PDFs, RTFs, Note files, or image files.
Features of Notability for Mac
Notability for Mac has many features that make it a powerful and versatile note-taking app. Here are some of them:
Optimized for Mac with smart keyboard shortcuts and drag-and-drop functionality
Notability for Mac is optimized for Mac with smart keyboard shortcuts and drag-and-drop functionality. You can use keyboard shortcuts to quickly access common actions such as creating a new note, switching tools, undoing or redoing changes, etc. You can also customize your own keyboard shortcuts in the preferences menu. You can also use drag-and-drop functionality to move content within or between notes or apps.
Lifelike, vector-based digital pencil with fine-tuned responsiveness
Notability for Mac has a lifelike, vector-based digital pencil with fine-tuned responsiveness. The digital pencil mimics the look and feel of a real pencil on paper. It has realistic shading effects based on the angle and pressure of your stroke. It also has smooth curves and crisp edges that scale well when zoomed in or out. The digital pencil is responsive to your touch and adjusts its width and opacity accordingly.
Variety of paper templates with customizable spacing and backgrounds
Notability for Mac has a variety of paper templates with customizable spacing and backgrounds. You can choose from different paper types such as lined, grid, dotted, plain, etc. You can also adjust the spacing between the lines or dots to suit your preference. You can also change the background color of your paper from white to black or any other color you like.
Left-aligned typing with word count and formatting options
Notability for Mac has left-aligned typing with word count and formatting options. You can type text on your notes using the text tool. The text is left-aligned by default but you can change it to center or right-aligned if you want. You can also see the word count of your text at the bottom of your screen. You can also format your text with different fonts, sizes, colors, styles, and alignments. You can also create bulleted or numbered lists, indent or outdent paragraphs, and insert links or emojis.
Math Conversion technology that converts handwritten equations to typed text
Notability for Mac has Math Conversion technology that converts handwritten equations to typed text. You can write math equations on your notes using the pencil tool. You can then select the equation and tap on the Math Conversion button to convert it to typed text. You can also edit the equation or copy and paste it to other apps.
MyScript Handwriting Recognition technology that converts handwriting to typed text
Notability for Mac has MyScript Handwriting Recognition technology that converts handwriting to typed text. You can write text on your notes using the pencil tool. You can then select the text and tap on the Handwriting Recognition button to convert it to typed text. You can also edit the text or copy and paste it to other apps. You can also change the language of the handwriting recognition in the preferences menu.
How to use Notability for Mac?
Now that you know what Notability for Mac is and why you should use it, let's see how to use it. Here are some steps to get you started:
How to download and install Notability for Mac
To download and install Notability for Mac, you need to have a Mac device running macOS 10.13 or later. You also need to have an Apple ID and an iCloud account. Here are the steps to download and install Notability for Mac:
Open the App Store on your Mac device and search for Notability.
Select Notability from the search results and click on the Get button.
If prompted, sign in with your Apple ID and password.
Wait for Notability to download and install on your Mac device.
Once installed, open Notability from the Launchpad or the Applications folder.
If prompted, sign in with your iCloud account and allow Notability to access your iCloud Drive.
You are now ready to use Notability for Mac.
How to create a new note in Notability for Mac
To create a new note in Notability for Mac, you need to have Notability open on your Mac device. Here are the steps to create a new note in Notability for Mac:
Select a subject where you want to create a new note. You can also create a new subject by clicking on the + button at the bottom of the sidebar.
Click on the New Note button at the top of the toolbar or press Command + N on your keyboard.
A new note will open in a new window. You can give it a title by clicking on the Untitled Note at the top of the window.
You can now start writing or drawing on your note using the tools at the top of the window.
You can also insert photos, audio recordings, PDFs, GIFs, or other media by clicking on the Media button at the top of the toolbar or pressing Command + Shift + M on your keyboard.
You can also import documents or web pages by clicking on the Import button at the top of the toolbar or pressing Command + Shift + I on your keyboard.
You can save your note by clicking on the Save button at the top of the toolbar or pressing Command + S on your keyboard.
How to use the different tools in Notability for Mac
To use the different tools in Notability for Mac, you need to have a note open in Notability for Mac. Here are some of the tools you can use in Notability for Mac:
The Pencil tool lets you write or draw on your note with a digital pencil. You can adjust the size, color, shape, and style of your pencil from the toolbar. You can also use Apple Pen, Logitech Crayon, mouse, or trackpad to write or draw with this tool.
The Highlighter tool lets you highlight text or drawings on your note with a digital highlighter. You can adjust the size and color of your highlighter from the toolbar. You can also use Apple Pen, Logitech Crayon, mouse, or trackpad to highlight with this tool.
The Eraser tool lets you erase any writing or drawing on your note. You can adjust the size of your eraser from the toolbar. You can also use Apple Pen, Logitech Crayon, mouse, or trackpad to erase with this tool.
The Text tool lets you type text on your note with a keyboard. You can adjust the font, size, color, style, and alignment of your text from the toolbar. You can also create bulleted or numbered lists, indent or outdent paragraphs, and insert links or emojis with this tool.
The Shape tool lets you draw shapes on your note with a pencil or a highlighter. You can draw circles, squares, triangles, lines, arrows, etc. with this tool. The shapes will automatically snap to the nearest grid or dot on your paper. You can also adjust the size, color, and style of your shapes from the toolbar.
The Lasso tool lets you select and move content on your note. You can use this tool to select text, handwriting, drawings, images, audio recordings, etc. You can then move, resize, rotate, copy, paste, delete, or change the color of the selected content. You can also use this tool to convert handwriting to text or math equations.
The Media tool lets you insert photos, audio recordings, PDFs, GIFs, or other media on your note. You can access this tool by clicking on the Media button at the top of the toolbar or pressing Command + Shift + M on your keyboard. You can then choose the media type you want to insert from the menu. You can also drag and drop media files from your Mac device or other apps into Notability.
The Import tool lets you import documents or web pages into Notability as notes. You can access this tool by clicking on the Import button at the top of the toolbar or pressing Command + Shift + I on your keyboard. You can then choose the document type you want to import from the menu. You can also drag and drop document files from your Mac device or other apps into Notability.
The Zoom tool lets you zoom in or out of your note. You can access this tool by clicking on the Zoom button at the top of the toolbar or pressing Command + Plus (+) or Command + Minus (-) on your keyboard. You can also use pinch gestures on your trackpad to zoom in or out.
The Full-Screen tool lets you view your note in full-screen mode. You can access this tool by clicking on the Full-Screen button at the top of the toolbar or pressing Control + Command + F on your keyboard. You can also use presenter mode to see your notes and the audience view on separate screens.
How to organize and manage your notes in Notability for Mac
To organize and manage your notes in Notability for Mac, you need to have Notability open on your Mac device. Here are some steps to organize and manage your notes in Notability for Mac:
Create subjects and dividers to group your notes by topic. You can create a new subject by clicking on the + button at the bottom of the sidebar and choosing New Subject. You can create a new divider by clicking on the + button and choosing New Divider. You can change the color and icon of your subjects and dividers by right-clicking on them and choosing Edit.
Sort your notes by name, date, or size. You can sort your notes by clicking on the Sort button at the top of the sidebar and choosing Name, Date Modified, or Size from the menu.
Search for notes by title or content. You can search for notes by clicking on the Search button at the top of the sidebar and typing in keywords in the search box.
Favorit e or pin notes to access them quickly. You can favorite or pin notes by right-clicking on them and choosing Favorite or Pin from the menu. You can also see your favorite or pinned notes by clicking on the Star or Pin icons at the top of the sidebar.
Trash or restore notes to delete or recover them. You can trash notes by right-clicking on them and choosing Move to Trash from the menu. You can also see your trashed notes by clicking on the Trash icon at the bottom of the sidebar. You can restore notes by right-clicking on them and choosing Restore from Trash from the menu.
How to sync and backup your notes in Notability for Mac
To sync and backup your notes in Notability for Mac, you need to have Notability open on your Mac device and an iCloud account. Here are some steps to sync and backup your notes in Notability for Mac:
Enable iCloud sync to access your notes across your devices. You can enable iCloud sync by clicking on the Notability menu at the top of the screen and choosing Preferences. Then, click on the Sync tab and check the box next to iCloud. You can also choose which subjects you want to sync by clicking on the Choose Subjects button.
Enable auto-backup to save your notes to another cloud service. You can enable auto-backup by clicking on the Notability menu at the top of the screen and choosing Preferences. Then, click on the Backup tab and check the box next to Auto-backup. You can also choose which cloud service you want to use, such as Google Drive or Dropbox, by clicking on the Choose button. You can also choose which format you want to backup your notes as, such as PDF or Note, by clicking on the Format button.
Manually backup your notes to a local folder or an external drive. You can manually backup your notes by clicking on the File menu at the top of the screen and choosing Export All Notes. Then, choose a destination folder or drive where you want to save your notes. You can also choose which format you want to export your notes as, such as PDF or Note, by clicking on the Format button.
How to share and export your notes in Notability for Mac
To share and export your notes in Notability for Mac, you need to have a note open in Notability for Mac. Here are some steps to share and export your notes in Notability for Mac:
Share your notes with other Notability users via Notability Gallery. You can share your notes with other Notability users via Notability Gallery by clicking on the Share button at the top of the toolbar and choosing Share Note via Gallery from the menu. Then, enter a name for your note and click on Share. A link and a QR code will be generated for your note. You can then copy or scan the link or QR code to share it with others.
Share your notes with other apps via AirDrop, Messages, Mail, etc. You can share your notes with other apps via AirDrop, Messages, Mail, etc. by clicking on the Share button at the top of the toolbar and choosing Share Note via Other Apps from the menu. Then, choose an app you want to use from the list and follow the instructions.
Export your notes as PDFs, RTFs, Note files, or image files. You can export your notes as PDFs, RTFs, Note files, or image files by clicking on the File menu at the top of the screen and choosing Export Note from the menu. Then, choose a format you want to use from the list and a destination folder or drive where you want to save your note. You can also choose to include or exclude audio recordings or annotations from your note by checking or unchecking the boxes next to them.
Conclusion
Notability for Mac is a powerful and versatile note-taking app that lets you create and annotate notes using various media tools. You can write with a pencil, highlighter, or text tool, insert photos, audio recordings, PDFs, GIFs, and more, and mark up documents, textbooks, lecture slides, assignments, or images. You can also convert your handwriting to text using the Math Conversion or MyScript Handwriting Recognition technologies.
Notability for Mac has many benefits and features that make it a great choice for note-taking. You can capture ideas in many forms and from many sources, organize notes with customizable subjects and dividers, record and replay audio synced to your notes, present and share your notes in full-screen mode or via Notability Gallery, work with two notes side-by-side and drag and drop content between them, import, annotate, and share various types of documents and media, and more.
Notability for Mac is easy to use and syncs across your devices via iCloud. You can also backup your notes to other cloud services such as Google Drive or Dropbox. You can also share and export your notes as PDFs, RTFs, Note files, or image files.
If you are looking for a digital note-taking app that lets you combine handwriting, photos, and text in one place, you might want to check out Notability for Mac. You can download it from the App Store for $9.99. You can also visit the Notability website for more information and support.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about Notability for Mac:
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