Apple Notes Keyboard Shortcuts – A Quick Guide

As with many programs available for PC, Apple Notes supports keyboard shortcuts. If you’re tired of using the mouse all the time just for a single action, now’s the time to memorize some faster methods. While you get more shortcuts on a Mac, it’s also possible to use them on Apple Notes for iPad.

You can find a list of all available Apple Notes keyboard shortcuts below. We’ll also include the functions and other pertinent information. Read on for all the details.

Apple Notes Keyboard Shortcuts for a Mac

A quick visit to Apple’s support website will reveal many keyboard shortcuts for the Notes app. The shortcuts may vary due to different keyboard languages and layouts. Things will likely be different if you use a Colemak, Dvorak, or AZERTY keyboard.

Because the Mac commands list is extensive, we’ll divide it into several sections.

Basic Shortcuts

• Command + N
  

This shortcut will open a new note in the app. Use it when you believe a note is too cluttered.

• Fn + Q
  

Quick Notes are helpful when you’re doing something else on your Mac but want to record something. It works no matter what app you’re on.

• Command + D
  

To duplicate a note, use this shortcut. There’s no need to copy and paste from one old note to another.

• Shift + Command + N
  

Apple Notes lets you group notes into folders. This shortcut creates a new one immediately, instantly enabling you to move notes into it.

• Option + Command + S
  

This command lets you show or hide the Notes folders. You can press the keys repeatedly as required.

• Command + 0
  

Open the main Notes window to access other notes or if it’s blocked by something else.

• Command + 1
  

This shortcut displays notes in list form.

• Command + 2
  

This shortcut displays notes in gallery view.

• Command + 3
  

Using this shortcut will show attachments.

• Option + Command + F
  

Search for something in all your notes. This function is handy if you can’t locate the file you want.

More Basic Commands

• Tab
  

Switch between the notes list, search field, and sidebar. FYI, this doesn’t work when you’re editing anything in a note.

• Return
  

When in the notes list or gallery view, press Return to start typing in the highlighted note. Command + Return returns you to list or gallery view.

• Command + P
  

You can print a note immediately by pressing these two keys.

• Control + Command + I
  

Display or hide highlights in shared notes with this command. Useful for collaboration.

• Control + Command + K
  

Use this shortcut to show or hide the activity list in a shared note.

• Shift + Command + A
  

Instead of using a toolbar, you can attach a file to any note using this shortcut. You still have to select the file manually.

• Command + K
  

You can insert a URL that directs those who click it to a website. When used on highlighted text, insert a hyperlink instead.

• Option + Command + T
  

You can place tables in a note quickly using this keyboard command.

• Shift + Command + T
  

Apply the Title format to the selected text.

• Shift + Command + H
  

Change any selected text into Heading format. It’s the equivalent of H2 in some programs.

Formatting Shortcuts

• Shift + Command + J
  

Make the selected text a Subheading, which is an H3 or H4.

• Shift + Command + B
  

This command alters headings and subheadings into body text, which is the default format.

• Shift + Command + M
  

All highlighted text becomes monospace. In other words, every letter in the alphabet will occupy the same amount of space. This isn’t the default format, as in most situations, the letter I uses less space in documents than H, for example.

• Shift + Command + 7
  

If you want to create a bulleted list, this is the shortcut for you. Any selected text will be converted into bullet points.

• Shift + Command + 8
  

Instead of a bulleted list, this shortcut creates a dashed list.

• Shift + Command + 9
  

You can make numbered lists using this shortcut.

• Shift + Command + L
  

This shortcut allows users to change text into checklists.

• Command + Plus Sign
  

Highlight any text and press these keys to increase the font size.

• Command + Minus Sign
  

To shrink text size, you can use this shortcut.

• Command + ] or Tab
  

This shortcut is for increasing list levels.

• Command + [ or Shift + Tab
  

You can decrease list levels with one of these two shortcuts.

Shortcuts for Moving Items

• Control + Return
  

This command can create line breaks to list items or checklists.

• Option + Tab
  

When editing a list, press these keys to place a tab character.

• Shift + Command + U
  

This shortcut marks or unmarks checklist items.

• Control + Command + Up Arrow Key
  

Bring an item up in a checklist with this shortcut.

• Control + Command + Down Arrow Key
  

Move something down in a checklist.

• Shift + Command + >
  

Zoom in to see things closer.

• Shift + Command + <
  

Zoom out to get a larger picture of your note.

• Shift + Command + 0
  

Restore the note’s contents to the default size.

Commands for Navigating in Tables

When editing tables, you can use these commands.

• Return
  

Move down a row or add a new one.

• Shift + Return
  

Move up a row or above the table if you’re in the first row.

• Option + Return
  

Add a new paragraph within a cell.

• Option + Command + Up Arrow Key
  

You can add a new row above the current one.

• Option + Command + Down Arrow Key
  

Add a new row below the current one.

• Option + Command + Right Arrow Key
  

Add a new column to the right.

• Option + Command + Down Arrow Key
  

Insert a column to the left of your current one.

• Tab
  

Move to a cell on the right.

• Shift + Tab
  

Navigate to a cell on the left.

• Option + Tab
  

Insert a tab character into a cell.

• Shift + Left Arrow Key or Shift + Right Arrow Key
  

Select several rows in a table.

• Shift + Up Arrow Key or Shift + Down Arrow Key
  

Highlight columns in a table.

• Command + A
  

Select everything in a cell. If not in a table, the whole note’s contents are selected.

Apple Notes Keyboard Shortcuts for an iPad

Connecting a Bluetooth keyboard to an iPad gives you access to 14 different shortcuts. Besides those shown below, you can use the copy, paste, and cut commands.

• Command + C for Copying
  
• Command + V for Pasting
  
• Command + X for Cutting
  

Press and hold the Command key at any time to view any of the available shortcuts on the iPad.

• Command + B
  

Applies the Bold format to your text.

• Command + I
  

Puts the selected text in italics.

• Command + U
  

This shortcut underlines your sentences or selected words.

• Command + T
  

Makes a sentence into a Title.

• Command + H
  

Applies the Heading format to selected words.

• Command + B
  

Switches the text from Heading to Body, the default.

• Command + L
  

This shortcut creates a checklist.

• Shift + Command + U
  

Toggles checklist items as marked or unmarked.

• Control + Shift + T
  

Makes a table.

• Command + ]
  

Indents paragraphs to the right.

• Command + F
  

Find words or sentences within a note.

• Control + Command + F
  

Search in the notes list.

• Command + N
  

Creates a new note.

• Command + Return
  

Stops editing a note.

Extra Efficiency

With these keyboard shortcuts, you’ll find yourself working at least twice as fast, since there’s no need to use the taskbars for most functions. Apple Notes is highly user-friendly when you use the Mac version, though the mobile editions leave something to be desired. Even so, there are some basic shortcuts on mobile devices that help.

Which of these shortcuts do you use often? Do you have a favorite shortcut? Let us know in the comments section below.