Never Lose an Idea Again: The Power of Note Apps

Microsoft OneNote

OneNote is a free online note taking application. It is a digital version of a multiple subject notebook or a ring binder with tab dividers. With OneNote, you have one place to keep and organize your notes using sections and pages. The application allows you to insert multimedia such as images, videos, and recorded audio. With a touchscreen, you can also include sketches or handwrite ideas.

1. On your computer, type onenote.com in an internet adress bar and login with your Microsoft email and password. [Keep in mind that you can also download the OneNote mobile app for your smartphone.]
2. Click the +New button to create a new notebook or click an existing notebook to open it.
3. Organize your notes using sections which are notebook tabs. At the bottom of the screen on the left side, press Add Section. This will create a new tab in your notebook. Type a name for the section. A new page will automatically be created.
4. If a section tab is already created, click on the name of the section. Then at the bottom of the screen on the left side, press Add Page.
5. Type the topic or title of the page at the top.
6. Place the cursor on the page. Start typing.
7. Continue to add new sections (notebook tabs) and new pages to each section by clicking either Add Section or Add Page at the bottom left side on the screen.

Add Multimedia

1. Press the Insert tab in the top menu to add pictures, files, links, or audio for a voice note.
2. To add sketches or handwrite with a touchscreen, click the Draw tab in the top menu. You can add ruler lines or grid lines by click the View tab and select from the drop down menu under Ruler Lines.

Microsoft Support: OneNote Video Training

For step-by-step instructions for recording audio in OneNote, read the article Audio Recording Tools in Online Note Taking Apps.

Google Keep

Google Keep is a digital version of jotting notes on scrap paper or sticky notes with a good system for organizing and finding notes. Keep also has features that allow you to insert a photo, insert a voice memo, or dictate your thoughts and see them transcribed in the note.

Google Keep is good for executive functioning tasks – organizing ideas, inserting a photo for memory recall, or making a task list.

1. On your computer, type keep.google.com in an internet adress bar and login with your Google email and password. [You can also use the Keep app on your smartphone.]
2. At the top of the screen in the bar named Take a Note, type a title for your note.
3. Place your cursor below the title and start typing your note.
4. Organize your notes by adding a label. Press More (three dots) at the bottom of the note window. Click Labels and enter a label name at the top.
5. To view all the notes categorized under a certain label, click the label name from the list of labels in the left side bar.
6. You can choose to view your notes in a list or in a grid using the List/Grid View (four squares icon or two rectangles icon) in the top right of the screen.

Add Multimedia

• In Keep on your computer, use the Picture icon at the bottom of note window to insert an image. To add checkboxes, press More (three dots icon) and select Show Checkboxes. To add handwriting or a sketch, press More (three dots icon) and click Add Drawing.
• Using the Keep App on your smartphone, press the Plus Sign (square with plus sign) to insert multimedia – take a photo, choose an image, add a drawing or handwriting, press recording for an audio file and transcription, or add checkboxes.

Google Help Article: Google Keep Help

For step-by-step instructions for recording audio in Keep, read the article Audio Recording Tools in Online Note Taking Apps.