Create digital notes in Google Keep

Google Keep is a digital notepad or notebook. But instead of just written words, users can also save drawings, images and sounds as notes. For example, make a shopping list with products, photos of ingredients and recorded reminders to get something. Extra nice: those notes are immediately available on all devices. So whoever makes a list at home on the computer, opens it in the store on the smartphone and checks off what has already been done.

Google Keep works online in all browsers on the PC and Mac. In addition, there is an app for all mobile devices. Keep can only be used with a Google account. If you don’t have one yet, read how it is created in the article ‘Create a Google account’.

The app is available in the Play Store and the App Store:

• Google Keep – Android (suitable for Android 5.0 and newer)
• Google Keep – iPad/iPhone (suitable for iOS 10 and newer)

In this article, we’ll be working with the online version of Google Keep. To do this, on the PC and Mac, go to: https://keep.google.com/

Google Keep has five types of notes. Note that not every kind of note can be created on all devices and in all browsers. They can all be viewed or played on all devices.

• Text note
  Here you can type anything that comes to mind. So comparable to a note on paper.
• Lists
  A list is an enumeration where each item has a check box. For example, make a shopping list. In the store, each item can be checked off by selecting the check box. The item will then be crossed out. This way you can keep track of what still needs to be put in the basket.
• drawing note
  You can draw in this note to your heart’s content. The option is not available in the Firefox browser.
• photo note
  Upload a photo or image to Google Keep. On an Android device and iPad/iPhone it is also possible to take a photo and save it directly in Google Keep.
• sound note
  Only in the app, so on Android device and iPad/iPhone. Speak text. The sound clip is saved. In addition, Keep converts the fragment directly into written text.

Create a text note as follows:

• Click at the top take note.
• Type your note.
• Then click Title and come up with a title for the note. This is not mandatory, you can also save the note without a title.
• click on Close.

Make a list like this:

• Click on the icon to the right of ‘Make a note’ New list .
• Type an item and press the Enter key to type the next item.
• After the last item, click Title and come up with a title for the list. This is not mandatory, you can also save the list without a title.
• click on Close.

Prefer a drawing note? This is possible on all devices and in all browsers, except Firefox.

• Click on the icon to the right of ‘Make a note’ New note with drawing .
• You will see a drawing sheet with a number of options at the top. From left to right they are:
  1. Select to select a (part of a) drawing.
  2. Eraser to erase a drawing.
  3. Pen to draw thin lines.
  4. Highlighter to draw thick lines.
  5. Highlighter to accentuate with color.
  6. Grid to make grid or rule lines visible.
• Click the down arrow next to each option to choose color, size, or other setting.
• Finished drawing, click on the left arrow at the top left.
• click on Title and come up with a title for the drawing. This is not mandatory, you can also save the drawing without a title.
• Optionally tap Note to add text to the drawing. This is not mandatory either.
• click on Close.

If necessary, add photos as a note.

• Click on the icon to the right of ‘Make a note’ New note with picture .
• Select an image on the computer.
• click on Title and come up with a title for the note. This is not mandatory, you can also save the note without a title.
• Click on Note to add a text note. This is not mandatory either.
• click on Close.

In addition to the various note options, there are also options within the notes.

• Add a reminder. Choose a time or location to be reminded of the note.
• Give each note a different background color. That way they are easier to keep apart.
• Label the notes. For example, ‘Holiday 2021’. Notes about the upcoming holiday are then easy to find.

Reminders, colors and labels can be added when the note is created. But it can also be done afterwards.

• Mouse over any existing note. A menu appears at the bottom of the note.
• click on Remind me of this to set a reminder. Choose a date and time and click Save. The reminder is now visible in the note.
• click on Change color and click on a color. The background of the note now has the selected color.
• click on More and then on Add label. Create a new label by typing its name or check an existing label to add the note to it. The label is now in the list on the left.

Archive notes that you want to keep, but no longer want to see in the overview.

• Mouse over any existing note. A menu will appear at the bottom.
• click on To archive .
• The note is archived immediately. All archived notes can be found in an archive. Click on the left Archive to view the archived notes.

Delete unnecessary notes as follows:

• Mouse over any existing note. A menu will appear at the bottom.
• click on More.
• Then click Delete note.
• Deleted notes are kept in the trash for seven days. Click on the left Garbage can to view them and, if necessary, put them back in the notes overview. To do this, move the mouse over the note. A menu will appear at the bottom. click on To recover.

Lost a note? Click on at the top To search. Helpful classifications appear below the search bar. For example the created labels. That way you can quickly find collections. It is of course also possible to type keywords in the search bar. You will immediately see the notes in which the keywords can be found.

It would go too far to discuss all the options of the app here. But if you get comfortable with the online version, you will probably also be able to work with the app. We cannot leave one topic unmentioned: making a sound note. This is only possible in the app. The nice thing is that you can also find such a note online in Google Keep afterwards.

• Open the Google Keep app.
• Tap the microphone icon and start talking right away.
• Stop the recording by tapping the microphone again.
• A sound recording was made and the speech was converted to written text. Tap on Title and come up with a title for the note. This is not mandatory, you can also save the note without a title.
• Tap the left arrow in the top left to save the note.