How to switch from paper notes to a note-taking app

There are many benefits to switching to digital note-taking – you no longer need to flip through tons of paper, your notes become more organized, easier to find (mostly), accessible across devices, and protected from wear and tear.

Still, no matter how great it sounds, the transition can be quite daunting. But they don’t have to.

1 Start slow

You don’t have to go 100% digital from scratch; rather go for it.

Start by deciding which notes you want to digitize first—perhaps the ones you use the most or the ones that are hardest to keep track of on paper. When I transitioned, I started my brainstorming notes because I’m that girl who carries a journal everywhere she goes because the ideas just won’t stop coming. Your notes can be meeting minutes, to-do lists, or rough drafts.

At first, I didn’t even use a dedicated note-taking app. I just wrote my ideas and sent them to myself on WhatsApp. Once I got comfortable, I switched fully to the right app, which works great for me (we’ll get to that soon).

How to digitize your existing paper notes

Once you’ve decided which notes to start with, there are a few simple tools you can use to scan and digitize them.

• For Android users: Files by Google has a built-in scanner that automatically detects documents and allows you to scan multiple pages in a batch.
• For iPhone users: Apple Notes makes scanning very easy and automatically syncs your scans between devices.
• For Microsoft fans: The OneDrive mobile app lets you scan directly into the app and syncs with your desktop.

Most of these apps—like Apple Notes, Google Lens, and Microsoft OneNote—also come with OCR (optical character recognition) capabilities. This means you can convert your handwritten or typed notes into editable text, so you’re not limited to just images or PDFs. You can easily copy, paste and organize text from scans in your application.

As you scan – whether as images, PDFs or text – instantly organize your notes into digital folders or notebooks. That’s because digital clutter can be much harder to manage than paper clutter, so it’s best to get organized from the start.

2 Choose the right note-taking app

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With so many note-taking apps available, each with their own unique features, it’s important to find one that best suits your style and needs.

If you’re already in the Apple ecosystem, you have some exceptional options. Apps like GoodNotes 6 are perfect if you prefer to take handwritten notes with a stylus, a more natural transition from paper to digital. Another solid choice is Apple Notes, which is great for jotting down lessons, ideas, or to-do lists wherever you are because it seamlessly integrates with macOS, iOS, and iPadOS.

If you’re on Android, you won’t be left behind. Evernote is especially great for taking study notes, thanks to its robust organizational features, support for uploading handwritten notes, and the ability to convert them to editable text. My personal favorite is Microsoft OneNote, which supports stylus input via Draw menu for those of us who prefer handwriting to digital note taking.

Although OneNote doesn’t automatically convert handwriting to text, it integrates well into the Microsoft ecosystem (where I’m deeply rooted).

Apps like Notion, Obsidian, and Joplin are fantastic alternatives if you want to organize your notes more like a digital filing system. Obsidian goes a step further by allowing you to link your notes in a way that reflects how ideas connect in your mind.

If you’re still not sure which app is best for you, our guide to choosing the next note-taking app can help.

3 Meet your preferred note-taking app

Once you’ve decided on a note-taking app, the next step is to familiarize yourself with its basic features. Understanding these basics will ease your transition and help you get the most out of your note-taking app.

For example, when I first started OneNote, I found it difficult to organize my notes properly. The home page has a plus icon to start a new note, but it wasn’t clear which notebook the page was saved to. It took some time to learn how to create and organize notebooks, sections, and pages, but it made a huge difference. as soon as I understood it.

Each app has its own way of organizing your notes, so it’s worth taking the time to learn how to create notebooks or folders and how to organize your notes within them. Many apps also offer classification tools like tags or labels to help you keep things even better organized.

You’ll also want to explore other useful features like adding reminders, creating to-do lists, or highlighting key points in notes. If you use a stylus, it’s worth learning how to convert your handwriting to text for easier searching and editing, although you can always choose to keep it in handwritten form.

To further enhance your note-taking experience, you can explore structured methods such as the Cornell Note-Taking Method. This method provides a simple template for you to write down your thoughts. This is especially helpful when you’re faced with a blank digital page that you’re likely unfamiliar with.

Another helpful technique, interstitial journaling, encourages you to write down your thoughts as they come to you, while noting the time. It’s always great to see my ideas evolve over time.

4 Use features like Voice Memos, Pictures and more

One great thing about digital note taking is that you can go beyond simple text. For example, I often get my best ideas in the most random places, like in the shower. If I don’t catch them now, they’re gone. That’s where voice memos come in handy. With OneNote, I can record voice notes directly into my notes.

You can also insert images, graphs, sketches and much more into your notes. Many apps, like Notion, even offer a Web Clipper that lets you save entire web pages directly to your notes.

Collaboration is another big advantage. Apps like Notion, Microsoft Loop, and Evernote enable real-time collaboration. You can share your notes with colleagues, friends or classmates and work on them together, which is especially useful for team projects.

Each app offers unique features, so take the time to explore the ones available to you.

5 Stay consistent with digital note-taking

The key to effective digital note-taking is consistency. Keeping your notes organized and up-to-date ensures they stay useful and don’t become digital clutter.

I spend a few minutes each day reviewing my notes and organizing them into the correct folders or notebooks. This daily routine has become second nature, much like reaching for a pen once was. Features like the OneNote floatie make it easy for me to jot down ideas whenever they arise.

However, if I don’t organize these notes, I won’t understand them later.

Another key to staying consistent is making sure the app is in sync across all your devices. Your notes will always be available whether you’re on your phone, tablet or computer. If your app allows reminders, make sure they’re also synced so you’ll get notifications even when you’re not on the device where you created the reminder.

It’s also important to keep your organizational system simple and true to you. Some people prefer one or two general categories with lots of pages, while others (like me) find it easier to use multiple folders and notebooks. I usually use at least five separate folders because it helps me find specific notes faster. Still, five separate folders may not suit you. Whatever system you choose, make sure it’s intuitive and works for you.

At the end of the day, the key is to constantly update your notes and stay organized. Remember that digital clutter can be worse than paper clutter—at least with paper, everything is thrown right in front of you.