Game-changing Apple Notes feature makes note taking easier than ever following powerful update

Apple has quietly rolled out some big improvements to the Apple Notes app that make note-taking easier than ever.

The release of iOS 18 brought some game-changing features, including visual intelligence through the camera, Genmoji, ChatGPT support, and Apple's built-in AI, Apple Intelligence - as well as many security bug fixes and patches.

But while those big updates grabbed attention, you might have overlooked some smaller but highly useful improvements, like the upgrades to Apple Notes.

Hear me out, it's more than just bolding and underlining.

Thanks to the addition of audio recordings, automatic transcriptions, and even AI-generated summaries, the app is so much more than just a basic notepad. At one point, the Notes app was capable of basic text editing, but now it's become a note-taking powerhouse.

Jacques Julien / Getty

For one, you can now record audio directly inside a note on you iPhone or iPad.

To do this, open up the Notes app and create a new note, then tap the attachment button in the tool where it'll say ‘Record Audio.'

Now, you can record a meeting, lecture or your own thoughts without needing to copy over clips from Voice Memos.

Once recorded, the audio is saved directly in the note alongside text, images and sketches.

But the best part is the automatic transcription.

Apple Notes in iOS 18 can automatically provide a transcript of your recording in real time. What's more, if you have an AI-compatible device like the iPhone 16, you’ll also get an Apple Intelligence summary of the conversation. The app is essentially doing all the heavy lifting now when it comes to note-taking, so you can record and playback with ease.

MacFormat Magazine / Contributor / Getty

Furthermore, the app received a huge maths update in iOS 18 that makes solving equations as simple as writing them down.

If you write something like '2 + 2' with the equals sign, Notes will automatically calculate the answer. And if you change a number or add more to the equation, the result updates instantly.

The Maths Notes feature that also evaluates expressions and draws graphs is due to arrive in the Calculator app in the near future, too.

Elsewhere, if you want your notes to be more organised, the update has made editing easier and more customisable for students, professionals and everyday users.

For example, collapsible sections can help keep notes tidy and structured, whilst the addition of text highlighting makes it easier to emphasise important details.