Sync Sticky Notes · How-to Guide

The Basics

Create, edit, move, and manage your notes.

Where your notes live: the board and the desktop

iPhone & iPadMac

Sync Sticky Notes shows your notes differently on each device. On iPhone and iPad, everything sits on one freeform board that you can scroll and arrange. On Mac, each note is its own small window that floats right on your desktop.

On iPhone and iPad: open the app to see your board. Each note is a colored card you can drag anywhere. The board scrolls both up and down and side to side (there is no scroll bar), and it grows automatically to fit however many notes you add.
Each card shows a preview of the note: its title, a few lines of text, and a small sync icon in the bottom corner. A little photo icon means the note contains a picture, and a green dot with a device icon means the note is currently open on another device.
On iPad, cards are a bit larger than on iPhone so they use the extra space.
When the board is empty you will see an "Empty Board" message inviting you to drop a sticky note and drag to arrange. Tap "Add Note" there to make your first one.
On Mac: there is no single board. Every open note is a separate window sitting on your desktop, and you can place them anywhere on any screen. Notes stay put between sessions and reopen where you left them.

Good to know

Notes you create on your Mac that have not been placed on the iPhone board yet are laid out automatically into a neat grid the first time they appear on the board.
On Mac, the app also lives in your menu bar (the small note icon at the top of the screen), so you can reach it even when no note windows are showing.

The board on iPhone: colored note cards you drag anywhere, with the sync pill, gear, and plus button up top.

Creating a new note

iPhone & iPadMac

Making a new note is quick and completely free on both platforms. On iPhone and iPad you use the plus button on the board, and on Mac you have several fast options including a global shortcut that works from any app.

On iPhone and iPad: tap the plus (+) button in the top right corner of the board.
Choose "New Note" from the menu that appears. A fresh note titled "New Note" is placed on the board and opens for editing right away, so you can start typing immediately.
On the main board, that same plus menu also offers "New Folder" if you want to create a folder instead of a note.
If you back out of a brand new note without adding anything, the empty note is discarded automatically so it does not clutter your board.
On Mac: click the Sync Sticky Notes icon in the menu bar and choose "New Note", or use the app menu bar and choose File then "New Note". A new note appears near your pointer on whichever screen you are using.
On Mac you can also press your New Note keyboard shortcut, which works even when another app is in front. The current shortcut is shown next to "New Note" in the menu bar menu, and you can change it in Global Settings under Shortcuts.
On Mac, for a fast jot from anywhere, choose "Quick Capture..." from the menu bar (or press its shortcut), type a title and text, and press Return to file the note.

Good to know

Creating and using notes is always free. Only syncing them across your devices requires the premium unlock.
On Mac, a new note opens on the screen where your mouse currently is, so triggering it from a second monitor's menu bar puts the note on that monitor.

📱iPhone screenshotThe plus button menu open on the iPhone board showing the two items New Note and New Folder.

Editing a note's text and title

iPhone & iPadMac

Opening a note to change its text works the way you would expect on each platform: a tap on iPhone and iPad, a double-click on Mac. Your changes save automatically as you go.

On iPhone and iPad: tap a card on the board to open the note in the editor, then type to add or change its text.
On Mac: double-click the body of the note to start editing. An empty note shows the hint "Double-click to edit..." to tell you where to click.
On Mac, to rename a note, double-click its title in the colored header bar and type the new name. Press Return or click away to finish.
On Mac, a small formatting toolbar appears at the bottom of the note only while you are editing, and hides again when you are done.
On Mac, click anywhere on the note's background (or click another window) to stop editing. Your text is saved automatically.
If a note is locked, opening it first asks for Face ID or Touch ID (on iPhone and iPad) or Touch ID (on Mac) before revealing the text.

Good to know

You never need to press a save button. Both platforms save your edits as you type.
On Mac, a single click on the note background ends editing, so if the toolbar disappears just double-click the body again to continue.

A note on the Mac desktop. Notes float right on your desktop and save as you type.

Moving and arranging notes

iPhone & iPadMac

You can place notes exactly where you want them. On iPhone and iPad you drag cards around the board, and on Mac you drag notes around your desktop and can tuck them out of the way.

On iPhone and iPad: press a card and drag it to a new spot. While you are dragging a card, the board stops scrolling so the card follows your finger smoothly, and it drops into place when you let go.
A quick tap opens the note, while a clear drag moves it, so you will not move a card by accident when you meant to open it.
To scroll the board itself, drag starting from any empty area between the cards.
On iPhone and iPad, press and hold a card and choose "Bring to Front" to lift a card above others it overlaps.
On Mac: drag the colored header bar at the top of a note to move the window anywhere on your desktop or onto another screen.
On Mac, hover your pointer over a note's header to reveal quick action icons, including Pin to Position (which locks the note so it cannot be moved), collapse or expand, and Always on Top.
On Mac, right-click a note and use the Arrange options to shrink it out of the way: "Collapse to Title Bar" leaves only the header, "Collapse to Icon" shrinks it to a small square, and "Snap to Size" (or "Restore Size") toggles a standard size.

Good to know

On Mac, a note set to Pin to Position will not move when you try to drag it. Turn the pin off from the header hover icons or the right-click menu to move it again.
On Mac, a collapsed note can still be dragged by its title bar, and an iconified note can be dragged by its icon. Double-click either one to expand it back to full size.

💻Mac screenshotA note window on the Mac desktop with the pointer hovering over its colored header, showing the revealed pin, collapse, and always-on-top icons.

Opening a note again

iPhone & iPadMac

Getting back into a note you already have is simple, and if you have premium sync you can even send a note from your iPhone straight to your Mac's desktop.

On iPhone and iPad: tap any card on the board to open that note.
On iPhone and iPad, to send a note to your Mac's desktop, press and hold the card and choose "Open on Mac". This uses iCloud sync, so it is part of the premium unlock. If you have not unlocked premium, choosing it shows the upgrade screen.
On Mac: notes you had open reopen automatically when the app launches, right where you left them.
On Mac, to reopen a note you closed, open the Notes Manager (from the menu bar choose "Notes Manager...", or use its keyboard shortcut) and open the note from the list there.

Good to know

On iPhone and iPad, if the note is open on another device you will see a small green presence badge on its card.
On Mac, "Show All Notes" in the View menu brings every open note window to the front at once.

📱iPhone screenshotThe long-press context menu on a note card showing the Open on Mac item among the other actions.

Closing a note or taking it off the board

iPhone & iPadMac

You can tidy up without deleting anything. Removing a note from the board (on iPhone and iPad) or closing its window (on Mac) puts the note away but keeps it safe, so you can bring it back later.

On iPhone and iPad: press and hold a card and choose "Remove from Board". The card leaves the board, but the note itself stays in the app and is not deleted.
On iPhone and iPad, if the note is inside a folder, you can instead choose "Move out of Folder" to send it back to the main board.
On Mac: right-click a note and choose "Close Note", or close the note's window the usual way. This hides the window but keeps the note.
On Mac, use "Collapse All Notes" from the menu bar to tuck every open note down to its title bar at once, without closing any of them.

Good to know

Removing from the board or closing a note is not the same as deleting it. The note and its contents are kept, and closing on Mac simply hides the window.
On Mac, closing a note is treated as a local change on that device, so it will not disturb edits made to the same note on another device.

📱iPhone screenshotThe long-press card menu on iPhone highlighting the Remove from Board item.

Deleting a note for good

iPhone & iPadMac

When you truly want a note gone, you can delete it. Deleting removes the note from Sync Sticky Notes everywhere it is synced, so it is worth understanding the difference from simply closing a note.

On iPhone and iPad: press and hold a card and choose "Delete from app". This removes the note from Sync Sticky Notes.
On Mac: right-click a note and choose "Delete Note", then confirm in the dialog that appears.
On Mac, if the note also exists in Apple Notes, the dialog offers two choices: "Delete from Sync Sticky Notes (keep in Apple Notes)" or "Delete Everywhere (incl. Apple Notes)". Pick the one that matches what you want.
On Mac, if the note is not in Apple Notes, a single "Delete" button removes it.
Deleting removes the note from this device and from all of your synced devices, and it cannot be undone, so use it only when you are sure.

Good to know

To just put a note away without losing it, use Remove from Board (iPhone and iPad) or Close Note (Mac) instead of deleting.
On Mac, deleting is confirmed with a warning message precisely because it cannot be undone. Read the choice about Apple Notes carefully if you keep copies there.

💻Mac screenshotThe Delete Note confirmation dialog on Mac showing the two Apple Notes scope buttons and the Cancel button.

Writing & Formatting

Rich text, checklists, photos, drawings, and links.

Format Text: Bold, Italic, Underline, and Lists

iPhone & iPadMac

The formatting bar gives you bold, italic, underline, bullet lists, and more, and it is all free. The bar only shows up while you are editing a note's body, so your notes stay clean when you are just reading them.

Start editing the note body. On iPhone or iPad, tap anywhere in the note text so the keyboard appears, and the formatting bar sits just above the keyboard. On Mac, double-click the note body to enter edit mode, and the formatting bar appears along the bottom of the note.
To make text bold, italic, or underlined, first select the words you want to change, then tap the Bold, Italic, or Underline button.
On iPhone and iPad only, you can tap Bold, Italic, or Underline with nothing selected and then type. The new text picks up that style until you turn it off again.
On Mac you must select text first. The Bold, Italic, Underline, and Strikethrough buttons only change a highlighted selection. (Strikethrough is a Mac extra and is not on the iPhone or iPad bar.)
To start a bullet list, tap the Bulleted list button (the list.bullet icon). It adds a bullet to the current line. Tap it again on that line to remove the bullet.
On iPhone and iPad, tap the Numbered list button (the list.number icon) to start a numbered list that counts up automatically as you add lines. On Mac there is no numbered-list button, but if you type a number, a period, and a space yourself (for example 1. ), the app still indents the wrapped lines neatly.
On iPhone and iPad you can also shrink or grow the selected text with the Decrease text size and Increase text size buttons (the two textformat.size icons). This nudges the size in small steps and is free.
When you finish on iPhone or iPad, tap Done on the formatting bar to hide the keyboard, or tap Done at the top right to save and close the note. On Mac, click Done on the formatting bar or click empty space to leave edit mode.

Good to know

Press Return at the end of a bullet, number, or checklist line to start the next item automatically. Press Return on an empty item to end the list.
On iPhone and iPad you can also type shortcuts: type a dash or an asterisk followed by a space to start a bullet, or type [] followed by a space to start a checkbox.
Formatting is saved right inside the note, so it syncs to your other devices along with the text.
Setting one font and size for the whole note lives in the premium Style panel (iOS) or Note Settings (Mac). The everyday formatting on the bar is free.

The note editor on iPhone with the formatting bar: bold, italic, underline, bullets, checklist, and numbered list.

Checklists and Ticking Off Items

iPhone & iPadMac

Turn any line into a to-do with a tappable checkbox. Checklists are free, and ticking a box works right inside the note.

While editing the body, put the cursor on the line you want to turn into a checklist item, then tap the Checklist button (the checklist icon) in the formatting bar. This adds an empty checkbox to the start of the line.
Type your item text after the box, then press Return to start the next checkbox automatically.
To tick or untick an item, tap directly on the checkbox. An empty box becomes a checked box, and a checked box becomes empty again.
On Mac you can click a checkbox to tick it even when you are just reading the note, without double-clicking to edit first.
To remove a checkbox from a line on iPhone or iPad, put the cursor on that line and tap the Checklist button again.

Good to know

On iPhone and iPad, type [] then a space at the start of a line as a quick way to create a checkbox.
Pressing Return on an empty checklist item ends the list, so you can carry on with normal text.
The checkbox color follows the note's Checkbox accent. You can change that color in the note's Style panel (iOS) or Note Settings (Mac). Changing the color is a premium option, but the checklists themselves are free.

📱iPhone screenshotA note containing a short checklist with a mix of ticked (checked) and empty checkboxes, so both box states are visible.

Insert a Photo

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

Add a picture right inside a note. Inserting photos is a premium feature.

On iPhone or iPad, open the note, tap the More button (the ellipsis.circle icon at the top right), then tap Insert Photo (the photo icon). Choose a picture from your library and it drops in at your cursor.
On Mac, double-click the note body to edit it, then click the Insert Image button (the photo icon) on the formatting bar and choose an image file.
On either platform you can also drag an image (or a PDF) straight from another app or the Finder and drop it onto the note.
Photos come in at a small size. Tap or click the image to select it, then drag the round corner handle to resize it.
On iPhone and iPad, a red x appears at the image's top corner to remove it. On Mac, you can also drag a selected image to move it to another line.
If you have not unlocked premium, tapping Insert Photo (or Insert Image) opens the upgrade screen instead.

Good to know

Notes sync within a size budget, so very large pictures are shrunk automatically. If you see an Image too large message, try a smaller picture or fewer images in one note.
Dropping a PDF onto a note inserts its first page as an image.

💻Mac screenshotA note in edit mode with a photo inserted and selected, showing the round corner resize grip on the image and the formatting bar (with the photo button) along the bottom.

Insert a Drawing

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

Sketch a quick drawing and drop it into your note as a picture. On iPad you can draw with your finger or your Apple Pencil. Drawing is a premium feature.

On iPhone or iPad, open the note, tap the More button (the ellipsis.circle icon), then tap Insert Drawing (the scribble.variable icon). A full-screen Drawing canvas opens.
On Mac, double-click the note body to edit, then click the Draw button (the scribble.variable icon) on the formatting bar. The Drawing window opens.
Draw on the canvas. On iPad use your finger or Apple Pencil, on iPhone use your finger, and on Mac use your mouse or trackpad.
Pick a color from the six swatches and a line thickness from the three width dots. Tap the Eraser button (the eraser icon) to wipe out any stroke you draw over, and tap Undo (the arrow.uturn.backward icon) to take back your last stroke.
Tap Clear to start over, or tap Done to drop the finished drawing into your note as an image.
Once inserted, a drawing behaves just like a photo: select it to resize it (and on Mac, to move it).

Good to know

The drawing tools are the same on every device: black, white, red, orange, green, and blue, with thin, medium, and thick line widths.
If premium is locked, the drawing button opens the upgrade screen instead of the canvas.

📱iPhone screenshotThe full-screen Drawing canvas with a simple sketch on it and the palette bar at the bottom showing the six color swatches, three width dots, eraser, and undo, with Clear and Done in the navigation bar.

Link Notes Together with [[Wiki-Links]]

iPhone & iPadMac

Connect related notes by writing another note's title in double brackets, like [[Grocery List]]. Wiki-links are free and live inside the note text, so they sync everywhere.

To add a link on iPhone or iPad, type [[ in the body. A bar appears above the keyboard listing your notes. Tap one and it fills in the full [[Title]] for you.
You can also add a link from the menu. On iPhone or iPad, tap the More button (the ellipsis.circle icon), then tap Link to Note... (the link.badge.plus icon). On Mac, right-click the note, open the Links submenu, then choose Link to Note.... Search for a note and pick it to drop its [[Title]] link at the cursor.
On Mac you can also just type the brackets and title yourself, for example [[Meeting Notes]].
To follow a link, tap the bracketed link in the note on iPhone or iPad. On Mac, hold Command and click the link. Either way, the linked note opens.
To see all of a note's connections, open Links & Backlinks. On iPhone or iPad it is in the More menu (the link icon). On Mac it is in the right-click Links submenu.
In that panel, the Links section shows the notes this note points to, Linked mentions shows the notes that point back to this one (its backlinks), and Unresolved lists any bracketed titles that do not match a real note yet. Tap or click any row to jump to that note.

Good to know

A link matches by note title, so give your notes clear titles. If two notes share a title, the most recently edited one wins.
If a link shows up under Unresolved, no note has that exact title yet. Create one with that title and the link starts working.
The live [[ suggestion bar is on iPhone and iPad only. On Mac, use Link to Note... or type the brackets yourself.

📱iPhone screenshotThe Links panel open over a note, showing the Links section (notes this one links to) and the Linked mentions section (backlinks), each row with a colored note swatch and title.

Make It Yours

Themes, designs, colors, fonts, and headers.

Open the styling controls

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

All of a note's look (its colors, design, fonts, and header) lives in one place. Styling is a premium feature, so if you have not unlocked it, opening these controls takes you to the upgrade screen instead.

iOS: Tap a note to open it in the editor.
iOS: Tap the paint palette icon (paintpalette) in the top-right of the editor toolbar. When premium is unlocked, a sheet titled 'Style this note' slides up; otherwise the upgrade screen appears.
Mac: Right-click (or Control-click) the note's header bar to open its menu.
Mac: Under the 'Appearance' group, choose 'Note Settings…'. Free users instead see 'Unlock Note Settings…', which opens the upgrade screen. A window titled 'Note Settings - (note title)' opens.
iOS shows look-only sections in this order: Theme, Design, Colors, Text, Header, with a live preview at the top. Mac shows scrolling cards: Theme, Design style, Typography, Icon, Folder and sync, Behavior, and Templates.

Good to know

On iOS, folders, tags, reminders, and the note lock are NOT in this sheet. They live in the More menu (the ellipsis.circle icon) next to the paint palette.
On the Mac, each card shows a 'Customized' dot when its values differ from your Global Settings, plus a 'Reset to global default' button that clears those overrides.
Tap or click 'Done' when you are finished; changes are applied live as you make them.

Style this note on iPhone: a live preview, 8 Themes, the 8 Designs, and per-part Colors.

Pick a Theme preset

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

A theme is a ready-made color pairing. Picking one sets the paper color, the title (header) ink, the body ink, and the checkbox accent all at once, so you get a coordinated look in a single tap.

Open the styling controls (see above).
iOS: In the 'Theme' section, tap one of the colored circles. The chosen theme gets a colored ring and a checkmark.
Mac: In the 'Theme' card, click one of the tiles. Each tile shows 'Aa' in the theme's own colors with its name underneath, and the selected tile is outlined.
Choose from the eight themes: Sunshine (soft yellow), Sand (warm tan), Rose (pink), Mint (green), Sky (blue), Lavender (purple), Cloud (white), and Slate (dark charcoal).

Good to know

A theme only sets colors. Your design, fonts, and header settings stay exactly as they are.
After picking a theme you can still adjust any single color in the color controls, and the note keeps your tweak.

Choose a Design

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

The design controls the note's surface, the look behind your text. There are eight designs, each shown as a small live preview so you can compare them before choosing.

iOS: In the 'Design' section, swipe the row of preview tiles sideways and tap the one you want. The selected tile is outlined in your accent color.
Mac: In the 'Design style' card, click a tile in the grid.
The eight designs are: Minimal (flat, plain paper), Classic (a soft inner shadow for subtle depth), Paper (ruled lines like lined paper), Glass (a frosted, translucent surface), Bordered (paper with a visible outline), Native (a plain system look that draws a divider under the header), Index Card (a colored top stripe over ruled lines), and Folded (a turned-down dog-ear top corner).

Good to know

Mac only: choosing 'Native' sets the header height to 14 for you, unless you have already customized the height.

Set individual colors

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

Below the theme presets you can set each color by hand. The row labels differ slightly between the two apps, but they control the same parts of the note.

iOS: In the 'Colors' section, tap the swatch next to a row to open the system color picker. The rows are: Paper (the note background), Title ink (the title text), Body ink (the note text), Header (the header band background), and Checkbox (the checklist checkbox accent).
Mac: In the 'Theme' card, use the color well and the hex field on each row. The rows are: Paper, Header (header band background), Header text (the title text), Body text (the note text), and Checkbox. You can type an exact value such as #FFF4B8 into the hex field.
Header color: leave it unset to match the paper color. On the Mac a 'Match paper' button appears once you give the header its own color, which resets it back to matching.
Checkbox color: leave it unset to match the body ink. On the Mac a 'Match ink' button appears once you set it, which resets it back to matching.

Good to know

iOS 'Title ink' and Mac 'Header text' are the same setting (the title shown in the header). iOS 'Body ink' and Mac 'Body text' are likewise the same setting.
In read-only previews (the board, lists, widgets) the app nudges hard-to-read ink toward black or white for legibility, but the editor always shows your exact chosen color.
Color choices do not support transparency; every color is fully opaque.

Body font and size

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

Set the typeface and point size used for the note's body text. Changes apply to the whole note body right away.

iOS: In the 'Text' section, tap 'Font' and choose a family, then use the 'Size' stepper to set the point size (8 to 40).
iOS font choices are: System, Georgia, Helvetica Neue, Avenir Next, Palatino, Times New Roman, Courier New, Menlo, Marker Felt, Noteworthy, Bradley Hand, and Snell Roundhand.
Mac: In the 'Typography' card, pick a font from the 'Body font:' menu (it lists every font installed on your Mac) and set the point size with the 'Size' stepper (8 to 40).

Good to know

On iOS, changing the body font or size restyles the entire note body live, not just text you type next.
Mac only: a font synced from another Mac that is not installed on this one shows as '(not installed)', so opening Settings does not silently swap the note's font.

Header options

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

The header is the band that holds the note's title. You can hide it, resize it, and give it its own font.

iOS: In the 'Header' section, turn 'Show header' on or off. With it on you also get 'Height' (12 to 80), a 'Header font' picker, and a 'Header size' stepper (8 to 40).
Mac: In the 'Typography' card, set the 'Header font:' and its 'Size' (8 to 40), the 'Header height' (12 to 80), and toggle 'Show header'.
Mac only: toggle 'Show header icons (pin, collapse, on-top)' to show or hide the small control buttons in the note's header.

Good to know

On iOS the header is never drawn shorter than a comfortable tap target (about 40 points) even if you set a smaller height, because it holds the editable title and the sync pill.
With the header turned off, the title still stays editable at the top of the note.

Set a note icon

MacPremium

You can give a note an icon (an emoji or a small image) that shows in its header and in its collapsed states. This is set on the Mac, in Note Settings.

Mac: Open Note Settings and find the 'Icon' card.
Click one of the eight quick emoji (the presets are the notepad, light bulb, star, fire, pushpin, target, check mark, and heart).
Clicking the emoji that is already selected clears it.
For any other emoji, click 'Choose Emoji…' and pick from the full grid; your choice is applied and the popover closes on the tap.
To use a picture, click 'Choose Custom Image…' and select an image file. It is scaled down to a small icon (up to 128 points) so it syncs cleanly.
Use 'Reset to global default' at the top of the Icon card to remove the icon.

Good to know

The iOS 'Style this note' sheet has no icon control, but an icon you set on the Mac still appears on your iPhone and iPad.
Choosing an emoji clears a custom image and vice versa; a note carries one icon at a time.

💻Mac screenshotThe Note Settings window scrolled to the 'Icon' card, showing the row of eight preset emoji, the 'Choose Emoji…' button, and the 'Choose Custom Image…' button.

Organize

Folders, tags, search, and the Notes Manager.

The Notes Manager

iPhone & iPadMac

The Notes Manager is where you browse every note in one place instead of hunting across your board. On iPhone and iPad it is the "Notes" tab, and on Mac it is the "Notes Manager" window, both with a list of sources on one side and your notes on the other.

iOS: Open the "Notes" tab. On iPhone you get a scrolling list of sources that drill into notes; on iPad the sources sit in a sidebar with the notes shown in a pane beside them.
iOS: Under "Open on devices", tap "This iPhone" (or "This iPad") to see the notes currently on your board. With premium unlocked, your other devices are listed here too, and you can swipe a device row and tap "Stop Tracking" to drop it.
iOS: Tap any folder under "Folders" or any tag under "Tags" to narrow to just those notes, then tap a note to open it.
iOS: Tap the New Note button (the square.and.pencil icon at the top right) to create a note. With a hardware keyboard you can press Command N.
iOS: If you have deleted notes, a trash icon with a count appears at the top left; tap it to review them.
Mac: Open the Notes Manager window. In the sidebar under "On desktop", pick "All sticky notes", "Open", or "Closed" to filter by state (each row shows a count).
Mac: Under "Open on devices", "This Mac" is always shown; your other devices and "On all devices" appear once premium is unlocked.
Mac: Use the "Folders", "Tags", and "Apple Notes" sections to browse by folder, by tag, or through your Apple Notes folders.
Mac: Double-click any note card to open it on the desktop. Hover a card for quick buttons (Open on desktop, Push to Apple Notes, Delete), or right-click for the full menu.
Mac: Click "New note" at the top of the grid to add a note.

Good to know

Viewing your own notes is free. Seeing other devices, the Folders section, and the Apple Notes browser all need premium.
On Mac, the source name and a live note count sit above the grid, next to the search field.
The Mac manager never shows trashed notes; you review and restore deleted notes on iOS.

The Notes tab on iPhone: search every note, browse Open on devices and Folders. On Mac this is the Notes Manager window.

Create and customize folders

iPhone & iPadPremium

Folders group related notes and live as tiles right on your board. You can give each one a name, a color, an emoji, and a tile style so it is easy to pick out at a glance.

On the main board (not inside a folder), tap the "+" button at the top right and choose "New Folder". A new folder tile appears on the board.
Press and hold a folder tile to bring up its menu, then choose "Customize…".
In the "Customize Folder" sheet, type a name into the "Folder name" field. A live preview at the top updates as you make changes.
Under "Style", tap one of the eleven looks: a manila folder, a stack of notes, a plain tile, an index card, an envelope, a polaroid, a washi-tape note, frosted glass, a ring binder, a round chip, or a glowing neon tile.
Under "Color", tap a preset color circle, or use "Custom color" to dial in any shade.
Under "Emoji", tap one of the preset emoji, or tap "Choose any emoji…" to open the full emoji keyboard and pick any single emoji.
Tap "Done" to save your folder, or "Cancel" to discard. Changes only apply when you tap Done.
To remove a folder, press and hold its tile and choose "Delete Folder".

Good to know

The "New Folder" option only appears on the main board, not while you are inside a folder.
The preview tile at the top of the sheet shows exactly how your folder will look before you tap Done.

📱iPhone screenshotThe Customize Folder sheet open, showing the folder preview at top, the Folder name field, the Style grid of eleven tile looks, the Color palette with the Custom color row, and the Emoji picker.

File notes into folders and open a folder

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

Once you have a folder, you can tuck notes inside it and open it to see just those notes. Folders you build on iPhone or iPad also appear as a source in the Mac Notes Manager.

iOS: On the main board, drag a note card on top of a folder tile and let go. When the note's center lands on the tile, it is filed into that folder and leaves the main board.
iOS: Tap a folder tile (or press and hold it and choose "Open") to open its own board. The title bar now shows the folder's name.
iOS: On a folder's board, tap the "+" button and choose "New Note" to add a note straight into that folder.
iOS: Tap "Board" (the chevron at the top left) to return to the main board.
iOS: To take a note back out, open the folder, press and hold the note, and choose "Move out of Folder".
Mac: In the Notes Manager sidebar, open the "Folders" section (shown when premium is unlocked) and click a folder name to filter the grid to the notes it holds. Each folder row shows a count.

Good to know

Folders and their tiles live on the main board only, so you cannot place a folder inside another folder.
The folder tile counts the notes inside it (shown to VoiceOver), even though the count is not printed on the tile face.
On Mac, the Folders section only appears when premium is unlocked.

Tags and smart groups

iPhone & iPadMac

Tags are simple labels like #work or #ideas that you attach to notes. Every tag you use becomes a smart group automatically, so you can pull up all the notes that share it without filing anything.

iOS: Open a note and add tags in its editor. Tagging is free, so no unlock is needed.
iOS: In the "Notes" tab, scroll to the "Tags" section. Each tag is listed with a number icon and a count of matching notes.
iOS: Tap a tag to see every note that carries it. The screen is titled with the tag, for example "#work".
iOS: Create a note from inside a tag group and it is made already carrying that tag.
Mac: In the Notes Manager, right-click a note card and choose "Edit Tags…".
Mac: In the "Tags" popover, type into the "Add a tag" field and click "Add" (or press Return). Click any chip under "Existing tags" to reuse a tag you already have.
Mac: To remove a tag, click the small x on its chip.
Mac: In the sidebar, open the "Tags" section and click a tag to filter the grid to notes that carry it.

Good to know

Tags group case-insensitively, so #Work and #work land in the same smart group; the first spelling you used becomes the label.
Mac note cards show up to three tag chips, then a "+N" for any extras.
The Mac tag editor suggests tags already in use elsewhere, so it is easy to keep the same spelling and keep notes grouped together.

Search your notes

iPhone & iPadMac

Search finds notes by what is in them, and it goes a step further with meaning-based matches, so you can turn up a note even when you do not remember its exact wording.

iOS: Open the "Notes" tab and pull down or tap the search bar labeled "Search all notes".
iOS: Type your text. Results include notes whose title, body text, or tags contain what you typed.
iOS: Below the exact matches, related notes found by meaning appear, closest first.
iOS: Tap a result to open it (a locked note still asks for Face ID or Touch ID first).
Mac: In the Notes Manager, click the "Search notes" field at the top right of the grid, next to the magnifying glass.
Mac: Type your text. Matching notes filter into the grid by title and body text, with meaning-based matches added below the exact ones.

Good to know

The meaning-based results let you search by idea, not just by exact keyword.
On Mac, search is scoped to whatever source is selected, so pick "All sticky notes", a folder, or a tag first to set what you are searching. The search field is hidden while the Apple Notes browser is open.

Sync & Apple Notes

iCloud, the sync pill, and the Apple Notes bridge.

The sync pill: Local, iCloud, and Auto

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

Every note carries a tiny pill that shows how far that note travels. It is the single control for a note's sync reach, and it looks and reads the same idea on both platforms so your Mac and your iPhone never disagree about a note.

Find the pill. On the Mac it sits at the right end of the note's title bar (header). On iPhone and iPad it sits to the right of the title while you have the note open in the editor, and each note also shows its state as a small badge on its board card.
Local (gray icon, icloud.slash) means the note stays on this device only. It is never uploaded, so it will not appear on your other devices.
iCloud (blue icon, icloud) means the note syncs privately across all your devices (iPhone, iPad, and Mac) through your own iCloud account.
Auto (green icon, arrow.triangle.2.circlepath.icloud) means everything iCloud does, plus the note is also mirrored into Apple Notes. Auto is set on the Mac (see the Auto and Apple Notes section).
If you ever see an orange Too large pill (exclamationmark.icloud), that note is over the iCloud size limit. Remove a large image or drawing, or shorten the note, and it will sync again.
On the free tier the pill instead shows a crown and the word Unlock. Tapping or clicking it opens the upgrade screen, because cross-device sync is a premium feature.

Good to know

The pill dims slightly when a note is Local, so a quick glance tells you which notes are staying put.
Hover the pill on the Mac for a tooltip that names the current state and what a click will do.

💻Mac screenshotA note window whose header shows the green Auto pill at the right edge, with the tooltip visible reading the sync state.

Change a note's sync level on the Mac

MacPremium

On the Mac the pill is a one-click cycle, so you can walk a note through all three sync levels without opening any menu.

Click the sync pill in the note's header.
Each click advances the note one step: Local goes to iCloud, iCloud goes to Auto, and Auto goes back to Local.
The change saves as soon as you click, so there is nothing else to confirm.
Going to iCloud starts syncing the note across your devices. Going to Auto also begins mirroring it into Apple Notes. Going back to Local stops any further uploads from this Mac.
Turning sync off (back to Local) does not reach out and delete the copies already sitting on your other devices. It simply stops this Mac from pushing new changes for that note.

Good to know

The Mac is the only place you can reach the Auto (Apple Notes) level, so use the Mac when you want a note mirrored into Apple Notes.
If a note shows the orange Too large pill instead, clicking will not cycle it. Trim the note's size first.

Turn iCloud sync on or off for a note on iPhone or iPad

iPhone & iPadPremium

On iPhone and iPad the pill is a simple on/off switch for iCloud. It deliberately does not set the Auto (Apple Notes) level, because the Apple Notes mirror is handled by your Mac.

Open the note so you are in the editor. The pill sits to the right of the title.
Tap the pill. If the note is currently syncing (iCloud or Auto), tapping turns sync off and the note becomes Local. If the note is Local, tapping turns iCloud sync on.
The new state is kept when you tap Done to close the editor.
Note the one-way limit: if you tap an Auto note here, it drops to Local (this also drops its Apple Notes relay). Tapping again gives you iCloud, not Auto. To make a note Auto again, use its pill on your Mac.

Good to know

A note can still DISPLAY the green Auto pill on iPhone if it was set to Auto on the Mac. You just cannot choose Auto from here.
The board's top bar also has a separate status pill (Synced, Syncing, or iCloud off) that reflects the whole app, not one note. Tapping it forces a sync now, or jumps to Settings if you are not signed into iCloud.

The note editor on iPhone. The blue iCloud pill beside the title means the note is syncing across your devices.

Make new notes sync automatically (New notes sync via iCloud by default)

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

By default a brand-new note starts as Local so nothing leaves your device by surprise. If you would rather every new note sync from the moment you create it, turn on this one setting. Each device keeps its own copy of this preference.

On the Mac: open Global Settings, choose Behavior in the sidebar, and turn on New notes sync via iCloud by default.
On iPhone or iPad: open Settings (the gear), and turn on New notes sync via iCloud by default in the top section.
When it is off, each new note starts Local and you tap or click its pill to enable iCloud or Auto later.
When it is on, each new note starts syncing across your devices right away. You can still make any single note Local from its pill.

Good to know

This is a premium setting. While the app is locked the toggle is disabled, and the hint points you to unlock sync from any note's pill.
Turning it on does not change notes you already made, only notes you create from then on.
This default does not turn on Auto (Apple Notes). New notes start at iCloud, and you raise a note to Auto on the Mac when you want it mirrored into Apple Notes.

Auto sync and the Apple Notes mirror (keep your Mac awake)

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

Auto is iCloud sync plus a live copy of the note kept in Apple Notes. This is what lets a sticky note also show up in the Notes app on all your Apple devices. There is one important rule: only your Mac talks to Apple Notes.

Set a note to Auto by clicking its pill on the Mac until it shows the green Auto state.
From then on, changes you make to that note (on any device) sync through iCloud, and your Mac writes them into Apple Notes for you.
Because your iPhone and iPad never write to Apple Notes directly, the Apple Notes copy only catches up while your Mac is running and awake with the app open. If your Mac is asleep or shut down, edits still sync between your devices through iCloud, and Apple Notes updates once the Mac wakes.
New notes are filed into the folder you pick as the Default Apple Notes Folder (see that section).

Good to know

For the most reliable Apple Notes mirroring, leave the Mac app running. iCloud sync between your own devices does not need the Mac, but the Apple Notes half does.
iCloud Notes must be enabled on the Mac. An On My Mac only account cannot receive the mirror.
Turning a note off Auto stops the Apple Notes mirroring for that note going forward. It does not delete the copy already in Apple Notes.

Choose the Default Apple Notes Folder

MacPremium

When a note is mirrored into Apple Notes, it needs a folder to live in. This setting decides which Apple Notes folder new synced notes go to. It is set on the Mac, since the Mac is the device that writes to Apple Notes.

Open Global Settings and choose Folder in the sidebar. The heading reads Default Apple Notes Folder.
Pick an existing folder from the Folder menu.
To make a new one, choose New Folder… from the bottom of the menu, type a name, and click Create. The folder is created in Apple Notes.
Use the Push button next to the menu to create or confirm the chosen folder in Apple Notes right away.

Good to know

The app's own relay folder is named SyncStickyNotes and is used if you have not chosen another folder.
If you type a new folder name, the app tells you it will be created in Apple Notes before it makes it.

💻Mac screenshotGlobal Settings with Folder selected in the sidebar, showing the Folder popup menu and the Push button.

Import from Apple Notes

MacPremium

You can pull notes you already keep in Apple Notes into Sync Sticky Notes, so they become stickies and sync to your other devices. This runs on the Mac, because the Mac is the device that can read Apple Notes.

Open the menu bar icon or the File menu and choose Import from Apple Notes….
In the window, tick the Apple Notes folders you want to mirror into the app. Each folder is a checkbox with a folder icon.
Use Refresh Folders if you just made a folder in Apple Notes and do not see it yet.
Click Import Now to bring the notes in. The window shows a Last imported time so you know when it last ran.
Imported notes sync to your other devices through iCloud like any other synced note.

Good to know

This is a premium feature. On the free tier, choosing Import from Apple Notes opens the upgrade screen instead.
The app's own SyncStickyNotes folder is never offered for import, because it already round-trips through the app.
If you later delete an imported note inside Apple Notes, it moves to Trash on your iPhone for review rather than vanishing. It is never removed automatically.

💻Mac screenshotThe Import from Apple Notes window with several folder checkboxes listed and the Import Now button at the bottom right.

See where a note is open (Open on devices) and send it to your Mac

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

The app can show you which of your other devices currently have a note open, so you know where you left off. It can also pop a note open on your Mac's desktop from your phone.

Look for the small green presence badge on a note. On the Mac it appears in the note header with a device icon (a laptop, iPhone, or iPad symbol), and hovering shows Open on followed by the device names.
On iPhone and iPad the same badge appears in the corner of a note's board card, and the Notes Manager has an Open on devices view listing what is open where.
To bring a note up on your Mac from your phone: press and hold the note on the board, then choose Open on Mac. Your Mac opens it as a window the next time it syncs.
Manage how long an offline device is remembered with Forget devices after (choose 7, 14, 30 days, or Never). On the Mac this is in Global Settings under Behavior in the Open on devices area, and on iPhone or iPad it is in Settings under Open on Devices.

Good to know

Seeing your OTHER devices is a premium feature. Your own Mac is always listed even on the free tier.
To stop tracking a specific device right away, right-click it on the Mac list, or swipe it on iPhone or iPad.
Open on Mac needs the note to sync, so it is a premium action and it turns the note's iCloud sync on if it was Local.

Reminders & Locking

Get nudged, and keep private notes private.

Set a note reminder

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

A reminder gives a single note its own alarm. When the time arrives, your device shows a notification for that note. The reminder time syncs across your devices, and each device schedules its own notification.

On iPhone or iPad, for a quick time: on the board, touch and hold the note, then open the Remind Me submenu (it reads Reminder once one is set) and choose In 1 Hour, This Evening, or Tomorrow Morning.
On iPhone or iPad, for a specific time: tap the note to open it, tap the More actions button (the ellipsis.circle three dots icon), choose Set Reminder (or Edit Reminder if one already exists), turn on Remind me, then pick the day and time in the calendar under When.
On iPhone or iPad, the first time you set any reminder, allow notifications when your device asks, otherwise the alarm cannot appear.
On Mac, for a quick time: right-click (or Control-click) the note, and under Set Note Reminder (it reads Note Reminder once one is set) choose In 1 Hour, This Evening, or Tomorrow Morning.
On Mac, for a specific time: right-click the note, choose Note Settings, scroll to the Behavior card, turn on Set a reminder, then set the exact date and time in the Reminder time picker.
To clear it: on iPhone or iPad reopen the Reminder submenu on the board and choose Remove Reminder, or in the reminder sheet turn off Remind me. On Mac reopen Note Reminder and choose Remove Reminder, or turn off Set a reminder in Note Settings.

Good to know

The presets are exact: In 1 Hour means one hour from now, This Evening means 6 PM today (or 6 PM tomorrow if 6 PM has already passed), and Tomorrow Morning means 9 AM tomorrow.
You cannot pick a time in the past. The date pickers only allow times from now onward.
On iPhone and iPad the reminder controls open the upgrade screen until you unlock premium. On Mac the reminder options appear in the menu only after you unlock premium (before that the menu shows Unlock Note Settings instead).

📱iPhone screenshotThe board with one note pressed and held so its context menu is open, showing the Remind Me submenu expanded with In 1 Hour, This Evening, and Tomorrow Morning. Use an unlocked (premium) build so the presets are active rather than routing to the paywall.

Lock a note with Face ID or Touch ID

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

Locking a note keeps its contents private. A locked note still stays on your board or desktop, but its title and text are blurred behind a lock badge until you unlock it with Face ID or Touch ID.

On iPhone or iPad, to lock: open the note, tap the More actions button (the ellipsis.circle three dots icon), then choose Lock with Face ID. This entry appears only when your device has Face ID or Touch ID set up.
On iPhone or iPad, to open a locked note: tap it on the board and pass Face ID or Touch ID. It then stays open for the rest of the session. If you reach a locked note another way (a link, a reminder tap, or search), tap the Unlock button and authenticate.
On iPhone or iPad, to remove the lock: open and unlock the note, tap More actions, then choose Remove Lock. Removing a lock always requires Face ID or Touch ID first.
On Mac, to lock: right-click (or Control-click) the note and choose Lock with Touch ID. The note window blurs its title and body right away.
On Mac, to reveal a locked note: click the blurred body and pass Touch ID. The note stays readable for the session.
On Mac, to remove the lock: right-click the note, choose Remove Lock, then pass Touch ID.

Good to know

Removing a lock always requires Face ID or Touch ID, even when you have already unlocked the note this session, so nobody can quietly strip the lock.
A locked note keeps its paper color on the board so you can still find it. Only the words are blurred, with a small lock badge.
The lock option only shows when your device has Face ID or Touch ID enabled.
On iPhone and iPad, locking is part of the premium unlock, so choosing Lock with Face ID before you upgrade opens the upgrade screen.

📱iPhone screenshotThe board showing one locked note card: its body text blurred with a small lock.fill badge in the corner, sitting next to a normal unlocked note for contrast.

Templates

Save a look once, reuse it anywhere.

Note Templates: what they are

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

A template saves the look of a note so you can reuse it on other notes with one tap. It captures the design, not the writing, so you get a consistent style without retyping anything. Templates are a premium feature and, once saved, they sync across all your devices automatically.

Style a note the way you like it: pick its design, paper and ink colors, header color, checkbox color, emoji or custom icon, fonts, font sizes, and header size.
Save that look as a named template from the note's menu (see "Save a note as a template").
Apply the template to any other note whenever you want it to share the same look (see "Apply a template to another note").
Rename or remove templates from your template list (see "Manage your templates").
Because templates are premium, unlock the app first if you see a crown or an "Unlock" prompt where the template options should be.

Good to know

A template records look only: design style, colors (paper, text, header, and checkbox accent), icon, fonts and sizes, header height, and whether the header and its icons show. It never copies the note's text.
Templates sync through iCloud, so a template you save on your iPhone shows up on your Mac and iPad, and a template you delete disappears everywhere.
Applying a template marks those style properties as customized on that note, so the note keeps the look instead of drifting back to your global defaults.

Save a note as a template

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

Once a note looks the way you want, capture its style as a reusable template. You save from the note's own menu, and the new template is added to your synced template list.

iOS: In your notes list, a folder, a tag group, or on the board, touch and hold (long-press) the note to open its menu.
iOS: Tap Save as Template (the two-squares icon). The template is named automatically from the note's title, or "My Template" if the note has no title, and it appears instantly in Settings, then Templates.
Mac: Right-click the note (right-clicking its title bar works too) to open its menu, or right-click a note in the Notes Manager list.
Mac: Under the Appearance group, choose Save as Template. In the box that appears, keep or edit the suggested name (it starts as the note's title) and click Save.
Mac (alternative): Open Note Settings for the note, go to the Templates section, and click Save current style as Template, then name it and click Save.

Good to know

If Save as Template is missing on Mac, the note styling is locked: the menu will show "Unlock Note Settings" instead, meaning you need the premium unlock first.
iOS does not ask you to type a name when saving. To rename the template afterward, go to Settings, then Templates (see "Manage your templates").
The confirmation on Mac spells out what is stored: "Saves this note's design, colors, icon, fonts and header size as a reusable template."

📱iPhone screenshotA note in the notes list under a long-press, showing the context menu with the Save as Template item (two-squares icon) and the Apply Template submenu item visible. Requires the premium unlock so the template items appear.

Apply a template to another note

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

Applying a template restyles a note to match a saved look. Only the appearance changes: the note's text stays exactly as it is. The Apply option shows up once you have at least one saved template.

iOS: Touch and hold (long-press) the note you want to restyle to open its menu.
iOS: Tap Apply Template (the paintbrush icon) to open the submenu, then tap the template you want. Each template shows a small color swatch so you can tell your looks apart.
Mac: Right-click the note you want to restyle (in its window, in the Notes Manager, or on the board), then open the Apply Template submenu and click a template.
Mac (alternative): Open Note Settings for that note, go to the Templates section, and click Apply on the template row you want.
Check the note: its colors, design, icon, fonts, and header update immediately, while your typed content is untouched.

Good to know

Applying a template overrides that note's own style settings for the fields the template controls, so the note holds the new look rather than following your global defaults.
The Apply Template menu only appears when you have saved at least one template. If you see no Apply option, save a template first.
On Mac, an open note window updates live the moment you apply a template.

💻Mac screenshotA note's right-click menu with the Apply Template submenu expanded, listing saved templates each with a colored swatch. Requires the premium unlock.

Manage your templates

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

You manage your saved templates from Settings on iPhone and iPad, and from Global Settings on Mac. This is where you rename, delete, or set a template as the starting look for brand-new notes. Changes here sync to your other devices.

iOS: Open the app's Settings (the gear icon in the top toolbar), then under Personalization tap Templates. The row shows a badge with how many templates you have.
iOS: Each template shows a mini preview, its design style, and when it was last updated. Tap a template to rename it in the Rename Template sheet, then tap Save.
iOS: To rename or delete quickly, swipe a template from the right edge and choose Rename (pencil) or Delete (trash).
iOS: If you have no templates yet, you see a "No Templates" message telling you to save one from any note's menu.
Mac: Open Global Settings (the app menu's Settings, Command and comma, or Global Settings in the menu bar icon), then in the Style & Content group select Templates.
Mac: For any template row, click Use for new notes to make that look the default for every new note you create, or click the trash button to delete the template.
Mac: To create a template, save one from a note first (Note Settings, then Templates); the Global Settings pane is for applying a saved look to new-note defaults and for deleting.

Good to know

Deleting a template removes it from every one of your devices, not just the one you are on.
Renaming is available on iPhone and iPad only; the Mac Global Settings pane offers Use for new notes and Delete, but not rename.
Use for new notes (Mac) changes only your defaults for future notes. It does not restyle notes you already have. To restyle an existing note, use Apply Template on that note.
On Mac, if the Templates row shows a crown, the feature is locked: unlock the app to manage templates.

💻Mac screenshotGlobal Settings window with Templates selected in the Style & Content sidebar group, showing one or two saved template rows each with a color swatch, a Use for new notes button, and a trash button. Requires the premium unlock so the pane is not showing the crown lock screen.

Mac Power Features

Menu bar, shortcuts, the drawer, and settings.

The Menu Bar Menu

Mac

Sync Sticky Notes lives in your Mac's menu bar as a small note icon. Click it any time to create notes, tidy your desktop, and reach settings, even when no note window is showing.

Look for the note icon (the note.text symbol) near the right side of your menu bar and click it to open the menu.
The top line shows your status so you always know whether premium is active: it reads "✓ Lifetime Access", "✓ Subscribed", or "Free Version · Sync Off".
On the free version, an "Unlock Everything…" item with a yellow crown sits near the top and opens the upgrade screen. (Before you have ever unlocked, it may instead read "Subscribe or Purchase Lifetime…".)
Choose "New Note" to drop a fresh note on the display your pointer is on. The gray text on the right (for example ⌥⌘N) is a reminder of the global shortcut, not a key you press inside this menu.
Choose "Quick Capture…" to open the quick type-and-file panel, or "Notes Manager…" to open the window that lists and manages every note.
Under the first divider, "Expand All Notes" restores every collapsed or iconified note to full size, and "Collapse All Notes" shrinks them all to their title bars.
"Save Monitor Layout" remembers where your notes currently sit on this set of monitors.
"Import from Apple Notes…" opens the importer (a premium feature: on the free version it opens the upgrade screen instead), and "Global Settings…" opens the app-wide settings window.
"Quit Sticky Notes" fully closes the app.

Good to know

The shortcut text beside New Note, Quick Capture, and Notes Manager mirrors your own custom key combos and updates if you change them in Settings.
The status line and the upgrade item hide themselves once you have Lifetime or an active subscription.

The menu bar menu: New Note, Quick Capture, Notes Manager, Import from Apple Notes, Global Settings, and more.

Global Keyboard Shortcuts

Mac

Four system-wide hotkeys let you work with Sync Sticky Notes from any app. They fire even when Sticky Notes is not the front app, so you never have to switch first.

Open the menu bar icon and choose "Global Settings…" (or press ⌘, from within the app), then select "Shortcuts" in the sidebar under "App & System".
You will see four recorder buttons: "New Note", "Notes Manager", "Quick Capture", and "Toggle Drawer".
The defaults are ⌥⌘N for New Note, ⌥⌘M for Notes Manager, ⌥⌘K for Quick Capture, and ⌥⌘S for Toggle Drawer.
To change one, click its button, then press the keys you want. Your combo must include at least one of ⌘, ⌥, ⌃, or ⇧.
While recording, press Delete (⌫) to clear a shortcut, or Escape to cancel without changing it.
Click "Reset to Defaults" to put all four back to their original combos.

Good to know

These work from any app because they are registered system-wide, not just inside Sticky Notes.
A cleared shortcut simply means that action has no hotkey. You can still trigger it from the menu bar.
This page also has a "Quick Capture opens the note after saving" toggle.

Quick Capture

Mac

Quick Capture is a Spotlight-style pop-up for jotting a note without opening the app or reaching for the mouse. Type, press Return, done.

Press the Quick Capture shortcut (⌥⌘K by default) from anywhere, or choose "Quick Capture…" from the menu bar icon.
A small panel appears near the middle of whichever screen your pointer is on.
Type a title and body for your note.
Press Return to save the note, or click away to dismiss without saving.
If you leave the title blank, the note is saved with the title "New Note".

Good to know

Creating notes is always free, so Quick Capture works whether or not you have premium.
An empty capture is discarded, so a stray keystroke will not fill your board with blank notes.
Turn on "Quick Capture opens the note after saving" in Settings, under Shortcuts, if you want the new note to open on your desktop right away.
The panel closes on its own the moment it loses focus, just like Spotlight.

💻Mac screenshotThe Quick Capture panel floating over the desktop with a title field and a body field, mid-typing.

The Screen-Edge Drawer

Mac

The Drawer is a slim tab on the edge of your screen that slides out to show all your notes as cards. It is handy for glancing at everything without covering your desktop. The Drawer is stored on this Mac only.

Open "Global Settings…", then choose "Drawer" in the sidebar under "App & System".
Turn on "Show the notes drawer". A tab appears on your screen edge.
Click the tab (or press the Toggle Drawer shortcut, ⌥⌘S by default) to slide the panel out. Click it again, click away, or open a note to slide it shut.
Under "Screen edge", pick "Left" or "Right" for which side the drawer lives on.
Under "Style", choose how the cards look: "Classic", "Glass", "List", "Paper", or "Board".
Set "Tab color" and "Panel background" with the color wells, and adjust "Width" and "Height" under "Drawer size" (height is capped to your display).
Under "Displays", choose "All displays" or "Selected displays", then tick the monitors you want. If you pick none, the primary display is used.
Fine-tune the tab itself under "Tab size" (Width and Height steppers) and "Tab icon" (pick an SF Symbol, or choose "Use an Emoji…").

Good to know

If you have a subscription or Lifetime, the drawer is switched on for you the first time you unlock, unless you have already set it yourself.
Clicking anywhere outside the app slides an open drawer shut so it never sits on top of another window.
The drawer can appear on several monitors at once when you choose "All displays".

💻Mac screenshotGlobal Settings open on the Drawer page, showing the Show the notes drawer toggle, the Screen edge segmented control, the Style thumbnails (Classic, Glass, List, Paper, Board), and the size sliders. Bonus if the drawer tab is visible slid out on the desktop behind it.

Global Settings

Mac

Global Settings holds the defaults for new notes plus every app-wide preference in one window. Anything you set here applies to new notes and to existing notes that have not customized that particular property.

Open the menu bar icon and choose "Global Settings…", or press ⌘, from within the app. Both open the same window, titled "Sticky Notes - Global Settings".
The sidebar is split into two groups. "Style & Content" holds "Theme", "Design style", "Typography", "Icon", "Templates", and "Folder".
"App & System" holds "Behavior", "Drawer", "Shortcuts", and "Monitor Layouts".
Click any row to open its page in the main area.
Rows in "Style & Content" are premium. If you have not unlocked, they show a yellow crown and open an unlock prompt instead of the controls.
The "App & System" pages are free to use. "Behavior" gathers toggles such as "Show Add-Note button on notes", "New notes always on top", "Force ALL notes on top", and "Show Dock icon", plus the "Snap-to size" fields and an "Open on devices" section.
Click "Done" when you are finished.

Good to know

The two-group split simply separates how notes look (premium styling and content) from how the app behaves (free preferences).
"New notes sync via iCloud by default", on the Behavior page, is a premium option and stays disabled until you unlock.

Global Settings on Mac: Style and Content defaults for new notes, plus App and System pages.

Monitor Layouts

Mac

Monitor Layouts remember where your notes sit for a given set of monitors, then put them back when that setup reconnects. Great if you dock and undock a laptop or move between desks. Layouts are stored on this Mac only.

Arrange your open notes where you want them on your current monitors.
Click "Save Monitor Layout" from the menu bar icon, or open "Global Settings…", choose "Monitor Layouts", and click "Save Monitor Layout" there.
The "Current setup" box names your monitor arrangement and shows "Layout saved" once you have saved it (it reads "Not saved yet" until then).
When you reconnect that same set of monitors later, your notes return to the saved spots automatically.
In the "Saved layouts" list, use "Rename" to give a setup a friendly name, or "Delete" to remove a saved layout.

Good to know

Only notes that are open and at full size are captured. Notes collapsed to a title bar or an icon are skipped.
Layouts never sync. They belong to this Mac.

💻Mac screenshotGlobal Settings open on the Monitor Layouts page, showing the Current setup box with its name and Layout saved status, the Save Monitor Layout button, and a Saved layouts list with Rename and Delete buttons.

Arranging Note Windows

Mac

Each note is its own floating window, and you can shape how it sits on screen. Right-click a note to reach these options, or hover its header for quick buttons.

Right-click anywhere on a note to open its menu (the items show small icons).
Choose "Collapse to Title Bar" to shrink the note down to just its header strip. Double-click that strip to expand again, or hover it for pin, expand, and always-on-top buttons.
Choose "Collapse to Icon" to shrink the note to a small square showing its emoji or first letter. Double-click the icon to expand, and drag it to reposition.
When a note is collapsed or iconified, choose "Expand Note" to bring it back to full size.
Choose "Snap to Size" to resize the note to the dimensions set under Settings, Behavior, "Snap-to size". The same item then reads "Restore Size" to return the note to its previous size.
Toggle "Always on Top" to keep the note floating above other windows (a checkmark shows when it is on). It also makes the note appear on every Space.
Toggle "Pin to Position" to lock the note in place so it cannot be dragged. Toggle it off to move it again.

Good to know

You can also reach these from the "Arrange" submenu if you prefer.
"Collapse All Notes" and "Expand All Notes" in the menu bar apply these to every note at once.
To move a note, drag its header (or, when collapsed, its title strip or icon). Pin to Position disables that dragging.

A note's right-click menu on Mac: collapse to the title bar or an icon, keep it always on top, pin it, and more.

Intelligence & Extras

Apple Intelligence, widgets, Siri, and what's free.

Apple Intelligence actions

iPhone & iPadMacPremium

Sync Sticky Notes can run five on-device Apple Intelligence actions on the note you are working with. Everything runs privately on your device, so your note text never leaves it. These actions only show up when your device supports Apple Intelligence and it is switched on, and they are part of Premium.

On iPhone or iPad, open a note to edit it. In the top left of the editor, tap the sparkles button (its accessibility name is Apple Intelligence), then pick an action from the menu.
On Mac, right-click a note window (or its title bar), open the Apple Intelligence submenu, then pick an action.
Summarize: writes a short one to three sentence summary and shows it in a Summary panel, where you can tap Copy or Use as Title.
Make Checklist: turns the whole note body into a checklist. A confirmation appears with an Undo button in case you want the original text back.
Suggest Title: writes a short 3 to 5 word title and puts it in the note's title.
Tag & File: suggests one to three tags and the single best folder, then adds them to the note. It prefers tags and folders you already use before inventing new ones.
Find Reminder: looks for a date or time mentioned in the note, sets a reminder for it, and confirms the exact date. If it finds no date, or the time has already passed, it tells you instead of setting anything.
On the free version the sparkles button (iOS) or the Unlock Apple Intelligence item (Mac) opens the upgrade screen instead of running the action.

Good to know

A locked note keeps its Apple Intelligence and Share actions hidden until you unlock it with Face ID or Touch ID, so its contents stay private.
If a note's wording cannot be processed, the app says Apple Intelligence can't work with this note's content rather than asking you to keep retrying.
Find Reminder never trusts the model for the actual date. It works the real date out itself, skips anything in the past, and asks for notification permission the first time.

📱iPhone screenshotThe note editor open with the sparkles menu expanded, showing the five items Summarize, Make Checklist, Suggest Title, Tag & File, and Find Reminder.

Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets

iPhone & iPad

On iPhone and iPad you can add several widgets to your Home Screen and Lock Screen, plus a Control Center button. Some show your notes at a glance, and others create a note in a single tap. (The Mac app does not include widgets.)

Touch and hold an empty area of the Home Screen, tap the plus button, then search for Sticky Notes to find the widgets.
Sticky Notes widget: shows several recent notes in a grid (more notes on the larger sizes). If a note is a checklist you can tap its checkboxes right on the Home Screen to tick items off, and tapping any note opens it in the app.
Single Note widget: shows one note you choose. After adding it, touch and hold it, choose Edit Widget, and pick the note. Tap it to open that note. It also comes in Lock Screen sizes.
New Note widget: a small tile (with Lock Screen sizes too) that creates and opens a fresh note the instant you tap it.
New Sticky Note control: on iOS 18 and later, add this from Control Center or the Lock Screen, or assign it to the Action Button, to make a new note instantly.

Good to know

Showing your own notes on the Sticky Notes grid widget is a Premium feature. Without Premium it shows an Unlock to see your notes tile that opens the upgrade screen when tapped.
Creating notes is always free, so the New Note widget and the New Sticky Note control work fully on the free version.
A locked note shows up blurred with a lock symbol in the widgets. Tapping it opens the app, which then asks for Face ID or Touch ID.
If the note in a Single Note widget gets deleted, the widget shows Note unavailable so you can pick another one.

📱iPhone screenshotThe widget gallery search results for Sticky Notes, showing the Sticky Notes grid widget, the Single Note widget, and the New Note widget.

Siri and Shortcuts actions

iPhone & iPadMac

Sync Sticky Notes adds actions you can run from the Shortcuts app or by asking Siri. Creating and finding notes is free, since only cross-device sync is Premium.

In the Shortcuts app, start a new shortcut, tap Add Action, then search for Sync Sticky Notes to see its actions.
Create Note (shown as Create Sticky Note): makes a new note. You can fill in a Title and Text or leave them blank, and it opens the app with the new note ready to edit.
Show Note: opens a note you pick from your list.
Search Notes: finds notes whose title or text contains what you type and hands back the matches, so a shortcut can loop over them (for example Search Notes followed by Show Note).
Append to Note: adds a line of text to the end of a note you pick.
Add Checklist Item (iPhone and iPad only): adds a checkbox item to a note called Quick List, creating that note the first time. It runs without opening the app, so a spoken 'add milk to my list' works hands-free.
To use Siri, say a phrase that includes the app name, for example 'Create a note in Sync Sticky Notes' or 'Search notes in Sync Sticky Notes'.

Good to know

Siri phrases have to include the app name because Apple requires it. For a name-free trigger like a plain 'quick note', wrap the Create Note action in your own shortcut and name that shortcut whatever you like.
Add Checklist Item is on iPhone and iPad only. The other four actions (Create Note, Show Note, Search Notes, Append to Note) work on both Mac and iOS.
Append to Note and Add Checklist Item change a note in the background. The change syncs to your other devices the next time you open the app.

📱iPhone screenshotThe Shortcuts Add Action list filtered to Sync Sticky Notes, listing Create Note, Show Note, Search Notes, Append to Note, and Add to List.

The stickynote:// link scheme

iPhone & iPadMac

The app understands stickynote:// links, so any app, bookmark, or automation can jump straight into it. You can use these in the Shortcuts Open URLs action, in other automation tools, or as ordinary links. The widgets use these links behind the scenes.

stickynote://new creates and opens a brand new note.
stickynote://new?title=Groceries&text=Milk creates a note with that title and text already filled in.
stickynote://open?id=UUID opens the one note that has that id (this is what a widget uses when you tap it).
On iPhone and iPad, stickynote://unlock opens the upgrade screen. This is the link behind the widget's Unlock tile.

Good to know

The new and open links work on both Mac and iOS. The unlock link is iPhone and iPad only.
On Mac, stickynote://open (and tapping a note in Spotlight) opens the note right on your desktop.

Free vs Premium

iPhone & iPadMac

Sync Sticky Notes is free for everyday note-taking, with a single Premium unlock that turns on syncing, styling, and the extras. Here is exactly what each tier includes.

Free: create and edit as many basic yellow notes as you like.
Free: pin notes to the board and drag them around (the desktop-style canvas), including Add to Board and Remove from Board.
Free: format text with bold, italic, underline, bullets, and checklists.
Free: connect notes with wiki-links (Link to Note, and Links & Backlinks).
Free: Share a note as Text, Rich Text, Image, or PDF.
Free: the New Note widget, the New Sticky Note control, and the Siri and Shortcuts actions (Create, Show, Search, Append, and Add Checklist Item).
Premium: two-way iCloud sync across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with your board and notes on every device, plus the Apple Notes bridge.
Premium: colors, themes, fonts, and note designs.
Premium: reminders, folders, and tags.
Premium: inserting photos and Apple Pencil drawings.
Premium: per-note lock with Face ID or Touch ID (gated on iPhone and iPad).
Premium: the five Apple Intelligence actions.
Premium: the Sticky Notes grid widget that shows your notes.
To unlock, open the upgrade screen (titled Unlock Everything) and choose Monthly, Yearly, or Lifetime. New subscribers get one 7-day free trial on either the monthly or yearly plan, and Lifetime is a one-time purchase. Tap Restore Purchases if you already bought it.

Good to know

One purchase covers both the Mac and iOS apps because they use Apple's Universal Purchase (the same App Store product).
The 7-day free trial is offered once per Apple ID. Once it has been used on either the monthly or yearly plan, both plans show the plain price.
There is no separate trial clock inside the app. Your access is driven entirely by your App Store purchase, so if a subscription lapses the paid features lock again automatically.
Board membership itself is free, so Add to Board and Remove from Board work without Premium even though styling the note does not.

The Unlock Everything screen showing exactly what the premium unlock adds.