We are all busy people. Keeping notes is one of the best ways to stay organized and on top of our day, so why not have the option to write and store notes on a Google Workspace app?
Google Keep is a free note taking app from Google Workspace that allows you to write and store notes, lists, and drawings. To learn how to use Google Keep, keep reading.
How to Access Google Keep
If you’re logged into your Google Workspace account, you can access your Google Keep account in a few different ways. The easiest way is to locate the Google apps icon, click it, find the Google Keep app, and open it.
If you’re not logged into your Google account, then you can search for, “keep.google.com” and it will redirect you to the Google Keep page. You can sign in using an existing account, or you can create an account.
How to Create and Edit Notes in Google Keep
Now that you’re logged into your Google Keep account, it’s time to start taking notes! To make a new note in Google Keep, it’s as simple as clicking the “Take a Note…” dialog box shown below.
Once your cursor is showing in the box, type your new note or reminder. When you’re done writing your note or reminder, click off the box, and your note will post. If you need to edit the note, you can click back on it, and it will open the text box again so you can type or edit the note.
With Google Keep, you can also create a voice memo, list a recurring reminder, or keep track of other Google tasks you may have.
How to Create a List
If you need to create a list, such as a grocery shopping list, it’s as easy as starting a new note – instead, you click the list button, which looks like a checkmark, to begin typing your shopping list.
After clicking the list-icon, Google Keep will open a list where you can type individual items in on separate lines. Again, when you click off the list, it will post it for you. If you need to edit the list, simply click back on it, and it will pop up with the edit screen.
As you’re completing the items on your list, you can click on the list and check the box next to the item to indicate that you’ve finished it. This will create a new section on your list that says, “Completed Items,” which will show what items you’ve completed.
How to Do a Drawing in Google Keep
When you want to do a quick drawing in Google Keep, you need to click the marker icon to open the drawing box.
After clicking the icon, it will take you to a new page of the note taking app that will allow you to draw. You can easily switch between colors, pen styles, and more with the options bar located at the top of the screen.
At the top right, you have the option to redo and undo any bit of drawing that you do. You can also export your drawing as an image if you’ve created a nice drawing that you’re proud of by clicking the three dots icon on the far right of the options bar.
Once you’re done drawing, you can click back, and it will allow you to continue to create a title and note for the drawing you’ve completed. Then, when you’re done typing your note, click out of the box, and it will post your note to your dashboard.
Note with an Image
Finally, you can create a note with an image by clicking the picture icon on the “Take a Note…” options bar.
After clicking this icon, it will open a new window on your computer that allows you to access your photos. Find the photo you want to put in your note, and then you’ll click “Open.” When the photo is uploaded, you can click off the note and post it to your dashboard.
Organizing Your Notes
Now that you know the four different types of notes you can create, how can you organize your Google Keep notes?
The first option is to drag and place the notes in the order you want them. This can become tedious if you have several archive notes in your dashboard. So, the next best way to organize archive notes is by changing the color of the note itself.
To do this, go to the note you want to change the color for, and click the color palette icon.
Pick the color you want your note to be, and your note will become that color. This is great if you know what color represents each type of note.
You can also create labels on your notes, which will appear under the option list on the left-hand side of the dashboard.
To create a label:
- Open the note that you want the label to be associated with
- Find the three dots on the bottom options bar on the right-hand side
- Click the three dots and then click “Add Label.”
- Type in the name of your label and click “Close”
You’ll find that the label then shows up under the options list on the left-hand side of the dashboard. You can click that label, and only notes with that label will show up. You can add more than one label to any note so that a note can show up in more than one label.
Finally, you can pin your important notes on your dashboard so you can easily find them. Simply click the pin icon on the upper right corner, and it will pin your note for you.
It will then appear under a new heading titled “Pinned” at the very top of your dashboard so you can find it quickly. If you don’t need that note pinned anymore, you can click the pin icon again. It will unpin the note.
Deleting a Note
It’s straightforward to delete an existing note that’s been finished or was created accidentally. You simply need to click the three dots and click “Delete Note.”
When you delete an existing note, it will show up in the trash for 30 days or until you permanently delete it from the folder. Alternatively, if you need deleted notes back, you can restore the deleted notes by clicking the “Restore” icon.
For a more detailed guide on how to use Google Keep, watch this video.
