Best Notes App for Apple Watch

Technology has truly revolutionized every aspect of our lives – by this point, there is a new smartphone or tablet launching on the market every other month.

We don’t mean to sound privileged, but we’re all bored with trying to figure out which iPhone model is the newest! 

Apple listened to our qualms, it seemed, because in 2015 the first generation of Apple Watch was unveiled to the world. Gone of the days when bigger was better – iPads and Macbooks are getting smaller with every launch, so it stands to reason why a tiny tablet on your wrist was so exciting. 

Apple Watches link with your smartphone and allows you to access a basic version of your home screen.

Sure, you won’t be able to play Candy Crush on the watch, but you can receive messages, calls, and even take pictures with some models. 

One of the most useful features of a smartphone or tablet is the notes feature. Why carry around a notebook and pen when you have a phone burning a hole in your pocket as we speak? 

Being able to jot down notes as soon as they pop into your head is incredibly useful to people of all ages and professions.

Having a high-quality note app on your Apple Watch can allow you to never let a thought slip past you again.

Best Notes App for Apple Watch – Reviews

Our Pick

Evernote

Evernote 6

Our rating:

5 Rating

Evernote is an excellent app that has been available since 2008 and within three years has racked up over 11 million users.

In 2012, the CEO of Evernote Phil Libin stated that they now had over 34 million users, which is an incredible 23 million jump within just one year. Imagine how many more users they have in 2020!

These statistics are just one of the reasons why we have placed Evernote at the top of our list for the best notes app for Apple Watches.

The app for Apple Watches allows you to dictate notes to be automatically transcribed, allowing you to take quick audio clips and read them back later. 

You can also search for keywords within your notes so that you can find one specific item rather than having to scroll through hundreds of notes trying to find the right one.

This is also done with audio cues so you don’t have to worry about using the tricky scribbler feature. 

The Evernote app also allows you to set reminders through your Apple Watch to ensure that you’re always ready for your calendar.

There are other apps for reminders on your watch face, but having this feature within your notes app is handy to keep everything in one place. 

Evernote might just be the best notes app for compatibility, as you can access your notes on your iPhone, iPad, and Macbook/ iMac.

The fact that you can access your notes on all of your Apple devices is incredibly useful for any working professional – trust us!  

Notebook

Onenote

Our rating:

4.5 Rating

Notebook is another amazing Apple Watch Notes app that just narrowly missed the top spot on our list.

You can audio record notes on this app as well as write them, although they won’t be automatically transcribed as Evernote allows you to do.

There is a 30-minute limit on the length of audio notes, which is quite a reasonable amount of time per note. Just make sure that you don’t accidentally go over the half hour mark to ensure that you don’t get cut off halfway through your thought process.

Taking notes can be dictated or scribbled, although many people find the scribble feature too tricky to bother with.

However, it is still a suitable option if you cannot talk to your watch face without generating funny looks from strangers.

You can add your notes to your phone files or iCloud, which is a great quick way to access your notes on multiple platforms.

There is also a camera scanning feature to scan documents, although people haven’t had great luck with this.

Notebook is accessible through iPhones, iPads, and iMacs, so you can log in through all of these platforms to read your notes on multiple devices. 

OneNote

Onenote

Our rating:

4 Rating

OneNote is a popular app developed by Microsoft that offers plenty of features to help you keep a record of all of your thoughts.

It is one of the most highly rated note apps for Apple Watch, and 478,000 people can’t be wrong – can they? 

You can access OneNote on multiple devices such as iPhone, iPad, Windows, and Mac, as well as an online version. All of the notes can be grouped and they appear in a user-friendly list much like the traditional iPhone notes app. 

There is also a feature that allows you to use it with plenty of languages so you don’t have to be stuck recording your notes in your second or third language. This is unfortunately a feature that is lacking in many other note apps for Apple Watch. 

Microsoft OneNote comes alongside Word and Excel, so if you like these apps and enjoy using them, you’re sure to enjoy OneNote.

You will need a Microsoft account to set up your account for your Apple Watch, but this shouldn’t take longer than a couple of minutes. 

You can sync your Apple Watch to all of your different platforms to keep your notes up to date.

Taking notes through your watch is completed through dictation, so bear this in mind if you like taking notes while you’re out and around other people. 

Noted.

noted

Our rating:

4 Rating

‘Noted.’ is a simple yet effective app that allows you to take audio notes straight from your Apple Watch.

You’ll also be able to organize your notes in different folders and write on them with a highlighting and pen feature. Moreover, you can add images to the notes if it is helpful for you. 

Export your notes from your watch to your iPhone easily thanks to the app being available on iPhone, iPad, and iMac. There is also an opportunity to create a Siri shortcut so that you can jot your notes down without having to waste time locating and opening the app. 

The ‘Noted.’ app doesn’t offer you as many features as some of the notes apps for Apple Watch, but it is still impressive for a free alternative.

There are also premium features for an additional price such as unlimited notes, noise reduction for when you’re taking notes, and exporting them to PDF files. 

Drafts 5

Draft 5

Our rating:

4 Rating

Another great note app for Apple Watch is the Draft 5 app, which allows you to record all of your notes while on the go.

Again, you can either scribble your notes or dictate them, and you can go back and alter your notes within seconds which is very helpful when you’re expanding your notes after learning more information. 

You can also add tags to your notes so that they are all organized in clear spaces. This will help you to not get lost in the jumble of notes you have, and you’ll be able to find your notes within a fraction of the time. You can use Drafts 5 on your iPhone, iPad, and iMacs. 

Drafts 5 is available in a free version as well as a premium alternative, and you’ll get premium features if you choose this route.

You can opt for the premium features through in-app purchases, so you won’t be charged anything on download.

Best Notes App for Apple Watch – Buyers Guide

Now that we’ve looked at the best notes apps for Apple Watch, we have a small buyer’s guide with some useful information to remember when you’re choosing your new notes app.

Every app is not going to work for everyone, so the bestselling note app might work for everyone else apart from you. So, make sure to remember the information below when looking for your new note app.

Note Taking Versatility

Everyone is different in the way that they want to jot their ideas down – some people prefer the traditional trying method so that they can reread their notes time and time again.

However, others prefer the efficiency of audio recording their notes so that they can listen to them back. 

There is no right or wrong way of recording your notes, but you should ensure that you know what you’d prefer to see with your notes app for Apple Watch.

Some of the apps that we mentioned above do offer both options for taking notes, but some are limited to one method. 

Availability

There are eight different generations of Apple Watch to purchase, so you need to ensure that the notes app you choose is available on the generation that you possess.

This isn’t such a big issue if you opt for a free app, but if you’re paying money for it you want to make sure that you can actually use it!

Plus, it’s a hassle to find an app you love only to start back at square one. 

Compatibility

Some note apps for Apple Watch allow you to view your notes among your other Apple devices such as your phone and tablet.

This is great for people who work across many different pieces of technology so that all of your notes are always available within seconds. 

If this sounds like a useful feature for you, we suggest doing your research to see whether you can move your notes from your watch to other devices. 

Price

Apps are commonly free or offered at an inexpensive price, but they get you with all of the in-app purchases you have to make to allow the app to actually be useful.

It’s worth noting whether the app you choose is going to cost you money down the line so that you’re prepared. 

You can often find out whether this is the case or not by looking at the page on the app store. ‘In-app purchases’ should be written somewhere around the download button if you’re required to shell out. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I view notes on Apple Watch?

Apple Watches do not currently come with the Apple Notes app programmed in, so you cannot access them at the moment.

However, you can download one of the notes apps that we’ve mentioned above to allow you to take notes on your Apple Watch. 

How do I download an app on Apple Watch? 

It’s very simple to download new apps onto your Apple Watch, so you’ll be able to begin recording notes within minutes.

Simply open the App Store on your watch face. Tap the search button at the top of the screen and use the scribble feature or dictation feature to search for your app.

Tap the right app that you want and press the ‘Get’ button and wait for the app to install. 

Do all apps work on Apple Watch? 

Unfortunately, not all apps are compatible with Apple Watches yet. For example, the popular Apple Notes app is not available for use on the watch face.

Luckily, there are often many other alternatives that you can download in the placement of those unavailable apps.