How to Use Instant Notes on iPhone and iPad

BY Parth Shah

Published 3 Mar 2020

Ever wanted to take a quick note or jot down a number on your iPhone? Unlocking the phone and then going through the Notes app to add the note can be a lengthy process. Samsung leverages S-Pen to let Galaxy Note users add notes from the lock screen. Apple has a different solution to offer. The company has added Instant Notes feature to iOS 13 to you access recently viewed notes or create a new one from the lock screen of your iPhone using the Control Center.

Using the Instant Notes trick, one can quickly take a new note from basically any interface of the operating system. In this post, we will guide you through steps to enable the feature and talk about its functions. Let’s get started.

If you have deleted the Apple Notes app from the device then you need to re-download it.

➤  Apple Notes: Download

Add Instant Notes from Your iPhone’s Lock screen

First, you need to add the Notes option to the Control Center.

Step 1: Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad and navigate to Control Center > Customization Controls menu.

Step 2: Here you will find the list of controls already added in the Control Center and the additional controls that you can add to the list. Click ‘+’ symbol next to the Notes option and add the Notes control in the Control Center.

Step 3: Rearrange the list via drag and drop and set the notes control to your preferred place.

While going back, don’t forget to turn-on access within apps option to use the feature from every app.

Enable Access from the Lock screen

Step 1: Open the Settings menu on your iPhone and dive into Notes > Access Notes from the Lock Screen section.

Step 2: Here you will find couple of options to choose from. Tap ‘Always Create New Note’ to add a separate note from the lock screen.

Step 3: Click ‘Resume Last Note’ to continue from the last opened notes in the Notes app.

Here, you have two options to choose from. You can either resume editing the last created note from the lock screen or open last viewed note from the Notes app. One can also set the time interval to require the passcode.

Quickly Take a Note from iPhone’s Lockscreen

Now, from the lock screen, you can simply swipe down from the upper right corner and open the Control Center. Tap on the notes icon to create a note. And even better, one can long-tap on the notes icon (long-tap function works on every iPhone running iOS 13 as Apple replaced 3D Touch with the software-based long-press function) and open the floating menu to access more functions like the ability to create a new checklist, scan a document, or add a photo.

Watch the video below for step-by-step instructions:

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Add Notes on the Go

Use the trick above and you can access Apple Notes app from anywhere in the system including the lock screen. Also, don’t forget to try out the long-tap function to add photos and documents on the fly. Which is your favorite iOS productive hack? Tell us in the comments section below.