How to use Evernote: your notes on every device

What is Evernote?

Evernote is one of the oldest and most complete note-taking applications, a household name in productivity software since 2008. The core idea is simple but powerful: all your notes, ideas, documents and information in one central place, accessible from any device. Evernote works as your digital memory, a place where you can store everything you want to find again later.

The app stands out for its extensive organization options, powerful search and the ability to store almost any type of content: text, images, documents, audio, web pages and more. Whether you are a student organizing lecture notes, a professional gathering project information, or someone saving recipes and travel inspiration, Evernote adapts to your needs.

Getting started with Evernote

Creating an account and installing the app

Start at evernote.com, where you can create a free account. Then download the app for your computer (Windows or Mac) and your mobile devices (iOS or Android). The web version also works very well if you don't want to install any software. Once you sign in, Evernote syncs automatically across all your devices.

Exploring the interface

Evernote's interface consists of three main elements. On the left you see the navigation with notebooks and tags. In the middle is the list of notes in the selected notebook. On the right, the selected note opens for editing. You can adjust this layout to your preferences, with options for a more compact view or more focus on the editor.

Creating and editing notes

Your first note

Click the green 'New Note' button or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+N (Cmd+N on Mac). Give your note a clear title and start typing. The editor offers rich formatting options: headings, bold, italic, lists, tables and more. You can also easily create checklists for tasks within a note.

Different content types

Evernote accepts much more than just text. Drag images straight into a note. Add PDF documents that you can search later. Record audio during meetings. Make sketches with the drawing tool. Add links that automatically show a preview. This versatility makes Evernote suitable for almost any kind of information.

Clipping web pages

The Web Clipper browser extension is one of Evernote's most powerful features. Install the extension for Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Edge. When you find an interesting web page, click the Web Clipper and choose what you want to save: the full page, just the article, a simplified version or a screenshot. The clipped content is saved in Evernote, including the source URL.

Organizing with notebooks and tags

Creating notebooks

Notebooks are folders in which you group notes. Create notebooks for broad categories: Work, Personal, Project Name, Studies. You can also group notebooks into stacks for extra levels of organization. Each note can be in exactly one notebook, so choose categories that make sense for how you use it.

Tags for flexible categorization

Where notebooks are hierarchical, tags offer flexible categorization. A note can have multiple tags. Use tags for properties that cut across notebooks: project names, priorities, statuses or contexts. Tags let you find and filter notes in different ways.

Search as a superpower

Evernote's search is remarkably powerful. It searches not only titles and text, but also text in images, scanned documents and PDFs using OCR technology. Type in the search bar and instantly find what you are looking for. Use advanced search operators for specific searches: notebook:work tag:urgent returns exactly what you would expect.

Productive workflows with Evernote

The inbox system

Create a notebook called 'Inbox' as the default landing spot for new notes. Anything you want to capture quickly goes to the inbox first. Regularly set aside time to process your inbox: give notes a better title, add tags and move them to the right notebook. This system lets you capture things quickly without breaking your flow.

Using templates

For recurring types of notes, you can create templates. Evernote offers a gallery of ready-made templates for meeting notes, project plans, weekly overviews and more. You can also create your own templates by saving a note as a template. This saves time and keeps your notes consistent.

Sharing notes and collaborating

Share individual notes via a link, by email or directly with other Evernote users. To collaborate, you can share entire notebooks with specific permissions: read only or also edit. This makes Evernote suitable for team projects, shared documentation or sharing recipes with family.

Discovering useful features

Scanning documents

The mobile app includes a document scanner. Take a photo of a document, business card or whiteboard, and Evernote turns it into a clean scan with improved contrast and straight edges. The text automatically becomes searchable through OCR. This is perfect for digitizing paper documents.

Setting reminders

Add reminders to notes that require action. Click the alarm clock icon and choose a date and time. You get a notification when the time comes. Notes with reminders also appear in a special overview, so you don't forget upcoming actions.

Note links

You can create links to other notes within Evernote. This is powerful for building a knowledge network in which notes refer to each other. Right-click a note, copy the internal link and paste it into another note. This is how you create connections between related information.

Evernote versions and pricing

Free versus paid

The free version offers basic functionality with a monthly upload limit and syncing across two devices. Evernote Personal adds unlimited devices, more uploads, and features such as tasks and calendar integration. Evernote Professional is aimed at business use, with extra collaboration and search features.

Considering alternatives

Although Evernote is powerful, there are alternatives such as Notion, OneNote and Apple Notes. Each has its strengths. Evernote continues to excel at pure note storage, search and the Web Clipper. Evaluate what matters most to you when choosing a note-taking app.

Tips for using Evernote effectively

Consistent naming

Develop a system for note titles. Start with a date, project name or category. Consistent naming makes it easier to find and sort notes. A title such as '2024-03 Project X - Kickoff meeting notes' is much more useful than 'Notes'.

Clean up regularly

Schedule a periodic cleanup session. Delete notes that are no longer relevant. Add missing tags. Move notes to the right notebooks. A tidy Evernote is a usable Evernote. Archive old project notebooks instead of deleting them, so you can still look up the information later.

Conclusion

Evernote is a proven solution for digital notes and information management. The combination of versatile content support, powerful organization options and excellent search makes it a reliable home for all your digital information. Start simple, develop your own system and let Evernote become your second memory for everything you want to remember.

Frequently asked questions

What can I store in Evernote?

Evernote supports almost any type of content: formatted text notes, images, PDF documents, audio recordings, web pages via the Web Clipper, scanned documents and attachments. You can think of it as a digital collection point for all the information you want to keep.

How does search work in Evernote?

Evernote searches not only text but also images and documents using OCR technology. You can search by words, tags, notebooks and even location. Advanced operators such as 'notebook:' and 'tag:' make targeted searches possible.

Can I use Evernote offline?

The desktop apps work offline and sync as soon as you are back online. In the mobile apps, you can make notebooks available offline with a paid subscription. The free version requires an internet connection for mobile use.

What is the Web Clipper?

The Web Clipper is a browser extension that lets you save web pages directly to Evernote. You can clip the full page, just the article, a screenshot or a simplified version. It is one of the most used Evernote features for collecting information online.