Collapsible Headings
You may have difficulty finding the section you need when scrolling through pages of notes if there is a lot of text. A new feature in iOS 18 7 makes things a lot easier: collapsible headings. You can expand or collapse the text below headings and subheadings in your notes. Your notes will become easier to navigate when you can hide unnecessary text.
In the toolbar, click the format icon, which looks like an uppercase and lowercase letter A (Aa), to make any text into a heading or subheading. Headings or subheadings can be selected.
A small arrow appears to the left of the text if you tap the heading or subheading of the section you want to collapse. Click the arrow to hide that section’s text. You can expand the section by tapping it again to reveal the text.
Audio Recording and Transcription
Apple’s iOS 18 lets you record audio directly through the Notes app. You can also generate a transcription of the audio once you finish recording, so you can add it to your note.
You can record an audio recording by tapping the paperclip icon in the menu bar and choosing “Record Audio.” Tap the record button to begin recording. If you want to save the recording, press the “Done” button when the recording is finished.
You have added the recording to your note. Click “Play” to hear the recording. A summary of the transcription of the audio is included below; for the full transcription, tap the tile.
Document Attachments From the Files App
In the past, you would have had to open the Files app, locate the document, copy it, then return to the Notes app and paste it.
This process has been simplified in iOS 18. Documents can now be inserted from the Files app directly into Notes without leaving the app. The “Attach File” option can be accessed via the paperclip icon within the Files app.
You can browse Files by choosing one of your recent files, or by tapping “Browse” at the bottom of the screen. By tapping any file, you will be able to add it to your note.
Math Notes
The Notes feature will be useful if you usually keep track of figures in Notes. You can perform calculations inside your notes using iOS 18’s Math Notes feature, such as adding and subtracting values and drawing graphs. In your notes, you can even handwrite algebra that your iPhone will be able to solve.
You can perform a calculation by typing it followed by an equals (=”) sign. Calculation of the answer will be automatic.
You can do math using variables by giving them names and values, then creating a calculation following the variable names with the “=” sign.
Create a list of numbers using the pen tool, then add them by drawing a line underneath.
The solution can be calculated through the use of an algebraic expression followed by an “=” (equal to) sign.
Create a graph by typing or drawing the equation of a line and tapping Insert Graph. An image of the graph is added to your note.
Color Highlighting
Before Notes version 5, you had to use the highlighter pen to highlight sections of text. A variety of colors are now available when highlighting text in iOS 18. Different sections of text can be colored differently.
You can select a word or a paragraph by double-tapping it, then tapping the toolbar’s format icon (Aa). To change the color of your text, tap on the colored circle. The color you select will appear both in the text and in the background.
Writing Tools in iOS 18.1
iPhone users will be able to access Apple Intelligence features with iOS 18.1 when it is released. An important feature of Writing Tools is the generative AI feature that rewrites, sums up, and proofreads your text.
You can use the Writing Tools in the Notes app to add formatting to any of the text within your notes. You can edit the text by selecting it. Select the Writing Tools icon from the toolbar, which looks like a pencil in the Apple Intelligence logo.
If you need to check and correct spelling and grammar, click “Proofread,” and if you need to rewrite your text, click “Rewrite.”. To change your text’s tone, select “Friendly,” “Professional,” or “Concise,” or choose “Summary,” “Key Points,” or “List.”.
Call Recording Transcriptions
In iOS 18.1 you can also record phone calls in the Phone app using Apple Intelligence. iPhone records not only the audio of your conversation, but it also automatically transcribes it for you, providing you with a written record. A special folder within the Notes app contains these transcriptions of call recordings.
The Notes app has a Folders screen that you can access by tapping “Call Recordings.”. You can listen to a recording by selecting it and tapping the Play button. You can see the full transcription by tapping the tile. When the audio is played, relevant sections of the transcription are highlighted.
The Notes app has always been a great organizational tool, but iOS 18 makes it even more useful. If you don’t use the Notes app much, now is the ideal time to start exploring its capabilities.
