Format text and blocks

Add bold, headings, lists and color from the toolbar or the keyboard, and move or fold blocks.

Applies to Web · Mac · iPhone app · notes you can edit

When you open a note, the editor shows two toolbar rows above the text. The first row, Writing, holds text formatting, headings, lists and alignment. The second row, Tools, is for things you insert: attachments, tables, icons and comments. Hover over any button to see its name and shortcut. The shortcut layout matches UpNote.

What’s in the Writing row

GroupButtonsShortcut
HistoryUndo, Redo⌘Z, ⇧⌘Z
TypeFont size (8–144px), Font (Default font or Custom)—
ColorHighlight, Text color⇧⌥⌘1–9, ⌥⌘1–9 (0 clears)
Text styleBold, Italic, Underline, Strikethrough⌘B, ⌘I, ⌘U, ⇧⌘X
HeadingsHeading 1–Heading 3⌘1–⌘3
ListsBullet list, Numbered list, Checklist, standalone checkbox, Mark done⌘7, ⌘8, ⌘9, ⇧⌘9, ⇧⌥⌘E
BlocksQuote, Collapsible block, Code block, Divider⇧⌘U, ⌘., ⇧⌥⌘C, ⇧⌘H
Scripts and codeSubscript, Superscript, Inline code⇧⌘;, ⇧⌘', ⇧⌘C
Links and mathLink, TeX math (Σ)⇧⌘K, —
IndentIndent, Outdent (list items)⌘], ⌘[ or Tab, ⇧Tab
Move linesMove block up, Move block down⌥⌘↑, ⌥⌘↓
AlignmentAlign left, Align center, Align right, Justify⇧⌘L, ⇧⌘E, ⇧⌘R, ⇧⌘J
Date and timeInsert today’s date (with weekday), insert current time (hh:mm)⌘D, ⇧⌘D (date and time: ⇧⌥⌘D)

To strip all character formatting (bold, color, highlight and so on) from a selection, press ⌘\ (Clear formatting). To hide or show the whole toolbar, press ⇧⌘A.

Lists and marking lines done

  • Checklist items (⌘9) are tasks. See Turn checklist lines into tasks.
  • To add a checkbox to one numbered or bulleted item while keeping its number or bullet, press ⇧⌘9. On a checklist item, the same key toggles it done.
  • Mark done (⇧⌥⌘E) marks an ordinary line as done without a checkbox. You’re asked to confirm when you remove the mark.
  • Outside lists and tables, Tab inserts one wide space (an em space).

Text color and highlight palette

⌥⌘1–9 apply text colors and ⇧⌥⌘1–9 apply highlights; matching numbers share a color family. ⌥⌘0 and ⇧⌥⌘0 remove them. To choose which color each number uses, open View options and edit the Shortcut color palette.

Keys that differ in a browser

Browsers use ⌘1–⌘3 to switch tabs, so on the web use ⌃1–⌃3 for headings (both work in the Mac app). On Windows, press Ctrl instead of ⌘. ⌘K opens the command palette; links are ⇧⌘K.

Tips

  • You can add most blocks without the toolbar, by typing Markdown-style patterns such as # , - or **bold**, or from the / menu. See The / menu and Markdown shortcuts.
  • On a narrow screen, swipe the toolbar rows sideways to reach the rest of the buttons.
  • For every shortcut, press ⌘/ in the app or see Keyboard shortcuts.