With this extension I optimize the notes app on my Mac

I love the Notes app on my Mac – it’s simple, easy to use, and free. However, I wish it had more features to improve my note-taking. Thankfully, ProNotes adds some much-needed features to the Notes app and completely changes the way I use it.

Installing and setting up ProNotes

There are several reasons why you might not want to use Apple Notes, including the limited formatting options and hidden features in the menu bar that require multiple clicks to access. While Notes offers several keyboard shortcuts to speed up your workflow, you might not want to memorize them. That’s where ProNotes comes in.

ProNotes is a Mac extension that extends the functionality of the Notes app by adding several much-needed features like a formatting bar, Markdown support, and slash commands, to name a few. The features added by ProNotes are so good that you may not want to give up Apple Notes for other note-taking apps for Mac.

ProNotes offers a free plan that covers most features, but you can upgrade to the premium plan for $7.99 per month, which lets you use AI directly in Apple Notes.

Download:ProNotes (Free, subscription available)

To download and install ProNotes:

1. Go to the ProNotes website and click the download link.
2. You will be asked to enter your email address (where you will receive the download file). Click Send me the download link.
3. Go to your email inbox, open the email from ProNotes and click Download ProNotes to start the download.
4. Once the download is complete, double-click the file and click Open in the pop-up window to install ProNotes.
5. Click the ProNotes icon in the menu bar to adjust your settings. For example, check the box Start ProNotes when logging in so that the app runs automatically when you start your Mac.

Use ProNotes’ slash commands to quickly format your notes

ProNotes’ slash command feature allows you to format your notes quickly and efficiently and improve your writing workflow. All you need to do is type: / (slash) in Notes to open the list of slash commands and choose from various options, such as title, headline, Subheading, Checklistand more, with the arrow key.

Alternatively you can enter / (slash) followed by the formatting command you want to use. For example, type /Title and press Return (or Input) to format your text as a title. This is more intuitive than reaching for the mouse and scrolling through the formatting options in the toolbar.

Use ProNotes’ formatting bar for selected text

Another useful feature that ProNotes adds to the Notes app is an easily accessible formatting bar when you select text. This is useful if you don’t want to use keyboard shortcuts. All you have to do is select the text you want to format and a floating menu will appear above it with various formatting options, such as: Clearly, Italics, Underline, ChecklistAnd Strikethrough.

Use ProNotes to format text in Markdown

Markdown is a simple markup language used to format plain text without the need for complex coding. With ProNotes, you may not need any third-party Markdown editors for Mac to format your notes. You can use ProNotes’ Markdown feature to write in plain text and easily convert it into formatted text.

All you have to do is enter the desired Markdown syntax and press ReturnFor example, enter # (diamond) and press the spacebar to convert your text into a title, or enter () (square brackets) and press Space to create a checklist.

Use ProNotes’ Backlinks feature to view linked notes

Adding links to connect related notes is one of the best ways to get the most out of Apple Notes on macOS. The Backlinks feature in ProNotes makes it easy to see all the notes linked to a specific note.

You can use this feature in any linked note by clicking the arrow in the bottom right corner of the Notes app. A pop-up window will appear with a list of all the notes linked to that particular note. You can click on any of the linked notes to view it immediately.

Use ProNotes to insert templates

Templates are a great way to save time and effort when creating similar types of notes. Unfortunately, the Notes app doesn’t have a built-in template creation feature, but ProNotes lets you easily insert templates into your notes.

To create templates in Notes using ProNotes:

1. In Notes, create a folder named Templates. Go to File > New Folder.
2. Create the note you want to use as a template in the Templates Folder.
3. Use ProNotes’ slash command feature to insert the template into each new note. Simply type / (slash) followed by the name of the template, e.g. /Meeting template.

Now you can enjoy everything you love about the Notes app on Mac and more with ProNotes, just like I do. Use these tips to improve your note-taking experience and get the most out of the native Notes app on your Mac.