Google has announced a smart new organizational feature for its note-taking and to-do list app, Google Keep.

The app can now intelligently categorize users' notes by topic, such as food, books, and travel, and entries can be searched by keyword using topic shortcuts which appear in the search bar.

Google Keep

Google Keep, which also offers a web interface, includes other features like list support, label and color organization tools, note reminders based on time or place, voice memos with automatic transcription, collaborative note-taking, and more.


The feature update for the note-taking service comes just a day after Evernote hiked its paid plan prices and announced it would be imposing a two-device limit on its free plan account holders.

Some MacRumors forum members have since been discussing moving over to the native iOS Notes app. To migrate Evernote notes to Apple Notes, follow these simple steps:

  1. Download and install the Evernote Mac app, launch it, and click Edit -> Select All in the menu bar.
  2. Next, click File -> Export Notes..., select the Evernote XML format, and save the file in a convenient location.
  3. Open Apple Notes, click File -> Import Notes... in the Apple Notes menu bar and select the exported Evernote XML file to import.

iOS 9.3 added support for importing Evernote XML data into Notes, so alternatively you could save the exported file you created in step 3 to your iCloud drive. Then simply locate the file on your iOS device and long-press it to import the note data.

Google Keep is a free download for iPad and iPhone available on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

bgro Avatar
120 months ago
Wow this is great! Ever since Evernote announced that they don't want me to keep using their software, I have been looking for a tool which puts my most sensitive and personal data directly into the hands of Google so that they can deliver better advertisements to me. Thanks Google!
Why is this such an issue? It's a "free" service that Google provides in exchange for access to info that will help them better target advertisements to you. Is that really different than cookies on a computer? But the best part about it is that if you don't feel comfortable providing Google this level of access to your information, then you don't have to use the service. There is a price for everything, Evernote is monetary, Apple is functionality (compared to competitor options), and Google's is privacy. Which price do you want to pay?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bommai Avatar
120 months ago
Except Google gets to "keep" your notes
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
philosoraptor1 Avatar
120 months ago
Has Google cancelled this product yet?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kdarling Avatar
120 months ago
These are the same people that used Google search for years as it was 'free’. They didn’t have the foresight, (in fact they did - they just ignored it), to stop using the services then as it suited them and helped them get work done. Much easier to do a google search than some proper hard reading after all.
Many also blithely ignore the fact that Apple itself uses our location, iTunes data and purchases for targeting iAds.

And that Apple sells Google access to Apple user's searches as a default, in return for getting billions of dollars a year in targeted ad kickbacks. Talk about "people being the product!"

Exactly!! I think it's great that Google has found this great new way to show me targeted advertisements.
It's a desirable service provided in return for seeing ads... just like how this forum is supported. People don't have to use such services, but virtually everyone does.

As far as Google goes, anyone can go to their Google "Ad Settings" in their Google control panel, and turn off targeted ads, delete and review other info: https://privacy.google.com/take-control.html

Has Google cancelled this product yet?
That worry can be a valid reason to avoid getting used to using a non-primary Google tool. Although when they've previously shelved products, they've given ways to transfer our data, so it's not the end of the world.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Glassed Silver Avatar
120 months ago
Godly timing! :D

Glassed Silver:mac
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thisisnotmyname Avatar
120 months ago
The migration steps from Evernote to Apple Notes deserve their own post.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26 on iPhone Feature

Here's When iOS 26 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone [Update: Out Now!]

Monday September 15, 2025 12:00 am PDT by
Update 10:06 a.m.: iOS 26 is rolling out now, though it may take a bit for all users to see it, so keep checking! Today's the day! Apple is about to release iOS 26, which will deliver the biggest redesign since iOS 7 and bring a range of new features and improvements to iPhones worldwide. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at last week's iPhone event that...
Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Reportedly Plans to Launch These 10 Products in 'Coming Months'

Sunday September 14, 2025 8:45 am PDT by
Apple's annual September event is now in the rearview mirror, with the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch SE 3, and AirPods Pro 3 set to launch this Friday, September 19. As always, there is more to come. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple plans to release many products in the...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

Apple Says Installing iOS 26 Might Impact Battery Life

Monday September 15, 2025 10:56 am PDT by
In the iOS 26 release notes, Apple is warning iPhone users that installing the new software might have a temporary impact on battery life, which is normal. A new support document explains that major iOS updates require background setup like indexing data and files for search, downloading new assets, and updating apps. Further, Apple says that new features could require more resources,...
iphone 17 lineup

iPhone 17 Models Launch on September 19 With These New Features

Friday September 12, 2025 7:58 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 lineup and ultra-thin iPhone Air in stores on Friday, September 19, and the company has already shown off the new devices at its fall event, which ran with the the tagline "Awe dropping." The iPhone 17 series brings a host of new features and enhancements. Here's a rundown of the biggest upgrades and changes: iPhone 17 Display Changes The iPhone...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 Get iOS 26 Features With New Firmware Update

Monday September 15, 2025 10:50 am PDT by
Apple today released updated firmware for the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4, introducing support for the new AirPods features that are included in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe. The firmware has a build number of 8A356, and it replaces the current 7E93 firmware. With Apple's new software updates, the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4 support better audio quality for phone calls and...
apple n1 chip

Apple's New N1 Chip in iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone Air Has a Wi-Fi 7 Limitation

Saturday September 13, 2025 10:01 am PDT by
The latest iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air models are equipped with Apple's all-new N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread connectivity. However, the chip has a Wi-Fi 7 bandwidth limitation. According to FCC documents reviewed by MacRumors, the N1 chip in all of the new iPhone models supports up to 160 MHz channel bandwidth for Wi-Fi 7, short of the...
iPhone 17 Pro Air Boxes

iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Boxes Revealed

Sunday September 14, 2025 1:36 pm PDT by
T-Mobile President Jon Freier today shared real-world photos of Apple's boxes for the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 models, which launch on Friday. Image Credit: Jon Freier Apple has typically included iPhone box renders in its product environmental reports, but it did not do so for the latest models. However, Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program page does offer some images of the boxes, ...