Top 11 Simplenote Android App Tips and Tricks to Use It like a Pro

Sometimes you wonder why the makers of the Simplenote app didn’t think of another name. But once you start using it, you get the answer. Simplenote is genuinely an effortless note-taking app available for Android, iOS and web.

Even though the app is very straightforward, it is packed with useful features. So what are these features? And how does one utilize all of them to the fullest? You will find all the answers along with a few Simplenote Android App tips and tricks.

The following Simplenote tips and tricks are meant for Android app and most if them might apply to its iOS version as well.

1. Pin Notes

Simplenote supports only one type of view mode — list view. If you use some notes frequently, you can stick them on the top of the list with the help of the pin feature.

To pin a note, just hold the note and tap on the pin icon in the top bar. The pinned notes will have a circular icon next to them.

2. Add Tags

Simplenote doesn’t support folders. Hence, tags play a crucial role to organize the notes in this app. Strangely, you will not find the tag option at first glance. You’ll have to scroll up in a note to view the tag option just above the keyboard.

To edit tags, open the navigation drawer and tap on the Edit option next to Tags.

3. Use Markdown

When you open the app, you won’t find formatting tools like bold, italic, hyperlinks, etc. However, if you look closely, you will see two tabs at the top — Edit and Preview. This is because the app uses Markdown — a markup language written in an easy-to-read form and a fantastic tool for text-to-HTML conversion. Even though you don’t get buttons to format text, you can still use Markdown.

Let’s say you have to bold text. To do so, you have to enclose it in double asterisks. For instance, **Hello, this is GT**. To make the text italic, put it in a single asterisk. Check out the Markdown syntax guide to learn more.

4. View Edit History

As human beings, we are bound to commit mistakes. Sometimes while editing a note, we might delete a portion or an important detail. Since a majority of mobile apps don’t have the undo feature, this can be quite troublesome. However, Simplenote solves that by letting you restore the previous versions of a note.

To view edit history and restore the previous versions, open the note and tap on the Edit history icon. Then use the slider to reverse to the previous versions and hit Restore.

5. Characters and Word Count

Simplenote is not the kind of app where you will save or work on big documents. So having the word or character count feature doesn’t make sense for me. But if you are keen on checking it out, tap the ‘i’ icon at the top of the note.

6. Sort Notes Alphabetically

By default, Simplenote sorts notes in the order they were modified. But if you want, you can rearrange them in alphabetical order.

To do so, follow these steps:

Step 1: Tap the three-bar menu at the top-left corner of the app. Then hit Settings at the bottom.

Step 2: Tap on Sort order and select Alphabetically. You can choose from A-Z or Z-A.

7. Change Font Size

Very few apps let you change the font size independently without changing the device font size. Thankfully, Simplenote is one of them. You can adjust the font size according to your preference here.

To do so, go to Simplenote Settings and tap on Font Size. Then choose the font size of your choice.

8. Enable Dark Theme

Fan of the Dark mode? Simplenote offers that as well. I say this because very few apps support dark mode.

To enable the dark theme, go to Simplenote Settings and tap on Theme. Then choose Dark theme.

9. Lock Your Notes

To protect your notes from miscreants, it’s better to keep the app locked. No, you don’t need to download third-party app lockers, it’s a built-in feature in the app.

To lock the app, go to Simplenote Settings and tap on Turn PIN lock on. Then set a PIN of your preference. After that, every time you open the app you will be asked to enter the PIN.

10. Add Notes Using Voice Assistants

Whether you use an iPhone or an Android device, you can add notes to the Simplenote app using voice assistants like Google Assistant, Siri, etc. If you own a Samsung device, you can use Bixby to dictate notes.

To add a note using Assistants, simply say — Take a note using Simplenote.

Note: With iOS 12, you can also use Siri Shortcuts to quickly add notes.

11. Collaborate or Share Link

Simplenote provides three ways to share your notes with others. Firstly, you can share the notes normally via any app installed on your device. In this method, note content will be copied and pasted into the app.

Secondly, you can create a public link and share it with others. Thirdly, if you want to allow others to edit your notes, you can add them as collaborators. To share notes, tap the Share icon in the note and select the sharing method.

Note-worthy Simplicity

You must have noticed that the Simplenote app isn’t that simple. Yes, it lacks a couple of advanced features but is quite helpful for penning down quick notes. I wish they could add folder support to it for better organization. Until we get it, check these note-taking apps that support folders.