Macs and iPads aren’t cheap; unfortunately, the spending doesn’t end once you’ve bought your device. The next thing you’ll need is the right software to make the most of it. And what good is a powerful device without a solid note-taking app you can rely on?

While plenty of note-taking apps can help supercharge your productivity, most of them come at a price. And while they’re often worth the investment, not everyone wants to spend extra cash after already dropping so much on their device.

Many don’t realize that Apple’s built-in Notes app, which comes pre-installed on every Apple device, is packed with nearly every feature you’d need. The best part? It's completely free to use. If you don't believe me, here are four features that will definitely change your mind.

4 Seamless syncing across Apple devices

Start a note on your iPad, finish it on your Mac

One of the biggest advantages of being part of the Apple ecosystem is how well all Apple devices work together, and Apple's apps are no exception. While most note-taking apps nowadays sync to the cloud, I've tried several of them, and I've had to manually refresh the app or wait for it to update across devices. For instance, Goodnotes 6 has been my primary note-taking app for nearly two years, and I've even paid for its lifetime subscription. Yet, despite paying a premium price, the app's cross-platform syncing still doesn’t match Apple Notes.

Whether using your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, all your notes sync almost instantly through iCloud, as long as you're signed in to the same Apple Account (formerly known as Apple ID) across all your devices. You can set up iCloud Notes by heading to Settings (System Settings on Mac) -> [Your Name] -> iCloud. Tap See All next to Saved to iCloud, find Notes in the list, and toggle on Sync this iPad/Mac/iPhone.

Now, if you get a sudden idea on the train and want to jot it down quickly, you can use your iPhone to do so. Once you’re back home, you can pick up exactly where you left off on your Mac, with the note already synced and ready. Unfortunately, this advantage really shines only if you're already deep in the Apple ecosystem. While you can technically access your notes on a non-Apple device by heading to the iCloud website, it’s not as convenient.

3 Math Notes

Everyone hates math anyway

While I know that no one (unless you're perhaps an engineer) has used calculus or the Pythagorean theorem past high school or college, you probably still use some math in your day-to-day life. Whether it’s calculating how long it’ll take to save for your dream car or splitting the bill after a night out with friends, chances are the Calculator app is an app you use every day.

Since I'm a STEM major, the math I use daily goes beyond that, and Apple’s Math Notes feature has been a game-changer. It lets you solve mathematical expressions directly in the Notes app, sparing you the hassle of bouncing between the Calculator and Notes apps and interrupting your workflow.

While it works on Mac, using Math Notes with an iPad and stylus takes it to another level. This is because it solves your written math expressions in your own handwriting, which is pretty impressive.

Regardless of which device you're using Math Notes on, all the steps to use it are straightforward. All you need to do is open an existing note or create a new one, type (or write) your math expression, and add an equals sign (=) at the end. Your answer will appear instantly! If your equation has two undefined variables and follows the form (y = mx + c), you’ll also get the option to insert a graph, which I find super useful as a student with plenty of math-heavy courses.

If mental math isn’t your strong suit, or you’re tired of googling unit conversions, Math Notes might just become your favorite feature. For instance, writing “1000 pounds to KGs” followed by an equal sign will give you the converted result right in your note!

2 Smart Folders

Does anyone enjoy organizing?

You know what I hate more than the actual process of taking notes sometimes? Organizing them. Like most note-taking apps, Apple Notes lets you organize your notes into individual folders to access them quickly. But manually moving notes around and sorting them into folders, especially if you have hundreds, can be time-consuming.

That’s where Smart Folders come in, essentially taking the task of organizing off your shoulders. This feature allows you to set specific filters like Tags, Date Created/Edited, and Attachments. Once you create a note that matches any (or all, depending on your Smart Folder settings) of the filters you’ve applied, Apple Notes will automatically sort it into the appropriate Smart Folder.

To create a Smart Folder on a Mac, click File in the menu bar and select New Smart Folder from the dropdown menu. Then, name your Smart Folder and set your desired parameters. On your iPhone or iPad, simply tap the New Folder button, name your folder, and tap Make Into Smart Folder, choose your filters, and tap Done.

For example, I created a Smart Folder for all the notes I took for my math courses by setting a filter to add any notes with the #math tag to that folder automatically.

1 Built-in scanner

Goodbye, CamScanner!

It's frustrating that even in 2025, scanning documents isn’t a standard feature in most smartphones and note-taking apps. On Android, you can scan and save documents directly using Google Drive for free. As an iPhone user, I’ve relied on a third-party scanning app, CamScanner, from day one. While it gets the job done, I’m not a fan of paying $59.99 per year.

Fortunately, Apple Notes has a built-in scanning feature that does the exact same thing, minus the ridiculous price tag. To scan a document in Apple Notes, simply open an existing note or create a new one, tap the Attachment icon, and select Scan Documents.

Again, the best part is that the documents I scan using my iPhone or iPad automatically sync to my Mac, so I don’t have to bother with manually transferring files or emailing them to myself.

Apple Notes is incredibly underrated

Now, I’m not saying the app is perfect. It still lacks features that even newer note-taking apps have, which isn’t too surprising. Apple does have a habit of taking years to add fundamental features. Still, the features mentioned above, especially the seamless syncing across all my Apple devices, make it worth using. If you’re an Apple Pencil user, an added bonus is that the writing experience is much smoother than in any other note-taking app I’ve tried.