After purchasing my iPad Air, an Apple Pencil to go with it, and a Logitech keyboard for working on the go, the next thing on my to-do list was making my $600 iPad (plus the cost of the accessories) worth it. Since I primarily use it for my studies and prefer handwritten notes, I spent hours testing every note-taking app I could find in the App Store.

I eventually settled on a lifetime subscription to Goodnotes 6. While the $29.99 one-time payment felt like a big commitment at first, it quickly became one of the best investments I've made for my studies (after my iPad). Here are three features in particular that have completely transformed my note-taking experience.

3 Tape Tool

Because who doesn’t like doing things the old-school way?

Since grade school, the only way I could ever memorize anything was to cover the information in my notebook or paper with a sticky note or even my finger, try to guess what it was, and then uncover it to reveal the correct answer. When I switched to digital note-taking, this became a challenge. While I could technically "hide" the information I wanted to memorize by layering it with a shape of some sort, it was just... inconvenient. That was until I discovered the Tape Tool in Goodnotes 6.

It works just like the physical method I’ve used for years, letting me "cover" information with a digital strip of tape. You can find the tool, represented by a tape icon, in the Handwriting Toolbar. Once selected, all you need to do is use your stylus to hide whatever you’d like. You can then tap the Tape with your finger to reveal the text you’re trying to memorize. Once you're all through, simply tap the tool in the Handwriting Toolbar and select Remove All Tape to clear everything in one go.

Unlike the old method, where I’d have to guess the information out loud, I can now write over the tape and quiz myself, which is perfect for those days I’m cramming in a quiet library filled with stressed students. The Tape Tool is also perfect for those who enjoy more interactive study sessions since you can toggle between covering and revealing text.

2 Time Keeper

Who needs a Pomodoro timer anyway?

If you're anything like me and catch yourself spending hours procrastinating when you should be studying or working, you've probably experimented with all the productivity hacks out there, including Pomodoro timers. While there are plenty of productivity timers that go beyond Pomodoro, I'm not a fan of using yet another app just for that. In fact, I've found that it distracts me more since I have to constantly switch between apps... and somehow land on YouTube watching a murder mystery podcast.

Thankfully, Goodnotes 6 has a built-in timer tool called Time Keeper, which includes both a stopwatch and a countdown timer. You’ll find it in the Handwriting Toolbar, represented by a timer icon. Once selected, you can choose between two tabs: Timer and Stopwatch. If you go with the Timer, simply set the duration of your session, hit Start, and you’re good to go. A progress bar appears just below the Handwriting Toolbar, and it even changes color five seconds before your session ends, so you’re never caught off guard.

One of the main reasons I prefer Goodnotes' Timer tool over a third-party app (or even my iPad’s Clock app) is the ability to create custom timer modes and reuse them. When I’m preparing for exams, I like to time myself while doing practice papers to ensure I won’t struggle with time management during the actual test.

Since my midterms are always an hour long and my finals are three hours, I’ve set up dedicated timer modes for both. Instead of adjusting the timer every single time, I can just head to My Modes and select the one I need. I’ve also created separate modes for assignments and revision, which help me track exactly how much time I’m spending on each activity.

1 QuickNote

For when you don’t have time for a full notebook

You know how you randomly tear a piece of paper or grab a sticky note when you need to jot something down really quickly? Goodnotes' QuickNote feature is essentially the digital version of that. Instead of going through the hassle of creating a new notebook, choosing a template, adding a title, and picking a page color, which can sometimes take way too long, you can instantly open a blank note and start writing.

While you can create a QuickNote by taking the longer route, tapping the New (+) button in the Library view once, and selecting QuickNote from the options, a much faster way is to simply double-tap the New (+) button instead.

With QuickNotes, you don’t have to worry about cluttering your library with random notes; you can just jot things down, use them as needed, and clear them out when you're done. Once you're done, you’ll get the option to save the QuickNote, merge it with an existing document, or delete it.

I typically use this when I need to quickly write my to-do list for the day and then simply discard the QuickNote at the end of the day. It’s also great for brainstorming ideas, drafting quick reminders, or even sketching a quick diagram out before committing it to a proper notebook.

Small features, big impact

While the features above may not be groundbreaking, they've surprisingly had a big impact on how I approach studying. Like nearly every other note-taking app, Goodnotes 6 also has a few AI features, such as Spellcheck, Math Assistant, and Ask Goodnotes — all of which I rely on daily. All in all, Goodnotes 6 is an excellent note-taking app, and these features only make it that much better.