Your Versatile Digital Notebook Across Devices
Getting Started with Samsung Notes
Samsung Notes is a solid, multi-platform note-taking app designed to work seamlessly across your phone, tablet, and PC. Whether you’re jotting down quick ideas, annotating PDFs with the S Pen, or crafting documents with images and voice recordings, it covers a lot of ground.
Starting a new note is straightforward — just tap the plus (+) icon on the main screen and you’re ready to go. Notes are saved with an “sdocx” extension, making it easy to recognize your files.
Features That Stand Out
Handwritten Notes & Drawing Tools
If you’re someone who likes to write or sketch by hand, Samsung Notes lets you tap into the handwriting mode instantly. There’s a nice selection of pens, pencils, and highlighters in various colors and thicknesses. Erasing is just as easy, with options to selectively remove parts of your notes.
Rich Media Support
Adding photos and voice recordings to your notes is effortless. You can snap a picture on the spot or import existing images, then tag and edit them right inside the app. Voice notes come in handy for capturing ideas when typing isn’t practical.
PDF Annotation & App Integration
One of the more practical features is the ability to annotate PDFs using the S Pen — a godsend for students and professionals alike. Plus, Samsung Notes plays well with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and other document apps, so your workflow stays smooth.
Secure Your Notes
If privacy matters, you can lock individual notes with a password, pin, or biometric option. This step is simple to enable through the settings and helps keep your sensitive content safe.
Syncing & Importing
Samsung Notes supports importing older notes from S Note and Memo apps via Smart Switch or Samsung account sync. This is useful if you’re switching devices or consolidating your notes library without losing your past work.
Permissions & Privacy
The app requests several optional permissions for features like camera access, microphone use for voice notes, and storage access to save files. The good news? You can still use most of the core functions without granting all these permissions, giving you some control over your privacy.
Pros
Cross-device compatibility: phone, tablet, and PC support
Comprehensive writing tools including handwriting and drawing
Add multimedia easily: photos, voice recordings, PDFs
Lock notes individually for extra privacy
Smooth integration with Microsoft Office files
Imports old notes seamlessly
Cons
Might feel a bit overwhelming if you only want a simple text note app
Some features (like PDF annotation) require S Pen or compatible devices to shine
Syncing and imports can occasionally be slow or glitchy
Optional permissions may seem intrusive to privacy-conscious users
Final Thoughts
Samsung Notes is a surprisingly capable note-taking app that fits well whether you’re a casual note writer or someone who relies heavily on multimedia and stylus input. The integration across devices and Microsoft Office apps adds extra value, and the ability to lock individual notes is a welcome touch for privacy.
While it might not replace specialized apps for hardcore note-taking or drawing, it’s a great all-around tool that’s especially convenient if you’re already in the Samsung ecosystem. If you have a Galaxy device with an S Pen, it’s definitely worth giving a spin.
