Annotation programs
Whenever you need to take notes, create notes and to-do lists from your computer, you never know which software to turn to? Well, I can assure you that from now on you won’t have this problem anymore: in the following lines, in fact, I’m going to show you those that, in my humble opinion, represent the best programs for annotations in circulation.
There are some for both Windows and macOS and they are quite easy to use, even for those who, a bit like you, are not exactly a great expert in computer science. Moreover, they are all completely free (or almost). I beg your pardon? Would you like to know if I can also suggest you some apps to take notes on smartphones and tablets? Of course you can, but now let’s not confuse our minds and go in order.
Sit down comfortably, take a few minutes of free time just for you and start concentrating on reading the following. I’m more than sure that, at the end, you’ll be happy and satisfied and, if necessary, you’ll be ready to give useful tips to your friends. Want to bet?
Annotation Software
There are plenty of annotation programs out there! If you’re looking for resources for your Windows PC or macOS, I’m pleased to tell you that below you can find a rich list of them. Feel free to choose the one you think is best for you.
Notepad (Windows)
If you’re using a computer with Windows installed, I’m happy to let you know that you don’t necessarily have to use third-party note-taking programs: you can make use of the Notepad included “as standard” in Microsoft’s operating systems, which allows you to create quick notes and take notes.
To use it, click on the Start button (the one with the Windows flag) located at the bottom left of the taskbar, type “Notepad” in the search field that appears and select the relevant shortcut.
Now that you see the Notepad window on the screen, start typing your notes in the area provided. If you want, you can also choose a different font for the text by selecting the Format menu at the top and then the Font item from it. At the bottom of the window, on the other hand, you’ll find the count of lines and columns of text written.
When you’re done drafting your note, you can save it by clicking on the File menu, selecting Save As from it and indicating the name you want to assign to the file, as well as the location where you want to save it. That’s it!
Microsoft OneNote (Windows/MacOS)
Microsoft OneNote is one of the most renowned annotation programs in the industry: it is a free software developed by the Redmond company, available for both Windows and macOS, thanks to which you can take notes creating notes available at any time on all devices connected to the same Microsoft account (which must be used to use the service).
If you’re using Windows 10, you can download the software from the relevant section of the Microsoft Store by clicking the Get button.
If you are using an older version of Windows, go to the web page dedicated to the program and click on the Free Download button. Once the download is complete, open the .exe file and click on the Yes button in the window that appears on the screen. Wait for the download and installation of all the files necessary for OneNote to work and click on the Close button to complete the setup.
If you’re using macOS, instead, visit the relevant section of the Mac App Store, click the Get button, then the Install button and, if necessary, authorize the download using an Apple ID password or Touch ID (if the Mac you’re using supports this technology).
Now that you see the main OneNote window on the screen, regardless of the operating system you use, log in to your Microsoft account by filling out the appropriate fields, then start creating your notes, selecting the notepad you want to use from the left section of the screen or creating a new one first by clicking on Add Notepad.
You will then see the columns in which the notes are arranged: the first column shows the sections that group several notes, while the second column shows the notes for each section. To add a new section, click on the New Section button at the bottom left, and to create a new note, click on the Page button at the bottom left.
Once you have created a new note, you can enter text in it using the appropriate section, visible on the right. In the field at the top you can enter the title, further down everything else. By selecting the Home tab at the top and using the toolbar that appears, you can format the inserted text, create bulleted and numbered lists, add highlights, etc.
If you need to insert drawings, tables, files or other elements, just click on the appropriate buttons on the Insert tab at the top of the window, while to create and insert freehand drawings you need to select the Drawing tab at the top and use the pen, pencil and other available tools. On the View tab you can choose a different color for your note, enable the display of lines and squares, etc.
The notes you create are automatically stored on OneDrive, so you don’t have to do anything to save them. If you wish, however, you can share them with other users by clicking on the Share item located in the upper right corner. For more in-depth information on using the program, you can consult my guide on how to use OneNote.
Evernote (Windows/MacOS)
When talking about annotation programs it is impossible not to mention Evernote, one of the most complete and efficient software in the sector. Available for Windows and macOS, it lets you create notes with text, images and attached documents, organize them in notebooks and sort them according to tags or even places where they were created. The contents are automatically synchronized over the Internet. It’s free, but in order to use the service on more than two devices and unlock additional features, you need to subscribe to one of the pay plans (at a basic cost of €6.99/month).
To download the program to your computer, if you’re using Windows 10, visit the relevant section of the Microsoft Store and click the Get button.
If you are using an older version of Windows, you can download Evernote from its website by visiting the download page and waiting for the program to download. Then open the .exe file and in the window that appears on your desktop click the Yes button, then select the I accept the terms of the license agreement item, press the Install button and finish the setup by clicking the Finish button.
If you’re using macOS, however, you can find the application by visiting the relevant section of the Mac App Store, pressing the Get button, then the Install button and, if necessary, authorizing the download using your Apple ID password or Touch ID (if the Mac you’re using supports this technology).
When you see the main window of the program, regardless of the operating system used, register an account to start using Evernote: to do so, fill out the fields with your email address and password or log in with your Google account.
Next, start creating your annotations by clicking on the New Note item located in the upper left corner and typing them in the window that appears. At the top, then, you’ll find the toolbar with all the useful buttons for formatting text, inserting voice notes, files from major cloud storage services, images, sharing entries, etc.
When you have finished writing, give the note a title by filling out the appropriate field at the top, choose in which notebook to file it, add any tags and close the window.
Simplenote (Windows/MacOS/Linux)
Another one of the annotation programs that, in my humble opinion, you would do well to consider is Simplenote: this is a free software that runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, which allows you to create notes and write notes making simplicity its strong point. In fact, it is very intuitive and features a clean and minimal user interface.
To download it to your computer, if you are using Windows 10, you can download the program from the relevant section of the Microsoft Store by clicking the Get button.
If you are using an older version of Windows, you can download Simplenote from its website by going to its home page and clicking on the Download for Windows button. Then, open the .exe file and, in the window that appears on your desktop, click on the Yes button to complete the setup.
If you’re using macOS, instead, you can find Simplenote from the relevant section of the Mac App Store, clicking on the Get button, then on the Install button and, if necessary, authorizing the download using an Apple ID password or Touch ID (if the Mac you’re using supports the aforementioned technology).
Now that you see the software window on your screen, regardless of the OS you’re using, click Sign Up at the bottom to create an account for the service and provide your email address and password. Alternatively, you can login with a WordPress account.
Next, create a new note by clicking on the button with the sheet and the (+) located at the top left and type your texts in the right part of the screen; at the top you can enter the title, while at the bottom everything else. To add tags, instead, fill in the Add a tag field located at the bottom.
If you want to view the history of changes made to the note, click on the button with the clock located in the upper right corner, while to delete the note press the button with the adjacent dustbin. To share it, on the other hand, click on the share icon (the one with the square and the arrow).
Keep in mind that the notes are automatically saved to your Simplenote account. If you want, however, you can also export them by selecting them from the list on the left, clicking on the File menu at the top and choosing Export Notes from it.
Notes (macOS)
If you’re using macOS, you can also consider using the Notes application, which is developed directly by Apple and comes pre-installed on all computers from the Cupertino company. It has a nice user interface and you can also synchronize it with all other “bitten apple” devices that are logged in with the same iCloud account. It allows you to create annotations, tables and lists and also add drawings and attachments to them.
To use it, select its icon (the one with the notepad) located on the Dock bar. In the Notes window that you now see on the desktop, select the folder of your interest from the sidebar on the left or create a new one by clicking on the New Folder item at the bottom (if you can’t see the folders, press the button with the window at the top) and click on the button with the paper and pencil at the top center to create your note.
You can type your text freely in the space provided on the right, and you can format it as you see fit by pressing the Aa button at the top. You can also highlight the text, using the appropriate items in the context menu that is shown to you by right clicking. If, on the other hand, you want to insert a table or a bulleted list, press, respectively, the buttons with the table and with the check mark on the toolbar.
Also at the top of the Notes window are the photo button, which lets you add images to your notes; the padlock button, which lets you protect your notes; the little man button, through which you can share the note with other people; and the share icon (the one with the square and the arrow) to import the note into another app.
If you want to view your notes as a gallery instead of a list, click on the button with the four little squares in the top left corner, and if you want to make only the attachments visible, click on the button with the paperclip. To delete the created notes, instead, click on the button with the dustbin on the top left.
As far as saving is concerned, the notes are automatically stored on your iCloud account or, if the service is not in use, on your Mac’s disk. Eventually, however, they can be exported by clicking on the appropriate item in the File menu at the top left.
Notes can also be accessed via the web by visiting the iCloud website, logging in with your Apple ID, and clicking on the Notes icon.
Programs for annotating PDFs
Do you need to annotate PDFs and would like me to suggest some useful software for the purpose? I’ll satisfy you right away. Below, in fact, you will find listed the best programs in this category that you can refer to. Put them to the test immediately, I’m sure they will satisfy you.
Acrobat Reader DC (Windows/MacOS)
Acrobat Reader DC is a popular program for Windows and macOS through which you can open, edit and annotate PDFs. It is free of charge, but some features, such as the ability to convert documents, are reserved for subscribers to the paid version (with costs starting at 18.29 euros / month), which can be tried at no cost for 7 days.
To download the program to your computer, go to its website and click on the Install Now/Download Acrobat Reader button.
After the download is complete, if you are using Windows, open the .exe file and click the Yes button in the window that appears on your desktop. Then wait for the installation procedure to be completed, press the Finish button and wait for the program to open.
If you are using macOS, open the .dmg package and run the .pkg file inside. In the window that opens, click on the Continue button (twice in a row), then on the Install button, enter the Mac administration password and click on the Install software button. Once the setup is complete, click on the Close and Move buttons and wait until the main window of the software appears on your desktop.
Now, regardless of your operating system, click on the File menu at the top left, choose Open from it and select the PDF file you are interested in. Then use the buttons in the toolbar on the right (and the ones in the toolbar at the top) to add notes and highlights to the file, insert text, underline it, etc.
After making changes, remember to save them by clicking on the floppy disk icon at the top left.
Edge (Windows 10)
If you’re using a computer with Windows 10 installed, I’ll let you know that you can take advantage of Edge, the default browser of the Microsoft operating system, to add annotations to your PDF files. The browser of the latest Microsoft OS, in fact, integrates a PDF reader that allows you to open this type of documents and make various changes to them.
To use it, you just need to double-click on the icon of the PDF file you are interested in, select Edge from the list of programs to use and click on the OK button.
Once you see the browser window with the PDF inside, click on the pen button in the toolbar at the top and choose, from the purple toolbar that appears further up, which tool to use: you can click on the pen icon, to write on the PDF; on the highlighter icon, to highlight portions of text; on the hand icon, to use touch writing, and on the eraser icon, to undo changes.
When you’re done, to save the changes you’ve made to the document, click on the floppy disk icon in the upper right corner.
Preview (macOS)
If you’re using macOS, you don’t necessarily have to resort to using third-party programs to create annotations on your PDFs. In fact, you can decide to rely on Preview, the default Mac application for viewing and editing images and PDF documents.
To use it for your purpose, open the PDF file you are interested in by double-clicking on its icon. If this does not open Preview but another program, to remedy the problem, right-click on the icon of the file you are interested in, click on the Open with heading in the context menu and then select the Preview item.
Now that you are viewing the PDF, bring up the Preview editing toolbar by clicking on the pencil icon at the top right of the window. Click on the buttons in the toolbar to perform various operations: the button with the rectangle and circle allows you to add geometric shapes and lines to the document, the one with the text box to add text and the one with the post-it note to add notes.
The button with the dashed rectangle allows you to create a selection, while the one with the signature allows you to sign the PDF. Further to the right, you’ll find commands for managing the type of lines, shapes, fills and text. To add highlights to the document, click on the highlighter button at the top of the window.
After you’ve made all the appropriate changes to your PDF, to save the changes, simply close the Preview window by clicking the red circular button located in the upper left corner.
Annotation App
To conclude, I want to point you to some apps, for smartphones and tablets that you can use to create annotations on both Android and iOS. Here they are.
Evernote (Android/iOS/iPadOS) – is the mobile counterpart, available for both Android and iOS/iPadOS, of the annotation program that I mentioned in the chapter at the beginning of this guide and has practically the same features of the latter, but optimized for touch. It’s free, but to unlock additional features you need to subscribe to a Pro plan.
Google Keep (Android/iOS/iPadOS) – is Google’s home app, as guessed by its name, for creating notes and to-do lists. It’s free, easy to use and also has a nice user interface. It is available for Android and iOS.
Microsoft OneNote (Android/iOS/iPadOS) – is the Android and iOS counterpart of Microsoft’s home program for creating annotations that I told you about in the chapter at the beginning of the guide. It has pretty much the same functionality as the PC software and it’s free.
SimpleNote (Android/iOS/iPadOS) – is the Android and iOS version of the note-taking program I told you about in the step at the beginning of the tutorial. It has a simple and perfectly understandable interface and is super easy to use.
Color Note (Android) – specific application for Android, simple but very complete. It allows you to take notes, organize them by color and use Sticky Note widgets to always have the most important things to do at hand.
Notes (iOS/iPadOS) – is the app developed by Apple for creating notes and to-do lists on iPhone and iPad. It features the same functions as the Mac variant I told you about in the chapter at the beginning of the article. You can find it pre-installed on all iPhones and iPads but, if removed, it can be downloaded again.