How to set up and use the Instant Notes feature on iPhone / iPad

Instant Notes is a feature of the Notes application that allows you to quickly take notes or return to recently viewed notes without having to unlock your iPhone or iPad.

This is a really handy function if you want to quickly record something, add an existing note or refer back to an existing quick note.

Apple designed to make Instant Notes secure. So when you create a new note, you can't access all other existing notes in the Notes app, unless you unlock your iOS device.

The following steps show you how to set up Instant Notes on ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ running iOS 11 or later and then how you can use it.

How to add Notes to Control Center on iOS

1. Launch the Settings application on ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌.

2. Click Control Center.

3. Click Customize Controls.

4. Scroll down to More Controls.

5. Touch the "+" sign on the left of Notes to add it to the Control Center.

How to set up Instant Notes on ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌

1. Launch the Settings app on iOS devices.

2. Scroll down and click Notes.

3. Scroll down and touch Access Notes from Lock Screen .

4. If you always want to create a new note each time you use Instant Notes, click Always Create a New Note .

5. To continue going back to the note you created earlier, press Resume Last Note and you will see many options revealed on the screen.

6. To always continue the last note you created from the lock screen, tap Created on Lock Screen . To always continue the last note you created from within the Notes app when the device is unlocked, click Viewed in Notes App .

7. The last set of options allows you to set up Instant Notes to send you a new note from the lock screen after 5 minutes, after 15 minutes, after 1 hour, after today or never (corresponding to After 5 minutes, After 15 minutes, After 1 Hour, After Today, Never ). The shorter the time limit, the more secure your notes will be for prying eyes.

How to use Instant Notes on ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌

You have now set up Instant Notes on your device. It's time to use it as intended, that is, when your device is locked. This is how this feature works.

1. Lift your device to wake up the screen.

2. Access the Control Center : On the ‌‌iPad chỉ, simply double-click the Home button; on iPhone 8 and earlier, swipe up from the bottom of the screen, and on iPad Pro 2018 or ‌‌iPhone‌‌ X or later, swipe down from the top right corner of the screen.

3. Click the Notes button that was added to the Control Center before.

4. Just start typing your new note or checking and / or adding the last note you viewed, depending on how you set up the feature.

5. Click Done when you are finished, then put the device screen in Sleep.

You can also access Instant Notes on ‌iPad‌ with Apple Pencil.

Further reference: Useful features on the iPhone Notes application.