Tech Reference

A new iOS 16 feature called 'Quick Notes' lets you easily save links, text, and pictures in nearly any iPhone app. Here's how to use it.

apple iphone x
You don't need to switch apps to save a "quick note" on your iPhone. Apple
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The Notes app that comes bundled with every iPhone is pretty straightforward, and is great for jotting down your thoughts and saving links that you don't want to lose. But when you're scrolling through another app and find something that sparks your interest, you don't always want to have to leave that app to find your Notes.

That's where the new Quick Notes feature comes in.

How to make a Quick Note on your iPhone

New to iOS 16, the Quick Notes feature lets you write and save a Note from within any app on your iPhone, no switching required. And once you save that Quick Note, it gets ported over to the regular Notes app for you to view and edit whenever you want.

Once you've updated your iPhone to iOS 16, there are two ways to make a Quick Note, and they're both pretty simple.

The Share menu

First, you can use an app's Share menu. Nearly every app — and especially social media apps — has a built-in menu you can use to share pictures or links to another app. Its icon usually looks like a square with an upwards-pointing arrow coming out of it.

Once you tap this icon, scroll down to find the Add to Quick Note option and tap it. A window titled New Quick Note will appear, with whatever you tried to save already added. You can then tap Save in the top-right to finalize the Quick Note, or keep adding more.

Two iPhone screenshots; the left photo shows a webpage with the Share icon highlighted, and the right photo shows the Share menu with the “Add to Quick Note” option highlighted.
You'll find the "Add to Quick Note" option in the Share menu.  Apple; Lipsum.com; William Antonelli/Insider

Highlighting text

Secondly, you can make a Quick Note by just highlighting some text. This is the best method if you just want to save a few sentences, for example.

To do this, tap and hold your finger on the text to highlight it, then stretch the highlighting to capture everything that you want to save. The context menu that lets you copy the text will appear above it — keep tapping the right-pointing arrow in this menu until you find New Quick Note, and tap that option.

An animated GIF of an iPhone, showing a user highlighting text and then tapping the “New Quick Note” option.
Highlight some text and tap "New Quick Note."  Apple; Lipsum.com; William Antonelli/Insider

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ExperienceWilliam joined Business Insider in 2019 to help found Tech Reference, a vertical dedicated to answering the internet’s most common questions about the gadgets they buy. In that role, he helped grow the vertical into a powerhouse that attracted over 20 million pageviews a month. He also wrote and edited one of Business Insider’s most successful stories: How to take a screenshot on Windows.William later became one of Business Insider's lead consumer tech reporters, writing roundups and reviews about gadgets ranging from smartphones to gaming PCs. He also established key industry contacts at brands like Apple, Google, Nintendo, and more. He’s also cited on the Wikipedia page for Among Us, an honor above all others.William’s work for Business Insider has included reviewing the best gaming laptops, publishing previews of new Nintendo games and consoles, and comparing Apple’s latest releases so readers know what’s worth their money. Across all assignments, he’s been praised for his depth of knowledge and research skills.In addition to his work at Business Insider, William’s writing has appeared in outlets like The Guardian, Polygon, Thomson Reuters’ Context, and more. He's also a regular guest on TV stations like CBS and NBC, where he provides expert analysis on AI, consumer tech, and Silicon Valley moguls.Why you can trust WilliamWilliam believes the goal of journalism should be to tell the truth, not sell products. In his reviews, William never hesitates to call out a product’s flaws, but he also has no issue complimenting features that genuinely add value.When reviewing a product, William doesn’t test it in a vacuum. He tries to incorporate each product into his daily routine to get a better sense of how it’ll work for the everyday user. And when writing, he focuses on reader comprehension. He’s talented at explaining complicated concepts in ways that all readers can understand, without losing depth or nuance — or his distinctively engaging voice.Expertise
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EducationWilliam graduated from the State University of New York at Geneseo in 2018. There, he studied English, communications, and adolescent education, alongside reporting news for the university’s radio and TV stations.Outside workWhen he’s not reporting, you can usually find William biking through Central Park, playing video games, or at home listening to music and writing fanfiction. He’s also a co-manager of the New York Mandolin Ensemble, one of NYC’s premier string orchestras.You can contact him at w.antonelli322@gmail.com, visit his official website at williamantonelli.com, or follow him on Twitter @DubsRewatcher and BlueSky @wantonelli.bsky.social.