General tips for digital note-taking

Audio recording

When recording audio in a note-taking app, your device microphone will pick up the Apple Pencil sounds you make while writing. It can also pick up keyboard noises when you’re typing. These sounds can be annoying, so here are some tips and tricks on how to reduce them. Use rubber tips from your Apple Pencil. A rubber-cushioned tip makes less noise than a bare tip.

Use headphones, earphones, or AirPods to record audio. Before you start your audio recording, make sure to connect your headphones, earphones, or AirPods to your device so you can use them to record your audio instead of the device microphone. These devices tend to have better mics and noise cancellation, which can improve your audio quality. To reduce the Apple Pencil and keyboard noises, move the headphones, earphones, or AirPods away from your iPad or computer and closer to the speaker you’re recording (even if it’s just a few centimetres away).

For headphones and earphones, you can put them around your neck. AirPods can move farther away, but not too far to reduce the quality of the recording. These tips and tricks work in all note-taking apps that support audio recording and include, but are not limited to, Notability, Noteful, Noteshelf, GoodNotes, ZoomNotes, Jnotes, and Samsung Notes.