What is Google Keep

Part of the Google Workspace ecosystem, Google Keep is a simple note taking app. It has lots of easy to use features that are designed to help you keep track of all your notes. I think of it as a bit of a hidden gem, and lots of folks who use Google Workspace every day are missing out simply because don’t even know it exists!

If you’re in the habit of taking notes, but you don’t have a consistent place to put them, Google Keep might be just what you’re looking for.

The Google Keep Interface

The interface is very easy to use and offers either a grid or a list view for your notes.  You can create new notes, rearrange existing notes, and use the search box to find content. Just like your documents and spreadsheets, all notes are saved automatically, and they even come with version history, in case you need to backtrack to a previous version of a note.

Features of Google Keep

Along with a simple and intuitive interface, the following features are

• Notes can include text, images, links, and lists.
• Reminders can be associated with your notes to assist with remembering tasks.
• Labels can be used to help you organise your notes.
• Notes can be shared.
• You can pin important notes for quick retrieval.
• Notes can be copied to Google Docs.

Creating Notes

1. Login to your Google Workspace, then click on the Google Apps icon at the top right of the screen and select Keep.
2. Click into the Take a note box at the top of the screen, then type your note.
3. Click on the Close button when done.

Adding Reminders

To add a reminder to your note:

1. Create a new note or open an existing note.
2. Click on the Remind me icon.
3. Use the drop down list to select the date and time for your reminder, then click Save.
4. Close the note when done.

Creating a list

When you use Google Keep, your notes can be a great way to create lists. These are a little different to tasks, since they are not displayed in your calendar.

1. Start by clicking the New List icon located at the right of the Take a note box.
2. Add a Title.
3. Add list items.
4. Click on the Close button when done.

As you complete your tasks, click into the tick boxes to mark them as completed.

Conclusion

Your notes can be viewed as a list, or as a grid. and you can drag and drop notes to reorder them as needed. There’s also colour-coding, which makes it easy to differentiate between different kinds of notes. Notes can use labels, pinning, and archiving. Notes are searchable and they can be copied.

Google Keep has a lot of options for customisation without being overwhelming. In fact, perhaps its biggest advantage is simplicity. With an uncluttered interface and general ease of use, it can make taking notes a bit less of a chore.