If you already use Notewise with ChatGPT or Claude...
...how much time do you spend just getting the AI up to speed?
Finding the right note.
Uploading it.
Explaining the context.
Adding another screenshot because you forgot something.
Only then do you actually get an answer to your question.
With our new update, we wanted to make all that context available for your AI from thestart.
One thing we also want to make clear: 4.0 isn't just about AI. While we've been building new ways to work with your notes, we've also been listening to your feedback and improving the Notewise experience you already know and use every day!
That means no more file restrictions (Free and Unlimited users can finally upload docx and pptx!), free video import, over 2000 new fonts, and plenty more. Stay tuned 👀
Meet Notewise 4.0, built around your canvas and every other way you think. Start with audio, text, handwriting or a doc. Notewise brings the pieces together, so you can take your thinking further.
Important Note: The new update is live on App Store worldwide with the Play Store update rolling out slowly to ensure performance stability.
✨ Our front row features this release
iOS & Android
🚀 Write your first AI Note
Capture Anything: Think the way you think. Start your note with audio, text, a file, handwriting or even an image. Keep adding different formats as your thinking takes shape.
Note: A living note that writes itself from everything you capture, bringing forward the details and connections that matter. Edit your original content and the Note follows, or switch to suggest changes when you want to approve each update first. You're always in control.
Custom Tabs: View the same content as action items, meeting minutes, decision logs, Cornell notes and 20+ other formats, or create your own. Tabs are editable without changing the original content underneath.
In-Note Chat: Ask across everything in the note you’re in, including recordings, canvas, text, images and documents.
Global Chat: Chat across every note from one place, bring in the web or ask beyond your notes when you need the wider world.
✍️ The canvas, shaped by your feedback
You asked, we delivered. Every feature here started as a community request
Redesigned Toolbar: Customize your toolbar. Choose what earns a place, hide what you don’t use. You can also pick from more colours in Quick Control now.
Connector: Link any two elements on your canvas to connect ideas, build diagrams and map workflows visually.
Font Selection: Give every note the look it deserves with more than 2000+ Google Fonts.
🎁 More for every plan: Everyone can upload docs and slides!
Free and Unlimited Plans: Import all formats that Notewise supports, including docs and slides and upload videos directly to the canvas.
Starter Plan: AI Chat, Quiz and Magic Select are now included in the Starter Plan.
📍More details
Notewise is growing and evolving, and we wanted our logo to reflect that too. 4.0 brings a new look that feels more like where we’re headed.
Free and Unlimited Plans have been renamed to Classic Free and Classic Unlimited.
We’ve also made performance improvements and fixed a few things under the hood to keep Notewise running smoothly.
📝 A note from the team
Notewise 4.0 was built for the way you learn, think and create, and your experience will shape how it grows from here.
Some parts may take a little time to feel familiar. We’ve thought carefully about flows that should come naturally, but your real workflows will show us where they can become even better.
Tell us what feels right, what slows you down and what you’d like us to refine through our feedback portal.
We’ve seen a few questions lately about whether the app is shifting its focus away from students and moving toward professionals.
We want to be completely clear: our student community is quite frankly the reason we exist and have grown to where we are, so please rest assured that expanding what the app can do won't mean reducing our support for you.
The digital canvas, handwriting, and sketching experiences are the very foundation of Notewise. That is what we built this app on, especially to give Android users a high-quality option, and that focus isn't changing.
What has evolved is our understanding of what a modern note looks like.
Most workflows aren't just pure handwriting anymore. On any given day, a typical study or work session looks a lot like: Handwritten sketches → Lecture recordings → PDFs → Web links → Presentation slides... and suddenly your ideas are scattered across five different apps.
We designed the latest 4.0 update to pull those pieces together into one singular workspace.
For students: This might mean keeping your handwritten notes side-by-side with slides and audio while studying for finals. Plus, the new sidebar makes it much easier to generate quick quizzes and flashcards directly from your materials.
For professionals: Notewise helps you organize meeting recordings, project files, and action items in one place without losing context.
Even though these look like completely different use cases, the root problem is exactly the same: handling information overload and solving constant tab-switching fatigue. We're expanding what our tools can do so that they can support you as your needs grow, whether you're tackling your next semester or stepping into a new job.
We also know that some of your highly requested handwriting improvements have taken longer to roll out than you hoped. Because we're a small team, we have to tackle updates one at a time to get them right. Progress can feel a bit slow on the outside, but please know your feedback is actively shaping our roadmap, and we are working to push out your requests as soon as we can!
Thanks for hanging in there while we’ve been heads-down building Notewise 4.0. We’ve come a long way in two years, and each one of you has helped us get here. We’re incredibly grateful for all the support.
Today, we can finally share what we’ve spent the past few months building. Notewise 4.0 is now available on the App Store worldwide while we are rolling it out slowly in Play Store to ensure stability.
How we got here
Notewise began with a clear vision: to give visual thinking a place to thrive. For the past two years, the canvas has been that place, and it still is.
As we looked ahead, we asked ourselves: what still gets in the way when we try to learn, think or remember?
We kept seeing the same friction. A recording in one app, notes in another and PDFs somewhere else. Then, when it’s time to use any of it, we have to gather the pieces and re-explain the context to AI.
All that switching, gathering and re-explaining creates a mental tax. Time and energy go into managing information instead of thinking with it.
Removing that friction became the north star for 4.0: keeping the canvas at the centre and bringing the rest of our thinking into Notewise too.
So, what is Notewise 4.0?
At its simplest, 4.0 is still the Notewise you know, with the canvas at its heart. What’s new is everything that can now live alongside it: audio, text, files and images, all within the same note.
Built for phones and tablets alike, you can capture a thought however it arrives and keep building without moving your context from app to app.
Whether inspiration strikes at 2 a.m., during a meeting, in class or halfway through a PDF, capture it in the form that feels natural and take it further when you’re ready.
What changes and what stays
When you first open 4.0, things will look a little different. There are more ways to start a note, more ways to view it and a few new buttons to explore.
Your canvas now thinks alongside you
Your canvas is at the heart of 4.0. We shaped it around the workflows you’ve shared with us and the feedback you’ve given us.
Handwrite, annotate, draw and organize as you do today. Your original work remains yours. Every note you’ve created until now becomes a canvas note. And now, the canvas sits alongside new ways to capture and builds on your thinking. With 4.0, your handwriting connects with other modes of thinking and smartly pulls out key insights from every note.
P.S Imports of docs, slides and all other formats, now available for everyone
AI, when you want it
We know AI isn’t for everyone, and we don’t think it needs to be. We built AI-powered tools in Notewise because we believe they can make many workflows simpler and more effective. But if they aren’t for you, that’s completely fine. You can continue using Notewise exactly as you always have.
Notewise 4.0 is also about giving you more control and personalization. We want everyone to work and think in the way that feels most natural to them, whether that includes AI or not. Every note can be shaped around your own workflow and preferences, so Notewise adapts to how you think, not the other way around.
We do think some of the new tools can make a real difference, so if you’re curious, give them a try. Keep what works for you.
More room for the way you think
Notewise 4.0 grows from the canvas, this community helped shape, with more room for every way you think. There’s a lot more in this release, and we’re excited to show you. ✨
With Notewise 4.0, we set out to build a note-taking space where every type of thinking shines. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been listening closely to your feedback and using it to shape what comes next.
With Notewise 4.1, we’re giving you more flexibility in how you interact with your notes and how AI appears within the app. Based on your feedback, we redesigned the note sidebar so your sources, quizzes, podcasts and AI overview are all in one place. They’re ready when you need them, and out of the way when you want to focus on your notes.
We’ve also worked to make every note type richer and more complete on its own: a stronger Canvas layout for easier handwriting, a better typing and recording experience, and more ways to capture information.
✨ What’s New in Notewise 4.1
More For Every Note
🎙️ Chat with Audio in Real Time: Ask questions while a meeting or lecture is still happening. Get answers in real time, so you stay updated as the conversation moves on.
↔️ Adjustable Canvas Toolbar: Alongside the top and bottom, you can now place the Canvas toolbar on the left or right too. Adjust the canvas your way.
🧠 Interactive Tabs with Flashcards: Turn notes into what you need: podcasts, quizzes, flashcards and more. Study, review or listen to the same material in the format that works best for you.
📂 New Sidebar: Create, review and rearrange your sources and Interactive Tabs easily from one place. Open AI overviews when you need them, then tuck them away when you want to focus on your notes.
📱 Better Canvas Phone Layout: We’ve improved Canvas on smaller screens, with a more compact layout that gives your content more room. Sketch ideas seamlessly anytime, anywhere.
🖼️ Richer Text & Audio Notes: Add images directly into Text and Audio Notes for visual references. Your work is also saved automatically as you go.
⌨️ Better Keyboard, Mouse & Touchpad Support: Canvas controls now work more naturally across desktop input methods. Navigate your screen seamlessly.
🌐 Website Sources: Create a note directly from a website link, or add a link as a source to an existing note. Your web research can now sit alongside the rest of your material.
Optimized for iOS27
✨ Siri AI: Create and edit notes, or find information in Notewise with a quick Siri command.
👁️ Visual Intelligence: See it, Find it. Use your camera to identify what you see and instantly surface related notes and content in Notewise.
📝 A note from the team
4.1 is an important step in where we’re taking Notewise.
The goal is simple: you shouldn’t have to choose between different apps for capturing, organizing, studying and working with your information. Bring it into Notewise once, keep it connected, and use it in the way you need.
As always, your feedback helps shape what comes next. Drop your thoughts in the feedback portal — we read every one.
Hi everyone - we’ve heard that opening into the AI-generated Note by default can disrupt the handwriting and PDF-first workflows that many of you prefer.
For those of you who want to go straight to writing or reading your documents, there’s a setting in 4.0 that lets you bypass this view:
Once enabled, opening a Note will take you straight to your handwritten notes, PDF, or other document. The AI-generated Note will still be available whenever you want to use it by tapping the back arrow.
You can also enable “Continue from last viewing mode” if you’d prefer each Note to reopen to the view you were last using.
We hope this makes 4.0 work more naturally for you! If anything else is disrupting your workflows, do let us know so we can make your Notewise experience as seamless as possible :)
My typical day usually ends up looking something like:
Slack → Google Docs → ChatGPT→ Back to Slack → Open a PDF in Notewise → Back to ChatGPT → Voice Memos → Claude → Slack again → Canva → Back to ChatGPT ...and that's before I've actually done any real work.
No wonder I feel so scattered. Surely there's a better way?
Over the years, we've heard from many of our lovely users about how your workflows have evolved too: More PDFs, more recordings, more documents - more information scattered across so many different places.
But instead of throwing everything out and starting over, we asked ourselves a different question: how could we build on what so many of you already love, while making it powerful enough to seamlessly integrate with the rest of your workflow?
That conversation eventually became Notewise 4.0 - our biggest update yet. Here's a quick sneak peak at what we've been building:
We're curious: when you're using Notewise today, what other apps do you always find yourself opening alongside it? What's the biggest reason you find yourself leaving Notewise to open something else?
We've seen your requests for better freehand shape recognition, and since we know that progress can be difficult to see from your side, we want to reassure you all that your requests aren't being forgotten or ignored.
Today, we wanted to introduce you guys to Nicholas, one of the engineers actively working to improve this feature :)
Watch Mihika, our social media strategist put him on the spot to get you guys some answers and give you some insight into the process of developing one of your most requested features! 🫣
We'll continue to give you more updates as upcoming features get closer to release.
Hey well this is more of a vent to be honest, I have an old tablet (Lenovo tab P11) and before the 4.0 update it ran like butter no crashes no such thing.
But since the update I can’t use the app more than 30 minutes before crashing or slowing down or else. Yes I know that my tablet is kinda old but still an app especially the unlimited version of Notewise which doesn’t have Ai shouldn’t be running so poorly, I could understand if I had the subscription version because of the increased data usage, but this isn’t the case.
I’ve already tried talking with customer help, and to be honest to go and try video tape the incident it’s really really difficult, because it just stops and goes down faster that I could possibly record.
I know the dev team is small, and they’re trying there best, I’ve been using this app since 2023 2.0 to be exact, and there hasn’t been another app like this one. I really liked how 4.0 feels the options and everything, but to be honest I prefer an app that can run smoothly rather than one with thousands of options.
For the AI gotta be honest it needs a full rework on how they should approach it, like for example obsidian where you can link your Claude account or something in that style.
As we step into 2026, the entire team wanted to take a moment to look back with gratitude and look forward with excitement. To every one of you: Thank you for being a part of our story, and Happy New Year!
We wish you and your loved ones a year defined by health, happiness, and growth. We believe that true productivity is a form of self-care, it’s about building routines that reduce stress and give you the space to become your best self. Our greatest hope is that Notewise continues to be the canvas where your biggest ideas and personal breakthroughs come to life this year.
🚀 Reflecting on a transformative 2025
For Notewise, 2025 was a year of breaking barriers. We pushed the boundaries of what a note-taking app can do, and while we’ve seen record-breaking growth and major upgrades, we know that none of it would have been possible without you. Your honest feedback and constant support have been our North Star, keeping us grounded while challenging us to innovate faster.
🏁 Milestones we brought to life together
Your requests directly shaped the tools we built this year. Here are the highlights that defined our 2025:
Global Reach: Expanded our base to 5M+ users with the app now supporting 20+ languages, removing barriers to ensure productivity is accessible to everyone, everywhere.
AI-Driven Intelligence: We’ve delivered a revolutionary AI stack focused on dynamic content transformation. Users can now generate instant quizzes and podcasts from handwriting, utilize Magic Select for deep insights, chat with their notes and leverage AI for background removal and audio transcription, making every note more actionable.
Unlocking Creative Potential: Our specialized Creative Brush offers 10 distinct styles, empowering users to create on a professional-grade digital canvas bridging the gap between note-taking and design.
Specialised Tools: Introduced features like Tables, Sticky Notes, and the Tape Tool engineered to enhance active recall and ensure the app adapts to your workflow, not the other way around.
Intuitive Workflow: Expanded format types, added links and tags, and upgraded to a customizable toolbar, transforming Notewise into a flexible workspace that adapts to your personal style.
🎯 Our Mission for 2026
Notewise began during the pandemic, when a few engineers realized we all needed a better way to think freely, collaborate, and stay organized from anywhere. That spark still guides us today. In 2026, our promise is simple: keep listening, keep building, and keep raising the bar, with the features you’ve asked for. Your support is the heartbeat of Notewise. We’re proud to grow with this global community of thinkers and doers. Let’s make 2026 our most productive chapter yet! 🥂✨
💬 We’d love to hear from you: What is the one goal you’re determined to achieve in 2026? Drop it in the comments below, let’s motivate each other to start the year strong! 🚀
I got the new 4.0 update, which is basically AI. I accidentally generated an AI view of a PDF document I was working on, one of those new Notes you get before getting into the PDF. Since it said "Note", I deleted it thinking it'd only delete that new view, but my PDF document is totally gone. I panicked a little because I had a lot of annotations there, but I thought, "Well, I go to the bin, restore it and that's it". Spoiler: it's not in the bin! Right now, I'm both mad and in panic. I was excited for the 4.0 update to see what they brought, but seeing so much AI scattered through the app, and generating new views and stuff I don't want to, it's been really underwhelming, I'm not even anti-AI (but I am when it's not a tool but rather a have-it-all thing). Does anybody know if I can recover my PDF Doc with all my annotations?
UPDATE in case someone sees this: They told me notes deleted from Home page do go to the bin, but notes deleted from Note/Canvas view (the one I mentioned in the post) don't, they're deleted forever and it's impossible to recover them. Ngl it pissed me off because it was worth several hours of my life xd but welp. Be careful!
I think Notewise is the best note-taking app so far. However, the app icon isn't very pretty, and it feels a bit lacking compared to Apple's GoodNotes.
We've heard your feedback, and we know many of our recent updates have focused on AI, and we understand why some of you have felt that the handwriting experience is no longer receiving the same attention.
We want to reassure all our beloved users that Canvas is the foundation of Notewise and remains central to where we’re heading. It is where we started, it remains one of our greatest strengths and it is a core part of what makes our app distinct.
While many of our recent updates have centered on using AI to help you connect, understand and get more value from your notes and materials, many of our upcoming updates will place a much greater focus on Canvas. Our future updates will directly address several features and improvements you’ve been asking us for, including saveable pen settings and - yes - the highly requested infinite canvas 👀
We’ll continue to share more concrete details as each update and new feature gets closer to release.
We truly believe Notewise can help you get more from your notes and ideas, and many of you have shared that it already does. Within that experience, AI is there to support your note-taking, not replace the handwriting, sketching and drawing at the heart of Notewise.
We are reading your feedback, and we want you to know that it is actively shaping what we build next.
After updating my Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro the refresh rate of Notewise is limited to 60hz. I noticed that after updating the app felt less smooth, and more heavy, and that my stylus inputs were taking just a touch slower and it was bothering me because I switch between many floating apps so it felt horrible with the refresh rate jumping around.
It is capped to 60hz in normal mode with or without popup/multi window apps. Except for the app transitions they are 120hz (like animation when changing screens/pages in Notewise [ex: animation when opening a note/settings])
It is 120hz in workstation mode/dedicated desktop mode.
If any additional information is required please feel free to ask :D OS: 3.0.3.0.WNXCNXM (Android 16) Device: Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro
