7 Time-Saving Evernote Features to Boost Your Productivity

Evernote has been hard at work introducing new features that save time and make staying organized even simpler. 🐘

Whether you’re an entrepreneur managing multiple projects, a busy parent juggling home and work, or simply someone looking for ways to get the most out of Evernote, these updates will help you work smarter and faster.

7 New Time-Saving Evernote Features

As an Evernote user since 2009, I’m super excited about all the changes Bending Spoons (owner of Evernote) has made over the last year to improve the user experience. 💚 If you love this app as much as I do, you’re going to love these upgrades.

Here are seven of the most exciting time-saving Evernote features and ways you can use them to your advantage.

1. Recent Notes: Quick Access at Your Fingertips

Ready to customize your Evernote sidebar? You can now show or hide your Recent Notes in the sidebar so you can quickly and easily jump back into the notes you’ve been working on.

How to Use It:

• Quickly pick up where you left off with your most recent work, whether it’s a project plan, a grocery list, or brainstorming ideas.
• Combine this with pinned notes for seamless access to your most critical information.

🔗READ MORE: 11 Easy and Productive Evernote Tips

2. AI-Powered Search: Smarter, Faster Results

Finding the right note has never been easier thanks to Evernote’s AI-Powered Search. That’s because you can query it just like you would another human. Simply ask questions in plain, everyday language (no need for complicated characters or keywords).

This time-saving feature built right into Evernote’s search, so you can quickly find the information you’re looking for.

How to Use It:

• Your Evernote account will have standard search as the default search mode, so you’ll need to switch to AI-Powered Search to use it.
• Locate text within scanned documents, images, handwritten notes, and shared notes effortlessly. Read AI-Powered Search: Helping you recall anything, instantly on the Evernote blog for more tips.

 

3. Open Notes in a New Window: Multitasking Made Easy

Need to work with more than one note at the same time?  Evernote’s new time-saving solution will make that easy. You can now open notes in separate windows so you can work on them simultaneously.

How to Use It:

• Open a reference note in one window while editing another. For example, keep meeting notes open while creating a related project plan.
• Easily switch between notes without losing focus or context.

🔗READ MORE: Good Multitasking: 8 Ways to Creatively Do Two Things at the Same Time

4. Voice-to-Text Transcription: Capture Ideas on the Go

Evernote’s new Voice-to-Text Transcription feature lets you record audio and have it transcribed automatically into text in over 50 languages.

You’ve always been able to use your voice to record audio inside Evernote, but with the new Voice-to-Text feature, you’ll get an audio file AND a transcription. You can upload an audio or record a note directly in Evernote.

How to Use It:

• Insert an audio recording in a new note to capture ideas during your commute or whenever fabulous brain sparks strike using your voice (no need to thumb-type).
• Use this feature for meeting notes, brainstorming sessions, or journaling.
• Test Evernote’s AI Transcribe feature.

5. Evernote Files: Your Digital Filing Cabinet

The new Evernote Files feature lets you organize and store attachments more effectively, turning Evernote into a true digital filing system. You can now store your scans, image files, docs, and more all in one location not just in a specific note. Plus you’ll get links back to the related note. Win!

Don’t worry, if you love using Google Drive, it still integrates with Evernote and you can continue using them both in your workflow.

How to Use It:

• After saving files to a specific notes, look for your collection of all your files in the sidebar “All files,” “Media,” or “Docs.”
• What  types of files could you save? Contracts, receipts, client files, spreadsheets, manuals, or any other doc that you want to access from anywhere.

 

6. Draggable Paragraphs: Effortless Reorganization

Say goodbye to tedious copy-pasting! Drag and drop paragraphs within a note instead for quick reorganization.

How to Use It:

• Rearrange sections in meeting notes or brainstorm ideas with a simple drag-and-drop motion.
• Quickly prioritize items in a particular sequence or reorganize copy without losing focus.

7. Customize the Sidebar: Your Personal Workflow Hub

I’ve mentioned the sidebar a bit, and if I’m being honest, it’s sort of the show even though it’s mentioned last on this list.

The new customization options for the Sidebar lets you to tailor Evernote to your unique workflow. You can hide or show tags, shortcuts, or anything else for easy access. Prefer a more minimalist style? All good. Hide everything except the essentials you want to see.

How to Use It:

• Customize the sidebar by showing your most-used items like tags or shortcuts.
• Play around with the views that keep you from getting overwhelmed.

⭐BONUS FEATURE

8. Note Linking for Easy Navigation

Connecting related notes to each other has long been feature request from Evernote users. Well, that time has come. You can now create internal links between your notes. This is especially useful if you manage multiple projects or need to cross-reference different documents.

How to Use It:

• Use note linking to create a “master note” for big projects that links to all related tasks, research, and meeting notes. 
• Writing a book? This is a great way test note linking.

Which of these features are you most excited to try? Let me know in the comments! 

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