Popular sketching app Paper by FiftyThree received a major update today, expanding support to the iPhone and adding a range of new features to expand its idea-capturing capabilities. With the new update, Paper builds on its sketching and diagramming tools with support for text, images, lists, and more.

Today's update is Paper's biggest revamp since it launched in 2012, and the company's goal is to turn it into the ultimate mixed media note-taking and idea-aggregating app for better productivity. It's now possible to add images, photos, and text to Paper, and text can be customized with simple swipes. You're also able to pick up text snippets and move them around on the screen with a finger, and entire lists can be built with a swipe.

paperbyfiftythree
With image support, Paper users can take a photo directly within the Paper app and then annotate it using the built-in drawing tools. Ideas created in Paper can be shared with friends by email and through a range of social media networks. Here's a full list of the features, new and old, in Paper:

Text, Photos, and Sketching--Each note has the option to take a photo, type a note, or sketch out your idea.

Swipe to Style--A ground-breaking new feature that lets you create fast lists, bullet points, or headlines with a simple swipe of your finger.

Photo Spotlight--A new filter that lets you easily spotlight the area in photos and screenshots that you want to call attention to.

Sketch--All the power of Paper's award-winning tools to write, sketch, diagram, and graph are now in your pocket.

Diagram--Paper recognizes and corrects shapes drawn, making it easy to create presentation-ready shapes for charts, diagrams, flows, and more.

Grid View--grid view means text, photos, and sketches live together in a grid that shows you everything at once and can be rearranged into presentations, outlines, or storyboards.

Spaces--Organize your ideas into separate Spaces that you can name and customize with a cover image. Make as many Spaces as you want.

Universal App--Paper is a universal app that works across iPads and iPhones that run iOS8+.

Pencil--Connect Pencil, FiftyThree's award-winning Bluetooth stylus, for a faster and more natural way to sketch out your ideas.

All of the new features are available on both the iPad and the iPhone, and the existing Paper app is now universal to allow it to work with all of Apple's mobile devices.

Paper by FiftyThree can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

Mac Fly (film) Avatar
128 months ago
Two-finger circular undo. Their app itself. Color-mixing. Color-palette. How they did lists and bullet-points in this app. How you close drawing books. They are truly great designers and very innovative. Apple should acquire them and bundle the Paper drawing app into iOS by default. Imagine also when you choose to draw in Notes it pops you temporarily into a Paper view as you complete your drawing. That'd be awesome. They're so talented it'd be great to keep their apps exclusive to Apple and bring that talent in-house. My favourite iPad app.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Michaelgtrusa Avatar
128 months ago
I can't wait to see this on the iPad pro.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lazyrighteye Avatar
128 months ago
Yes, it is obvious. I just don't get, what you're trying to say here.

My post was not particularly against the guys at 53, - I actually love their paper app and also like their pencil...
But now, after the announcement of that another fruity pencil, - it automatically degrades to a crayon.

Anyways, I really looking forward for the 53' paper app to support apple pencil. In my opinion, it would be a wonderful combination!
Sorry. I simply meant there is this cool Apple offering that only works with iPad Pro. Wish it worked with other iDevices.
All good. As you were.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
airpods pro 2

AirPods Pro 3 to Help Maintain Apple's Place in Earbud Market Amid Increasing Low-Cost Competition

Thursday July 3, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Max Battery Capacity Leaked

Thursday July 3, 2025 5:40 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the biggest ever battery in an iPhone, according to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post, the leaker listed the battery capacities of the iPhone 11 Pro Max through to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and added that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a battery capacity of 5,000mAh: iPhone 11 Pro Max: 3,969mAh iPhone 12 Pro Max: 3,687mAh...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
Apple Watch Ultra Night Mode Screen

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Launching Later This Year With Two Key Upgrades

Wednesday July 2, 2025 1:13 pm PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 appears to be nearly over, and it is rumored to feature both satellite connectivity and 5G support. Apple Watch Ultra's existing Night Mode In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on track to launch this year with "significant" new features, including satellite connectivity, which would let you...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Early Prime Day Deals on Apple Products

Saturday July 5, 2025 7:22 am PDT by
Amazon is soon to be back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront, and there are already many deals you can get on sale ahead of the event. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a ...