GoodNotes 5 Updated to Support Document Sharing via iCloud Sync

by

Popular note-taking app and PDF editor GoodNotes has been updated to support document sharing over iCloud for the first time.

syncdevices%402x
After updating to version 5.5.0, users will be able to share individual notes and entire folders of notes using unique URLs, as well as collaboratively edit the same note with others at the same time.

Users can share documents from their GoodNotes library by tapping a document title, which opens a context menu containing the new Collaborate option. If a user is already working in a document, they can tap the share icon to reveal the same option.

Shared documents display a special icon in the GoodNotes library, and can also be accessed from a new Shared tab in the app's navigation bar. Changes to shared documents sync via ‌iCloud‌ and take around 15 to 30 seconds to show up on other devices, and anyone with the link can open and edit a shared document in GoodNotes.

The developers concede that this way of working is unlikely to replace real-time collaborative whiteboard apps, but it does offer a means of working together on things like calendars, meeting notes, grocery lists, and so on over an extended period of time.

GoodNotes 5 costs $7.99 and can be downloaded for iPhone and iPad from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Tag: GoodNotes

Popular Stories

imac video apple feature

Apple Unveils First New Products of 2026

Monday January 26, 2026 1:55 pm PST by
Apple today introduced its first two physical products of 2026: a second-generation AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch. Read our coverage of each announcement to learn more:Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More Apple Introduces New Black Unity Apple Watch BandBoth the new AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided...
Read Full Article
Apple Logo Black

Apple Just Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever After Beats

Thursday January 29, 2026 10:07 am PST by
Apple today confirmed to Reuters that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup that is working on artificial intelligence technology for audio. Apple paid close to $2 billion for Q.ai, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone and audio brand Beats in 2014. Q.ai has...
Read Full Article • 133 comments
iPhone 5s

iPhone 5s Gets New Software Update 13 Years After Launch

Monday January 26, 2026 3:56 pm PST by
Alongside iOS 26.2.1, Apple today released an updated version of iOS 12 for devices that are still running that operating system update, eight years after the software was first released. iOS 12.5.8 is available for the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 6, meaning Apple is continuing to support these devices for 13 and 12 years after launch, respectively. The iPhone 5s came out in September 2013,...
Read Full Article • 130 comments
Apple Creator Studio

Apple's Next Launch is Today

Tuesday January 27, 2026 2:39 pm PST by
Update: Apple Creator Studio is now available. Apple Creator Studio launches this Wednesday, January 28. The all-in-one subscription provides access to the Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage apps, with U.S. pricing set at $12.99 per month or $129 per year. A subscription to Apple Creator Studio also unlocks "intelligent features" and "premium...
Read Full Article
apple silicon 1 feature

Apple Responds to Skyrocketing RAM and Storage Chip Prices

Thursday January 29, 2026 2:40 pm PST by
On an earnings call with equity analysts today, Apple CEO Tim Cook responded to fast-rising RAM and SSD storage chip prices in the supply chain. Cook said that rising memory chip prices had a "minimal impact" on Apple's gross margin in the fourth quarter of the 2025 calendar year, but he does expect a "bit more of an impact" on the company's gross margin in the current quarter. Cook added ...
Read Full Article • 63 comments

Top Rated Comments

johnnytravels Avatar
johnnytravels
71 months ago
It’s a good app, I wish however that the Mac version was a bit less clunky and not so obviously a Catalyst app (but it comes free with the iPad version).

In comparison to Notability I think a prefer the fact that the text of PDFs can be directly selected, highlighted and copied as text.
Writing and text recognition seems a little worse to me.

One feature I would really like to see is the option to scan excerpts from books into documents, ideally with OCR. Currently it is only possible to either take photos and add those or turn scans into entire pages.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
johnnytravels Avatar
johnnytravels
71 months ago

I have a little off-topic question, but related to note-taking.
Anyone tried purchasing any kind of paper-like screen protector?

Have purchased the elecom one, I think I like it.

Any opinions or other recommendations?
Thanks!
I am currently using this and it works really well for me:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084237PKK/ref=dp_prsubs_1

The best combination of a real matte screen and great Pencil friction I have found. Better than Paperlike, better than many others that reduce the screen’s clarity while actually adding glare to it.
Comes with a handy installation tool, too ;)
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CalMin Avatar
CalMin
71 months ago

Anyone got any opinions of this versus Notability?
They're both great. Personally, I get on really well with Goodnotes as it suits my need to organize. My only real wish is that it had audio recording.

Notability is great too and it has the audio recording (which is done really, really well). There's also something about my writing in Notability - it's just smoother and more pen-like. That sounds minor, but somehow, they have really got the inking feel nice in Notability.

The thing to do is to buy and try both. Apple will refund you for the one that you don't like if you ask nicely via 'Report a problem' and don't do it too often. I ended up keeping both - I mostly use GoodNotes, but sometimes use Notability when I need to use voice recording.

There is also the app that no-one mentions and that is Noteshelf. It's killer feature was Evernote sync, and when I had to use a Windows PC for work that was invaluable to me to get my notes on that platform.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BuffaloTF Avatar
BuffaloTF
71 months ago

Anyone got any opinions of this versus Notability?
I think you'll find it's as close to a 'push' as possible, I have both... but... Notability is my go to. First off, GoodNotes charges for each numbered upgrade. Infinite scrolling with no need to flip pages. More screen real estate given to writing instead of a Microsoft Office style gigantic banner bar (which simultaneously has its benefits). Annotating PDFs or PowerPoints is just better with an easier interface. Audio recording... it's more than just audio, but it plays out your actual handwriting as the audio plays - so if you ever look at a note and say "wtf does that tie to?" you can just play the audio to hear what you were writing about.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kylew1212 Avatar
kylew1212
71 months ago

Anyone got any opinions of this versus Notability?
reference:
I have used both Notability & GoodNotes on my iPad and Mac.

I prefer Goodnotes over notability of the organization capabilities. There Is not enough actual not taking differences (to me) for that portion to matter. Notability does not allow for folders, goodnotes does. I have tons of notes that I wsnt to easily manage and rarely use. Notability felt clunkier in this area.

Notability pros:

* Both sync to iCloud, but Notability has a version history for each document.
* Audio recording


GoodNotes pros:

* Great organization
* This new document collaboration


Both have Mac apps, I do not remember the cost of them to compare. They might have even been free.
I only use the Mac apps for importing PDFs, and reviewing notes. I rarely edit with Mac.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ChrisH3677 Avatar
ChrisH3677
71 months ago

Anyone got any opinions of this versus Notability?
It beats Notability hands down in all except two things

1) Shapes. Notability gives you control over modifying your shapes
2) Audio recording. GN doesn't have any. Notability allows you to record audio while you take notes - and in playback of the audio, your note taking plays back too so what you wrote is shown in sync with what you heard!

But, those two features weren't enough for me.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments