Important update: This article has been updated in April 2020 to reflect that GoodNotes is now a universal purchase for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.
We’re happy to announce the release of GoodNotes 5 for Mac. It allows you to view, edit, and organize your GoodNotes documents right on the Mac. All of your changes are synchronized between iPhone, iPad, and Mac using iCloud.
Highlights
The Mac app is the perfect tool for anyone who wants to have a seamless and continuous GoodNotes experience across their devices. Now you have access to your important information, notebooks, and documents on whatever device you’re currently working on. With similar features to the iPad app, users can get started right away without having to relearn anything.
Here are a few highlights that we think you’ll love:
Add documents from your Mac to existing GoodNotes notebooks
It is now easier than ever to add documents from your Mac to existing notebooks in GoodNotes. Open the thumbnail view in a GoodNotes notebook and simply drag and drop a PDF, GoodNotes document, or image from your desktop or Finder into it.
Bulk import many different documents from your Mac to prepare them
The Mac makes it easy to collect multiple documents from various different locations and bring them up on the same screen. Now easily bulk import a large number of documents into your GoodNotes library. If you’re a student, for example, and want to prepare materials for the next semester, you can simply add all the documents you need to your GoodNotes library. They will sync to your iPad via iCloud and are always available when you’re in a lecture.
Export documents or single pages as a PDF simply by dragging them out of your GoodNotes library
When you drag a document or a single page out of GoodNotes to another app or to your desktop or Finder, it will be automatically converted to a PDF, allowing you to quickly share it with others.
Open as many windows of GoodNotes as you want
By using the keyboard shortcut ⌘+N or the menubar item File > New, you’ll be able to open a new GoodNotes window.
FAQ
Q: I purchased GoodNotes 4 for Mac. Do I get a discount for the new Mac version?
A: We have decided not to offer any discounts for previous customers of the GoodNotes 4 Mac version. You can read more about the reasons for this decision in our official statement.
Q: How do I sync my iPad, iPhone, and Mac with each other?
A: Make sure that you’re signed in to the same iCloud account on all of your devices and enable “iCloud Sync” in GoodNotes > Menu > Settings > iCloud. It may take some time initially for your documents to show up on the other device depending on the size of your library and your internet connection.
Q: Does the Mac app require a separate purchase if I already bought it on my iPhone or iPad?
A: No. If you bought the app once, you can install it for free on other devices. Please read more about that here.
Q: I can’t install macOS 10.15 on my Mac.
A: Unfortunately, we can’t make our new GoodNotes Mac app compatible with older operating systems. You can read more about it here.
Q: What happens with GoodNotes 4 for Mac?
A: GoodNotes 4 for Mac has been removed from sale in early 2019. If you have purchased it before, you will still be able to download it from “My Purchases” in the Mac App Store.