How to Make Your Own Note App Templates: Graph Paper and Cornell Notes for GoodNotes

Why make your own template

Note apps come with graph and lined paper, but often without fine control over spacing and line color. Making your own lets you create paper suited to how you write, such as "5 mm grid with faint light-blue lines" or "6 mm ruling with a keyword column on the left."

• You can set line spacing in millimeters: match it to the size of your handwriting
• You can make the lines paler: your writing stands out and is easy to see on screen
• You can match your paper notebook: moving between printed paper and digital feels natural
• You can prepare it by purpose: Cornell for class, grid for calculations, dot grid for a diary and so on

PNG, PDF or SVG?

If you're unsure, make both a PNG and a PDF to be safe. PNG loads in more places, and PDF keeps lines clean when zoomed and can be printed as it is. Keep the SVG as source data for changing line colors or combining with other figures later.

How A4 and iPad screen ratios differ

A4 has an aspect ratio of about 1:1.41, while iPad screens vary by model from about 1:1.33 to 1:1.43. Loading an A4 template can leave a small margin at the top and bottom or at the sides, but note apps scale the page to the screen, so it rarely causes any trouble when writing.

If you might print on paper later, making it in A4 or B5 is a good idea. When you export notes you wrote digitally as a PDF and print them, the grid comes out at actual size. If the printed size is off, see Why Printouts Come Out Smaller and How to Fix It.

What Cornell notes are: using the three sections

Cornell notes are a note-taking method devised at Cornell University in the United States. A page is divided into three sections, a keyword column (left), a notes column (right) and a summary area (bottom), so that writing, reviewing and summarizing all happen on one page. The original form, on letter-size paper, has a keyword column of about 6.4 cm and a summary area of about 5 cm.

1. 1

   During class, write only in the notes column

   Write what the teacher says, what's on the board and the key points of handouts in the notes column on the right. Prioritize getting everything down over neat summarizing.

2. 2

   After class, fill in the keyword column

   Review the notes column and write important terms, and questions like "Why?" and "How is it different?", in the keyword column on the left.

3. 3

   Write a page summary in the summary area

   Summarize the whole page in 2–3 lines. What you can't put in your own words is what you don't fully understand.

4. 4

   When reviewing, cover the notes column

   Cover the notes column with paper or your hand, and test whether you can answer the questions in the keyword column. Reread only what you couldn't answer.

The Cornell notes in the Printable Graph & Lined Paper tool default to A4 portrait with a 55 mm keyword column and a 50 mm summary area. With 7 mm ruling (A ruled), the notes column has 28 lines; with 6 mm (B ruled), it has 33. As a guide, choose 7 mm if your handwriting is large and 6 mm if you write a lot.

Making a template and loading it into a note app

1. 1

   Choose the paper type and spacing

   Pick from graph paper, dot grid, lined paper, Cornell notes and so on, then set the spacing and the line color and thickness. For on-screen use, thin, pale lines work well.

2. 2

   Remove the check ruler

   A template you won't print doesn't need the 50 mm ruler at the bottom. Untick it before exporting.

3. 3

   Save as PNG or PDF

   "Save as PNG" gives you a PNG. For a PDF, click "Print (you can also save as PDF)" and set the destination to Save as PDF.

4. 4

   Load it into the note app

   Save it to your Files app or similar, then load the image or PDF as a template from the note app's new-notebook screen or paper settings.

Steps and names vary by app and version, but many apps have items such as "Import Template," "Custom Paper" or "Add Cover/Paper." Once registered, you can pick it each time you create a new notebook or page. For choosing a grid spacing, see What Grid Size Should You Choose?.

FAQ

Can I make my own GoodNotes templates?

Yes. Make graph or lined paper as a PNG image or a PDF, then load it as a template from GoodNotes's new-notebook screen or similar. For images, working at 300 dpi (2480×3508 px for A4) helps keep lines from blurring when you zoom.

Should templates be PNG or PDF?

PNG loads in more apps, and PDF keeps lines clean when zoomed and can also be printed. If you're unsure, make both and pick whichever suits the app you're using.

How do I write Cornell notes?

During class, write in the notes column on the right. After class, put important terms and questions in the keyword column on the left. Last, write a page summary in the summary area at the bottom. When reviewing, cover the notes column and test whether you can answer the questions in the keyword column.

Can I use A4 templates on an iPad?

Yes. A4 and iPad screens have slightly different aspect ratios, so there may be a margin at the top and bottom or at the sides, but note apps fit the page to the screen, so it rarely gets in the way when writing.

What color should template lines be?

For writing on screen, thin pale gray or light-blue lines work well. Your writing stands out and the lines are less distracting. If you'll also print, make them slightly darker so they don't vanish when photocopied.