7 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Use Apple Notes

Summary

The video highlights seven reasons why Apple Notes may not be the best choice for certain users. It lacks markdown support, full control over files, version control, customization options, advanced tagging, templates, and robust linking features. For users seeking more control, flexibility, and advanced features like nested tags, templates, and better linking, the video suggests switching to apps like Obsidian. Additionally, Apple Notes is limited to the Apple ecosystem, making it challenging to collaborate across non-Apple devices.

Takeaways

• 📑 Apple Notes lacks markdown support, making it unsuitable if you need markdown compatibility.
• 🔐 Apple Notes stores notes in a local database, which limits file control and makes migration to other apps difficult.
• 📉 There's no version control in Apple Notes, meaning accidental deletions can't be easily recovered beyond the recently deleted folder.
• 🎨 Apple Notes is not customizable, unlike apps like Obsidian which allow extensive personalization through themes, plugins, and scripting.
• 🏷️ Tagging in Apple Notes is basic and lacks advanced features like nested tags, which are supported in apps like Obsidian.
• 📝 Apple Notes has no built-in template system, making it cumbersome for repetitive tasks, whereas Obsidian offers template support out of the box.
• 🔗 Apple Notes provides basic linking between notes but lacks advanced navigation features like backlinks and header-specific linking, which Obsidian offers.
• 🔄 Apple Notes' interoperability is limited to Apple devices, meaning collaboration with Android or Windows users is not possible.
• 💾 Obsidian provides better file management by saving notes as text files, allowing more control and easier migration between apps.
• ⏪ Apple Notes' undo function is limited, making it challenging to retrieve deleted text after switching to another note.

Q & A

What is the primary concern raised about using Apple Notes for markdown support?

Apple Notes lacks markdown support, meaning it cannot export formatted notes into markdown-enabled applications, and markdown-formatted notes lose their formatting when pasted into Apple Notes.

Why is file control an issue with Apple Notes?

Apple Notes stores notes in a local database that only Apple systems can read, making it difficult or nearly impossible to migrate notes to other apps, as there is no easy way to access the files outside the Apple ecosystem.

Does Apple Notes offer version control or backups for notes?

No, Apple Notes does not offer version control or backups. If something is deleted by mistake, users can only recover it from the 'Recently Deleted' folder or by using undo commands, but previous versions of notes cannot be accessed.

How does Obsidian compare to Apple Notes in terms of file control?

Obsidian saves everything as text files locally, allowing users full control over their files. This makes it easy to access, move, and migrate files whenever needed.

Can Apple Notes be customized or extended with plugins or scripts?

No, Apple Notes does not support customization or extensions with plugins or scripts. In contrast, Obsidian allows users to change layouts, add plugins, and even write custom scripts to extend its functionality.

How does Apple Notes handle tags compared to Obsidian?

Apple Notes has basic tagging capabilities, but it cannot handle nested tags or recognize properly formatted tags in pasted text. Obsidian, on the other hand, supports both simple and nested tags with robust tag management.

Does Apple Notes support templates for creating structured notes?

No, Apple Notes does not have native template support. While workarounds exist, such as copying and pasting standard notes, apps like Obsidian have built-in template functionality with additional plugins for more complex needs.

What are the limitations of Apple Notes when it comes to linking between notes?

Apple Notes offers basic linking between notes but lacks advanced navigation and backlinking features. Obsidian, however, provides extensive support for linking between notes, including backlink tracking, linking to specific headers, and customizing link names.

Is Apple Notes interoperable with devices outside the Apple ecosystem?

No, Apple Notes is primarily designed for Apple devices, such as iPhones, iPads, and Macs. It does not sync with Android or Windows devices, limiting its interoperability.

Why might someone prefer Obsidian over Apple Notes for long-term note-taking?

Someone might prefer Obsidian over Apple Notes due to its markdown support, full control over files, advanced linking and tag management, customizable templates, and its ability to operate outside the Apple ecosystem.