7 super simple Google Keep tips and tricks to keep you on task

Google Keep is one of the best note-taking apps on Android, whether you’re jotting down notes on your phone or marking up a picture on an affordable Android tablet. It comes preinstalled on most Android devices, so you can use it as soon as you set up your new Android phone or tablet.

If you’re new to Google Keep, you’ll want to brush up on the app’s essential features. Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the app, follow this guide for some tips and tricks to use the app in new and exciting ways.

Lists are easy to make, but their potential goes beyond a simple column of checkboxes. Link them to Google Assistant to add and remove items using a voice command from any Google Assistant-enabled smart home device.

1. Create a list in Google Keep.
2. Say, “Hey Google, open Assistant settings” to open Google Assistant’s settings menu.

3. Tap
   See all Assistant Settings
   .
4. Scroll down and tap
   Notes & Lists
   .

5. Tap the radio button next to
   Google Keep
   .

You can now say, “Hey Google, add (item) to my (list name) list” or “Hey Google, remove (item) from my (list name) list.” It’s worth brushing up on how to use Google Assistant to see how else you can use the smart assistant.

Import your notes into Google Docs

When a short writing project turns into a long one, import your Keep notes into Google Docs. It’s a seamless transition, so you won’t have to worry about replacing headers or bullet points. There are two ways to perform this action, depending on which app you start from.

How to import Keep notes within Google Docs

This method only works on the desktop version of Google Docs. If you’re on mobile, try the other method.

1. Open Google Docs.
2. Click the
   arrow
   button in the lower-right corner of your screen to expand the side panel.
3. Click the
   Google Keep
   icon on the right of your screen to open the Keep panel.

4. Drag and drop your notes into your document.

You can also create Keep notes within Google Docs by clicking Take a note at the top of the Keep sidebar. Notes created in this manner contain a link to the Google Doc, so you can access the document by opening the note within the Google Keep app. This is useful if you want to attach notes to a document.

How to copy a Keep note into Google Docs

This is the best method if you’re starting on mobile. If Docs is open on your computer, we recommend using the previous method.

1. Open any note within Google Keep.
2. Tap the
   three-dot
   button in the lower-right corner of your screen.
3. Tap
   Send
   .

4. Tap
   Copy to Google Docs
   .

If your note doesn’t have a title, the note is saved as “Google Keep Document” within Docs.

How to change your Google Keep reminder times

When you create a reminder in Google Keep, you have the option of Morning, Afternoon, Evening, or Night to set your reminder to, as well as a custom time option. Keep has preset times, but you can change these in the settings menu to ones suited to your lifestyle. This can save you a couple of taps when setting reminders.

1. Tap the
   three-line
   button
   
   in the upper-right corner of your screen to open the navigation drawer.
2. Tap
   Settings
   .

3. Tap
   Morning
   ,
   Afternoon
   , or
   Evening
   .
4. Choose a time and tap
   OK
   .

When you set a reminder, you see your preset times instead of Keep’s times.

Create and add a label to a Google Keep note

Labels are a nifty way to organize and search your notes. Your Keep notes can be filtered by labels, and you can add multiple labels to notes. There are a few ways to add them, but this is the most convenient way to create and add a label to a note.

How to create and add a label to a Keep note

1. Open any note.
2. Tap the
   three-dot
   
   button in the lower-right corner of your screen.
3. Tap
   Labels
   .

4. Tap a checkbox next to an existing label, or tap
   Enter label name
   to create a new label.

How to filter your Keep notes by label

1. Tap the
   three-line
   button in the upper-right corner of your screen to open the navigation drawer.
2. Tap a label underneath the
   Label
   heading.

Install the Chrome extension to add images or web pages to Keep quickly

There are many useful Google Chrome extensions, and the Keep extension is one of the best. It allows you to add any web page or image to Google Keep with a few clicks.

1. Install the
   Google Keep extension
   .
2. Right-click on an image or anywhere on a web page.
3. Hover over
   Google Keep Chrome Extension
   in the context menu.
4. Choose one of the options. Regardless of the option you choose, the Keep note contains a URL to the web page.
5. The image is saved to Keep, and you can add a note or label to the item from the pop-up window.

Google Keep has three handy widgets for your Android phone’s homescreen. The first lets you create a note with a tap, the second lets you scroll through your notes without opening the app, and the third is dedicated to a single note. Simply long-press on your phone’s homescreen to access your Widgets menu, and then search for Keep to find the widgets.

You can adjust the size of these widgets to change the available buttons.

Grab text from an image in Google Keep

You can copy text from an image saved in your Keep notes. It’s copied below the image, where you can edit it as needed.

1. Open a saved image within Google Keep.
2. Tap the image.
3. Tap the
   three-dot
   
   button in the upper-right corner of your screen.
4. Tap
   Grab image text
   .

Take notes like a pro

Google Keep is perfect for notes on the go, but you’ll want something with more features for long-form content. Learn these Google Docs tips and tricks to make the most of Google’s power document editor.