Note-taking is a process I don’t complicate with AI features or excessive tools. It helps me think for myself and document my ideas in their most unfiltered forms.
I only need an app to quickly annotate something when I’m not with my physical journal. Normally, I rely on my Realme Notes app because it strips the process to the barest minimum.
But I’m avoiding being comfortable with apps tied to a single ecosystem, based on past limitations with Samsung devices. I can’t always predict what my next phone will be, and I don’t want my notes locked into one place when I switch.
I found a simple alternative in Joplin, and it fits into my workflow. Here’s how I’m using the low interference tool to record my thoughts.
I tried dozens of note-taking apps and here’s why I keep returning to OneNote on Android
The note-taking app that finally clicked for me
Mark down what’s most important
It’s one of the best idea developers
Joplin for Android reminds me of Obsidian. The open source editor runs on a Markdown system where you’ll format text using plain characters. At the bottom of every note are shortcuts.
Tap them and the app inserts the syntax for you. For example, you can wrap text in double asterisks (**) to bold them and single asterisks (*) to italicize.
You can also link one note to another and turn them into a connected chain of contexts. Although I prefer Obsidian’s darker theme, Joplin isn’t so bad to look at. When you enter a new draft, the screen opens into a full writing view.
There’s a three-dot menu in the upper-right corner that shows more tools. You can attach files, draw directly into the note, use voice typing, add tags, or convert the entry into a to-do list.
Open the right sidebar on the homepage, and you’ll be able to create a new notebook or nest the current one under a parent copy. You can do all these without creating an account or vault.
You can also sync entries to Joplin’s dedicated Cloud service for $4 on the Basic plan. It bundles the capability with 10MB per note and 2GB storage space, among other features.
I prefer to take the easy route of syncing to my Dropbox account. It provides similar storage for free, and I can still sync between my phone and laptop. However, it’s slower.
Enter the left home sidebar and click or tap Synchronize at the bottom to get started.
See a timeline of how your mind travels
Joplin gives me a city tour of my brain
Joplin stores note metadata and history, which you can disable in the Configuration menu. It creates and updates timestamps every time I make changes. Then I can open and restore them.
There’s also a View on map feature that appears if location data is available. It saves where I was when I drafted entries, so I can track where certain thoughts came from. I move around cafés in my city frequently, so it reveals a pattern in even my most random ideas.
It also contributed to my journaling in taking snapshots of a version of me at a specific time. I like to write stories around it. Tap the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner to access the sidebar. Then select Properties to see this information.
Plugins are another pleasure to use as they extend what the editor does by a wide margin. But they work better on Joplin’s desktop app. Many of them aren’t supported on mobile, and there’s no web app.
So, I switch to the wider screen sometimes. Rich Markdown is among my favorites. It separates the writing and viewing modes, so that you’ll type the Markdown version on one side, then see the live preview on the other simultaneously.
If you were to write a checklist, the checkboxes become clickable. You don’t need to switch modes first to tick things off.
Pick up where you left off
Annotation doesn’t end on one device
The Configuration menu on the mobile app is where I export all my notes to my Google Drive in Joplin’s own export format. JEX is a compressed archive, similar to a ZIP file.
But it’s structured specifically, so that the app can rebuild your notes exactly the way they were when you created or imported them.
On the desktop app, there are more options to explore in settings, including RAW, Markdown, HTML, and PDF formats.
I use the RAW format. It saves my data as a directory of Markdown files that mirrors Joplin’s internal data model. I can open them in most text editors and parse or migrate them, as long as they also support Markdown.
JEX is my safety net in case the app crashes, or I switch devices. While it’s reliable, it’s built specifically for the app to read. So, it may not work with other tools that don’t support it.
I started using NotebookLM with Google Keep and it’s been a game-changer
My notes are better with NotebookLM and Google Keep
Swift note-taking when you need it
I admire how Joplin stays out of my way when I’m writing, and I can choose what I need most of the time. It’s one app that doesn’t make me scream because of complicated features. It’s quick to launch on mobile.
If you’re just getting into Markdown, it offers an easy way to start. Use it alongside other apps when you need more control. The external editing feature lets you open the same note in apps like Visual Studio Code and Obsidian.
You can experiment with different formatting styles, then drop back into Joplin without breaking your flow.
