Apple Notes is a popular note-taking app that comes pre-installed on iPhones, iPads, and Macs. It allows you to quickly jot down thoughts, make to-do lists, save webpages and images, scan documents, annotate PDFs, and more. However, since Apple Notes is exclusive to Apple devices, Windows users cannot natively access their notes on a PC.
Fortunately, there are a few convenient methods to view, edit, and create Apple Notes on a Windows computer.
Table of Contents
Access Apple Notes via iCloud Website
The easiest way to use Apple Notes on Windows is through the iCloud website:
- Go to iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID credentials.
- Click on “Notes” in the menu bar to view all synced notes.
This web version of Apple Notes allows you to:
- View, edit, delete, and create new notes
- Add text, images, links, checklists
- Apply formatting like headings, lists, bold, italics
- Search notes by keywords
Any changes made on iCloud.com will sync across to Notes on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Pros:
- Simple, no app installation required
- Real-time syncing across devices
- Full editing capabilities
Cons:
- No offline access
- Less intuitive than native apps
Use Mail Apps to Access Notes
If you have Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo Mail configured in Apple Notes, you can view notes through these providers on a Windows PC.
To set this up:
- Go to iPhone Settings > Notes > Accounts
- Tap Add Account and select Google, Outlook or Yahoo
- Sign in to enable note syncing
Later, simply access Gmail, Outlook or Yahoo Mail through the web or native Windows apps to view synced notes.
Pros:
- Offline access if using native apps
- No need to install additional software
Cons:
- Notes sync only one way (iPhone → Mail provider)
- Limited formatting options
Install the Simplenote App
Simplenote is a popular cross-platform note-taking app available on Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, and the web. It can serve as an excellent Apple Notes replacement with reliable syncing.
To set up Simplenote:
- Download and install the Windows app
- Create an account or sign in to an existing one
- Download the iOS app and sign in
- Turn on syncing in Settings
Now when you take notes on one device, they will automatically sync to the other. You also get features like tagging, search, collaboration, version history, and more.
Pros:
- Reliable automatic syncing
- Feature-rich apps
- Encrypted syncing for security
Cons:
- Less integration with Apple services
- iOS app lacks some native Notes features like scanning
Make a Progressive Web App
For quick access without launching a browser every time, you can create a Progressive Web App (PWA) of iCloud Notes using Microsoft Edge or Chrome:
- Go to iCloud.com/notes
- Click the menu icon and select “Install iCloud Notes”
- Confirm installation
This will add iCloud Notes to your Start menu/taskbar for fast launching. It stores cached data for quicker loading and some offline access.
Pros:
- Single click to open notes
- Offline mode with cached data
- Notification badges for new notes
Cons:
- Limited offline capabilities
- Not as fully featured as native apps
Use OneNote Instead
If moving away from Apple Notes completely, Microsoft OneNote is an incredibly feature-rich alternative available on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. It offers:
- Cloud syncing across platforms
- Media embedding
- Drawing tools
- Document scanner
- Passcode lock
- Version history
To switch from Apple Notes:
- Install OneNote app on all devices
- Import Apple Notes using built-in tools or third-party apps
- Turn on syncing and access notes seamlessly across devices
The advantage over Apple Notes is that OneNote works excellently on Windows with a native PC app and tighter integration with Microsoft services.
In summary, while there is no official Apple Notes app for Windows, you can still conveniently access notes through iCloud on the web, third-party mail providers, Simplenote, Progressive Web Apps, or by switching to Microsoft OneNote. The ability to seamlessly view and edit Notes on a PC makes your cross-platform workflows much smoother!
