If you’ve ever tried to create nested folders in Apple Notes, you might have concluded that it’s not possible. Update: One method which failed before on iPhone now work – more below.
It’s easiest on a Mac – but even then it’s not exactly an intuitive process, so I’m guessing I’m not the only one who didn’t know how to do it …
I’m a big fan of Apple Notes, using it as my primary repository of everything from things as exciting as planned future projects to those as mundane as backup codes for 2FA access.
For me, it’s the perfect app because it’s at once easy to use and free, but at the same time surprisingly powerful.
For example:
- Pin notes to the top of folders
- Lock notes containing sensitive information
- Include tables and checklists
- Use smart folders
- Add tags
- Include graphics and scanned documents
- Import PDFs
- Collaborate using shared notes
- Draw or handwrite
- Turn handwritten notes into text
- Use natural-language search (eg. “notes with drawings”)
- Search within individual notes
- List view or gallery view
While the search feature is very effective, I’m an organised sort of guy (aka neat freak), so I like to have my notes organised into folders.
However, the one feature I thought was missing was that I couldn’t see any way to create nested folders in Apple Notes. A little Googling revealed the solution: Do it on a Mac.
Update: Readers pointed out you can also do it on an iPhone, by long-pressing a folder and then dragging. The first time I tried this, it worked for one level, but not sub-levels, but this is now working.
Even on the Mac, discoverability isn’t great. The answer is to right-click on a folder, and you then see a New Folder option. While not labelled as such, that actually means a new sub-folder. You can then repeat as required for further levels.
The feature maxes out at six levels (after that, New Folder simply creates another folder at the same level).
I don’t use it much – I only have two sets of nested folders – but do find it very useful in those cases.
There is one small bug: Note counts. When your nested folders are closed, you don’t get an accurate note count, as it only counts any notes present at the top level. For example, we have no notes at levels one through three, but we do have a note at level four. However, if I collapse the nest, Notes claims I have zero notes in it:
The related thing you have to watch is that if you delete a high-level folder, it will delete all notes in all folders below it. That’s expected behavior, and you do get a generic warning, but ideally I’d prefer that warning to be a little more robust, by giving you a count of the notes you’re about to delete. Something like this:
Warning: All 3 sub-folders and all 42 notes within them will be deleted
That would make it clearer that you’re about to do something you may not intend.
Got any Notes tips of your own? Please share them in the comments.
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