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Evernote iOS App Gets Shortcuts, Recent Notes

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

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Evernote on Thursday updated its iPhone and iPad app with a number of new free and premium features aimed at helping you quickly navigate to your content.

The latest version (5.4) now lets you add shortcuts (formerly called Favorites on the iPhone) to flag important notes, notebooks, and tags so they're always easily accessible. Shortcuts will sync across all the versions of Evernote, so they're always up to date on all your devices.

"Whether it's a note that you return to frequently, a tag that you're using for comparison shopping or a Evernote Business notebook that you want check in on, tap on the tab with the star to quickly see them all," Evernote said in a blog post. "You can even make shortcuts to saved searches."

To create a new shortcut, all you have to do is tap the star icon at the bottom of a note. You can also simply swipe a note to add it to your shortcuts.

If you want to add a notebook to your shortcuts, open it up and tap on the shortcuts tab, then select the first option. You can do the same thing to add a tag to your shortcuts.  Any new shortcuts you create on your iPhone or iPad will show up on other platforms as soon as you sync.

Evernote Related Notes (premium)

Besides shortcuts, you will now see a display of their recently viewed notes at the bottom of an open note. This will allow you to multi-task by jumping back and forth between notes you're working on, Evernote said. Premium users have even more flexibility here, with the option to toggle between recent and related notes.  

Premium users also get a new related notes feature (pictured right), which displays older notes at the bottom of the one on which you're working. You'll see related notes below any note you open if there is something related.

Evernote also added the ability to mark up images and notes thanks to new integration with its Skitch app. To take advantage of this feature you'll first need to install the Skitch app on your phone or tablet, after which you'll be able to annotate a note by clicking the Skitch button. Premium users will also be able to annotate PDFs.

Finally, to help you get the most out of the app, there's a new announcement section, which offers up articles you might find useful including product updates, how-to's, and user stories.

Evernote 5.4 is available for download in the App Store.

The iOS update comes after Evernote last month expanded its popular Web Clipper to Gmail. For more, see PCMag's full review of Evernote (for iPhone). Also check out our 5 Tips for Evernote.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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