Take handwritten notes with Cursive

You can capture, edit, and organize handwritten notes with the Cursive app and a touchscreen Chromebook that works with a stylus. You can also use touchscreen gestures to edit your notes.

Your notes sync to your Google account, so you can find them with your Chrome browser.

Tip: You can still take notes with Google Keep on the Web.

Create & edit notes 

Important: 

• If your Chromebook is for work or school, to sign in to the Cursive app with your Workspace account, you may need to contact your administrator.
• If you’re an administrator, learn how to manage access to services that aren’t controlled individually.

1. At the bottom left, select the Launcher   Cursive . 
   • Or, in the row of apps at the bottom or side of your touchscreen, tap Stylus   Create note . 
2. In the window that opens, use your stylus to take notes.
3. At the top, change the color and size of your lines with the toolbar.
4. To move or resize your notes, tap Select , and select the text you want to change with your stylus.

Lock your canvas

If you don't want to scroll or zoom your canvas, for example when resting your palm on the screen, you can turn on the canvas lock.

1. At the top right, select More   Show Canvas lock.
2. At the top right of the canvas, the lock indicator appears in the default state Unlocked .
3. To lock the canvas, select Lock . The lock indicator now appears as Locked .

Tip: The canvas lock turns off when you open a new note, or if you hide the "Show Canvas lock" option.

Edit notes with touchscreen gestures

Scribble out to delete

To delete words or phrases in your note:

1. Scribble over the word or phrase you want to delete with your stylus.
2. Tap the screen with your stylus to delete.

Tip: To delete more text, drag your stylus to get the eraser tool.

Select note text

To select words or phrases within your note: 

1. Draw a circle around the word or phrase you want to select with your stylus. 
2. To move your selection around, tap and drag the circle with your stylus or finger.

Add more space between lines

To add more room between lines or phrases:

1. Draw a line with your stylus where you want to add more space. 
2. Tap and drag the line down with your stylus or finger.

Copy & paste note text 

To copy:

1. Select your note text. 
2. Tap Menu   Copy . 

To paste: 

1. Touch and hold anywhere within your note.
2. Tap Paste.

Find & open your notes

1. In the Cursive app, select Home .
2. To find your notes, select a notebook.
   • To find notes that aren’t in a notebook, select Unfiled notes. 
   • To find all of your notes, select All notes.
3. Open a note. 

Organize your notes

You can organize your notes in notebooks to jump quickly to a specific topic. To put notes together in a notebook: 

1. In the Cursive app, select Home .
2. At the top, select Menu   Add to notebook.
3. Select your notebook to add the note.

Share & export notes

You can create a shareable image or export your note as a PDF.

To share all or part of your note as an image: 

1. In the Cursive app, select Home  and open your note. 
2. Tap Select  and select the text you want to copy with your stylus.
3. Select More   Copy . 
4. Paste your image anywhere.

To share your note as a PDF:

1. In the Cursive app, select Home  and open your note.
2. At the top, select Menu   Export as PDF.
3. To find your note, in “Files,” open your Downloads folder.

Switch note apps

Open your note in another notes app:

1. On your touchscreen, tap Stylus   Settings .
2. Next to "Note-taking app," tap the Down arrow  and select an app.

Tip: Learn how to download other note apps that work with your stylus.

Manage your storage space 

If Cursive runs out of storage space, you can’t edit your notes. To continue to edit your notes, free up space on your Chromebook.

Fix problems with Cursive

If you have trouble with Cursive and are taken back to the sign-in screen, it may be a problem with cookies or extensions. To prevent further issues, allow third-party cookies on https://cursive.apps.chrome.

• Learn how to check your cookies settings.
• Learn how to uninstall extensions.

Sign in & sync

Even if you can't sign in to Cursive, you can still take notes locally. When you sign in later, all of your local notes will sync to your Google Account and will be available on all devices where you're signed in.

If you don't want one or more notes to sync, cancel sign in and delete those notes. If you're in the gallery:

1. Select the note's Menu   Delete note.
2. Select the gallery Menu   View Trash  Empty Trash to delete the note permanently. 
   • You can also select the note's Menu   Delete note permanently.

Tip: If you use your Chromebook for work or school, you may be unable to sign in to the Cursive app with your Workspace account. For more info, contact your administrator. If you’re an administrator, learn how to manage access to services that aren’t controlled individually.

Related resources

• Use a stylus with your Chromebook
• Migrate from the Keep Chrome app