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TwoBytes

macrumors 68040
Original poster
What is the deal with Markdown? It's not automagic for me. I.E. i paste in **bold** into notes and it doesn't change.
Is that the same for you all?
 
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Hello.

Notes can import Markdown files and open them in Notes format, and it can export notes in Markdown format, but it is not a Markdown editor. So pasting or typing **bold** will not work in any note.

No indication from Apple if that will ever change.

If you want a free Markdown-based notes app that works across macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, and Linux, Obsidian is worth a look. For me, it has replaced Notes, Word, Pages, Keynote, Scrivener, Bear, Ulysses, Typora, Day One, Journal, etc.

I use it as a database for storing and reporting data (so many plugins available). It doesn’t even break sweat sorting through six million words in the blink of an eye. Apologies if you already know about Markdown alternatives, which having posted in a beta forum, you almost certainly already do know about. My bad 🤦‍♂️

🤝
 
Thanks so much! I got it wrong I thought it does it automatically vs import/export.

I'm sure this thread will be useful to many with your recommendations! 🙂
 
Piggybacking on this — if you want something that feels closer to Notes but is actually markdown-native, Bear is worth a look before jumping straight to Obsidian. Mac/iOS/iPadOS only so you lose Windows and Linux, but you get iCloud sync, real markdown rendered as you type, and the same lightweight feel Notes has. Obsidian is the heavier power-user answer with plugins and vault control; Bear is the "I miss the Notes vibe but want markdown" answer.

Middle path if you want to stay in Notes: build a Shortcut with the built-in "Make Rich Text from Markdown" action, bind it to a hotkey, and you can paste your **bolds** in, select the block, hit the shortcut and it converts in place. Fiddly, but keeps everything in one app and works on iOS too.
 
Notes in iOS 27 has this. See 2.45 in this video

I'm confused that they wouldn't give this to Golden Gate - it feels so crazy to see iOS has it but the desktop doesn't, almost liek it's a bug! :/
 
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