How to convert handwriting to text in GoodNotes
- Tap the Lasso Tool. It sits in the toolbar at the top of the page[1].
- Circle the handwriting. Draw around the lines you want as typed text[1].
- Open the menu. Tap Resize, open the (...) menu, then choose Convert and Text[1].
- Tap Convert. GoodNotes swaps your handwriting for typed text on the page[1].
GoodNotes lists this for iPad, iPhone, Mac, Android and the web, and says it is not available on Windows[1]. On an iPad or iPhone you can also drag handwriting into another app, and it arrives as typed text if that app supports it[1].
Can GoodNotes convert handwriting to text automatically?
GoodNotes' own steps start with a lasso selection, so you convert one passage at a time and choose what to swap[1]. For a lecture page that is quick. For a semester of notes, 40 pages of meeting minutes or a planner you filled in all year, selecting page after page takes a while, and the typed text stays inside GoodNotes.
The faster route for a whole notebook is to export it and let LoreAI read every page at once. You get one Word document with the handwriting typed out, in page order, that you can search, edit and send.
Turn a whole GoodNotes notebook into Word
- Export the notebook as a PDF. On iPad, tap the document title in the library and choose Export, or tap the Share icon inside the notebook and choose Export All[2]. Pick PDF as the format[2].
- Upload the PDF to LoreAI. The free tool on this page reads page 1. The LoreAI app reads every page of the notebook.
- Download the Word file. Headings, bullet lists and tables you drew come back as Word headings, lists and tables, in the order you wrote them.
GoodNotes can also export single pages or a selection of pages from the thumbnail view[2], which suits a chapter or one week of a planner. Your first document in the app is free, up to 3 pages and 3 MB.
What you get from each route
| What you need | GoodNotes Convert | LoreAI |
|---|---|---|
| Where it works | Inside a GoodNotes notebook, on iPad, iPhone, Mac, Android and the web[1] | Any browser, with a PDF, JPG, PNG, WEBP or HEIC file |
| How much at once | One lasso selection[1] | A whole exported notebook in the app |
| Result | Typed text on the GoodNotes page[1] | An editable Word file, or text to copy |
| Paper notes | Not covered on GoodNotes' convert page | A phone photo of the paper page works |
| Translation | Not covered on GoodNotes' convert page | Into 105 languages in the LoreAI app |
Notes in another language
GoodNotes says recognition applies to supported languages[1]. LoreAI reads the handwriting in the language you wrote it in and, in the app, translates the whole notebook into one of 105 languages. Spanish class notes come back in English, or a German lab book comes back in English, as one Word file.
For notes you took on paper before you switched to GoodNotes, photograph the pages and use the handwriting to text tool, or see how to digitize handwritten notes for a whole stack.
Questions people ask
Can GoodNotes convert handwriting to text?
Yes. Circle the handwriting with the Lasso Tool, open the (...) menu and choose Convert, then Text[1].
Does GoodNotes handwriting to text work on Windows?
No. GoodNotes says converting handwriting to text is not available on Windows[1].
How do I convert a whole GoodNotes notebook to text?
Export the notebook as a PDF[2], upload it to the LoreAI app and download one Word file with every page typed out.
Can I get my GoodNotes notes into Word?
Yes. Export the notebook as a PDF and upload it to LoreAI. The handwriting comes back as typed text in an editable Word document.
Sources
- Goodnotes Support: Convert handwriting to text, accessed November 6, 2026
- Goodnotes Support: Export documents or pages, accessed November 6, 2026
By Matt Mountain ·