Evernote Keyboard Shortcuts

Mac Command (⌘) as the primary modifier. New note creation, search, notebook switching, and text formatting.

Windows Ctrl as the primary modifier. Full shortcut set including F-key shortcuts for search and navigation that work without Fn.

New note creation. Opening a new note immediately — the fastest path from thought to captured text. On the desktop app, this is the capture shortcut most worth memorizing.

Search. Jumping to the search field to find notes by keyword, tag, or notebook. Evernote's search is where navigation happens for large collections — keyboard shortcuts for focusing search remove a consistent click from the workflow.

Notebook navigation. Switching between notebooks and views by keyboard.

Text formatting. Bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, code formatting, and heading styles within a note. Standard shortcuts apply throughout.

Checkbox and list creation. Creating to-do checkboxes and lists within a note by keyboard.

A printable PDF of Evernote shortcuts is available for each platform.

Notion, Microsoft OneNote, Todoist, Google Docs, and Slack sit near Evernote because note work often connects capture, writing, tasks, documents, and communication. Evernote is built around searchable notes, notebooks, and tags. Notion uses a block-based workspace, OneNote uses a notebook and section model, Todoist turns captured work into tasks, Google Docs supports longer writing and shared documents, and Slack is often where notes begin as messages or decisions. These apps are related by workflow and audience, not because every note system needs all of them.

What is the most useful Evernote shortcut?

The shortcut to create a new note without navigating to a specific notebook first. For Evernote users who capture notes frequently, getting into an empty note as fast as possible — then organizing later — is the primary use case for keyboard shortcuts. The exact shortcut is on each platform page.

Is there a keyboard shortcut to search in Evernote?

Yes. Both Mac and Windows have shortcuts to jump directly to the Evernote search field without clicking. From there, typing starts filtering notes immediately. The specific shortcut is in the platform pages.

How does Evernote's shortcut set compare to Notion's?

Both cover note creation and text formatting. Evernote's shortcut set is simpler overall — it lacks Notion's block-based slash command system and database shortcuts, but covers the core note-taking workflow (create, format, search, navigate) fully.

This section lists official sources and documentation for Evernote. Use these references to verify shortcut behavior instead of relying on memory, old screenshots, or another person’s setup. They are especially helpful when comparing Windows and macOS, where the same note action may depend on different keyboard habits.

Official references are useful for checking platform differences, keyboard layout issues, browser conflicts, operating system shortcut conflicts, and app-version differences. A shortcut can be correct in one setup and still feel wrong because the OS or layout gets in the way. When something behaves differently than expected, verify it against the official source before updating personal notes, changing a team cheat sheet, or teaching the workflow.