How do I take notes in markdown?

Write plain text and add a few symbols: # for headings, - for lists, **bold**, - [ ] for tasks, and [[double brackets]] to link notes. A markdown app styles the symbols as you type.

What markdown do I need to know for notes?

Headings, bold, italic, bullet and numbered lists, task lists, links and blockquotes cover nearly all note-taking. Tags and wiki links are extras supported by notes apps.

Do I need folders for markdown notes?

Not usually. Tags group notes by topic and wiki links connect related notes, and search finds the rest. Folders are optional.

How should I structure a markdown note?

Start with one # title, put tasks near the top, add context below, and end with a couple of #tags. Consistent structure makes notes quick to scan.

Can I use keyboard shortcuts for markdown formatting?

In atiea, Cmd+B makes text bold, Cmd+I italic and Cmd+K inserts a link. Cmd+N creates a new note.

Are markdown notes private?

Plain-text notes are as private as where you store them. atiea stores notes locally on your Mac, with no account required.

How to Take Notes in Markdown (With a Cheat Sheet)

Quick answer

To take notes in markdown, write plain text and add a few symbols for structure: # for headings, - for lists, **bold**, [ ] for tasks, and [[double brackets]] for links. That handles 95% of note-taking.

Markdown is a way of writing formatted text using ordinary characters. You learn the core syntax in about ten minutes, your notes stay readable in any app, and you never have to reach for the mouse to format. This guide gives you the syntax, a working note structure, and the habits that keep a growing pile of notes findable.

The cheat sheet

You type	You get
`# Heading`	A large heading (use ## for smaller)
`bold`	bold
`italic`	italic
`- item`	A bullet list
`1. item`	A numbered list
`- [ ] task`	A checklist item
`> quote`	A blockquote
`code`	Inline code
`[text](url)`	A link
`[[Note title]]`	A wiki link to another note
`#tag`	A tag (in apps that support it)

That table covers nearly everything you will use in daily notes. For the full list, including tables and images, see the markdown cheat sheet.

A note template that works

# Meeting with Sam

- [ ] Send the draft
- [ ] Review [[Q4 plan]]

> "Keep it simple."

#meetings #q4

The pattern: a title as the only # heading, the actionable items first, context below, and tags at the bottom. Putting tasks at the top means you see them when you reopen the note.

Worked examples

Meeting notes

# Product sync, 2026-03-12

## Decisions
- Ship the beta to the small group first
- Revisit pricing after feedback

## Actions
- [ ] Sam: send the beta notes
- [ ] Me: update [[Launch checklist]]

## Notes
Discussed onboarding. Main worry is the first-run screen.

#meetings #launch

Reading notes

# The Pragmatic Programmer

**Author:** Hunt and Thomas

## Ideas worth keeping
- Small, reversible decisions beat big ones
- Automate anything you do three times

## Connections
Relates to [[Habit design]] and [[Working in public]].

#books #craft

A daily note

# 2026-03-12

- [ ] Reply to the landlord
- [x] Book flights

Thought: the onboarding flow needs fewer steps. See [[Onboarding ideas]].

#daily

Organize without folders

Use #tags for broad topics and wiki links for specific connections. A tag answers “what kind of note is this?” A link answers “what is this note related to?” You rarely need nested folders, because search plus tags plus links finds things from three directions.

atiea supports inline #tags, [[wiki links]] with backlinks, pinned notes for the few you reopen constantly, and list or grid views. If you want to take linking further, Zettelkasten for beginners explains a method built around small linked notes.

Habits that keep notes useful

Capture first, tidy later. Press Cmd+N for a new note and type. Do not decide where it goes yet.
Write a clear title. The first heading becomes how you recognize the note in a list, so make it specific: “Q4 plan” beats “Plan”.
Use two or three tags per note, no more. Long tag lists are rarely maintained.
Link when you notice a connection. Typing [[ and a title takes a few seconds and pays off later through backlinks.
Pin what you reopen daily. Everything else can be found by search (Cmd+F finds within a note).
Review weekly. Skim recent notes, tick off tasks, add missing links.

Formatting shortcuts help too: Cmd+B for bold, Cmd+I for italic, Cmd+K for a link. They wrap your selection in the right characters.

Common mistakes

Skipping the space after a symbol. #Heading and -item usually do not render; you need # Heading and - item. Note that #tag is a tag precisely because there is no space.
Forgetting blank lines. Lists and paragraphs generally need a blank line before them to render correctly.
Over-formatting. Bold everywhere means nothing is emphasized. Use formatting for structure, not decoration.
Mixing heading levels randomly. Keep one # title and use ## for sections so outlines stay clean.
Creating many near-duplicate tags. Pick #meetings or #meeting and stick with it.

Why markdown for notes?

Portable. Notes are plain text, so you are not locked to one app’s format.
Fast. You format as you type, with no toolbar hunting.
Durable. Plain text is readable long after any app is gone. See what an MD file is.
Exportable. A note can become a PDF or Word file when needed; see converting markdown to PDF and Word.

Choosing an app

Need	What to look for
Fast writing on a Mac	A native app with live syntax highlighting
Linking notes	Wiki links and backlinks
Privacy	Local storage, no account required
Sharing output	Export to PDF, DOCX or HTML

atiea is a native macOS 15+ app that checks those boxes: markdown with live syntax highlighting, local storage on your Mac, and exports to Markdown, HTML, PDF and DOCX. If you are comparing, see the markdown note-taking app checklist, the best markdown notes apps for Mac, or the markdown editor for Mac page. Check each product’s site for current details.

When not to use markdown

Markdown is a poor fit for notes that are mostly handwriting, drawings or heavily visual layouts, and for structured data you want to sort and filter like a database. It is also worth knowing that Apple Notes is not markdown-native, so if you prefer to stay there, you will use its own formatting instead. For most text-first note-taking, markdown is the simplest durable option.

A simple weekly workflow

A system you will actually use beats a clever one. This routine takes about fifteen minutes a week and needs nothing beyond the syntax above.

Capture all week. Open a new note for anything worth keeping. Give it a title and move on.
Process once a week. Open your recent notes and tick off finished tasks. Add one or two tags to any note that has none.
Add links. For each note, ask what it relates to and add a [[link]]. A note with no links is easy to lose.
Pin the active ones. Pin the projects you are working on now and unpin the finished ones.
Delete or archive junk. Anything you will never reread can go to the trash. atiea has a trash, so a deleted note is not gone instantly.

Adding images and files

Notes do not have to be text only. In markdown, an image is written as ![description](path-or-url), the same as a link with an exclamation mark in front. atiea notes are text only, so images and files can’t be added to a note there. In any app, keep a short text description next to an image so the note still makes sense in search results and when exported.

Notes that are easy to search later

Search finds words, so write for the future version of you. Use the terms you would actually type: the project name, the person, the decision. Start long notes with a one-line summary. Prefer a specific title (“Landlord email about the lease, March”) over a vague one (“Email”). These small choices matter more than any tool setting, and they cost nothing.