Surface Pro X: Proven Note-Taking Apps

Surface Pro X Note-Taking Apps: Top Picks for Efficient Jots

Looking for the best note-taking apps for your Surface Pro X? You’re in the right place! This guide highlights the most effective and user-friendly applications that transform your Surface Pro X into a digital notebook. We’ll cover apps perfect for students, professionals, and anyone who loves to jot down ideas on the go.

Hello, Tabletzoo explorers! Walter Moore here, your friendly guide to all things tablets. So, you’ve got a shiny new Surface Pro X, and you’re ready to unleash its full potential. One of the most exciting ways to do that is ditching that old paper notebook and embracing digital note-taking. But with so many apps out there, where do you start? It can feel a bit overwhelming, right? Don’t worry, I’ve got your back. I’ve put together a list of the absolute best note-taking apps that work like a charm on your Surface Pro X. We’ll dive into what makes each one special, so you can find the perfect fit for your needs. Get ready to transform your tablet into your ultimate digital notepad!

Unlock Your Surface Pro X’s Note-Taking Power

The Surface Pro X, with its sleek design and powerful performance, is a fantastic platform for digital note-taking. Whether you’re a student in lectures, a professional in meetings, or a creative mind capturing inspiration, the right app can make all the difference. It’s not just about typing; it’s about seamlessly integrating handwriting, sketches, audio, and even images into your notes. The touch and pen capabilities of the Surface Pro X truly shine when paired with the right software.

Why Digital Note-Taking on Surface Pro X?

Switching to digital notes on your Surface Pro X offers a wealth of benefits that paper just can’t match:

Organization Made Easy: No more flipping through stacks of notebooks. Digital apps offer searchability, tagging, and easy category management. Find what you need in seconds.
Accessibility: Your notes are always with you, accessible from your Surface Pro X and often synced across other devices.
Rich Media Integration: Embed photos, audio recordings, web links, and even annotate PDFs directly within your notes.
Searchability: A game-changer for longer notes. Most apps use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to make your handwritten notes searchable.
Collaboration: Share notes, collaborate on documents, and work with others in real-time.
Eco-Friendly: Reduce paper waste and make a positive impact on the environment.

The Top Note-Taking Apps for Surface Pro X

We’ve tested and reviewed a variety of note-taking applications to bring you this curated list. These apps are chosen for their compatibility with the Surface Pro X, their intuitive user interfaces, and their robust feature sets designed for both pen and keyboard input.

1. Microsoft OneNote

As a flagship Microsoft product, OneNote is a natural fit for any Surface device, including the Pro X. It’s a free-form canvas that allows you to write, draw, type, clip webpages, and insert media anywhere.

Why it’s great for Surface Pro X:

Deep Integration: Works seamlessly with Windows and other Microsoft 365 apps.
Flexible Canvas: Drag and drop elements, type anywhere, and draw with your Surface Pen with excellent palm rejection.
Powerful Organization: Notes are organized into notebooks, sections, and pages, offering a familiar structure.
Search Functionality: Excellent search capabilities that can even find text within images.
Cross-Platform Sync: Available on all your devices, ensuring your notes are always up-to-date.
Free: No cost to use, making it incredibly accessible.

Key Features:

Handwriting to text conversion
Audio recording
Web clipping tool (OneNote Web Clipper)
Sticky notes for quick thoughts
Integration with Outlook tasks

Best For: Students, professionals managing projects, anyone in the Microsoft ecosystem.

2. Nebo

Nebo is a powerhouse for handwritten notes, designed specifically for pen-first input. It leverages advanced handwriting recognition, transforming your scribbles into editable text with remarkable accuracy.

Why it’s great for Surface Pro X:

Superior Handwriting Recognition: Nebo’s handwriting engine is one of the best for converting messy handwriting into clean digital text.
Smart Formatting: Automatically formats headings, lists, and paragraphs as you write.
Diagrams and Math: Can interpret and prettify hand-drawn diagrams and mathematical equations.
Intuitive Interface: Clean and uncluttered, focusing on your writing experience.
Robust PDF Annotation: Import PDFs and annotate them with your pen.
Backups: Offers cloud backup options to services like iCloud, Dropbox, and Google Drive.

Key Features:

Handwriting-to-text conversion (multiple languages)
Hand-drawn diagram recognition
Mathematical equation recognition
Word processor integration
Searchable notes

Best For: Students, academics, anyone who prefers handwriting notes and needs excellent conversion.

3. Evernote

Evernote has long been a favorite for its robust organization and capture features. It excels at capturing information from various sources and keeping it all searchable.

Why it’s great for Surface Pro X:

Versatile Capture: Easily capture web pages, documents, images, audio, and more.
Powerful Search: Its search is legendary, able to find text within images and even PDFs.
Tagging System: A flexible tagging system for deep organization.
Templates: Offers pre-built templates for meeting notes, project plans, and more.
Sync Across Devices: Keeps your notes synced across your Surface Pro X, phone, and computer.

Key Features:

Rich text editing
PDF annotation
Web Clipper
Task management within notes
Templates

Consideration: While a free tier is available, its most powerful features are part of paid subscriptions.

Best For: Researchers, professionals managing a lot of information, those who need a powerful digital filing cabinet.

4. GoodNotes (Windows Version)

While historically an iPad powerhouse, GoodNotes has released a Windows version, bringing its beloved interface and features to the Surface Pro X. It’s designed to feel like real paper.

Why it’s great for Surface Pro X:

Notebook Simulation: Highly realistic digital notebook experience with customizable paper templates.
Intuitive Pen Tools: Smooth inking, excellent pen variety, and erase tools.
Smart Shape Tool: Automatically corrects hand-drawn shapes.
OCR Search: Full-text search of your handwritten notes.
Document Import: Import PDFs and images for annotation alongside your notes.

Key Features:

Handwritten note-taking
PDF and image annotation
Folder organization
Search functionality

Consideration: This is a paid application with a focus on a premium, paper-like experience.

Best For: Visual learners, artists, and anyone who loves the analog feel of writing on paper.

5. Xodo PDF Editor & Viewer

Xodo is primarily a PDF editor, but it’s an exceptional tool if your note-taking often involves annotating existing documents or marking up PDFs. It works flawlessly with the Surface Pen.

Why it’s great for Surface Pro X:

Powerful PDF Annotation: Highlight, underline, add text boxes, draw, and sign PDFs with your pen.
Fillable Forms: Fills out PDF forms seamlessly.
Document Management: Organize your documents within the app.
Syncing: Integrates with cloud services like Dropbox and Google Drive.
Free: Offers a comprehensive feature set without a subscription.

Key Features:

Rich PDF annotation tools
PDF creation from images
Secure password protection for documents
Read and search PDFs

Best For: Professionals, students, and anyone who frequently works with PDF documents and needs to mark them up.

6. Squid

Squid is another app that champions the handwriting experience. It offers a clean interface and a variety of tools that make it easy to take notes, draw, and annotate.

Why it’s great for Surface Pro X:

Paper-like Experience: Offers a smooth writing feel with various pen types and colors.
Document Import: Insert PDFs, images, and other documents into your notes.
Organized Notebooks: Create and manage notebooks for different subjects or projects.
Export Options: Export notes as PDFs or images.

Key Features:

Handwritten note-taking
Drawing tools
PDF import and annotation
Various paper templates

Best For: Users who prioritize a simple, intuitive handwriting experience.

Comparing Your Best Options

To help you decide, here’s a quick comparison of some of the top contenders. This table focuses on features most relevant to note-taking on a Surface Pro X.

App	Primary Use Case	Handwriting Recognition (OCR)	PDF Annotation	Free Version Available?	Best For
Microsoft OneNote	All-purpose notes, sketching, clipping	Excellent	Basic	Yes	Students, general users, Microsoft ecosystem
Nebo	Handwritten notes, idea capture	Superior	Yes (with limitations)	Paid (Free trial)	Writers, students, academics valuing handwriting conversion
Evernote	Information capture, research, organization	Good (especially in paid tiers)	Yes (with paid tiers)	Yes (Limited)	Researchers, professionals, digital archivists
GoodNotes	Digital journaling, note-taking, sketching	Good	Excellent	Paid (Free trial)	Visual learners, analog feel enthusiasts
Xodo	PDF editing and annotation	N/A (focus on PDFs)	Excellent	Yes	Anyone heavily working with PDFs
Squid	Handwritten notes, drawing	Basic	Yes	Yes (Limited)	Users prioritizing a simple writing experience

How to Choose the Right App for You

Picking the perfect note-taking app is a personal journey. Consider these factors:

1. Your Note-Taking Style:
Do you prefer typing or handwriting? If handwriting is key, Nebo, GoodNotes, or Squid are strong contenders. If typing is your preference, OneNote or Evernote offer excellent typing experiences.
Do you sketch or draw? OneNote and GoodNotes offer robust drawing and sketching tools.

2. Your Workflow:
Do you work heavily with PDFs? Xodo or GoodNotes will be invaluable.
Do you need to capture web content frequently? Evernote and OneNote’s web clippers are top-notch.
Do you need advanced organization with tags? Evernote shines here.
Are you already invested in Microsoft 365? OneNote is likely your most seamless option.

3. Budget:
Free is best? Microsoft OneNote and Xodo are fantastic free options. Squid and the free tier of Evernote offer good starting points.
Willing to pay for premium features? Nebo and GoodNotes offer deeply sophisticated experiences for a one-time purchase.

4. Cross-Platform Needs:
Do you need access on your phone or other computers? Most apps offer sync, but check the availability and feature parity across your devices. OneNote and Evernote have the broadest reach.

Pro Tips for Effective Note-Taking on Surface Pro X

Once you’ve chosen your app, here are some tips to maximize your productivity:

Invest in a Good Stylus: The Surface Pen is excellent, but make sure you feel comfortable holding it for extended periods. Consider third-party styluses if you have specific needs.
Customize Your Pen Settings: Explore the Windows Settings for Pen & Windows Ink. You can often customize what the pen buttons do and adjust pressure sensitivity.
Master Handwriting to Text: If you use handwriting, practice writing clearly. Most apps will improve with practice, and you’ll learn what writing styles they recognize best.
Utilize Cloud Sync: Always ensure cloud syncing is enabled for your chosen app and your preferred cloud service (OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive). This is your backup and ensures access across devices.
Learn Keyboard Shortcuts: Even with a pen-focused app, keyboard shortcuts can speed up tasks like formatting, searching, or navigating.
Organize Proactively: Set up a folder or notebook structure from the start. It’s much harder to organize a large mess later.
Don’t Be Afraid to Mix and Match: You might find yourself using Xodo for PDFs, OneNote for general notes, and perhaps Nebo for meeting minutes. It’s okay to use different tools for different jobs!

A Note on Surface Pro X Architecture

It’s worth mentioning that the Surface Pro X runs on ARM processors, meaning it uses Windows on ARM. While most modern apps are compatible, some older or resource-intensive desktop applications might not run as smoothly or at all. The apps recommended here are generally designed with modern operating systems in mind and are well-optimized for devices like the Surface Pro X. You can find more information about Windows on ARM compatibility on official Microsoft resources like Microsoft Learn.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Can I use my Surface Pen for note-taking?
Yes, absolutely! The Surface Pro X is designed to work seamlessly with the Surface Pen for natural handwriting, drawing, and annotation. All the apps recommended here fully support pen input.

Q2: Which app is best for converting handwriting to text?
Nebo is widely regarded as having one of the most accurate and sophisticated handwriting recognition (OCR) engines available. Microsoft OneNote also offers excellent OCR capabilities, especially for cleaner handwriting.

Q3: Are these apps available on other devices?
Most of these apps, including OneNote, Evernote, and Xodo, offer versions for other platforms like iOS, Android, and macOS, with syncing capabilities so your notes are accessible everywhere. GoodNotes also has a strong presence on iPadOS.

Q4: I take a lot of notes during lectures. Which app is best for that?
For lecture notes with extensive handwriting, Nebo or GoodNotes are excellent. If you prefer typed notes or a mix, Microsoft OneNote is a fantastic free option that allows you to insert audio recordings of the lecture alongside your typed or handwritten notes.

Q5: Do I need to pay for these apps?
Many of these apps offer robust free versions, such as Microsoft OneNote and Xodo. Evernote provides a limited free tier. Apps like Nebo and GoodNotes are paid applications, but they often offer a free trial so you can test them out before buying.

Q6: How do I back up my notes?
Most note-taking apps offer integrated cloud backup options, often syncing with services like OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive. It’s crucial to enable this feature to prevent data loss. You can also manually export your notes as PDFs or other formats periodically.

Q7: Can I import my existing notes from another app?
This depends on the app. Many apps allow you to export your notes in common formats like PDF or HTML, which you can then import into another application. For direct import, it’s best to check the specific import features of your target app.

Conclusion: Your Digital Notebook Awaits!

Choosing the right note-taking app for your Surface Pro X is about finding the tool that best fits your personal style and workflow. Whether you’re a student annotating textbooks, a professional capturing meeting minutes, or a creative mind sketching out ideas, there’s a perfect app waiting for you.

Microsoft OneNote remains the powerhouse all-rounder, Nebo excels with handwriting conversion, Evernote is your information hub, and Xodo is indispensable for PDF work. GoodNotes offers that coveted paper-like feel, and Squid provides a simple, clean handwriting experience.

Don’t be afraid to experiment! Try out the free versions or trials of a couple of these apps. Install them, take them for a spin with your Surface Pen, and see which one feels right. With the right app at your fingertips, your Surface Pro X will become an even more powerful and indispensable companion for all your academic, professional, and creative pursuits. Happy note-taking!