4 mobile tweaks that optimize my Evernote game

 

June 23 2025 | Issue 49 | Link to this issue | Subscribe

Hi Reader –

For most of us, our phones are a constant companion — the device we turn to dozens of times per day for quick captures, urgent searches, and on-the-go productivity.

So why settle for a generic mobile Evernote experience when you can customize it to work exactly the way you do?

Recently, I asked how you use Evernote on mobile, and your responses reminded me of something important: mobile isn't just a smaller version of desktop Evernote. It's a complementary tool, with its own strengths and use cases.

The key to mobile productivity isn't replicating your desktop workflow on a smaller screen. It's designing a mobile experience that maps to how you use your phone.

Today, I'm sharing four ways to personalize Evernote mobile so it works with your habits, not against them.

4 Ways to Personalize Evernote Mobile to Work the Way You Do

1. Configure Your Navigation for Mobile-First Uses

Mobile excels at two things: capture and search. Your navigation should reflect this.

I customize my mobile navigation differently from desktop because I use my phone for different tasks. Here's how I've optimized mine:

  • Bottom navigation: I feature my most used mobile features – Tasks, Create (capture functions), and Shortcuts (a find function that provides a filter to my most frequently accessed data)

  • Default launch page: Shortcuts (quick access to my most-used notes, notebooks, and spaces)

  • Hidden elements: I hide features I rarely use on mobile to reduce clutter

🧠 Academy Members: Get step-by-step instructions and ideas for optimizing your mobile navigation in the Mobile Settings Training: Navigation.

2. Choose Title View for Maximum Data Density

This is one of my favorite mobile features! Title View increases the data density, letting me see more notes at once without endless scrolling.

It's the best view for seeing the most note information at a glance. I can see 9 notes on my screen versus only 6 in Card View, and I can read more characters of the note title.

It's clean, efficient, and makes navigating to notes on my phone quicker. It's also extra helpful for those who purposefully title their notes to keep them organized.

 
 

🧠 Academy Members: See this feature in action in the Note List Views training which covers both Mobile and Desktop options.

3. Set Up Mobile Widgets for Lightning-Fast Capture

Mobile widgets are your secret weapon for frictionless capture. They allow you to quickly access specific Evernote features without opening the full app.

You can add Evernote widgets to both your home screen and lock screen to create new notes, search, capture photos, and manage tasks with a single tap.

 
 

🧠 Academy Members: Learn all about best practices for your mobile widget options in the Masterclass: Mobile Widgets.

4. Customize Your Evernote “My Widgets”

You can also customize your Evernote Home widgets (not to be confused with mobile widgets) to fit your workflow. These are the Evernote-specific blocks you can rearrange and configure on Evernote Home and display on mobile in the My Widgets navigation section.

Choose widgets that support your mobile needs. For example:

  • Scratch Pad: Add one (or more) scratch pads for logging quick ideas.

  • Recent Notes: See what you've been working on lately (super helpful since Evernote retired the Recent Notes list on mobile in 2024).

  • Pinned Note: View a critical note you’ve pinned to your Home page.

Little-known tip: Evernote’s Mobile Home can be ordered differently from Desktop Home, so you can customize it for how you actually use your phone.

🧠 Academy Members: Find inspiration and use cases for mobile Home customization in the Masterclass: Evernote Home Widgets.

The Mobile Mindset Shift

The biggest mistake I see users make is trying to force desktop workflows onto mobile. Instead, embrace what mobile does best:

  • Quick capture when inspiration strikes

  • Fast search to find information on the go

  • One-tap access to frequently needed information

When you customize mobile around these strengths, Evernote becomes an extension of how you naturally work, not a barrier to it.

Cheers to your productivity —

Stacey

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Stacey Harmon