Adding Notes
InCopy vs Word
Layout-Aware
InCopy shows real fonts, sizes, and copy fit; Word doesn't.
Paragraph Styles
Editor sees the actual styled output, not Word's approximation.
Live Sync
Changes appear in InDesign instantly, no copy-paste round trip.
Editorial Tools
Track changes, notes, and copy fit — built for editors.
Noble Desktop's Graphic Design Certificate covers InDesign — the layout app that pairs with InCopy for editorial workflows.
Our guide provides various methods to create notes, including using the menu, note tool or notes panel, with instructions tailored to different view options.
Adding a Note: Using the Menu
You can either create a note that starts off empty or you can convert some text on the page into a note as follows:
To create an empty note: With no text selected, go to Notes > New Note. To convert text into a note: Select some text and choose Notes > Convert to Note. The note will appear differently based on which view you are in. Follow the appropriate directions below.
If You Are in the Galley or Story Views:
The notes will look as shown below. Just enter your note inside the colored brackets.
If You Are in Layout View:
After inserting a new note, the Notes panel will open for you to type in the note. A marker
will appear in the text indicating the location of the note.
Adding a Note: Using the Note Tool
As shown below, select the Note tool
located at the top left of the screen.
Click in the text where you want to add a note.
Start typing the note.
Adding a Note: Using the Notes Panel
Switch to Layout view using the tab at the top of the window.
Click in the text where you’d like to leave a note.
Go to Window > Notes or press Command–F10 (Mac) or Control–F10 (Windows).
At the bottom right of the panel, click the New Note button
.Start typing the note.
Temporarily Using the Note Tool
When you are using the Type tool
and want to create a note, you can hold Option–Shift (Mac) or ALT–Shift (Windows) and click where you want to add a note.