You have made a fantastic choice starting your digital planning journey with Notability. Used by millions of students, professionals, and digital planning enthusiasts around the world, Notability is one of the most powerful, beautiful, and feature rich PDF annotation apps available — and it is an absolutely outstanding app for using your Paperless Essentials digital planner PDFs.
But before you can start filling in your daily schedule, setting your monthly goals, and tracking your habits, you need to get your digital planner PDF into Notability first.
And that is exactly what this guide is here to help you do.
Whether your planner PDF is saved in your Downloads folder, your email, iCloud Drive, Google Drive, or anywhere else on your device — we are covering every single import method step by step so you can find your planner wherever it lives and get it into Notability quickly and easily.
No confusing tech jargon. No skipped steps. Just clear, simple, actionable instructions that work every single time.
Let's get your digital planner set up and ready to go.
What You Need Before You Begin
Before we walk through the import process, let's make sure you have everything ready:
✅ What You Need:
- An iPad, iPhone, or Mac with Notability installed
- Notability downloaded from the App Store or Mac App Store
- Your Paperless Essentials digital planner PDF downloaded to your device
- An Apple Pencil or stylus for writing on your planner
- A few minutes of your time
Where Is Your Downloaded PDF?
When you purchase and download a digital planner from Paperless Essentials, your PDF is saved to your device. Depending on how you completed your download, it may be located in one of these places:
- Files App → Downloads folder — the most common location on iPad and iPhone
- iCloud Drive — if iCloud is set as your default storage location
- Google Drive — if you saved your download directly to Google Drive
- Your email inbox — if you received your download link by email
- Safari Downloads — if you downloaded directly through the Safari browser
Knowing exactly where your PDF is saved before you begin will make the import process even faster and smoother.
Getting to Know Notability Before You Import
If you are brand new to Notability, here is a quick overview of how the app is structured so the import steps make complete sense as you follow along.
The Notability Library
When you first open Notability, you land on the Library — this is your main organizational hub where all your notes, notebooks, and imported PDF documents are stored. Think of the Library as your digital filing cabinet.
Subjects and Dividers
Notability organizes your documents using Subjects — which are essentially folders — and Dividers — which are categories that contain multiple subjects. Before you import your digital planner, it is worth setting up a dedicated Subject for your Paperless Essentials planners so everything stays neatly organized from the very beginning.
Notes vs Imported PDFs
In Notability, you can create two types of documents — Notes that you create from scratch inside the app, and Imported PDFs that you bring in from outside the app. Your digital planner PDF will be imported as a PDF document, which you can then annotate, write on, and personalize exactly like a paper planner.
Setting Up Your Notability Library Before Importing
Before importing your digital planner, take two minutes to set up a dedicated organizational structure in Notability. This will keep your planners beautifully organized from day one.
How to Create a New Subject in Notability:
Step 1 — Open Notability and look at the left sidebar of your Library screen
Step 2 — Tap the + button at the bottom of the subject list in the left sidebar
Step 3 — Select New Subject from the options that appear
Step 4 — Name your new subject — we recommend My Planners or Paperless Essentials
Step 5 — Choose a color for your subject folder to make it easy to identify at a glance
Step 6 — Tap Done to save your new subject
Now when you import your digital planner, you can save it directly into this dedicated subject folder — keeping your Notability library clean, organized, and easy to navigate from the very start.
Method 1 — Import from the Files App (Most Common Method)
This is the most popular and straightforward method for importing a PDF planner into Notability. If your Paperless Essentials planner PDF is saved in your iPad's Files app — which is the most common download location — follow these steps:
Step by Step:
Step 1 — Open Notability on Your iPad Tap the Notability icon on your home screen to launch the app. You will land on the Library screen.
Step 2 — Navigate to Your Planners Subject In the left sidebar, tap on the My Planners subject you created earlier — or tap on the subject where you want to save your imported planner.
Step 3 — Tap the Import Button In Notability, look for the import option in the top right area of the Library screen. In newer versions of Notability, tap the three dots menu or the gear icon and look for an Import option. Alternatively, tap the + button to create a new note and look for an import from files option.
Step 4 — Open the Files Browser Notability will open your iPad's Files app browser. You will see your available file locations in the left sidebar — including On My iPad, iCloud Drive, and any connected cloud services.
Step 5 — Navigate to Your Downloads Folder Tap On My iPad in the left sidebar, then tap Downloads to open your Downloads folder. This is where your Paperless Essentials planner PDF is most likely saved after purchase.
Step 6 — Select Your Digital Planner PDF Find your Paperless Essentials digital planner PDF in the Downloads folder and tap on it to select it. You will recognize it by the file name and the PDF icon.
Step 7 — Confirm the Import Notability will import the PDF and add it to your selected subject folder. You will see a progress indicator as the file imports — this usually takes just a few seconds.
Step 8 — Open Your Planner and Start Writing Once the import is complete, your digital planner will appear in your Notability Library inside your chosen subject folder. Tap on it to open it, pick up your Apple Pencil, and start planning your life.
Method 2 — Import Using the Share Sheet from Safari
If you are purchasing and downloading your Paperless Essentials digital planner directly through Safari on your iPad, this method lets you import it into Notability in just a few taps directly from your browser — no Files app navigation required.
Step by Step:
Step 1 — Complete Your Purchase on the Paperless Essentials Website Open Safari on your iPad and complete your purchase on the Paperless Essentials website. After checkout is complete, tap the download link to begin downloading your digital planner PDF.
Step 2 — Open the Downloaded PDF When the download is complete, tap the Downloads icon — the downward arrow in a circle — in the Safari toolbar in the top right corner of your browser. Tap your downloaded planner PDF to open it in a preview.
Step 3 — Tap the Share Button With the PDF open in the Safari preview, tap the Share button — the square icon with an upward pointing arrow — located in the toolbar.
Step 4 — Find Notability in the Share Sheet The iOS share sheet will appear showing a row of app icons. Scroll through the app icons until you find Notability. If you cannot see Notability immediately, scroll further along the row or tap More to see the complete list of available apps.
Step 5 — Tap Notability Tap the Notability icon in the share sheet. Notability will open automatically.
Step 6 — Choose Your Save Location Notability will ask you where you want to save the imported PDF within your library. Select your My Planners subject folder to keep everything organized.
Step 7 — Confirm and Open Tap to confirm the import. Your planner will be saved to your chosen Notability subject and is immediately ready to open and write on.
Step 8 — Start Planning Open your newly imported planner in Notability, select your Apple Pencil tool, and begin your digital planning journey.
Method 3 — Import from Your Email
If you received your Paperless Essentials download link or PDF attachment directly in your email, this method lets you import your digital planner into Notability without needing to go through the Files app.
Step by Step:
Step 1 — Open Your Email App Open your email app on your iPad — Apple Mail, Gmail, Outlook, or any other email client — and locate the email from Paperless Essentials containing your download link or PDF attachment.
Step 2 — Access Your Digital Planner PDF If your email contains a PDF attachment, tap directly on the attachment to open a preview of the file. If your email contains a download link, tap the link to open it in Safari, then follow the Safari import method described in Method 2 above.
Step 3 — Tap the Share Button With the PDF open in your email preview, tap the Share button — the square with an upward arrow — to open the iOS share sheet.
Step 4 — Select Notability In the share sheet, find and tap Notability. Scroll or tap More if you do not see it immediately in the app row.
Step 5 — Choose Your Subject Folder When Notability opens, select the subject folder where you want to save your planner — ideally your dedicated My Planners folder.
Step 6 — Confirm the Import Confirm the import and wait a few seconds for the process to complete. Your planner will appear in your chosen Notability subject.
Step 7 — Open and Start Planning Tap your newly imported planner to open it. Select your pen tool, pick up your Apple Pencil, and start writing on your beautiful new digital planner.
Method 4 — Import from Google Drive
If you save your files to Google Drive or if your Paperless Essentials digital planner was saved directly to Google Drive after purchase, here is how to import it seamlessly into Notability.
Step by Step:
Step 1 — Set Up Google Drive Integration in Notability Open Notability and go to Settings by tapping the gear icon in the bottom left corner of the Library screen. Look for the Auto-Backup or Manage Accounts section and make sure your Google Drive account is connected. This ensures seamless access to your Google Drive files from within Notability.
Step 2 — Open the Google Drive App Open the Google Drive app on your iPad and navigate to the folder where your Paperless Essentials planner PDF is saved.
Step 3 — Open the PDF File Tap on your digital planner PDF in Google Drive to open it in the Google Drive preview.
Step 4 — Tap the Three Dots Menu In the Google Drive preview, tap the three dots menu icon in the top right corner to open the file options menu.
Step 5 — Select Open In From the file options menu, tap Open In or Share and Export depending on your version of Google Drive.
Step 6 — Choose Notability From the list of available apps, select Notability. If you do not see it immediately, tap More Apps to find it.
Step 7 — Select Your Save Location When Notability opens, choose your preferred subject folder — your dedicated My Planners folder — as the save location for your imported planner.
Step 8 — Start Planning Your planner is now imported from Google Drive into Notability and ready to use. Open it, grab your Apple Pencil, and start planning.
Method 5 — Import from iCloud Drive
If you use iCloud as your primary cloud storage and your Paperless Essentials planner PDF is saved in iCloud Drive, this is the quickest and most seamless import method for Apple device users.
Step by Step:
Step 1 — Confirm Your PDF is in iCloud Drive Open the Files app on your iPad and tap iCloud Drive to confirm your Paperless Essentials planner PDF is saved there.
Step 2 — Open Notability Launch Notability on your iPad and navigate to your preferred subject folder in the Library.
Step 3 — Begin the Import Process Tap the import option in Notability — either through the + button, the three dots menu, or the import icon depending on your version of Notability.
Step 4 — Open the Files Browser The Files browser will open. Tap iCloud Drive in the left sidebar to access your iCloud files.
Step 5 — Locate Your Planner PDF Navigate through your iCloud Drive folders to find your downloaded Paperless Essentials planner PDF. Tap it to select it.
Step 6 — Confirm the Import Notability will import the PDF from iCloud Drive into your chosen subject folder. The process takes just a few seconds.
Step 7 — Open and Start Writing Your planner is now imported and ready to use. Open it in Notability and start your digital planning session with your Apple Pencil.
Method 6 — Import on Mac (Notability for Mac)
If you prefer to work on your Mac or if you downloaded your Paperless Essentials digital planner on your Mac computer, here is how to import it into Notability on Mac.
Step by Step:
Step 1 — Make Sure Notability is Installed on Your Mac Download Notability from the Mac App Store if you have not already. Notability for Mac syncs seamlessly with your iPad version through iCloud — so anything you import on your Mac will automatically appear on your iPad as well.
Step 2 — Open Notability on Your Mac Launch Notability from your Applications folder, Launchpad, or Dock.
Step 3 — Select Your Subject Folder In the Notability Library sidebar on the left side of the screen, click on the subject folder where you want to save your imported planner — your My Planners folder.
Step 4 — Go to File Menu In the top menu bar on your Mac, click File and then select Import from the dropdown menu. Alternatively, you can drag and drop your PDF file directly from Finder into the Notability Library window.
Step 5 — Navigate to Your Downloaded PDF A Finder window will open. Navigate to your Downloads folder — or wherever your Paperless Essentials planner PDF is saved on your Mac — and click to select the file.
Step 6 — Click Import Click Import or Open to import the PDF into Notability. The file will appear in your chosen subject folder immediately.
Step 7 — Sync to Your iPad Because Notability syncs through iCloud, your imported planner will automatically appear on your iPad within seconds — no extra steps needed.
Step 8 — Start Planning on Any Device Open your planner on your Mac or switch to your iPad, pick up your Apple Pencil, and start planning right away.
How to Annotate and Write on Your Digital Planner in Notability
Now that your planner is imported and open in Notability, here is everything you need to know about writing on it with your Apple Pencil:
Selecting Your Writing Tool
At the top of the Notability screen, you will see a toolbar with all your writing tools. Tap the pen icon to select the writing tool. Notability offers several pen types including:
- Fountain pen — elegant, tapered strokes with pressure sensitivity
- Ball pen — consistent, smooth line width
- Mechanical pencil — natural pencil texture for a handwritten feel
- Chisel tip — variable width based on angle, great for calligraphy style writing
- Highlighter — semi-transparent color for highlighting important sections
Choosing Your Pen Color
Tap the color dot in the toolbar to open Notability's color picker. Choose from the preset color swatches or create a completely custom color using the RGB or HSB color sliders. Try using different colors for different planning categories — for example, blue for work tasks, green for personal goals, and pink for wellness habits.
Adjusting Pen Size
Next to the color picker in the toolbar, tap the size slider to adjust your pen thickness. Thinner sizes work best for small text in detailed planner sections, while thicker sizes are great for headers, titles, and emphasis.
Using the Eraser Tool
Tap the eraser icon in the toolbar to switch to the eraser. Notability offers both a stroke eraser — which removes entire pen strokes — and a precise eraser — which erases only the specific area you touch. Use the precise eraser for detailed corrections in tight planner sections.
Undoing Mistakes Instantly
Made a mistake? Simply tap the undo arrow in the top left toolbar — or use a two-finger tap anywhere on your planner page — to instantly undo your last stroke. Use undo as many times as needed to step back through your recent actions.
Using the Typing Tool
Tap the keyboard icon in the toolbar to switch to text typing mode. This allows you to type into your digital planner using your iPad keyboard — useful for sections where you prefer typed text over handwriting.
Zooming In for Detailed Writing
For planner sections with small writing spaces, use a two-finger pinch and expand gesture to zoom into the area where you want to write. Writing in a zoomed-in view gives you more control and precision, especially in compact planner layouts.
How to Organize Your Digital Planners in Notability
Keeping your Notability library organized makes your digital planning experience smoother and more enjoyable. Here are the best practices for organizing your Paperless Essentials planners in Notability:
Create Multiple Subject Folders
Use separate Notability subjects to organize different types of planners. For example:
- Daily Planners — all your daily planning pages
- Weekly Planners — all your weekly planning spreads
- Monthly Planners — all your monthly overview pages
- Work Planners — all your professional planning documents
- Wellness Planners — health, habit, and self care planning pages
Use Descriptive Note Names
When you import a new planner, rename it with a clear, descriptive title so you can identify it instantly. For example, rename your planner to July 2026 Daily Planner or Q3 2026 Work Planner so you always know exactly what you are opening.
Use the Star Feature
Notability allows you to star your most important or most frequently used documents. Star your current active planner so it always appears at the top of your subject folder and is instantly accessible whenever you open Notability.
Archive Completed Planners
At the end of each month or planning period, create an Archive subject in Notability and move your completed planner pages there. This keeps your active planning subjects clean and uncluttered while preserving all your historical planning records safely in one place.
How to Duplicate Pages in Notability
Because Paperless Essentials digital planners are undated and reusable, you will regularly duplicate blank template pages to create fresh planning pages for new days, weeks, and months. Here is exactly how to do it in Notability:
How to Duplicate a Page in Notability:
Step 1 — Open your digital planner in Notability
Step 2 — Tap the page thumbnail panel — the grid of small page previews — to open the full page overview
Step 3 — Long press on the blank template page you want to duplicate
Step 4 — Select Duplicate from the context menu that appears
Step 5 — A fresh, blank copy of the template page is created immediately after the original
Step 6 — Use this fresh copy for your next planning session — daily, weekly, or monthly
Pro Tip: Always keep the very first page of your planner as a pristine, blank template page. Never write on this first page. Instead, always duplicate it first and write on the duplicate. This ensures you always have a perfect, clean template to duplicate from — no matter how many planning sessions you complete.
Notability Tips and Tricks for Digital Planners
Here are our top expert tips for getting the absolute most out of your Notability digital planning experience:
Tip 1 — Enable Auto-Backup to Google Drive or iCloud
Go to Notability Settings and enable auto-backup to your preferred cloud service. This automatically saves a copy of all your notes and planners to the cloud every time you make changes — protecting your planning history from accidental loss.
Tip 2 — Use Multi-Note View on iPad
Notability supports a split-screen multi-note view that lets you have two notes or planners open side by side on your iPad screen simultaneously. This is incredibly useful for referencing your monthly planner while filling in your daily planner — giving you the big picture and the detail view at the same time.
Tip 3 — Record Audio While Planning
One of Notability's most unique and beloved features is its ability to record audio synchronized with your handwriting. While this is most commonly used by students recording lectures, it can also be useful for recording voice memos and planning thoughts while writing in your planner.
Tip 4 — Use the Math Conversion Feature
If you use your digital planner for budget tracking, financial goal setting, or any planning that involves numbers, Notability's math conversion feature can automatically calculate and convert handwritten equations — a surprisingly useful tool for financial planners.
Tip 5 — Export Planning Pages as PDF for Printing
If you ever want to print a planning page from Notability, tap the Share button on the page you want to print and select Export as PDF. You can then print the exported PDF from any AirPrint compatible printer connected to your iPad.
Tip 6 — Use the Search Feature to Find Entries Instantly
Notability can search through your handwritten text to find specific entries across all your planning pages. Tap the search icon in the Library and type any keyword — Notability will scan your handwritten notes and highlight every matching instance instantly. This is invaluable for finding specific appointments, goals, or notes across months of planning history.
Tip 7 — Customize Your Toolbar
Notability allows you to customize the toolbar at the top of the note screen to show the tools you use most frequently. Go to the toolbar settings and arrange your most used tools — pen, eraser, highlighter, and typing tool — for the fastest possible access during your planning sessions.
Troubleshooting Common Notability Import Issues
Having trouble getting your planner into Notability? Here are the most common issues digital planners encounter and exactly how to solve them:
Issue 1 — I Cannot Find My Downloaded PDF
Solution: Open the Files app on your iPad and check these locations in this order:
- Files → On My iPad → Downloads
- Files → iCloud Drive → Downloads
- Files → Recently Deleted
If you still cannot locate your planner PDF, check your original Paperless Essentials purchase confirmation email and use the download link to re-download your planner.
Issue 2 — Notability Does Not Appear in My Share Sheet
Solution: Tap More at the end of the app row in the share sheet to see the complete list of available apps. Find Notability and tap the toggle to enable it in your share sheet. If Notability still does not appear, try deleting and reinstalling the app.
Issue 3 — My Planner Pages Are Blurry After Import
Solution: This is usually a temporary rendering issue as Notability processes the high resolution PDF. Wait a few seconds and the image quality will sharpen. If the issue persists, try closing the document completely and reopening it.
Issue 4 — The Import Seems to Be Taking a Long Time
Solution: Large, high resolution PDF files can take slightly longer to import on older iPad models. Make sure your iPad has sufficient available storage and a stable internet connection if importing from a cloud service. If the import seems stuck, close Notability completely and try again.
Issue 5 — My Planner is Missing Some Pages After Import
Solution: This can occasionally happen if the import was interrupted. Delete the imported file from your Notability library and try importing the PDF again from scratch. Make sure your iPad has enough available storage space before attempting the reimport.
Issue 6 — I Accidentally Deleted My Planner from Notability
Solution: If you have auto-backup enabled to Google Drive or iCloud, you can restore your planner from your backup. Go to your Notability Settings → Auto-Backup and look for the restore option. If you do not have backup enabled, re-download your planner from the Paperless Essentials purchase confirmation email and import it again.
Issue 7 — Notability Keeps Crashing When I Try to Import
Solution: Close all other apps running in the background to free up your iPad's memory, then restart Notability and try the import again. If crashes persist, restart your iPad completely and attempt the import with a fresh start. If the issue continues, check the App Store for any available Notability updates.
Frequently Asked Questions About Importing PDF Planners into Notability
Q: Can I import multiple PDF planners into Notability at the same time? Yes. You can select multiple PDF files during the import process and import them all simultaneously into Notability. Each PDF will be saved as a separate note in your chosen subject folder.
Q: Will my Paperless Essentials planner look exactly the same in Notability as it does in the preview? Yes. Notability renders PDF files in high resolution, so your digital planner will look exactly as beautiful and crisp inside Notability as it does in the product preview images on the Paperless Essentials website.
Q: Can I use the same digital planner PDF in both Notability and GoodNotes? Absolutely. Your digital planner PDF is a standard PDF file that can be imported into as many apps as you like. Many dedicated digital planners import the same planner PDF into both GoodNotes and Notability so they always have a backup and can access their planner on whichever app they prefer on any given day.
Q: Does Notability work on Android devices? No. Notability is currently only available for iPad, iPhone, and Mac. If you are planning on an Android device, we recommend Noteshelf or XODO as excellent alternative apps that are fully compatible with all Paperless Essentials digital planner PDFs.
Q: Can I use my Notability planner offline without an internet connection? Yes. Once your planner is imported into Notability, it is stored locally on your device and fully accessible without an internet connection. Any annotations and changes you make while offline will sync to iCloud or Google Drive automatically once you reconnect to the internet.
Q: How do I move my imported planner from one Notability subject folder to another? In the Notability Library, long press on the planner note you want to move. Select Move To from the context menu that appears, then choose the destination subject folder. Your planner will move instantly.
Q: My Notability download link has expired. How do I get my planner again? Check your original Paperless Essentials purchase confirmation email for your download link. If your link has expired or you need assistance accessing your purchase, contact us through the Paperless Essentials website and we will make sure you get access to your planner right away.
Q: Can I print my digital planner pages from Notability? Yes. To print any page from your Notability planner, tap the Share button, select Export as PDF, and then use AirPrint to print directly from your iPad to any compatible printer. This is perfect for those occasions when you want a physical copy of a specific planning page.
You Are Ready to Start Planning in Notability
You now know every single method for importing a PDF planner into Notability — from the Files app and Safari browser, to email, Google Drive, iCloud, and Mac. You know how to organize your Notability library, how to write on your planner with your Apple Pencil, how to duplicate pages for endless reuse, and how to troubleshoot any issues that might come up along the way.
Your digital planning journey is officially ready to begin.
Pick up your Apple Pencil, open your beautiful Paperless Essentials digital planner in Notability, and start filling in your goals, your schedule, and your intentions — one beautifully written page at a time.
Do not have your digital planner yet? Browse the full Paperless Essentials collection of beautifully designed digital planner PDF templates and download yours today. Every planner is fully compatible with Notability and available for instant download — so you can go from purchase to planning in just minutes.
Published by Paperless Essentials — Your home for beautifully designed digital planner PDF templates for iPad, GoodNotes, Notability, Noteshelf, XODO, Samsung Notes, and Kindle Scribe.
