How to Add a Custom Template in GoodNotes

GoodNotes lets you import any PNG or PDF as a custom page template — which means you can use any grid paper design you create in GridDrop as a permanent template in your notebooks. Here's exactly how to do it, from downloading the file to using it as your default notebook background.

Step 1: Create and download your template

Open GridDrop and design your template. Choose your grid style (Grid, Dot Grid, Cornell, Lined, or Blank), select your page size, and adjust colours and spacing to your preference.

Once you're happy with the preview, tap Download PNG. The file will save to your Downloads folder (or wherever your browser saves files).

Step 2: Import the template into GoodNotes

Your template will now appear in the Templates panel under a custom category. You can import as many templates as you like — there's no limit.

Step 3: Use the template in a notebook

There are two ways to apply your template in GoodNotes:

When creating a new notebook

Tap the + button on the GoodNotes home screen to create a new notebook. In the setup panel, tap Template and select your custom template. Every page in the new notebook will use that template by default.

When adding a page to an existing notebook

Open a notebook and tap the page thumbnail panel at the bottom of the screen. Long-press on a page thumbnail and tap New Page. You can then choose which template to use for that new page — including your custom one.

Changing the template of an existing page

Long-press a page thumbnail and tap Change Template. Select your custom template. This replaces the background of that page — any notes you've already written remain unchanged.

What about Notability?

The process for Notability is slightly different. Open or create a note, then tap the wrench icon in the top toolbar to open Note Settings. Tap Paper Lines, scroll to the bottom and tap Custom, then tap the + button to import your PNG. It will be applied as the background for that note immediately.

Troubleshooting

• The template has white borders or doesn't fill the page: You used a different page size than your iPad's screen. Re-download from GridDrop with the correct iPad size selected.
• The lines look blurry: GridDrop exports at 3× resolution, so lines should be sharp. If they look soft, make sure you downloaded a PNG rather than a lower-resolution JPEG.
• I can't find the downloaded file: On iPad, downloaded files go to the Files app under Downloads. Open Files and look there if the picker doesn't show it immediately.
• The template doesn't appear in the list: Try quitting and relaunching GoodNotes. Occasionally it takes a moment for imported templates to appear.

Creating a multi-page notebook template

If you want a pre-numbered notebook — say, a 30-page journal where each page already has a page number printed on it — GridDrop can generate that in one download. Enable the Page Number option in GridDrop, set the total number of pages, and download. You'll receive a ZIP file containing one PNG per page. Import these individually into GoodNotes, or use GoodNotes' batch import feature to add them all at once.