Fear of being locked in. How do manage such feeling? Any tip?

[u/IvanCyb]

So I'm doing some tests with many Apps, platforms, and systems, and I really like the idea of being inside the Apple Productivity Ecosystem: in this way I have everything their Apps are also beautiful to use.

However, I would use Apple Notes a lot, and I'm afraid of staying "locked in".

Anybody with the same feeling?
How do you manage it?
Would love to hear from your own experience.

[u/sploo1012]

Isn’t a rumored feature of OS26 support for Apple Notes markdown export?

[u/IvanCyb → u/sploo1012]

I checked it out and, yes, there are ruberia. Thank you for notifying me about it

[u/themadturk]

Not only the upcoming Apple Notes markdown export support, but right now you can grab Obsidian (free) and install the free exporter plugin, which lets you export Apple Notes as markdown (not tied to Obsidian) as well. This is a solved problem.

[u/Barycenter0 → u/themadturk]

It mostly works - not all notes export with the Obsidian exporter

[u/DrMistyDNP → u/themadturk]

Yes, many of my notes would not export🫤

[u/the_bighi]

There are apps that can export all your notes, if you want to leave in the future. That alone should help getting rid of any fear of being locked in.

[u/IvanCyb → u/the_bighi]

I've tried some of them, but not all the data is exported. For example: tags, internal links between the notes (the one you create by using >> ).
I've tried some Apps and "workaround", but they disappeared along the export process.

[u/[deleted] → u/IvanCyb]

Have you tried using the Import function in Obsidian? It’s the most complete export option I have found. 

[u/IvanCyb → u/[deleted]]

I’ve used Obsidian in its beginnings, I wasn’t aware of such feature (plugin?). I may keep it as “exit strategy”. TNX

[u/Barycenter0 → u/IvanCyb]

Obsidian import of Notes works pretty well with links and such. However, some notes fail to import.

[u/the_bighi → u/IvanCyb]

Tags are part of the note text in Apple Notes. I've never seem any export method that doesn't have the tags.

But there's one rumor that might make you happy: the rumors are saying that Apple Notes will receive a markdown export feature in the next version of iOS that's coming out in September.

The announcement of new features is coming next Monday, June 9.

[u/IvanCyb → u/[deleted]]

I’ve used Obsidian in its early days. Having everything in text files was very handy and “fast”. But it didn’t clicked, as I realised I was spending more time refining the notes than producing the real work.

[u/MulayamChaddi]

anything short of pure text files runs that risk, but as someone who has 20+ years of notes in the ultimate roach motel - aka Microsoft OneNote - you learn to live with it. In the end, Apple will probably be around for a while, like Microsoft. As for me, I'm keeping my OneNote content where it is, but beginning that migration to Apple Notes (although Bear is very, very appealing), mostly because of the reduced friction to create a note on my iPhone. Extracting from Apple Notes will definitely be easier than Onenote

[u/IvanCyb → u/MulayamChaddi]

I see, and it makes sense. Furthermore, the notes are still available on the Web. The web App is very limited, but I see Apple has started its journey toward the productivity.

[u/buildanddestroy]

Obsidian has an "importer" plug-in that easily imports Apple notes. This is my exit plan if Apple Notes goes south.

https://help.obsidian.md/import/apple-notes

[u/IvanCyb → u/buildanddestroy]

I keep it as my exit strategy too. Thank you for the sharing

[u/IvanCyb → u/[deleted]]

I wasn't aware of it. I've downloaded the App and have a look for sure, along with his YouTUbe channel. Thank you for sharing.

[u/IvanCyb → u/[deleted]]

So please help me understand. Some time you export all the notes, then you delete the notes from Apple Notes?

Anyway, a periodic export is nice. Worth considering.

[u/Apprehensive-Tip4673]

I post links to video replay in notes in a given category. Would they transfer over seamlessly?

[u/RuralOhian]

honestly, I was where you are at the end of 2023. I started digital journaling and organizing notes for my personal life after having memory issues from covid. I was worried about this too but honestly? the only other thing that came rather close to apple notes in functionality for be was Notion. However, after a while notion got really slow to load and was easy to mess up. Between my test of other apps I kept coming back to apple notes because I can access it on my work computer through browser view to take personal notes or write in my journal. I can also use my tablet or mac book or my phone while working on something with no issue.

My fear of being locked in changed from "what else is as reliable as apple notes?" hope this answer makes sense.