Goodnotes faces backlash as users demand the Goodnotes 6 UI back

Goodnotes users are flooding Reddit and X with complaints about the latest update, calling for the return of the simpler Goodnotes 6 interface. For anyone who’s been away from the internet the last few days, Goodnotes dropped a major update with a revamped UI and new AI-powered functions.

But this update hasn’t really landed well for users. What started as scattered frustrations has turned into full-blown chaos, with students and professionals scrambling to take notes while battling broken tools and unwanted features.

The arrow tool drama kicked things off when one user shared a video showing their diagram arrows refusing to move with the rest of their work. Even worse, the arrows didn’t show up in screenshots, making it impossible to share notes properly.

Students mid-semester aren’t thrilled about this timing, with one user venting that “I got midterms in a few days and they now decided to release this BS.” The complaints kept piling up about duplicating, erasing, and lasso tool bugs that make simple tasks feel like wrestling with the app.

Multiple threads showed users threatening to jump ship. One thread asked straight up whether Goodnotes would admit their mistake and roll back the update, with commenters pointing out that the only reason people stick around is the massive collection of notebooks they’ve built over time. The hassle of migrating everything keeps users trapped, even as they watch the app crumble with each update.

In another post, the OP demanded that Goodnotes users should ask for refunds so that they can switch to better apps. Users argued that Goodnotes 5 (or maybe early Goodnotes 6) hit the sweet spot, and everything since then has been adding clutter instead of streamlining the experience. One commenter even noted that Goodnotes keeps multiple versions running in one app to preserve their old App Store reviews, which feels manipulative when the actual experience keeps deteriorating

The complaints on X painted a similar picture. Users begged Goodnotes to bring back the previous UI, with some saying the app keeps crashing and they can’t even use it for a full day of work. The shapes tool became a particular pain point after it started auto-snapping into forms, taking away the freedom users had before. Others complained about the two-page spread view getting broken and the keyboard refusing to open for text boxes on iPhone.

With all the drama, users have already been researching alternatives like Notability, Noteful, and OneNote. Some reported that switching apps dramatically improved their battery life and eliminated bugs.

The toolbar redesign drew particular heat. The floating island for tools takes up valuable canvas space and feels distracting. The lasso tool sits front and center even though most users want their pen tool there, and you can’t customize it. Features like the zoom window, ruler, and timer got buried in dropdown menus, breaking workflows for people who relied on quick access.

What makes this whole situation sting is that Goodnotes charges $30 for the pro license while marketing itself as “the best note-taking app available.” Users expected better quality control, not half-baked updates that feel untested across different devices.

Goodnotes will either take action on the feedback or hope this all blows over. Time will tell which route they pick.