Useful macOS defaults: Notes

com.apple.Notes has fewer hidden settings than most Apple apps. Notes keeps much of its configuration synced through iCloud, which limits what you can change locally with defaults write.

After changing these, quit and reopen Notes.

Default text size

Set the default text size for new notes:

defaults write com.apple.Notes ICDefaultFontSize -int 16

The default is about 13. Higher numbers give larger text.

Sort notes by date edited or date created

Sort notes by the date they were last changed:

defaults write com.apple.Notes SortOrder -int 1

Sort notes by the date they were created:

defaults write com.apple.Notes SortOrder -int 2

Sort notes by title:

defaults write com.apple.Notes SortOrder -int 3

New notes start with title or heading

Set what the first line of a new note becomes:

defaults write com.apple.Notes ICNoteDefaultStyle -int 0

Values:

• 0 = title
• 1 = heading
• 2 = body text

Checked items behaviour

Move ticked checklist items to the bottom of the list:

defaults write com.apple.Notes ICOrganizeSortCheckedToBottom -bool true

Read all current Notes settings

defaults read com.apple.Notes

Notes

Most Notes preferences are best changed in Notes, then Settings. The defaults commands above cover the few settings that are useful for scripting. Because Notes syncs data through iCloud, some local defaults may not behave as expected if they clash with synced settings.

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