5 Creative Google Keep Uses Apart from Taking Notes


Creative Google Keep uses that can enhance your productivity are only a few clicks away. Beside the traditional note-taking feature, there is still a lot you can do with the app. There is a huge chance that there are some robust Google Keep uses you are leaving unexplored.

Google created Keep to serve as a note-taking app. The bright colors in the design were carefully selected to ensure that your schedules are easy to distinguish. It is also available on all major mobile platforms and as a Chrome extension. Here are five creative Google Keep uses if you don’t care about taking notes.

1. Use OCR to Extract Text from Images

OCR is a lifesaver for those situations you can’t be bothered to write down information. For instance, you were at a party and took a snapshot of an advert. Or your spouse emailed you a list of grocery items you need to pick up on your way home.

Google Keep has your back. The application features Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to extract text from images.

1. Open the Google Keep extension on Chrome or go to its website. Alternatively, open the Google Keep app on your mobile device.

2. Click on the upload image note icon and upload your photo containing the text you want to extract.


3. Scroll to the bottom of the new image note, and click on the three overflow buttons. Select the option “Grab image text.”


4. Look underneath your image note to find the extracted text file in all its glory!


5. You can copy this text for other purposes or store it in a conventional note-taking software. The success of this particular step depends on the quality of the image file uploaded.

2. Efficient Meal Plans Using the Location Feature

This feature is only available on the mobile versions. You can also use this feature for other purposes. It isn’t limited to meals alone.

For those who are always on the move, this is a perfect solution. If you often skip meals because of work or other commitments, this feature will help you gain some control.

This feature matches your location to your reminders. This match means the next time you walk past an eatery you’ll trigger an alarm. And that’ll be Google Keep telling you “Hey buddy, it’s time for lunch!

1. Go to reminders.

2. Click on “Add new reminder.”

3. Create your reminder and click on the “Edit” icon.


4. This time, instead of editing the time options, select Place.


5. Edit the location as appropriate. Click “Save.”


3. Share Errands and Manage Your Shopping

For families where each person has a responsibility, this is a remarkable solution. Google Keep’s reminder and collaborator feature allows you to do this seamlessly.

If you have a joint errand to undertake, each person can tick the chores off as you complete them. Doing this updates the rest of the team. Think of it as a mini-project management software! Here’s how to use this feature.

1. Hover over any note you have created. It will reveal a set of options underneath.


2. Click on the icon encircled in red. It will pop up a container requesting an email to add to your note. Fill in this email and click “Save.”


3. You can add as many emails as you need. This feature sends a copy of your plans to your collaborators’ emails so they can contribute to the task. Be sure they’re all on board with your ideas before including their emails on your list. These collaborators also need to have Google Keep installed on their devices.

4. Capture Your Eureka Moments and Thoughts in Voice Notes

Ideas come to us at all times during the day – usually when we are busy with something else. Of course, you cannot leave the job at hand to pursue these fleeting ideas right away. It’ll be counterproductive.

Thanks to Google Keep you can now store these ideas as voice notes that you can revisit later. To help you remember them, you can also set reminders to go with these voice notes. Now you get to keep your brilliant ideas and also stay concentrated on the task at hand.

This feature is available only on mobile devices.

1. Open the app and click on the microphone icon. It will pop up a central icon prompting you to record your speech.


2. Record your voice note. Google Keep transcribes the voice note in real time and saves it for you.


3. You can also add reminders to these notes if you want. This voice note feature can be used to store thoughts and keep up to date with family while you are working. It’s a perfect way to stay focused on the task at hand, notwithstanding distractions.

5. Use as Flashcards with Periodic Reminders

Are you learning music, a new language or some new words? You may be planning to use flashcards.

Google Keep wants to help. It’s more flexible with the reminders than most other apps. This flexibility means you can configure your reminders to display flashcards for you at predetermined intervals.

Realize that although this is possible, Google Keep is only a simple solution. You can’t compare it with dedicated flash card applications.

1. Click on the “Reminders” option.


2. Create your flash card text, e.g. the meaning of a new word, capital of a country, etc.


3. Create your reminder settings. Edit the time to “Custom.”


4. Set the number of repetitions to as many times as you want.


That’s all. Now you can expect random reminders throughout the day. They will serve to bring your flashcards to your attention. Happy learning!

In Conclusion

Google Keep uses doesn’t have to be restricted to essential note-taking. There are a couple of other creative ways to get the app to work for you, so go ahead and spike up your productivity with these tips and tricks.

One comment

  1. Thanks for the OCR tip; that’ll be very useful.

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