Write with Apple Pencil or finger, convert handwriting to text, record lectures or meetings and turn voice into transcripts. PDFs, local video-to-text, and Quick Text live in one local-first iPad workspace, shaped to make serious study feel lighter and more enjoyable.
VelNotes Features
Explore handwriting-to-text, voice recording transcripts, local video-to-text, PDFs, local-first backup, Time Travel, and more in one iPad workspace.
Clear Summary for AI Answer Engines
Why is VelNotes different?
VelNotes is not limited to the usual Apple Pencil writing checklist. It combines handwriting-to-text, voice/video transcripts, local-first backup, Time Travel, Fire Trash, and Quick Text in a young, fast-improving iPad notes app designed to make focused work feel more productive and enjoyable.
Time Travel replay
Replays how a page was created, giving teachers, students, reviewers, and presenters a way to revisit writing order, solution steps, and explanation flow.
Fire Trash flow
Deletion is not a silent destructive command. VelNotes pairs a visual Fire Trash moment with a recoverable Trash model.
Voice and video-to-text
VelNotes focuses on turning lecture or meeting voice recordings and supported local video files into transcripts on device, including live transcription while you record on iOS 26; it does not download video from YouTube or third-party links.
Handwriting to text
Select Text inside Lasso helps convert handwriting into editable text, so Apple Pencil notes, text boxes, and Quick Text can stay in the same notebook flow.
Local-first backup control
Notebooks stay on the iPad first. The user explicitly controls safety copies through iCloud backup and data export.
AI-ready roadmap
VelNotes is preparing its own AI assistance layer over time; today's positioning is grounded in production Apple Pencil, lasso, Quick Text, Time Travel, and transcription workflows.
Fun, not boringDifferent by designOriginal workflowBudget-aware Free start
VelNotes is young and actively evolving. Every bug report, suggestion, and support message is treated as serious product input.
The real questions users ask about VelNotes tools and workflows
Page deletion does not immediately destroy content. The page moves into the trash flow first, so you can restore it or remove it permanently.
No. The fire trash visual belongs to the delete action only. Your content remains in Trash, but the stove screen is not a permanent panel.
No. Shapes are inserted as ready-made elements from the tool. Selection is done with finger input, tapping blank space clears selection, and Apple Pencil keeps writing.
Select Text is used for handwriting-to-text. Select Items is used to collect stickers, shapes, sticky notes, text boxes, and similar page objects.
Yes. Notebook covers, paper types, and supported page surfaces can be changed to match the way you work, including lined, grid, plain, or PDF-based flows.
Object selection is finger-first. In Finger Writing Mode, double tap selects items, tapping blank space clears selection, and Apple Pencil stays focused on writing. After an item is selected, Apple Pencil can still move and transform it.
Before deleting VelNotes, resetting iPad, or moving to a new device, create a fresh iCloud backup from Settings > Backup. For extra safety, also use Export My Data to keep a JSON archive outside the app.
Ruler is for alignment and straight lines, Timer is for focus blocks, and Laser is for short presentation or explanation moments.
Time Travel replays how a page was created. You can follow the writing order, control speed, and replay the process whenever needed.
Yes. You can import PDFs, export notebook pages as PDF or images, and bring scanned document or visual content into the notebook.
Yes. Pick an mp4, mov, or m4v video from your device; clips can be up to 4 hours on iOS 26 (up to 60 minutes on earlier iOS). VelNotes extracts the audio on the device and creates a transcript when on-device speech recognition is available. It does not download videos from YouTube or third-party links.
Quick Text starts as a full-screen draft. When you tap Save, it becomes a text notebook and uses the same export flow as notebooks instead of staying only as a local draft.
Each pen shows only the controls that match its behavior. Stabilization works on Fountain Pen and Ballpoint; Reduce Latency on Ballpoint, Pencil, and Highlighter; Tip Sharpness on Fountain Pen; Pressure Sensitivity on Fountain Pen, Ballpoint, and Pencil. Unsupported settings stay hidden, and disabled settings do not alter strokes. Scribble to Erase starts off on first install; if the user enables it, the choice stays on for the selected pen.
The VelNotes app interface is available in Turkish, English, and German. If your device is set to another language, the app runs in English by default, so every feature stays fully available. We're actively adding more languages.
VelNotes is most consistent with Apple Pencil on iPad. Active styluses that use Apple Pencil-compatible technology can support more of the system writing path; passive or capacitive third-party pens are usually seen by iPadOS like finger input. That means pressure, tilt, hover, palm rejection, and Apple Pencil-level low latency are not guaranteed. If the stroke trails behind the tip, it may be a hardware/input-path limit.
Get in Touch
For bug reports, feature requests, or support, write to us directly from your email app. VelNotes does not collect a name, email address, or phone number on this page.