[Toolbar] Make the New Floating Toolbar Optional / Revert to Old Toolbar
The latest update introduced an obnoxious and distracting floating toolbar below the primary toolbar, taking up more space and reducing the amount of room there is to actually write on the document. Further, it’s shorter in width, so you have to scroll more to find different highlighter colors, pen options, etc.
The new toolbar offers LESS functionality than before and I didn’t see anyone complaining or asking for it to be overhauled for everyone. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Please introduce a toggle where you can choose whether you want this new toolbar or the old one, as it’s fine if it’s an option but the old toolbar that a lot of people liked should also be an option still.
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Lexi Greevy commented
Basically undo the new update to version 7.0.4. No one likes the update and there were too many changes to just put that in there as an update. let people have the old version of goodnotes back before the update or let them have a choice of features you add in. I do not want to use AI or have my toolbar changed without a choice. This isnt a little update its a huge change to the way the app works.
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katie chu commented
The recent update, 7.0.4 has made it impossible to draw any other shapes especially for classes like Organic Chemistry. Every shape becomes circles and even triangles adjust themselves into a weird position. Overall, has greatly decreased in quality and become impossible to use efficiently.
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Sofia Donnelly commented
Please go back to the old version. I have no idea what happened but the new version as of October 2025 sucks. I can even make the shapes that I used to be able to, I am unable to erase the filled in part of the shape after I make it. The new toolbar looks so weird and takes up screen space. When I make a triangle it glitches so hard and continues to turn into a shape I simply do not want. In conclusion, the new update sucks and I am about to revert back to paper.
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Bronia Lucy commented
I have found that the update makes the app so much more difficult to use. Instead of focusing on the lecture I am in, I am fiddling around with the app, trying desperately to keep up with note taking. I really do not want to have to use a new note taking app because I am in the final year of my degree and would thus have to transfer years of notes on to new software. Plus, I really enjoyed using Goodnotes for both its typed and handwritten features, which have both been messed up by the update. Please allow us to downgrade to GN6, which is what I paid for.
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Brendan McDaniel commented
GN 6 allowed me to be productive and use the app as it was intended. GN 7 has created such a UI/UX mess that its practically unusable due to the changes made. Rarely are updates this backwards in today's dev world, but somehow this one proves that new isn't always better.
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Brinda C commented
I have always trusted Goodnotes for its efficiency, but this update has made even simple note-taking tasks unnecessarily complicated and frustrating. This is not feedback — this is a complaint. The latest version has completely broken a workflow that took years to build.
1. Lasso Tool Constant Floating Toolbar Pop-Up
The toolbar now appears automatically whenever I select something. Previously, it only appeared after tapping. This blocks content and slows editing.
Request: Add a setting to disable the automatic toolbar pop-up when using the lasso tool.
2. Draw and Hold Incorrect Shape Recognition
Shapes like rectangles and underlines now snap into random ovals or figure-eights. Scaling only works in one direction. This feature used to be precise and reliable.
Request: Restore accurate shape recognition and free two-axis scaling.
3. AutoShape Oversized Shapes and Broken Resizing
Shapes from presets snap into much larger forms, stretched vertically, and can’t be resized properly. Undoing every time wastes minutes.
Request: Fix shape snapping so dimensions match what’s drawn and can be resized both ways.
4. Tool Switching After Using AutoShape
After creating a shape, the app auto-switches to the lasso tool. Completely unnecessary and disruptive.
Request: Keep the current tool active after creating a shape.
5. Apple Pencil Double-Tap Behavior
Double-tap now cycles through random tools instead of toggling between tool ↔ eraser, ignoring iPad settings. This breaks years of muscle memory.
Request: Add a toggle to restore the old double-tap behavior (tool ↔ eraser).
6. Floating Black Toolbar — Cluttered and Restrictive
The floating toolbar wastes workspace, groups tools unnecessarily, and hides color options (only six visible now instead of eight).
Requests:
• Option to show all tools on the blue main bar
• Option to disable the floating bar
• Restore full-size icons and eight visible colors
7. Color Presets Not Synced Across Tools
Each tool now requires re-entering colors manually. I have 30+ HEX presets — re-adding them is a huge waste of time.
Request: Create a universal color preset system applied across all tools.
8. Pages Tab and Bookmarks
Bookmarks are hidden under “All Pages → Bookmarks Only.” This adds unnecessary steps. The “Audio” tab is less useful.
Request: Bring back a dedicated Bookmarks tab or replace “Audio” with it.
9. Page Layout View Changes
The new sidebar view only shows 2×2 pages. The previous floating grid showed more and was faster to rearrange.
Request: Return to the floating, multi-row grid layout.
10. Toolbar Order Changes
The lasso tool now appears before the pen tool, breaking established muscle memory.
Request: Allow custom reordering or restore the previous default order.
11. Missing Favorites Button
The one-tap Favorites button beside “Add Page” is gone. Adding favorites now takes multiple steps.
Request: Re-add the Favorites button to the main toolbar.
12. Image Editing Restrictions
The Images tool no longer functions as its own editing tool. To move or resize an image, I must enable “Images” under lasso settings every time.
Request: Allow direct image editing from the Images tool, regardless of lasso settings.
13. Tape Tool Visibility
Tape lines can only be hidden/unhidden when the Tape tool is active. Previously this worked with any tool.
Request: Re-enable hide/unhide access for tape lines universally.
14. Missing Rotation Option for Lasso Selections
The rotate handle is gone. Shapes and handwritten content can’t be rotated anymore.
Request: Bring back the rotation option in lasso selections.
15. General Interface and Workflow Regression
Every action now takes more steps. The new interface is cluttered and unintuitive, undoing years of improvement.
Requests:
• Restore full toolbar customization
• Add a toggle for floating elements
• Let users revert to the previous layout
16. Request for Downgrade Option
The previous version (v6.7.21) was stable and efficient. Goodnotes 7.0.4 has disrupted daily use for many users.
Request: Provide an option to downgrade to Goodnotes 6 (v6.7.21) until these issues are fixed.
This update has fundamentally broken Goodnotes’ usability. It’s not about preference — it’s about functionality, workflow, and efficiency. Many long-term users, including me, are deeply frustrated. Goodnotes 7.0.4 took a reliable system and made it unnecessarily complex and counter-intuitive. Please let us revert to Goodnotes 6 until these problems are resolved. -
Arjun Chopra commented
PLS SWITCH BACK TO GN5/6
Im a med student and goodnotes was the my biggest motivation and tool.All my markings,books are on this app.I have a habit of underlining everything i read and now its become so cumbersome.Pls pls pls help me.Pls bring back old vers.
I have my exams.
Pls do it quickly -
J steven commented
Idk why the UI looks so awful! It totally changes my habit on using this app, and there are so many useless buttons occupy my main screen, plz update it into old version
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Paulina Sicińska commented
Please I need the old toolbar!
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Paulina Sicińska commented
Please bring back the old tool box!!!
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Claire
commented
The changes made to the tool bar have completely disrupted how I take my notes and organize my tools. I wish I could downgrade to the previous version. I am strongly considering cancelling my subscription and using a different platform for my notes. I have been a Goodnotes user since 2019 and enjoyed the first few verisions of Goodnotes 6 when I upgraded from 5. Now the app is so different from how it used to be, and I feel like I no longer have the product I orginally paid for and now pay for as a subscription. Please fix this.
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Camille Carr commented
Absolutely agree! This new update was not ready. It’s glitchy & complicated. At least make it an option to go back 6. People paid good money for their subscriptions and have notes they rely on and want to use. Especially since you guys won’t even answer service emails.
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Christian Argüello commented
noteful
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Capucine Louis commented
Please, this new update is making note taking really hard ! We have to click a thousand buttons just to get something that could be done in one ! Plus suppressing the simple keyboard option makes it a hell ! 🥲🥲😭
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Jessi
commented
Fully agree! Hate the changes on iPad. Especially the new look of record. The huge floating numbers are distracting and a deal breaker for me - please go back to the unobtrusive circle on the tool bar. Looking into something else for next semester for sure.
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fwteini kst commented
Hello,
I wanted to share some feedback about the latest Goodnotes update. I personally preferred the previous version — it felt more intuitive and comfortable to use. The new layout and changes don’t suit my workflow as well, and I really miss the simplicity of the older version.
I hope you might consider offering an option to revert to the previous design or bring back some of its features in future updates.
Thank you for your time and for all the work you do on the app.
Best regards
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Penggao Tang (Peng) commented
Old tool bar was much more intuitive and customizable. It was customizable AT ALL. Now, it disregards the users’ own input into their own work habits. The shapes tool or snap to shape tool now much more restrictive, i.e. rigid shapes and unerasable permanent background colors.
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Alexi commented
The toolbar is truly terrible. I especially don't like how you have to do an extra click everytime you want to select the text box!
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Hannah Harford commented
with the new update, the text box tool has a LOT of problems. every time i finish writing, it switches to the lasso instead of letting me start a new text box. the boxes also don’t extend to the end of the page every time, which makes it very hard to add another box beneath it. if we can’t revert back to the previous version, the bar needs to be customizable to stop these issues
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Bianca Henley commented
I am getting soo frustrated. If I didn't already spend over $30.00 on this app I would already switch. I can't even draw simple shapes for biochemistry. I used to love this app! It was like an extention of my brain, I could easily write down and create beautiful notes. Now you can't even jot down a quick idea without the app glitching and crashing. The app is literal trash at this point. It makes me want to cry!