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.

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.

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

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

Please I need the old toolbar!

Please bring back the old tool box!!!

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.

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.

noteful

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 ! 🥲🥲😭

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.

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

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.

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!

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

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!

I cannot believe how terrible this update is, i cant add a simple straight line to make my tables or move that line to exactly where i want it or if i want to increase the length like i used to.
Adding and removing bullet points is impossible to do and cant just double enter like you used to in the past.
WHY does it automatically default to selection everytime im wanting to just use a text box and tap in a different space!! ughhh why did you change anything this is incredibly frustrating i will definitely be switching it takes hours to make simple notes and too much clicking no shortcuts at all. numerous numerous terrible updates.

I'm really angry about the new update. It sucks beyond words! Have you really considered customers feelings and suggestions? Even can't see any effort you guys put into. What are you doing all the day, just eating your heads off? Updating a new UI providing nothing useful and even becoming more inconvenient, never taking customers useful requests seriously and never trying to realize good suggestions efficiently...oh what great jobs you did! Good for you!

I am also noticing that the eraser tool doesn't fully autoselect back to the previous tool. When selecting highlighted items, it will also select the lasso tool and not revert to the highlighting tool. Which is frustrating...

The more I use the app with the new update, the more frustrated I become with all the issues it has. I am seriously considering using a different app because the update sucks so bad. Everything about it is just horrible.

I like the old toolbar better. To me, it is very ineffective to have the toolbar split up how it is now. I also hate the text box menu being constantly in the middle of the screen; it is annoying and in the way. Also, in the zoom box, you used to be able to edit shapes, and now you can't. The highlighter tool doesn't like to do a rectangle; it keeps giving me an oval, even when I explicitly draw rectangles. Also, if you are recording, it doesn't like to let you look at all the pages; it keeps just giving the transcript options, which is annoying.

I honestly don't like this version of GoodNotes; it's very hard to work with everything being in the way.