How Can You Stop Google Keep’s Annoying Menu and Create Text Notes Instantly?

Why Does Google Keep Show Multiple Options and How Can You Disable This Frustrating Feature?

I’ve been using Google Keep for years, and I know how frustrating it can be when apps change features you rely on daily. Let me walk you through exactly how to fix this annoying change and get your text notes working the way they used to.

What Changed in Google Keep

Google Keep used to be simple. You’d tap the plus button, and boom – instant text note. No fuss, no extra steps. Then Google decided to “improve” things by adding a menu with multiple options every time you want to create a note.

Now when you tap that plus button, you get bombarded with choices: Text, List, Drawing, Image, and Audio. Sure, it sounds helpful, but for those of us who create text notes 90% of the time, it’s just extra taps that slow us down.

Why This Matters for Your Productivity

Every extra tap adds up. If you’re like me and create dozens of notes daily, those additional seconds become minutes. Minutes become hours over time. When you’re trying to quickly jot down an idea or reminder, the last thing you want is to navigate through menus.

I noticed this change immediately on both my Samsung Galaxy and iPhone. Since I use the same Google account across devices, the frustration doubled. Every note creation became a two-step process instead of one smooth action.

The Simple Fix That Changes Everything

Here’s the good news: Google listened to user feedback and added a setting to restore the old behavior. You can force Google Keep to create text notes by default again.

1. Open Google Keep and look for the three horizontal lines (hamburger menu) in the top-left corner. Tap it to open the main menu.
2. Scroll down and select “Settings” from the menu options. This opens the Keep Notes configuration page.
3. Look for the “Notes creation” section. You’ll find a toggle labeled “Create text notes by default.” Switch this toggle to the ON position.

That’s it. No restart required, no complicated configuration. The change takes effect immediately.

How It Works After the Fix

Once you enable this setting, tapping the plus button creates a text note instantly – just like the old days. The app skips the options menu entirely and drops you straight into a blank text note ready for typing.

But here’s the clever part: Google didn’t remove the other note types. If you need to create a list, drawing, or audio note, simply long-press the plus button. This brings up the full options menu, giving you access to all note types when needed.

Additional Benefits You’ll Notice

This change doesn’t just save time – it improves your note-taking flow. When inspiration strikes or you need to capture information quickly, muscle memory takes over. Your finger knows exactly where to tap, and the note appears instantly.

The setting syncs across all your devices too. Enable it once, and every device logged into your Google account will behave the same way. No need to configure each phone or tablet separately.

Pro Tips for Better Google Keep Usage

While you’re in the settings, consider exploring other options that might improve your experience:

• Enable sharing suggestions if you frequently share notes with specific contacts
• Adjust notification settings for location-based reminders
• Review your backup and sync preferences

Remember, the long-press functionality means you’re not losing any features. You’re simply streamlining the most common action while keeping full functionality available when needed.

Why Google Made This Change (And Why They Fixed It)

Google likely added the options menu to highlight Keep’s versatility. Many users don’t realize the app can handle drawings, audio recordings, and formatted lists. The menu showcases these capabilities.

However, user feedback clearly indicated that frequent text note creators felt slowed down. Google’s solution – making it optional – represents good UX design. Power users get efficiency, while new users still see all available features.

This approach respects different usage patterns without forcing everyone into the same workflow.