Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
Android 15 will introduce a new feature that allows users to set a default note-taking app that can be accessed from the lock screen. This default note-taking app can utilize Android’s content capture API to capture screen content for easy insertion into a note. While this note-taking role was introduced as a developer preview in Android 14, it is expected to be fully rolled out in Android 15.
With the large screens of Android tablets, they are great for taking notes, especially when equipped with a keyboard or stylus. However, launching a note-taking app like Google Keep on many Android tablets currently requires unlocking the device first, which can be cumbersome. The upcoming Android 15 update aims to simplify the note-taking process on tablets by allowing users to set a default note-taking app that can be launched directly from the lock screen and insert screen grabs.
During Google’s recent I/O developer conference, Miguel Montemayor discussed the new Notes role in Android, which enables users to quickly access their preferred note-taking app from any screen. Users can set their default note-taking app by navigating to Settings > Apps > Default apps > Default notes app. This app can then be accessed by long-pressing a shortcut on the lock screen or pressing the stylus tail button on compatible devices.
To qualify as the default notes app, developers of note-taking apps must make certain modifications to their apps to handle the CREATE_NOTE intent sent by Android. They must also ensure that the app can launch from the lock screen and respond to stylus input if applicable. Additionally, developers are encouraged to implement content capture capability, allowing users to insert screen grabs into their notes.
While the Notes role and content capture API were introduced in Android 14, they were disabled by default. Users had to manually enable them in Developer options. Google’s decision to highlight these features now may be tied to the upcoming support for them in Google Keep. It is expected that Google will enable the Notes role by default in the upcoming stable release of Android 15.
For any tips or information, reach out to our staff at news@androidauthority.com. Your identity can remain anonymous if preferred.