Import a PDF Planner into Goodnotes

What this guide is for

Use these steps to turn a planner PDF into a Goodnotes notebook while retaining the original download. Menu labels can change between Goodnotes releases, but the core flow remains import, rename, test, and back up.

Before you start

• A planner PDF saved in the Files app or another accessible location
• Goodnotes installed and opened at least once
• Enough storage for page thumbnails and sync data
• A chosen Goodnotes folder for the notebook

Steps

1. Save the PDF to Files. Keep this as the source copy rather than opening the file only from a temporary browser download.
2. Import the notebook. In Goodnotes, choose New and then Import, or use the system share sheet and select Open in Goodnotes.
3. Choose a folder and rename it. A descriptive name such as “2027 Work Planner” is easier to recover and search than the original filename.
4. Wait for processing. Let Goodnotes finish creating page thumbnails before navigating quickly through a large planner.
5. Switch modes to test links. Use read-only or navigation mode, then tap an index tab, a month, and one dated page. Return to edit mode when writing.
6. Protect the notebook. Confirm the app’s cloud-sync status and make an occasional manual PDF or Goodnotes backup to a separate location.

Common problems

• A hyperlink does nothing: the pen, highlighter, image, or lasso tool may be intercepting the tap. Change to navigation mode.
• Some pages are blank at first: pause until thumbnails and page rendering finish, especially after importing a large file.
• Two imports appear: compare creation times, keep the correctly named working notebook, and preserve the original PDF outside Goodnotes.
• Sync is stalled: avoid editing the same notebook on another device until the current device reports that synchronization is complete.

Completion checklist

• Source PDF saved in Files
• Notebook imported into the intended folder
• Notebook renamed
• Tabs tested in navigation mode
• Sync and a separate backup location confirmed

Read the expanded tutorial at plannerdigital.co.