The block editor

Notes in Paper are written in a block editor. Each paragraph, heading, list, image, or embedded source is a block you can drag, duplicate, or convert into a different type.

Adding a block

Three ways:

1. Press enter at the end of a block to start a new paragraph.
2. Type / anywhere to open the slash menu, then pick a block type.
3. Drag a block from one location to another using its handle.

Block types

The slash menu shows everything you can insert:

• Text - plain paragraph
• Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3
• Bullet List
• Checkbox (to-do)
• Callout - highlighted note with an emoji
• Quote
• Page - a nested page that links into a child workspace
• Board - a kanban/database view
• Table - inline table
• Contents - auto-generated table of contents for the current note
• Video - paste a YouTube URL to embed a video block with its own transcript
• Image - upload or paste an image
• PDF - upload or link a PDF that opens inside the note
• Divider
• Accordion - collapsible block with nested children

Type to filter the menu (e.g. /h1, /quote, /callout, /page, /board).

Moving blocks around

• Drag the handle that appears to the left of a block on hover to reorder it.
• Select multiple blocks by clicking the first and shift-clicking the last, or by dragging across them - then move them as a group.
• Drag a block out of a page and into another page in the sidebar to move it across notes.

Formatting

Selecting text opens a floating toolbar with bold, italic, strike, link, colour, and comment. You can also use the standard shortcuts:

• ⌘ / Ctrl + B - bold
• ⌘ / Ctrl + I - italic
• ⌘ / Ctrl + K - add link
• ⌘ / Ctrl + Z - undo (works across collaborators' edits too)

Embedding sources inside a note

Instead of a generic embed block, Paper uses dedicated source blocks:

• A Video block accepts any YouTube URL and shows the player plus transcript.
• A PDF block embeds a PDF inline with its own reader.
• An Image block accepts uploads or links.
• For other content (Loom, Figma, websites), add the link as a web source on the page instead, or paste it as a regular link and use the paste menu to convert it.

Live collaboration

If you share a note with someone (see Publishing & sharing), edits sync in real time. You'll see other people's cursors and selections as they type. Two people editing the same paragraph won't conflict - Paper merges the edits.