Don’t get too excited about Google Keep’s version history

Sep 13, 2023

Piotr Kowalczyk

Google Keep is rolling out a long-overdue feature: a version history of individual notes. It will let you see previous versions of your notes.

To get a version history of a single note, open the note and:

▸ In the bottom toolbar, click the three-dot icon and then select “Version history”.

▸ Pick up a version you want to go back to, and then click “Download”.

If the version history hasn’t been enabled in your Google Keep, you will see the line “Version history – Coming soon”.

“Download” I said? Yes. It’s not a joke. Google Keep won’t allow you to revert to an earlier version of the note instantly. It downloads a text file (sic!) to your computer, and you will have to open it to see the content.

What’s more, the version history only applies to the text. So you won’t be able to revert to an earlier version of an image note, for instance. I also don’t know how the version history will work in checklists.

I hope this flawed new feature will be fixed soon.

Read the Google help page for the Keep version history.

• • •

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Piotr Kowalczyk

Geek, designer, and platform founder. Introverted and calm by nature, Piotr actively avoids social feeds and screen distractions to cultivate deep focus and a balanced digital life.

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