Backing Up Apple Pencil Sketches: Export PNGs to WriteScan

Overview

Export Apple Pencil sketches (Notability/Freeform) as PNG and tag them alongside paper notes in WriteScan. Perfect for UI doodles, layout ideas, and quick diagrams.

Export tips

• Use a white background (transparent PNG often hurts OCR).
• One page per file; name YYYY-MM-DD_theme.
• Lightly trim margins to boost contrast.

Import to WriteScan (5 min)

1. AirDrop/share PNGs to iPhone.
2. “Add from image”, title Idea_Date_Theme.
3. Tags: idea, design, pencil (and your project name).

Cross-search with paper

• Give paper notes the same tags (e.g., UI-idea).
• Add keywords in text to bolster OCR.
• Weekly “Ideas” note linking related sketches keeps discovery fast.

Review checklist

• Every 3 months: label shipped / pending.
• Keep dead ends but tag archive to declutter results.
• Merge near-duplicate images; rely on text for variants.

Common snags

• Forgot to export → Set a weekly “PNG export” reminder.
• Tag drift → Prefix with idea then specialize.
• Too heavy → Keep the top 3 images, move the rest to text notes.