InkLayer
Handwriting, PDFs & Markdown
Free · In-App Purchases
New: sync with iCloud or Google Drive, and take PDF text straight into notes. Handwrite in 3 documents for free; InkLayer Lifetime includes every future on-device update.
InkLayer is a notebook for reading, research and handwritten thinking. Handwriting, PDFs and Markdown notes share one canvas, and everything is saved as files you own.
Write notes as real Markdown files. Open PDFs without modifying the original document. Draw with pens, highlighters, shapes and erasers on top of notes or PDF pages. Show, lock, reorder and fade layers so sources, handwritten derivations and your summaries stay separate.
Core features:
- A library of real Markdown files, kept on your device.
- Handwriting and highlights on PDFs, with the original file untouched.
- Select PDF text to copy, translate or add to a note, or draw a lasso around a passage to extract it into a note with its page number.
- Shape recognition, a precision eraser, a full lasso (move, resize, rotate, recolor, copy and paste) and a laser pointer.
- Layers with visibility, lock, opacity and order.
- Markdown preview with math, wikilinks, tags, backlinks and a graph view.
- Flowcharts: connect cards on a canvas with arrows.
- Databases: organize documents in a table, filter and sort it, and export it as a PDF.
- Handwrite while recording and replay the ink with the audio; make transcripts on the device and turn on live captions in class.
- Search across your library, including text inside PDFs, recording transcripts and handwriting recognized on the device.
- Sync through iCloud, Google Drive or your own WebDAV server; conflicts keep both versions.
- Present a PDF or a canvas full screen with your handwriting on it: a laser pointer, a pen for writing on the slides, and pages turned from the keyboard or a presentation remote.
- Open PDFs and Markdown files in InkLayer straight from Files, Mail, Safari and other apps.
- E-ink mode: grayscale, high contrast, no animation.
- Export and import your whole library without an account.
Translation needs iPadOS 18 or iOS 18 and later; transcripts and live captions need iPadOS 26 or iOS 26 and later.
Free to download, with every feature: handwrite in 3 documents for free. InkLayer Lifetime is one purchase that removes the limit, and every future on-device feature update is included. Nothing you write is ever locked.
No account is required and there is no tracking or ads. Handwriting recognition, transcripts and translation happen on your device, and your library stays portable.
Ratings & Reviews
- This app has not received enough ratings or reviews to display an overview.
New in 1.1:
- Sync: keep a library in iCloud, or sync it with Google Drive.
- PDF text: select it to copy, translate or add to a note, or draw a lasso around a passage to extract it into a note with its page number.
- Search finds text inside PDFs and in recording transcripts.
- Recordings: make transcripts on the device, and turn on live captions in class.
- Flowcharts: connect cards on a canvas with arrows.
- Databases: organize documents in a table, filter it and export it as a PDF, or combine several documents into one PDF.
- A simpler graph with every canvas, PDF and note; tap one to open it.
- Writing: finer brushes, and the pen tip is predicted to cut ink lag.
- Customize the toolbar; Markdown and math in PDF text boxes; smaller masking tape.
- Keyboard: ⌘T adds a text box and ⌘/ lists every shortcut; Zhuyin and other input methods type more smoothly.
- Redeem a code for InkLayer Lifetime.
Translation needs iPadOS 18 or iOS 18 and later; transcripts and live captions need iPadOS 26 or iOS 26 and later.
Thanks to everyone who sent suggestions.
The developer, Ho Lam Chung, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Not Collected
The developer does not collect any data from this app.
Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More
Information
- Provider
- Ho Lam Chung
- Size
- 49.6 MB
- Category
- Productivity
- Compatibility
Requires iOS 17.0 or later.
- iPhone
Requires iOS 17.0 or later. - iPad
Requires iPadOS 17.0 or later. - Mac
Requires macOS 12.0 or later. - Apple Vision
Requires visionOS 1.0 or later.
- iPhone
- Languages
- English and Traditional Chinese
- Age Rating
4+
- 4+
- In-App Purchases
Yes
- InkLayer Lifetime USD 19.99
- Copyright
- © 2026 Voidful
