How to take notes from online classes and courses in your browser
You watch the lesson in one tab and take notes somewhere else, or not at all. Here's how to take notes that actually help you, and how to keep them close while you study.
With online courses it's easy to think you've understood everything. The video plays, the teacher explains it well and you nod along. But a week later, if you didn't write anything down, you remember very little and can't find which lesson had that idea you liked.
In this guide we share a few study tips that work with any tool, look at the free options you already have, and show you how to take notes with NexoPad without leaving the lesson page.
How to take good notes from an online class
Use your own words. Copying everything the teacher says doesn't help much. Pause the video, think about what you understood and write it the way you'd explain it to a friend. If you can't, that's a sign you need to watch it again.
One note per lesson. It's much easier to find something in "Lesson 4: keywords" than in one huge document with the whole course. Put the course name and lesson number in the title.
Write down the minute in the video. When something matters, note when it appears, for example 12:30. When you review, you jump straight to that part instead of watching the whole lesson again.
Save key quotes with their source. If a definition or a fact seems important, save it word for word, together with the page link. In a month you won't remember where it came from.
Always use the same structure. For example, three sections: Main idea, Examples and Questions. It makes you summarize, and the questions you write down are exactly what you need to ask about or review.
Review the same day or the next. Reading your notes a little after the lesson, and again a few days later, helps you remember far more than reading everything at once before the exam. This is called spaced review.
Free options: paper and documents
A paper notebook. Writing by hand forces you to summarize and is great for remembering. The problem is you can't search it, you can't copy a link, and if you leave it at home, you don't have your notes.
Google Docs or Google Keep in another window. You can have the lesson on one half of the screen and the document on the other. If you want your notes to open in their own window, like an app, we explain the shortcut trick in how to take quick notes in Chrome.
The usual problem with this option is copy and paste. You copy a paragraph from the lesson, paste it into the document and move on. But the text arrives alone: no lesson name and no link. When you review, you have loose sentences and don't know which page to go back to for context.
Notes in your browser with NexoPad
Create a folder for the course
Press Alt+Q to open the Notebook and create a folder named after the course, for example "SEO course". That way all the lessons are together.
Write your lesson note
Create one note per lesson and write in your own words. Use bold and lists for your main idea, examples and questions, and type the video minute next to each important point.
Save key quotes with Alt+C
If there's text on the lesson page you want to keep, select it and press Alt+C. You'll see the Saved to NexoPad notice and the text is saved as a note in the ✂️ Clips folder, with the title and link of the page it came from.
Keep your notes in view as a Post-it
Open the lesson note and click Open as floating Post-it. It stays in a small window next to the video, so you can write while you watch without switching tabs.
Review and find your notes
All your clips in one place. In the side panel, the Clips tab shows everything you saved with Alt+C. Each clip keeps its link, so you're one click away from the lesson.
A reminder to review. Click the bell on a note and choose when NexoPad should remind you. You can make it repeat every day or every week, which is perfect for spaced review. More ideas in how to set reminders in Chrome.
Find any note in seconds. Press Ctrl+K on any page, type a word and your notes appear. You can also pin the note for the course you're taking and use the Notebook search.
To learn more about clips, see how to save text from a website.
Paper, document or NexoPad
| Paper | Document (Google Docs, Keep) | NexoPad | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can you search? | No | Yes | Yes, also with Ctrl+K from any site |
| Keeps where each quote came from? | Only if you write it | No, pasting loses the link | Yes, Alt+C saves the title and link |
| Do you leave the lesson to write? | No, but you look away | Yes, you switch tab or window | No, a Post-it next to the video |
| Reminds you to review? | No | No | Yes, with a reminder on the note |
| Best for | Remembering by writing by hand | Long notes you share | Studying in the browser without losing anything |
FAQ
What's the best way to take notes from a video?
Pause when something matters, write it in your own words and note the minute. Use one note per lesson and review it the same day or the next.
How do I save text from a lesson without losing where it came from?
With NexoPad, select the text and press Alt+C. It's saved in the Clips folder with the page title and link.
Can I keep my notes in view while I watch the lesson?
Yes. Open the note and click Open as floating Post-it. It stays in a small window you can place next to the video.
Does NexoPad record the video minute or summarize the lesson?
No. You type the minute in the note yourself, and NexoPad doesn't make automatic summaries.
Is it free?
Yes. The free plan includes 15 notes and 20 clips per month (clips count toward the 15 notes) and 2 folders of your own besides General. Pro gives you up to 1,000 items and 50 folders.
Published on October 20, 20266 min read
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