How to use a hyperlinked planner in Samsung Notes and other Android apps

Most digital planner advice assumes you have an iPad. If you plan on a Samsung Galaxy Tab or another Android tablet, the good news is that hyperlinked planners work well there too. The details are slightly different, and the choice of app matters more. This guide covers getting the file onto your tablet, using it in Samsung Notes, and the other Android apps worth trying.

Start with the right page size

Most Android tablets, including the Galaxy Tab S range, have a wider 16:10 screen, while iPads are closer to 3:4. An iPad-sized planner will open fine on Android, but you'll see empty bands at the edges and the pages will look smaller than they need to.

If you're making a planner here, choose Android tablet portrait or Android tablet landscape in the device step. The pages are drawn to fill a 16:10 screen, with the tabs where your hand naturally reaches. You can compare every size on our devices and apps page.

Download the PDF

Download the planner on the tablet in Chrome or Samsung Internet. It will usually land in the Downloads folder, which you can find in the My Files app. If you downloaded it on a computer, move it across with Google Drive, OneDrive, a USB cable or Quick Share.

Planners with a page for every day are large files. Make sure the download has fully finished before you try to import it, or the app may report that the file is damaged.

Import into Samsung Notes

1. Open Samsung Notes and look for the Import PDF option. On most versions it's an icon at the top of the main notes list; on others it's in the menu.
2. Choose your planner from Downloads, or wherever you saved it.
3. Wait for the import to finish. A 500-page planner can take a minute or two.

You can also open the PDF from My Files and choose Samsung Notes from the share or open-with list. Either way, you end up with a note that contains every page of the planner.

Making the links work in Samsung Notes

Recent versions of Samsung Notes follow internal links in imported PDFs, but, as in most note apps, only when you're not writing. If you tap a tab while the pen is active, you'll get a mark on the page instead of a jump.

• Switch to read mode (Samsung Notes calls it reading or view mode on some versions) when you want to move around, then switch back to write.
• Keep Samsung Notes updated from the Galaxy Store. Link support and large-file handling have improved over time, so an older version may behave differently.
• If links still don't respond, check that you imported the original download, not a copy that was printed or re-saved as a new PDF.

Other Android apps worth trying

Samsung Notes is free on Galaxy devices and a good starting point. If it doesn't suit you, or you're not on a Samsung tablet, these apps also open hyperlinked PDF planners.

Features and pricing change, so check each app's store page for the current version. Before you commit to an app, import your planner and test three things: tapping a month tab, tapping a date on a calendar, and going back to the contents page.

Tips that make Android planning easier

• Use the planner's own Home tab rather than the Android back gesture. The back gesture may close the note instead of going to the previous page.
• Turn on palm rejection or the setting that lets only the S Pen write, so your hand doesn't leave marks.
• Try split screen with your calendar or email on one side and the planner on the other during your weekly review.
• Back up regularly. Samsung Notes can sync through Samsung Cloud, and you can export the note as a PDF to keep a copy elsewhere.

When something goes wrong