One tiny update. One big leap for people who live in browser tabs.

Google just rolled out rich text formatting for Keep’s web app, letting you finally bold, italicize, and underline your notes like it’s not 2012.

This tiny-but-mighty update might actually change the way you use Keep—especially if you’ve been quietly juggling work, side projects, and messy grocery lists all in one window.

For years, Google Keep has been the minimalist sibling in the Workspace family—fast, light, but kind of underdressed next to Docs or Gmail.

It’s great for sticky-note-style thoughts and reminders, but it’s also been stuck with a plain-text-only limitation on desktop.

That made organizing anything beyond a few bullet points frustrating, especially if you’re using Keep in tandem with Workspace or Chrome’s tab groups.

Now, with the addition of rich text formatting—rolling out gradually to Workspace users, Workspace Individual subscribers, and personal Google accounts—you can structure your notes with headings, bold ideas, italicized context, and underlined emphasis.

Whether you’re planning a content shoot, outlining a project, or prepping for a Zoom that could’ve been an email, Keep’s new formatting tools make it easier to skim and prioritize what matters.

This change brings the web app in line with the Android version, which got rich text last year.

But the big deal here is that it finally lets Keep hold its own on desktop—where most serious planning happens.

If you’re the type who has five Keep tabs open across multiple Chrome profiles (you’re not alone), this gives your chaotic brain dump just enough structure to feel usable, without the pressure of a full-blown doc.

The features are tucked into the formatting bar that pops up when you start typing.

And no, this doesn’t turn Keep into Google Docs Lite—it keeps the simplicity, just with a bit more clarity.

If anything, this is about making the app feel more intentional, whether you’re a freelancer, a student, or someone who needs a digital post-it board that finally respects titles and subtext.

Google hasn’t said if more formatting features are on the way, but this could signal a broader focus on keeping Keep competitive in the crowded world of note-taking apps.

And with rivals like Notion, Obsidian, and even Apple Notes stepping up, Google can’t really afford to let Keep fall behind.