RemNote Keyboard Shortcuts
RemNote's core differentiator — turning notes directly into spaced-repetition flashcards without leaving the note-taking interface — shapes its shortcut set more than almost any other feature, since the syntax for defining a flashcard (typing :: between a term and its definition) needs to be fast and unobtrusive enough to use constantly while taking normal notes rather than feeling like a separate, deliberate flashcard-creation step. Because RemNote is built on the same outliner foundation shared with Roam, Logseq, and Tana, its basic structural shortcuts (Tab/Shift+Tab for indent/outdent, bidirectional linking via [[ ]]) follow the same broadly shared conventions across that whole category. Where RemNote's shortcuts diverge meaningfully is in its dedicated practice/review mode, which has its own navigation and self-grading shortcuts (rating how well you recalled a flashcard) that don't have any equivalent in a pure outliner app without built-in spaced repetition, reflecting how deeply the study-tool half of RemNote's identity is woven into its everyday note-taking interface rather than being a bolted-on separate feature. Medical, law, and language-learning students make up a disproportionate share of RemNote's most dedicated users specifically because those fields involve memorizing enormous volumes of discrete facts and definitions, and being able to write a normal lecture note that automatically becomes a reviewable flashcard the moment you type :: removes the friction of a separate after-the-fact flashcard-authoring session that most competing spaced-repetition tools still require.
Outlining
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indent current Rem (block) | Tab | Tab | Nests the current block one level deeper in the outline, the same fundamental structural action shared across most outliner-style note apps like Logseq and Roam Research. |
| Outdent current Rem | Shift+Tab | Shift+Tab | Moves the current block one level shallower in the outline hierarchy. |
| Insert linked reference | [[ | [[ | Opens an autocomplete to link to or create another Rem (note/page) by name, following the same bidirectional-linking convention shared across the outliner-note-app category. |
| Zoom into a Rem | Alt+Click bullet (varies) | Option+Click bullet | Collapses the view down to just one block and its nested children, effectively promoting it to its own standalone page while the rest of the surrounding content stays hidden — a way to concentrate on one topic without the rest of a sprawling note set competing for attention. |
Flashcard Creation
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turn text into a flashcard (concept :: answer) | :: | :: | Typing double colons between a term and its answer automatically structures that block as a flashcard usable in spaced-repetition practice sessions, RemNote's signature feature integrating study tools directly into the note-taking flow rather than requiring a separate flashcard app. |
| Create a cloze deletion flashcard | Select text + { } or dedicated shortcut | — | Wraps selected text in a cloze deletion, hiding that specific portion during practice review while showing the rest of the sentence as context, a common flashcard format for testing recall of specific facts within a larger statement. |
| Extend flashcard to include descendant Rems | Descendant bullets auto-include (no dedicated key) | — | By default, sub-bullets nested underneath a flashcard's answer are automatically included as additional context or multi-part answers during review, letting a single :: definition expand into a richer flashcard without extra formatting steps. |
Practice Review
| Action | Windows | Mac | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start a practice/review session | Practice button (no dedicated key) or scheduled queue | — | Begins a spaced-repetition review session over due flashcards, RemNote's built-in study feature with no equivalent in a pure outliner app that doesn't integrate flashcards natively. |
| Rate recall difficulty during practice | 1-4 number keys (Again/Hard/Good/Easy) | — | Self-grades how well you recalled a flashcard's answer during a practice session, feeding into the spaced-repetition algorithm that determines when that flashcard will be shown again — a distinctly study-tool-specific interaction not found in general note-taking apps. |
| Reveal flashcard answer | Space or Enter (during practice) | — | Flips the current flashcard from showing only the prompt to revealing the full answer during a practice session, the step immediately before self-grading how well you actually recalled it. |
Frequently Asked Questions
How is RemNote's spaced repetition different from using a separate flashcard app like Anki?
The core spaced-repetition algorithm concept is similar, but RemNote integrates flashcard creation directly into your everyday notes rather than requiring you to separately author cards in a dedicated app — a definition written naturally in your notes using the :: syntax automatically becomes reviewable, avoiding the extra step of re-authoring content specifically for flashcards after the fact.
Do RemNote's outlining shortcuts work the same as Roam Research's or Logseq's?
The basic indent/outdent and bidirectional linking conventions are broadly shared across this category of outliner-based note apps, since that pattern has become something of a de facto standard, though each tool's more advanced or unique features (RemNote's flashcards, Tana's supertags) have their own distinct shortcuts without a direct equivalent in the others.
Can I use RemNote purely as a note-taking app without ever using the flashcard features?
Yes — the flashcard and spaced-repetition system is opt-in based on whether you use the :: or cloze syntax in your notes; plain notes without that syntax function as ordinary outliner notes with no forced flashcard behavior, so RemNote works fine as a general note-taking tool even for users who never touch its study features.
If I nest extra detail under a flashcard's answer, does that extra detail get quizzed separately too?
It depends on how it's structured — a nested Rem that itself uses :: or cloze syntax becomes its own independently reviewable flashcard, while plain descendant text without that syntax is treated as supporting context shown alongside the parent flashcard's answer rather than being quizzed on its own, giving some flexibility in how granular your review deck ends up being.
Does grading a flashcard as 'Easy' repeatedly eventually stop it from showing up in review at all?
Not entirely — spaced-repetition algorithms progressively lengthen the interval between reviews for cards graded easily, so an Easy-graded card will be shown far less frequently over time, but it remains in the active review rotation indefinitely rather than being permanently removed, since long-term retention still benefits from occasional refresher reviews even for well-known material.
Can flashcards created in a shared or collaborative RemNote document still be studied individually by each collaborator?
Yes — spaced-repetition scheduling and review progress are tracked per user rather than shared globally across a document, so multiple people studying from the same shared notes each maintain their own independent review schedule and recall history, even though the underlying flashcard content itself is shared and edited collaboratively.
Is there a shortcut for turning a bullet point into a flashcard in RemNote?
Yes — typing :: within a line (Question :: Answer) automatically converts it into a spaced-repetition flashcard pair as you type, RemNote's core note-taking-doubles-as-flashcard-creation feature, without needing a separate keyboard shortcut or menu action to trigger the conversion afterward.