How to Use a Hyperlinked Journal in GoodNotes (Setup & Tips)

In short

A hyperlinked journal is a PDF whose contents page and page tabs are clickable. Download the PDF, import it into GoodNotes (or Notability), and tap any link to jump to that page. Write with Apple Pencil or your finger; duplicate a page when you want to repeat a prompt.

What “hyperlinked” means

Most journal PDFs are a long stack of pages: to reach week six, you scroll and hunt. A hyperlinked journal behaves more like a website inside a book. The table of contents, the week tabs and the “back to contents” links are all tappable, so you can move at the speed of a thought instead of a scroll.

A sample table-of-contents page from Beneath the Surface, showing tappable week links — A contents page from Beneath the Surface. In a PDF app, the week links are tappable.

What you need

An iPad (or any tablet that runs a PDF annotation app).
GoodNotes, Notability, or another app that supports PDF internal links.
The journal PDF — keep it in Files or iCloud Drive so the app can open it.
Optional: Apple Pencil. Handwriting slows thinking down, which is the point of a paper-like journal.

Import it in about a minute

Download the PDF from your order email or the success page. Save it to Files (On My iPad or iCloud Drive).
Open GoodNotes, tap the + button and choose Import (or use the share sheet from Files and choose GoodNotes).
Pick “Import as new document”, then choose the journal PDF.
Open the document and tap the contents page — the links should jump you to the week or page you choose. If a link does nothing, you are probably in Preview or Mail; open the file in GoodNotes instead.
Make a folder for the journal (e.g. “Inner work”) so it is one tap from your library.
Bookmark your current page before you close the app, so tomorrow starts where you left off.

Using it day to day

Jump, don’t scroll. Open the contents page and tap the week you are in.
Duplicate before repeating. Duplicate a prompt page if you want a fresh copy; keep the filled one as a record.
Write by hand where you can. The friction is the feature — it slows thought enough to notice what you would otherwise skip.
Export when you want paper. GoodNotes can export a page as PDF or print it directly; the journal also includes print-ready A4, Letter, A5, B5, A6 and B6 versions.
Keep the streak out of it. Undated pages mean a gap is just a gap. Return when you return.

Print sizes, in plain language

The same pages come in six print sizes: A4 and US Letter for a normal home printer, A5 for a smaller journal or a binder, B5 for a slightly roomier A5, and A6/B6 for a pocket book. Print at 100% or “actual size” — “fit to page” can shift margins and break the alignment.

Troubleshooting

Links do nothing. The file is being viewed in a preview that does not support internal links. Open it inside GoodNotes/Notability.
The PDF feels slow. Close other apps, keep the file local in Files rather than streaming from a browser, and restart the app.
Pencil lag. Turn off “Draw and Hold” or heavy page effects if your iPad is older; write in a smaller notebook if needed.
Sync conflicts. If you use iCloud, wait for the sync icon to finish before editing the same page on another device.
Printing looks cropped. Choose the matching paper size and print at 100%; do not use “scale to fit”.

Which journal should you set up first?

If you want the deep structured path, start with Beneath the Surface (8 weeks, one page a day). If you want a shorter daily practice, Steady (10 quiet minutes) or Fifty Days (for coming back after a gap) may fit better. Not sure? Take the 3-minute test, or try the free bundle in GoodNotes before buying.

FAQ

Common questions

What does 'hyperlinked' mean in a journal PDF?

The table of contents and page tabs are clickable. Instead of scrolling through a long PDF, you tap a link and jump straight to that week or page. The links work in GoodNotes, Notability and any PDF app that supports internal links.

Can I use the journal in Notability instead of GoodNotes?

Yes. Any PDF annotation app that supports internal links will work. GoodNotes and Notability are the two most common on iPad; the import steps are similar (share or open the PDF in the app).

How do I redo a prompt without losing the first answer?

Duplicate the page in GoodNotes before you write on it: tap the page thumbnail, choose Duplicate, and keep one copy blank. That gives you a fresh page for the same prompt without creating a second document.

What print size should I choose for paper?

Match the PDF size to the paper you have: A4, US Letter, A5, B5, A6 or B6. The journal includes the same pages in all six sizes; print at 100% ('actual size') so the margins and links stay aligned.

Try the format before you buy

Fifteen real pages of any journal are free — open them in GoodNotes and see whether the hyperlinks and page size feel right in your hand.

Get the free bundle

or see Beneath the Surface · take the 3-minute test · how to start shadow work journaling

How to use a hyperlinked journal in GoodNotes