Google Keep is not a full replacement for Samsung Notes, but its new Android sorting controls solve a daily problem for people with a large, flat collection of notes. Since Google’s August 13, 2025 announcement, Keep users can sort the main browse view by date created or date modified. That means an old note you updated yesterday can move back to the top instead of staying buried under newer captures.
What changed in Google Keep
On Android, Google Keep now lets you choose whether the primary browse view is ordered by when notes were created or when they were last modified. The distinction matters: creation order favors the newest note, while modification order favors the note you most recently changed.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
For a lightweight app built around quick capture, this can be more useful than a complex folder tree. A shopping list, travel plan or project checklist may be months old but still active. Sorting by date modified surfaces that working note without searching through every card.
The feature was announced by Google Workspace Updates on August 13, 2025. It applies to the main Android browsing view; it does not turn Keep into a hierarchical notebook system.
#1 Best Overall
- Attention-grabbing design meets the latest evolution of the Google Pixel Camera on the new Google Pixel 11 Pro XL; Gemini Intelligence helps manage details so you can live in the moment[1]; and the phone is available in two sizes
- Unlocked Android phone gives you the flexibility to change carriers and choose your own data plan: Works with Google Fi, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and other major carriers[2]
- Stay informed without looking at your screen: When your phone is face down, Pixel HiLight gently alerts you with subtle glowing lights when your favorite contacts are calling or you’re talking with Gemini; exclusive to Google Pixel 11 Pro phones
- Magic Capture catches the moment as you live it: With just one tap, Pixel 11 Pro captures video and photos, and automatically edits, crops, and unblurs a curated collection, ready to share – and you get the memory of how it felt to be in the moment
- Two new cameras for more brilliant photos: A larger telephoto sensor captures 30% more light for clear, beautiful photos and videos, even in the dark[3]; Pixel’s longest zoom ever helps you capture details from impressive distances[4]
How to use date sorting in Keep
- Open Google Keep on an Android device and go to the main notes view.
- Open the view’s sorting controls.
- Choose Date created for newest captures first, or Date modified for notes you edited most recently.
- Return to the browse view and adjust labels, colors or pins if you need a narrower working set.
If the option is missing, update Keep and check that you are using the Android app. Google’s announcement specifically covers Android, so the same control should not be assumed on every other Keep interface.
What Google Keep does well
Google’s Help documentation describes Keep as a place to create, edit and share notes. Its core tools include:
Rank #2
- Google Pixel 10a is a durable, everyday phone with more[1]; snap brilliant photography on a simple, powerful camera, get 30+ hours out of a full charge[2], and do more with helpful AI like Gemini[3]
- Unlocked Android phone gives you the flexibility to change carriers and choose your own data plan; it works with Google Fi, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and other major carriers
- Pixel 10a is sleek and durable, with a super smooth finish, scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 7i display, and IP68 water and dust protection[4]
- The Actua display with 3,000-nit peak brightness shows up clear as day, even in direct sunlight[5]
- Plan, create, and get more done with help from Gemini, your built-in AI assistant[3]; have it screen spam calls while you focus[6]; chat with Gemini to brainstorm your meal plan[7], or bring your ideas to life with Nano Banana[8]
- Text notes and checklists
- Drawings
- Labels and colors
- Pinned notes
- Archiving
- Time- or location-based reminders
- Shared editing, so another person can view and edit a note
That combination makes Keep fast for short-lived information and collaborative lists. Labels can provide a lightweight subject system, colors can separate visual categories, and pins can keep a few critical notes permanently near the top. The new modified-date sort adds a separate retrieval route when you remember when you worked on something rather than what label you gave it.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minutePC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11What Samsung Notes still does better
Samsung Notes is built more like a notebook application, particularly on Galaxy devices. Samsung’s current support documentation describes folders and subfolders, PDF handling and page templates, including twelve new templates in the covered update. Those features matter when notes are long-running documents rather than disposable captures.
Rank #3
- Google Pixel 10 Pro is the ultimate Pixel experience, featuring advanced AI with Gemini, unbelievable camera quality, impeccable design in two sizes, and the next-gen Google Tensor G5 chip[1]
- Unlocked Android phone gives you the flexibility to change carriers and choose your own data plan[2]; it works - Google Fi, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and other major carriers
- Get a head start on syncing your data before it even arrives: After you purchase your new Pixel, look for an email that explains how to transfer your photos, videos, passwords, and more in just a few quick steps[11]
- Pixel’s pro camera system makes everything look amazing, even in low light; capture more of the scene with advanced Google AI models, and bring out incredible details with 100x Pro Res Zoom, stunning 50 MP images, and super steady videos in 8K[10]
- Pixel 10 Pro is built with durable aluminum and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for scratch and drop resistance; the 6.3-inch Super Actua display with 3,300-nit peak brightness is easy on the eyes, even in direct sunlight[3,13,18]
| Need | Google Keep | Samsung Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Find recently edited notes | Sort the Android browse view by date modified | Use folders, subfolders or search; a date-modified browse sort is not established here |
| Deep organization | Labels, colors, pins and archive; no folders or subfolders | Folders and subfolders provide notebook-style hierarchy |
| Lists and quick capture | Strong checklist and rapid-capture workflow | Available, with a broader document-oriented workspace |
| Handwriting and documents | Drawing support; advanced document workflow is limited | PDF organization and page templates support study and document work |
| Collaboration | Shared notes can be viewed and edited by another person | Galaxy-focused sharing and account behavior may suit a different workflow |
| Rich text and media limits | Independent review reports no advanced rich-text formatting, video insertion, or folder/subfolder system | More structured page and document features |
The reminder change you need to check
Keep reminders are moving into Google Tasks. Google explained the transition in 2023, and a Workspace release note described an extended rollout beginning October 13, 2025. Keep still supports time- and location-based reminders, but the exact experience can depend on whether the change has reached your account.
Before relying on a reminder for an important deadline, create a test reminder and check where it appears in Keep and Google Tasks. Treat the rollout as account-sensitive rather than assuming every device has identical behavior.
Keep’s trade-offs are real
An October 3, 2025 TechRadar review characterized Keep as simple, free and effective for everyday notes and sharing, while identifying three notable omissions: advanced rich-text formatting, video insertion, and folders or subfolders. Those limits are not hidden settings you can enable. If you need nested project archives, elaborate typography or video embedded inside a note, Samsung Notes is the more capable fit.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Should you switch from Samsung Notes?
Choose Keep if retrieval speed is your frustration
Keep is a strong choice when your main complaint is repeatedly searching or scrolling through a flat pile of notes. Date-modified sorting, labels, colors and pins give you several quick ways to bring active material forward, and shared editing is built into the same simple model.
Best Value
- Google Pixel 10 is the everyday phone unlike anything else; it has Google Tensor G5, Pixel’s most powerful chip, an incredible camera, and advanced AI - Gemini built in[1]
- Unlocked Android phone gives you the flexibility to change carriers and choose your own data plan[2]; it works with Google Fi, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and other major carriers
- Unlocked Android phone gives you the flexibility to change carriers and choose your own data plan[2]; it works - Google Fi, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and other major carriers
- The upgraded triple rear camera system has a new 5x telephoto lens - up to 20x Super Res Zoom for stunning detail from far away; Night Sight takes crisp, clear photos in low-light settings; and Camera Coach helps you snap your best pics[3]
- Pixel 10 is designed - scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and has an IP68 rating for water and dust protection[21]; plus, the Actua display - 3,000-nit peak brightness is easy on the eyes, even in direct sunlight[4]
Stay with Samsung Notes for structured notebooks
Keep Samsung Notes if you work with PDFs, handwritten study material, page templates or a multi-level folder system. Those are structural advantages, not cosmetic differences, and replacing them with labels may make large projects harder to manage.
Use both when the jobs are different
A practical split is to use Keep for fast capture, shared lists and reminders, while keeping document-heavy or deeply organized work in Samsung Notes. The Android sorting feature makes Keep considerably better at resurfacing active notes, but it does not remove Samsung Notes’ advantages for Galaxy-centered notebook workflows.
Bottom line
Google Keep’s date-modified sorting is a small feature with an outsized effect if your notes are numerous, flat and frequently revisited. It can justify moving everyday capture to Keep, especially when collaboration matters. It is not a universal Samsung Notes replacement: folders, subfolders, PDFs and page templates still make Samsung Notes the better tool for structured documents and study notebooks.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsQuick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
