Scan ISBN and Create a Beautiful Book Note Automatically
I read a lot and have kept a record of the books I read since 2018 – not just the title, but also the subtitle, author, description, and cover image.
So I found a shortcut and customized it so it fits my needs. You can either scan a barcode or manually input an ISBN number, and the shortcut will automatically create a note with:
Book title – formatted as a proper title in Apple Notes
Subtitle (if available)
Author
Description or summary of the book
A small cover image
A quick 1–5 star rating that you’re prompted to add
A clickable #Books tag
The note is created directly into my Forever✱Notes system and formatted just the way I like it – clean, structured, and easy to revisit later.
The only thing I add afterwards is a Home and Books link at the top, since I keep a long, collapsible list of all books I’ve read or listened to, sorted by year.
If you want to try it out or adapt it for your own system, I’m happy to share the shortcut here. :
