iOS 18 Notes: Collapsible Headers and Nested Bullets

In iOS 18, Apple introduced collapsible section headers to the Notes app, allowing users to hide and reveal blocks of text to keep lengthy documents manageable. When applied above nested sub-bullet lists, collapsible headers treat the entire list hierarchy as part of the section's body content, folding both top-level bullets and all indented sub-bullets simultaneously while strictly preserving their indentation and formatting when expanded.

Scope and Hierarchy Control

Collapsible sections are governed exclusively by heading styles: Title, Heading, and Subheading. When you collapse a header, the action hides all content directly below it until the document reaches another header of equal or higher tier. Nested sub-bullet lists fall entirely within this boundary. Regardless of how many levels deep a bullet list is indented, the top-level header encompasses the entire list block, concealing parent bullets and child bullets in a single toggle.

Preservation of List Structure

Collapsing and expanding a section does not disrupt list logic. When a collapsed section containing nested sub-bullets is reopened:

• Indentation levels remain intact: Secondary and tertiary sub-bullets retain their exact positions and parent-child relationships.
• List styles are retained: Mixed list types—such as a numbered list with dashed or dotted sub-bullets—retain their designated markers without resetting.
• Cursor and editing continuity: If you expand the section to add or modify a nested item, the list continues seamlessly without breaking away from the parent header's collapsible boundary.

Functional Boundaries and Limitations

While nested sub-bullet lists interact cleanly with collapsible headers, the collapsing mechanism does not operate at the bullet level itself. Individual bullet items cannot be independently collapsed into their sub-bullets; the folding behavior relies strictly on text formatted as a header. To achieve granular collapsing within long nested lists, major list groupings must be broken up by Subheading text styles, which then create separate collapsible containers for each subset of bullet points.