Key2Success Digital Planner Download Options: Which One Do I Choose?
You bought the planner, the email landed, and now you are staring at a list of Key2Success digital planner download options wondering which file is the "real" one. Here is the thing most new planners get wrong: there is no single correct file. Every option in that email is a complete, ready-to-use planner. The list looks intimidating because we ship every layout our community across 52 countries asks for, not because you need all of them.
The mistake to avoid is downloading all of them and planning across three files at once. Each download is a separate, self-contained file. Notes you write in the Landscape version do not appear in the Portrait version. Pick one, and the decision paralysis disappears. This guide walks through the PDF options first (for reMarkable, Supernote, GoodNotes, Noteshelf, Notability, Samsung Notes and other e-ink or annotation apps), then the OneNote options, then the two questions that actually decide it for you.
One file, not all of them
Every download is complete. Choose a single layout and stick with it — each file is separate.
Format follows your app
PDF for reMarkable, GoodNotes, Notability and e-ink; OneNote for the OneNote app across Windows, Mac, iPad and Android.
Two choices decide it
Orientation (landscape or portrait) and week start (Sunday or Monday). Everything else is naming.
PDF Users: Which Download to Choose
The PDF format covers most digital planning setups: reMarkable, Supernote, Onyx Boox and other e-ink devices, plus annotation apps like GoodNotes, Noteshelf, Notability and Samsung Notes. After you purchase a PDF version, your email includes several download options:
- Landscape — Monday Start (navigation tabs on the right side)
- Landscape — Sunday Start (navigation tabs on the right side)
- Portrait — Monday Start (navigation tabs on both sides)
- Portrait — Sunday Start (navigation tabs on both sides)
- Landscape with vertical tabs — Monday and Sunday Start (legacy option, select release years only)
Both Sunday and Monday weekly starts are always included, so you never have to buy again to switch. The file name of each download states exactly which version it is, so you can confirm before you import.
Horizontal tabs vs the legacy vertical tabs
Vertical tabs are the legacy navigation style of the Key2Success Planner. The current design uses horizontal tabs that run along the top of the planner. We moved navigation to the top for one practical reason: it keeps your palm away from the links. With side tabs, resting your hand to write would occasionally trigger a mis-navigation. Horizontal tabs along the top solved that, and it is why the modern layout is the one we recommend unless you have a specific reason to use the legacy vertical style.
Not sure whether landscape or portrait fits your device? We break it down in detail in the difference between portrait and landscape guide. Once your file is chosen, follow the matching import steps — for example, our GoodNotes installation guide or the device guide for your e-ink tablet.
OneNote Users: Which Download to Choose
After you purchase a OneNote version of the Key2Success Digital Planner, your email includes these download options:
- Standard — OneNote Non-Hyperlinked
- Tiles — OneNote Non-Hyperlinked
- Standard — OneNote Hyperlinked
- Tiles — OneNote Hyperlinked
Reading the three-letter file code
Each OneNote file name ends in a three-letter abbreviation. Read it left to right: week start, then hyperlink status, then layout.
| Code | Week start | Hyperlinks | Layout |
|---|---|---|---|
MHS | Monday | Hyperlinked | Standard |
MNS | Monday | Non-Hyperlinked | Standard |
MHT | Monday | Hyperlinked | Tiles |
MNT | Monday | Non-Hyperlinked | Tiles |
SHS | Sunday | Hyperlinked | Standard |
SNS | Sunday | Non-Hyperlinked | Standard |
SHT | Sunday | Hyperlinked | Tiles |
SNT | Sunday | Non-Hyperlinked | Tiles |
Standard vs Tiles
The Standard edition is pre-designed exactly as featured on the product page. It is ready to plan in on day one, and you can still add tiles and personalize it later. The Tiles edition gives you the shell of your planning edition with the freedom to build your own daily pages from scratch. Both versions are fully compatible with Tiles — the customizable layouts you embed to personalize each page. If you are new to Key2Success, start with Standard; you get a working planner immediately and can layer in customization as you learn the system. We compare the two directly in Standard vs Tiles version.
Hyperlinked versions let you tap between calendar views, monthly pages and daily pages. Non-Hyperlinked versions are simpler and slightly lighter. Most people want the Hyperlinked build. As with PDF, both Sunday and Monday weekly starts are included in every OneNote purchase. When you are ready to install, follow our OneNote installation guide.
Landscape vs Portrait, Sunday vs Monday
Strip away the file names and every Key2Success download comes down to two personal-preference decisions. Get these two right and the correct file is obvious.
Orientation. Landscape suits widescreen tablets and side-by-side use — a planner page next to your notes, or a keyboard folio in landscape mode. Portrait feels natural on e-ink devices like reMarkable and Supernote and reads like a traditional paper planner held upright. There is no wrong answer; it is about how you hold your device and how you like to see your week.
Week start. Monday-start planners put the work week front and center and push Saturday and Sunday to the end of the row. Sunday-start planners match most wall calendars and phone calendars. Choose the one your brain already uses so you spend zero mental energy translating dates.
When to Use Professional Installation
Most people import the planner themselves in a few minutes using our free installation guides. But if you are short on time, setting up on an unfamiliar app, or you simply want it done right the first time, our team offers professional installation. We handle the import and hand you a ready-to-plan setup. You can reserve an appointment through Remote Installation Support.
Get set up faster
- Shopping by app? Start at the OneNote planner shop or the GoodNotes planner shop.
- On an e-ink device? See the reMarkable planner shop.
- Not sure which edition fits you? Run the Key2Success Planner Finder or compare editions.
- Want the full overview first? Visit the Key2Success Planner homepage.
Pick Your Download in 3 Steps
Key2Success Download Options: Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to download every Key2Success file in the email?
No. Each download is a complete, standalone planner. Choose one layout and use it. Downloading multiple files just splits your notes across separate planners, since writing in one file never carries over to another.
What does the three-letter code on the OneNote file mean?
Read it left to right: week start, hyperlink status, layout. For example, MHS is Monday start, Hyperlinked, Standard, and SNT is Sunday start, Non-Hyperlinked, Tiles.
What is the difference between Standard and Tiles in OneNote?
Standard is pre-designed and ready to plan in immediately, and you can still add tiles later. Tiles gives you the planner shell so you can build your own daily pages. Both are fully Tiles-compatible.
Are both Sunday and Monday week starts included?
Yes. Every Key2Success purchase, PDF or OneNote, includes both Sunday-start and Monday-start versions. You never have to buy again to switch your week start.
Can someone install the Key2Success planner for me?
Yes. Our team offers professional remote installation. Reserve an appointment through the Remote Installation Support page and we will set up your planner for you.
Common Questions, Quick Answers
- Which download works with reMarkable?
- The PDF version — Portrait is the most popular choice for reMarkable.
- Which download works with GoodNotes?
- The PDF version, in either Landscape or Portrait.
- Which download works with OneNote on Mac?
- The OneNote version — it runs in the OneNote app on Mac, Windows, iPad and Android.
- Does writing in one file show up in another?
- No. Each download is a separate file with its own notes.
- Can I switch layouts later?
- Yes, by downloading a different included file, though your notes stay in the original file.
- Do hyperlinks work in the Non-Hyperlinked version?
- No — choose a Hyperlinked build if you want tap-to-navigate.
- Where do I confirm which PDF version I have?
- The file name states the orientation and week start.
- Is Standard or Tiles better for beginners?
- Standard — it is ready to plan in on day one.
- Can I re-download my files later?
- Yes, from your account or original download email at no extra cost.
- What if I lost my download email?
- Log in to your account or start a chat with your order email and we will resend it.
- Do the vertical-tab files still work?
- Yes, but they are legacy; the horizontal-tab layout is recommended.
- Can I use the planner offline?
- Yes — once imported, PDF and OneNote planners work offline in your app.
The Bottom Line
The long list of Key2Success download options is not a menu you have to master — it is proof the planner meets you on your device instead of forcing you onto ours. The single biggest mistake new planners make is trying to use several files at once. That splits your notes and kills momentum in week two.
Here is the counterintuitive part: the "most features" file is rarely the right one. A Non-Hyperlinked Standard planner that you actually open every morning beats a fully hyperlinked, tile-loaded build that overwhelms you on day one. Pick the file that matches how you already work, commit to it for a full month, and let the system prove itself before you customize.
About the Author
Branden Bodendorfer is the creator of the Key2Success Planner, used by professionals in 52 countries, and a digital planning pioneer who has been building planning systems since 2013. He is an entrepreneur and productivity coach whose work has been featured on ABC World News, the NBC Today Show, ESPN, CNN and Disney.
