This study analyzed the contribution of spontaneous note-taking when undergraduates studied expository texts and videos. The study examined whether spontaneous note-taking had any effect on comprehension and if it was different for digital texts, presentation videos, or videos with decorative, irrelevant images. In addition, it explored whether the effects of note-taking on comprehension varied as a function of students working memory capacity. One hundred and twenty college students read expository texts or watched videos with different cognitive loads, answered comprehension questions, and reported solution strategies in an experimental elearning environment. Taking notes significantly improved their performance, and this note-taking efficacy did not vary as a function of presentation format, type of video, or working memory capacity. Overall, in an elearning setting, note-taking for digital text and video online expository comprehension was adopted spontaneously by around 40% of college students, and is equally effective for all formats of instruction. This is relevant for theories of multimedia comprehension, as well as for applied educational settings.