Taking notes with my Kindle is perhaps my favorite thing about it. My notes are all in one place, they’re associated with the book I’m reading, can be exported, and so on. Amazon just launched a new Kindle writing tablet that’s likely to take e-notes to the next level. It’s called Kindle Scribe. This new writing Kindle promises to allow you to take in-book handwritten notes with the included stylus pen, but also create notebooks, planners, to-do lists, and more. The more ambitious claim about the new Amazon writing tablet is that it will feel like writing on paper. The makers of Kindle have done an excellent job with their e-readers over the years making them read like real paper, so I’m excited to see what they can do with the writing experience.

Let’s break down some features of the new Kindle Scribe that I’m most excited about. Then, we’ll look at how this reading-writing hybrid stacks up against another established writing tablet on the market.

New Kindle writing tablet features we’re excited about

Promises to write like paper

The Kindle Scribe comes with a 10.2” 300 ppi glare-free Paperwhite display, which should be ample space for writing notes. The display also offers enhanced resolution and imagery compared to previous Kindle models. There’s also the option to upgrade your purchase of the Kindle Scribe with the Premium Pen, which offers shortcut buttons and an eraser function. You can also stick with the included Basic Pen from the start and upgrade to the Premium Pen later. It seems like Amazon is paying attention to the details with this new Kindle writing tablet – even claiming that it will sound like writing on real paper. 

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Organize your notes

Since the Kindle Scribe is connected to Amazon’s selection of millions of eBook titles, the device makes it easy to take in-book notes. You simply tap where you want to take a note within the book to capture handwritten notes. The notes are then organized in a folder associated with that book. I’m also excited about the ability to write journals and notebooks. For these, Kindle has templates you can use, including lined or grid paper, to-do lists, and planners. You can then export your handwritten notes to a digital format. You can also import PDFs and other file formats and make notes in or associated with them. Amazon is promising more document compatibility and syncing features coming in early 2023, including the ability to export directly from Microsoft Word. 

Kindle writing tablet is still for reading

Although Kindle Scribe innovates in terms of new EINK writing capabilities, it still has all the most loved aspects of a Kindle e-reader. It has a battery life that lasts weeks. The auto-adjusting front light is perfect for reading in all light conditions. The screen is not glass so there is no glare when reading in sunlight. And it’s built solely for reading (and now writing), meaning there are no distracting apps or notifications like with your phone or tablet.

Kindle Scribe versus reMarkable 2

Let’s take a quick look at how Amazon’s new Kindle for writing stacks up against one of the more established writing tablets on the market: reMarkable 2. 

You should buy a Kindle Scribe if… 

• You’re looking for a reading-writing hybrid tablet. 
• If you want a direct connection to Amazon’s library of eBooks.
• If long battery life is important to you. 

You should buy a reMarkable 2 if… 

• Thin, minimalist design is important to you. 
• You’re looking primarily for distraction-free writing.

As a fan of Kindle e-readers and their many reader-obsessed features, I’m genuinely excited for this new release. As mentioned in the start, I’ve always loved taking notes using my Kindle, so much so that I wrote an article How To Take Kindle Notes And Highlights. 

Learn more about Kindle Scribe here.

Kindle E-Readers are packed with features designed with voracious readers in mind. Perhaps my favorite is Kindle notes and highlights. I read almost exclusively non-fiction because I’m constantly seeking to understand the human condition, challenge existing beliefs, and find better ways of doing things. Of course, I enjoy the simple pleasure of reading—it’s my favorite part of the day when I get to sit and read quietly. But I’m also trying to get something out of it. This means I’m constantly taking and reviewing notes. 

Kindle notes and highlights are an efficient way to extract the key learnings from any book. I actually prefer my Kindle notes and highlights than classic pen and paper, because it’s all in one slim device, and for some of the reasons we’ll explore in this article.

This feature came as a pleasant surprise to me after using my Kindle for the first time. Amazon doesn’t do a good job of calling this out as an attractive feature, and how to take notes on your Kindle is not apparent, so I wanted to write a quick how-to guide for taking Kindle notes and highlights. 

On September 28, 2022, note-taking with Kindle took a giant leap forward with the release of their new writing tablet-e-reader hybrid: Kindle Scribe. Check out our article Kindle Scribe: The All-New Kindle Writing Tablet for a peak at its features and a comparison with another established writing tablet on the market. 

How to take Kindle notes and highlights 

Kindle highlights

As you’re reading, when you want to make a note or highlight, simply long press on the section you’d like to note. Highlight the text by dragging the highlight field, just like you would on a mobile phone. Then, you can select Highlight, which saves that passage for review later.

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Kindle note

By selecting the text in the way just described, you can also select Note. This opens a keyboard interface where you can type your notes. The notes will be saved in association with the text you highlighted. 

How to export Kindle notes and highlights in four easy steps

Step 1

Within the book you’re reading, tap anywhere on the upper portion of the screen to reveal the menu. Tap the 3-dot menu in the top right corner. Select Notes & Highlights. 

Step 2

Select Export Notes.

Step 3

You’ll be reminded that the notes will be emailed to the email address on your Amazon account. Select Send.

Step 4

Go to your email inbox and you’ll have received your Amazon Kindle notes. You can choose between a PDF or Word format to review all the notes you’ve taken for the book you had selected to export. The PDF version of the Kindle notes and highlights looks like this: 

Other great Kindle notes and highlights features 

Popular Highlights 

The Popular Highlights feature is incredibly useful for doing deep research into a book. Popular Highlights are a collection of the ideas of a given book most highlighted by other Kindle users. This is great to get new perspectives, look for salient points you may have missed, or for getting a quick overview of a book’s most important ideas. 

How to find the popular highlights on Kindle 

I’ve chosen to demonstrate the popular highlights how-to using the Kindle app on my mobile phone, but you can also access popular highlights directly from your Kindle. 

Step 1

Within the book you’re reading, tap anywhere on the screen to reveal the menu. Tap the 3-dot menu in the top right corner. Select Popular Highlights. 

Step 2

That’s it! You’ll see a list of the most highlighted sections of the book by other Kindle users. You can also see the number of times it was highlighted. 

Once you tap on a popular highlight, you’ll be taken to that section of the book. 

I hope this article helped you unlock even more potential for research and study using a Kindle device. For further exploration of interesting Kindle features, check out our article Kindle FAQ & 8 Reasons I Love My Kindle. 

If you’re looking to buy a Kindle, click here to navigate to Amazon to learn more about each model.