In this article:

Get Started

• Notebook types: Basic and Advanced
• Create a new notebook

Learn how to use your notebook

• Learn the essentials of using your notebook (Basic and Advanced)
• Learn how to use your Basic notebook
• Learn how to use your Advanced notebook

Save your notebooks

• Backup your notebooks on Kobo.com
• Export your notes to Dropbox
• Export your notes using your computer
• Export your files to a new Kobo eReader

Manage your notebooks

• Delete a notebook
• Rename your notes
• Organize your notebooks with folders
• View your notebooks on Kobo.com
  
  

Notebook types: Basic and Advanced

There are two types of notebooks that you can create: a Basic notebook and an Advanced notebook.

Basic notebooks are like a classic paper notebook but with digital editing tools.
Advanced notebooks are like a document creator, with the ability to convert your handwriting to text and export as a working file.

• Basic notebook
  With a Basic notebook, you can write anywhere on the page like you would on a sketchbook. However, you won’t be able to convert your handwriting into text.
  If you tend to draw and want more freedom while jotting notes, a Basic notebook may be more suitable.
  
  
  A Basic notebook has an  arrow icon at the top-right corner of the screen to hide the onscreen menu. This removes distractions from the screen so that you can focus on note-taking and drawing.
  
  

• Advanced notebook 
  With an Advanced notebook, you’ll need to write in between the lines of the page so that you can convert your handwriting into text.
  If you want to convert your handwriting into text, then export your notebook into a text file, an Advanced notebook may be more suitable. Note: You won't be able to import the text file back into your eReader.
  
  
  
  An Advanced notebook has a scrollbar on the side of the page. This lets you move up and down the page as you write your notes. With an Advanced notebook, you'll always see the menu at the top of the screen. This lets you have quick access to adjust your notebook settings.

Create a new notebook

Before you can write notes, you'll need to choose whether you'd like to use a Basic or Advanced notebook.

To create a new notebook: 

1. Go to your Home screen.
2. Tap My Notebooks at the bottom of the screen.
   Note: On your Kobo Sage, you'll need to tap More at the bottom of the screen, then tap My Notebooks. 
   
   
   
3. Tap New to create a new note.
   
   
   
4. Enter your notebook’s name in the empty text field.
   
   
   
5. Select the type of notebook you’d like to create:
   
   
   • Basic notebook: Lets you write on the screen just like pen on paper. Select Basic notebook if you want to focus on drawing or take notes without having to convert your handwriting into text.
     
     
   • Advanced notebook: Lets you convert your handwriting into text.
     When using the Advanced notebook, you’ll have to follow some guidelines—such as writing a certain size, writing within lines and margins—so that your handwriting can be converted into text.
     
     

• Tap Save.
  
  
  
• Use your Kobo Stylus to write on the screen.
  Note: Your notes will automatically be saved onto your eReader.

Learn the essentials of using your notebook (Basic and Advanced)

Adjust Pen settings

You can change your Kobo Stylus settings so that your stylus mimics a ballpoint pen, a calligraphy pen, and more.

To adjust your pen style, size, and shade:

Basic notebook

1. Tap the dropdown icon at the top-right corner of the screen.
   The notebook menu will appear.
   
   
   
2. Tap the Pen icon to see the different options. 
   
   Note: If you have a Kobo Libra Colour or Kobo Clara Colour, you can select the colour of your pen colour. To do this, under Pen Colour, tap on the colour that you'd like to use.
   
   
   

Advanced notebook

1. Tap the Pen icon at the top of the screen to see the different options. 
   Note: If you already have the Pen icon selected, you only have to tap the Pen icon once. By default, the Pen icon is automatically selected.
   
   
2. Tap on the pen options that you’d like to use.
   
   

Undo and redo

You can tap the arrows at the top of the screen to undo or redo changes.

Basic notebook

1. Tap the dropdown icon at the top-right corner of the screen.
   The notebook menu will appear.
   
   
2. Undo or redo your changes:

•  
• Undo: Tap the Undo icon to go back to the previous letter, symbol, stroke, or number you wrote.
• Redo: Tap the Redo icon to show the last letter, symbol, stroke, or number you wrote.

Advanced notebook

While writing, tap the undo or redo icons at the top of the screen:

• Undo: Tap the Undo icon to go back to the previous letter, symbol, stroke, or number you wrote.
• Redo: Tap the Redo icon to show the last letter, symbol, stroke, or number you wrote.

Erase text or images
With your notebook open, tap the eraser icon at the top of the screen to turn your stylus into an eraser. You can also press and hold the erase button on your Kobo Stylus to turn the tip of the stylus into an eraser.

Note: In a Basic notebook, tap thearrow icon at the top-right corner of the screen to open the menu, then follow the steps below.

• Object Eraser: Lets you delete a line or stroke that you drew just by tapping on the line.
• Brush Eraser: Turns your stylus tip into an eraser and lets you erase small areas of a line or shape.

Erase an entire page of text or images

Note: In a Basic notebook, tap thearrow icon at the top-right corner of the screen to open the menu, then follow the steps below.

To clear your entire page at once:

1. Tap the Menu icon at the top of the screen.
   
   
   
2. Tap Clear notebook.
   You'll see a Clear Notebook dialog box that asks you to confirm if you want to delete everything in the notebook.
   
   
3. Tap OK to clear your notebook.
   Tip: If you accidentally cleared your screen, tap the undo icon at the top of the screen to see what you erased.

Refresh your eReader’s screen
If you notice that the text or image that you erased is still faintly visible, try using the Refresh option. The Refresh option makes your screen flash black and white to clear the screen of any residual text or images.

Note: In a Basic notebook, tap thearrow icon at the top-right corner of the screen to open the menu, then follow the steps below.

To refresh your eReader’s screen:

1. Tap the Menu icon at the top of the screen.
   
   
   
2. Tap Refresh page.
   
   
   

Switch between notebooks and books

While writing in your notebook, you can view the last three opened books or notebooks you opened.

To switch between notebooks or books:

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen to the middle of the screen.
   You'll see a menu that shows your last three opened files.
   
   
   
2. Tap on a file to view it.
   

Search for words in your notebook

With the search feature, you can look for words or phrases written in your basic and advanced notebook. 

To search for a word or phrase in your notebook:

1. Open the search feature on your notebook:
   • Basic notebook: While writing in your notebook, tap thearrow icon on the top-right corner of the screen, then tap the search icon.
     
     
   • Advanced notebook: While writing in your notebook, tap the search icon at the top of the screen.
     
     
     
2. Enter the word or phrase in the search bar.
   Depending on how many words you have in your notebook, it may take some time to search for your word or phrase.
   
   
   
3. Your search result will be highlighted in your notebook. To see more results, tap the or arrow icons next to the search bar.

Learn how to use your Basic notebook

With a Basic notebook, you can write anywhere on the screen.

Open the notebook menu

When you first open your Basic notebook, you'll see a blank page with an arrow icon at the top-right corner of the screen. The menu lets you adjust your pen settings, eraser settings, and more.

To open the menu:

• Tap the arrow icon at the top-right corner of the screen.
  
  After you tap the arrow, you'll see the notepad menu at the top of the screen and the notebook scroll bar at the bottom of the screen.
  

To close the menu:

• Tap the middle of your screen.
  

Close your Basic notebook

After you're done with your notebook, you can close it so that you can go back to reading. When you close your notebook, all your notes are automatically saved onto your eReader.

To close your Basic notebook:

1. Tap the arrow icon at the top of the screen.
   The notebook menu will open.
   
   
   
2. Tap the back icon at the top-left of the screen.

Create a new page

You can create as many pages in your notebook as you'd like. By default, your notebook will have two pages.

To create a new page:

1. Write something on the page.
2. Swipe left on the screen.
   You'll see the page numbers on the bottom corresponding to the new page you created.
   

To go to a previous page:

• Swipe right on the screen.
  
  

Skip pages using the menu

To skip pages using the menu:

1. Tap the arrow icon at the top of the screen.
   The notebook menu will open.
   
   
   
2. Drag the circle icon at the bottom of the screen, or tap the left andright arrows at the ends of the scroll bar to go to a new page.
   

Write on your notebook

To write on your notebook, use your Kobo Stylus and write anywhere on the screen.

Tip: If you haven't used your Kobo Stylus in a while, change the batteries to ensure that your stylus has power.

Change your notebook’s background

You can change your Basic notebook’s background to suit what you’re writing or drawing. A background is similar to a template that can guide you to create lists or organize your thoughts. For example, you can choose a template with a grid, a checklist, a lined notebook, and more.

For instance, if you’re drawing, a blank page may be more appropriate than a grid background.

To change your page’s background, with a Basic notebook open:

1. Tap the arrow icon at the top of the screen.
   The notebook menu will open.
   
   
   
2. Tap the Menu icon at the top of the screen.
   
3. Tap Change page background.
   Note: If you don’t see this option, it means that you currently have an Advanced notebook open, and not a Basic notebook.
4. Tap on a page background that you’d like.
5. Tap Close.
   
   

Use the lasso tool to move your handwriting or drawing

With the lasso tool, you can use your Kobo Stylus to circle anything on the screen and move it anywhere on the page. This can be useful for quickly editing your notes or drawings without erasing it.

Note: The lasso tool only works with a Basic notebook.

To use the lasso tool, with a Basic notebook open:

1. Tap the arrow icon at the top of the screen.
   The notebook menu will open.
   
   
   
2. Tap the lasso icon at the top of the screen.
   
   
   
3. Use your Kobo Stylus to circle the word or drawing.
   
   
   
4. Use your Kobo Stylus to drag the word or drawing inside the lasso.
   
   
   
5. After you've finished moving your drawing or word, tap the Pen icon to resume writing or drawing.
   

Learn how to use your Advanced notebook

Your Advanced notebook lets you convert your handwriting into text. This can be useful if you want to save your notes and export them to your computer. For example, you can write notes on your eReader, then save the file onto your computer so that you can email your converted text notes to yourself.

Note: You won't be able to import the text file back into your eReader.

Scroll up or down the page
To scroll up or down the page, tap the  arrows on the right side of the screen, or drag the scrollbar. There’s no page limit, so you can scroll down as far as you’d like while writing your notes.

Adjust your notebook orientation
You can use your notebook in landscape or portrait mode. By default, your notepad will automatically adjust to landscape and portrait depending on how you hold your eReader.

If you prefer to have your notebook stay in either portrait or landscape, you can lock the screen orientation.

To lock your notebook’s screen orientation:

1. Tap theauto-rotate icon at the top of the screen.
   
   
   
2. Tap on the setting that you’d like to use:
   • Auto-rotate: Lets your notebook automatically switch between portrait and landscape view.
   • Portrait: Locks your notebook orientation in portrait mode.
   • Landscape: Locks your notebook orientation in landscape mode.

Close your Advanced notebook

After you're done with your notebook, you can close it so that you can go back to reading. When you close your notebook, all your notes are automatically saved onto your eReader.

To close your Advanced notebook:

• Tap the arrow icon at the top-left of the screen.
  

Write notes in an Advanced notebook
To write notes in an Advanced notebook, use your Kobo Stylus to write in between lines so that your handwriting can be converted into text. You’ll see hints if your handwriting is too large, or if you don’t write in between the lines.

Convert your handwriting to text
After you use your Kobo Stylus to write notes on your notebook, you can convert your handwriting into text. Converting your handwriting into text lets you save your notes as a text file so that you can edit and save your note on your computer.

You can convert text in two ways:

Double-tap 

To quickly convert your handwritten notes into text, double-tap on the word or sentence that you want to convert.

Tip: Use gestures to edit text. You can use gestures to edit text quickly. For example, you can scribble out a word to erase it.

Convert text using the menu

Use ‘Convert all’ to turn your entire page of handwriting into text.
Tip: You can also solve math equations you wrote and convert shapes you’ve drawn into proper shapes using Convert all.

To convert your handwriting into text using the menu:

1. Tap the Menu icon at the top of the screen.
2. Tap Convert all.
   Your handwriting will be converted into text.

Draw diagrams, illustrate pictures, write math equations
When using an Advanced notebook, you can draw diagrams, pictures, or write math equations on your notebook.

To draw diagrams or write math equations,  tap the Menu icon at the top of the screen, then select one of the options:

• Insert Free Form Section: Lets you write or draw anything within the defined border. With a Free Form section, you can’t convert shapes you’ve drawn into a properly rendered shape. For example, if you draw a circle, it won’t automatically convert into a perfect circle.
  
  
• Insert Diagram: Select this if you want hand drawn shapes to convert into perfect shapes. For instance, if you draw a square, it will automatically straighten the lines and produce a perfectly drawn square.  To convert your hand drawn shape, double-tap on the shape. You can also use your finger to drag the shape around.
  
  
• Insert Math Equation: Lets you write and solve simple math equations on your notebook.  
  To solve an equation, write the equation out in full—for example “1+1=”, then double-tap on the equation to solve it.
  You can also tap the Menu icon at the top of the screen, then tap Convert All to solve your equation. Note: This may not work on some equations.

Resize your diagram or text borders

To resize your diagram or text borders, tap on the text or diagram that you want to resize. Next, drag the border handles. The border handles look like circles.

Border handles around text

Border handles around diagrams

Delete a diagram, drawing, or math equation

You can resize or delete any drawing or diagram you’ve inserted into your notebook.

To delete a diagram, drawing, or math equation:

1. Tap on the diagram or drawing that you’d like to delete.
2. Tap the Menu icon at the top of the screen.
3. Tap Delete selection.

Move text around the page

Edit text
After you’ve converted your handwriting into text, you can go back and make changes.

To edit text you’ve converted:

1. Double-tap on the text that you want to edit using your fingers.
   The text will get larger.
   
2. Use your Kobo Stylus to edit your text.
   Tip: Use gestures to edit your text. For example, scribble over a word to delete it.
3. Tap anywhere on the screen to save your changes.

Backup your notebooks on Kobo.com

Your notebooks are automatically synced with Kobo so that you won't lose your files. By default, the sync setting is turned on.

When your notebooks are synced with Kobo, you can also view them on Kobo.com or going to http://kobo.com/notebooks. This lets you have access to your notebooks even if you don't have your eReader with you. 

Syncing your notebooks with Kobo lets you access your notebooks on several eReaders signed in to the same account. For instance, if you have a Kobo Elipsa and Kobo Sage, you can view your notebooks on both eReaders if they are signed in to the same account. 

Note: Your eReader must have stylus support to view notebook files.

To turn the notebook syncing on or off:

1. Go to your Home screen.
2. Tap More at the bottom of the screen.
   
3. Tap Settings.
4. Tap Syncing and updates.
5. Tap the checkbox beside 'Sync My Notebooks' to turn notebook backup on or off.
   
   
   
   

Automatically backup your eReader

When your eReader is in Sleep mode, it will automatically backup your files. By default, this setting is turned on.

If you prefer to manually back up your files, tap the Sync icon on your Home screen to sync your eReader.

To check if your eReader has automatic sync turned on:

1. Go to your Home screen.
2. Tap More at the bottom of the screen.
3. Tap Syncing and updates.
4. Beside 'Automatic sync', make sure the checkbox is selected.
   
   
   
5. Beside 'Sync time', tap the drop-down menu and select when you'd like your eReader to backup its files. You can choose from Night, Morning, Afternoon, or Evening. 
   
   

Export your notes to Dropbox

Dropbox is a free online storage service that lets you save your personal files. After you link your Kobo account with Dropbox, you can save your notebooks to your Dropbox folder. To link your accounts, you’ll need to use your phone or computer to retrieve a code that pairs with your eReader.

You can export your entire notebook or a specific page of a notebook.

File types you can export to:

• With an Advanced notebook, you can export to: Word (.docx), Text, HTML, ZIP.
• With a Basic notebook, you can export to: PNG, JPEG, PDF, ZIP.

Avoid using special characters when renaming files

• To prevent issues downloading files from your Dropbox account, avoid special characters such as: | " : ? < >

Before you start

The easiest way to export your notes into Dropbox is to first create a Dropbox account, then link your Rakuten Kobo account to Dropbox.

Follow the steps in the article to learn how:

• Add books using Dropbox on your Kobo Sage, Kobo Forma or Kobo Elipsa

Export your entire notebook to Dropbox

To export your entire notebook to Dropbox:

1. Go to your Home screen.
2. Tap My Notebooks at the bottom of the screen.
   
   
   
3. Tap the Menu icon beside the note that you want to save.
   
4. Tap Export.
5. Select Export to Dropbox.
6. Select the file type that you’d like to export your notebook to.
7. Tap Export.
   If you’ve already linked your Rakuten Kobo account to Dropbox, your notebook will be saved into your ‘Rakuten Kobo’ folder in your Dropbox account.

Export a specific page of your notebook to Dropbox

If you don't want to export your entire notebook, you can export one section of your notebook at a time.

To export one section of your notebook:

1. Go to your Home screen.
2. Tap My Notebooks at the bottom of the screen.
3. Open the notebook that you want to save.
4. Go to the specific page that you'd like to export to Dropbox.
5. Tap the Menu icon at the top-right of the screen.
6. Tap Export.
   
   
   
7. Tap Export this view.
   
   
   
8. Select Export to Dropbox.
9. Select the file type that you’d like to export your notebook to.
10. Tap Export.
    If you’ve already linked your Rakuten Kobo account to Dropbox, your notebook will be saved into your ‘Rakuten Kobo’ folder in your Dropbox account.

Notes:

• If you don’t have a Dropbox account, you’ll see a ‘Get Started with Dropbox’ screen.
  Follow the onscreen steps to link your Rakuten Kobo account to your Dropbox account.
• To learn more about using Dropbox with your Kobo eReader, follow the steps in this article: Add books to your Kobo Forma or Kobo Elipsa eReader with Dropbox.

View your saved notes on Dropbox

To learn how to view your saved notes and how to use your Dropbox account with your Rakuten Kobo account, follow the steps in the article below:

• Add books to your Kobo Forma eReader with Dropbox

To view files you've uploaded to Dropbox:

1. Sign in to your Dropbox account.
2. Click Apps.
   
   
   
3. Click Rakuten Kobo.
   You'll see all the files that you exported from your Notebook in the Rakuten Kobo Folder.
   
   
   

Export your notes using your computer

You can copy your notes from your eReader onto your computer. For example, you can export your note as a ‘.txt’ file so that you can email the file to yourself or save the file onto your computer.

If you have to reset your eReader, you’ll lose all of your notes. You can export your notes so that you have a backup.

You can export your entire notebook or a specific page of a notebook.

File types you can export to:

• With an Advanced notebook, you can export to: Word (.docx), Text, HTML, ZIP.
• With a Basic notebook, you can export to: PNG, JPEG, PDF, ZIP.

Export your entire notebook to your computer

To export your entire notebook:

1. Go to your Home screen.
2. Tap My Notebooks at the bottom of the screen.
   
   
   
3. Tap the Menu icon beside the note that you want to save.
   
   
4. Tap Export.
5. Select Export to computer.
   
6. Select the file type that you’d like to export your notebook to.
7. Tap Export.
   You’ll see the ‘Exporting Notebook’ status window.
8. When you see the ‘Notebook exported’ message on your eReader, connect your eReader to your computer using the supplied USB-C cable.
   
   
   
9. On your eReader, you’ll see a ‘Computer detected’ pop-up window. Tap Connect.
   
   
   
10. On your computer, open the folder named ‘KOBOeReader’.
11. Open the folder named Exported Annotations.
    You’ll see a list of the notebooks you’ve exported.
12. Copy the desired files onto your computer.

You can copy your note files onto your computer’s desktop, or anywhere you’d normally keep backup files. For example, you can save your file to an external hard drive, USB drive, an online storage service, or even email the file to yourself.

Export a specific page of your notebook to your computer

If you don't want to export your entire notebook, you can export one page of your notebook at a time.

To export a specific page of your notebook:

1. Go to your Home screen.
2. Tap My Notebooks at the bottom of the screen.
3. Tap the notebook that you want to save.
4. Go to the specific page that you'd like to export.
5. Tap the arrow icon at the top of the screen.
   
   
   
6. Tap the Menu icon at the top-right of the screen.
   
   
   
7. Tap Export.
   
8. Tap Export this page.
9. Select Export to Computer.
   
10. Select the file type that you’d like to export your notebook to.
11. Tap Export.
    You’ll see the ‘Exporting Notebook’ status window.
12. When you see the ‘Notebook exported’ message on your eReader, connect your eReader to your computer using the supplied USB-C cable.
13. On your eReader, you’ll see a ‘Computer detected’ pop-up window. Tap Connect.
    
    
    
14. On your computer, open the folder named ‘KOBOeReader’.
15. Open the folder named Exported Annotations.
    You’ll see a list of the notebooks you’ve exported.
16. Copy the desired files onto your computer.

Export your files to a new Kobo eReader

If you purchase a new Kobo Sage or Kobo Elipsa, you can transfer your notes from your old Kobo Sage or Kobo Elipsa to your new Kobo Sage or Kobo Elipsa all at once. 

To transfer the note files from your old eReader to a new one:

1. Connect a USB cable from your eReader to your computer.
2. On your eReader, you’ll see a ‘Computer detected’ pop-up window. Tap Connect.
   
   
   
3. On your computer, open the folder named ‘KOBOeReader’.
4. Copy all the files ending in .nebo on your desktop or storage device (like a USB drive).
5. On your new eReader, repeat steps 1-3 above, then copy the .nebo files into your new eReader.

Delete a notebook

You can delete notebooks from your eReader to manage the number of notebooks you have, and to free up eReader storage space. After you delete a notebook, you won’t be able to recover it.

If you think you’ll need a notebook for reference in the future, export the notebook so that you have a copy of it.

To permanently delete notes on your eReader:

1. Go to your Home screen.
2. Tap My Notebooks at the bottom of the screen.
   
   
   
3. Beside the note that you’d like to delete, tap the Menu icon.
4. Tap Delete.
5. Tap Delete in the confirmation dialog box.

Rename your notes

To rename your notebooks:

1. Go to your Home screen.
2. Tap My Notebooks at the bottom of the screen.
3. Beside the notebook that you want to rename, tap the Menu icon.
4. Tap Rename.
5. Enter your notebook’s name with the onscreen keyboard.
6. Tap Save.

Organize your notebooks with folders

With folders, you can organize your notebooks so that they're easier to find. For example, you can create a folder named 'Recipes' and include all of your notebooks related to cooking.

Note: If you delete a folder, all of the notebooks within the folder will also be deleted. Once your notebooks are deleted, there is no way to recover them.

Create a folder

Before you start, create a folder so that you can move your notebooks into them.

To create a folder:

1. Go to your Home screen.
2. Tap My Notebooks at the bottom of the screen.
   Note: On your Kobo Sage, you'll need to tap More at the bottom of the screen, then tap My Notebooks. 
   
   
   
3. Tap New to create a new note.
   
   
   
4. Select Folder. 
   
   
   
5. Enter the name of your notebook.
   
   
   
6. Tap Save.
   After you create a folder, you can move your notebooks into them.
   

Move notebooks into your folder

To move notebooks into your folder:

1. Go to your Home screen.
2. Tap My Notebooks at the bottom of the screen.
3. Tap the menu icon next to the notebook that you'd like to move into a folder.
   
   
   
4. Tap Move.
   
   
   
5. Tap on the folder that you'd like to move your notebook to.
   
   
   
6. Tap Move.
   
   
   

Rename, move, or delete your folder

You can rename, move, or delete your folders. If you delete a folder, all the items inside the folder will be permanently deleted.

1. Go to your Home screen.
2. Tap My Notebooks at the bottom of the screen.
3. Tap on a folder that you'd like to manage then tap on Rename, Move, or Delete, then follow the onscreen steps.
   

View your notebooks on Kobo.com

You can view any notebooks you've created on your eReader on Kobo.com. By default, your eReader automatically saves all of your notebooks to Kobo.com so that you won't lose your files. Learn more about automatically saving your notebooks to Kobo.com.

To view your notebooks on Kobo.com:

1. Sign in to your account on Kobo.com.
2. Click My Account near the top-right of the screen.
3. Click My Books.
   
   
   
4. Select Notebooks.
   
   
   
5. Click on any of the notebooks to view them. 
   Note: You can only view your notebooks. You won't be able to edit your notebook or delete your notebook through Kobo.com.

Learn more about using your Kobo Stylus

• About Kobo Stylus 2 (Released in 2023)
• Troubleshoot your Kobo Stylus
• Use gestures to edit handwriting
• Write notes in your book with Kobo Stylus
• Highlight text with your Kobo Stylus
  
  Kobo Stylus (2021)
• About Kobo Stylus
• Check your Kobo Stylus battery status
• Replace your Kobo Stylus battery
• Change your Kobo Stylus tip
  
  Kobo eReaders compatible with Kobo Stylus
• Kobo Elipsa
• Kobo Sage
• Kobo Elipsa 2E
• Kobo Libra Colour