While reading, you can write and highlight on the page just like a real book. For example, you can write on the margins and circle key words.

In this article:

• Write notes on the page
• Markup your page with colours
• View your handwritten notes on a page
• View your notes in a list
• Delete your handwritten notes in a book
• Export your non-protected PDF file with your handwritten notes

Exporting files

• For ePub files, your notes remain on your eReader and cannot be exported to Dropbox or other sources.
• For non-protected PDF files, you can export your PDF with your handwritten notes.

Supported file types

You can use your Kobo Stylus to write notes on these files:

• Kobo ePub (.kepub)
• ePub (.epub)
• PDF (.pdf)
  Note :Your Kobo Stylus cannot write notes on DRM-Protected PDF files and PDF files that disables annotations and markups.

Write notes on the page

With your Kobo Stylus, you can write and draw on the page while reading.

To write notes while reading:

• Use your Kobo Stylus and write anywhere on the screen. Your notes will automatically save on your eReader.
  

Markup your page with colours 

With Kobo Libra Colour, you can mark up your page using different colours.

Change your stylus pen shade

1. While reading, tap the middle of the screen to bring up the Reading Menu.
2. Tap the  Pen icon near the top of the screen.
3. Under Pen Colour, tap on the colour that you'd like to use.
   
   
4. Tap anywhere on the screen with your finger to close the Reading Menu.
5. Use your stylus to markup your page.

Change your highlight colour

1. While reading, press and hold a word for a few seconds until your text is highlighted.
2. Lift your finger from the page. You'll see a circle at each end of the word.
   
3. Drag the first circle to the start of the text you want to select, and the second circle to the end.
   Your selected text will automatically highlight.
4. Tap on the highlight with your finger. A menu will appear.
5. Tap on the colour that you'd like to change your highlight to.
6. Tap anywhere on the screen to resume reading. 

Highlight text

Press the highlight button to use your Kobo Stylus as a highlighter.

Kobo Stylus (2021)

Kobo Stylus 2 (2023)

Erase text

Kobo Stylus (2021)

Press the erase button to use your Kobo Stylus as an eraser.

Kobo Stylus 2 (2023)

Use the end of the stylus tip to erase highlights.

View your handwritten notes on a page

In most cases, you’ll see your handwritten notes right on the page. If you don’t see your note, it means that you may have changed the font size. This means that your notes will appear inside a bracket to indicate that there’s a handwritten note.

To view your handwritten note:

1. Tap the annotations icon on the right margin.
   
   
   
2. Tap the Menu icon in the preview box. 
   
   
   
3. Tap Revert to these settings.
   

View your notes in a list

You can view all of your handwritten notes you’ve made in a book using a list.

To view or delete your notes in an annotation list, while reading:

1. Tap the middle of the screen.
   The Reading Menu will appear.
2. Tap the  note icon at the bottom of the screen.
   
   
3. Tap the preview of the annotation.
   Tips:
   • You’ll see an annotations icon next to annotations you’ve made with your Kobo Stylus.
   • To filter your results to show your handwritten notes only, tap Filter near the top of the screen, then tap Markups.
     

Delete your handwritten notes in a book 

Note: When you delete a note, it will be deleted permanently. 

To delete your handwritten annotation, while reading:

1. Tap the note icon at the bottom of the screen.
   
   
2. Tap and hold your finger over the note that you’d like to delete.
   A menu will appear.
   
   
3. Tap Remove markup.
   A ‘Delete annotation’ window will appear.
   
   
4. Tap Continue.

Export your non-protected PDF file with your handwritten notes

When you write notes on your non-protected PDF file, the notes are automatically saved onto the PDF file. This means that you can can export your PDF files and see all the notes that you've made using your Kobo Stylus.

To export your PDF file from your eReader:

1. Connect your eReader to your computer using a USB-C cable.
   
   
   
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. Look for the PDF files that you'd like to export, and drag them onto your computer's desktop.

Once you open the PDF file, you'll see all the notes that you made using your Kobo Stylus.

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 Libra Colour
• Kobo Elipsa
• Kobo Sage
• Kobo Elipsa 2E