A useful highlight record contains the passage, book, author, edition or identifier, location, and your own note. Start with those fields before adding elaborate tags or a second note-taking system.
Keep the source attached
A quotation without an edition or location becomes difficult to check later. Record chapter names when page numbers are unstable. Distinguish your interpretation from the original passage so the two never blur together.
Tag for the next use
A small set of tags such as a project, question, or topic is more useful than dozens of categories you will not revisit. Search should answer “where did I read this?” and “what have I read about this idea?”
Make review part of reading
Once a week, select a few passages and write why they matter. Export a small sample to Markdown or CSV and open it outside the source app. Confirm that line breaks, attribution, and your own notes survive.
The details, at a glance.
| Consider | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Passage | Exact excerpt kept with attribution |
| Location | Chapter, locator, or edition-specific page |
| Personal note | Your interpretation, clearly separate |
| Export | Readable without the original service |
A few things worth asking.
Will importing the EPUB import its highlights?
Not necessarily. Many apps store annotations outside the original ebook file, so export them separately.
Should every highlight become a permanent note?
No. Keep the archive, then promote only passages that answer a question or change your understanding.
Go to the source
Documentation consulted for the routes and terminology on this page. Product behavior can change; verify your exact setup.
Readwise Reader: exporting files and annotationsWritten by Binge Reader. Our comparisons explain documented workflows and practical tradeoffs; they are not independent product benchmarks.