Set up tools

  • Save a “markup” toolbar preset: pen, highlighter, eraser, undo.
  • Use contrasting colors for highlights/ink; keep thickness consistent.
  • Enable page thumbnails for fast jumping between sections.

Annotate efficiently

  • Work in layers if supported (Boox): keep highlights and notes separate.
  • Zoom for small text; write larger, then zoom out.
  • Use text boxes for long comments; handwriting for quick callouts.

Export cleanly

  • Export with annotations burned-in for sharing; keep an editable copy for yourself.
  • Name files with date + version (e.g., “chapter3-notes-2025-12”).
  • Sync to your cloud target (Drive/Dropbox/OneDrive) after each session.

Need hardware picks? See our Best Digital Notebooks guide for devices that handle PDFs smoothly.

Sources