Dear reader, for years, I have struggled to organize whatever I read online. There is no single app/software that can solve all of my reading material in one place.
Now that I read a variety of things on a regular basis — especially on a PC — I needed a useful extension that would take care of most of my online reading.
I have been using a free highlighting and note-taking extension for half a year now. It is working like a charm, so I thought to share it with you.
Important features
When I’m reading on a PC, I look for these three important features in any note-taker:
- Adding thoughts: Also called note-taking. While reading, I want to comment on a specific portion of the text. You know the way we write in the margins of the books. I have tried many different software, but the major flaw is that I have to switch to some other screen or make sure I’m logged in and all that hassle. That’s a dealbreaker. I can’t keep up that practice. I don’t want to leave my current reading screen.
- Tagging: I think I have covered this problem a guide that I’m writing right now. What’s the point of all notes and highlights if you haven’t organized them properly? I want to easily categorize whatever I highlight and note in different tags. For example, #business #marketing #culture #tech #management #writing
- Context recall: It is helpful if the original source is easily trackable for each highlight and note. Suppose, I have marked five sentences in a 1000 words article. When I read it one month later, it would be helpful if I can just click on a link and visit the source to read the whole paragraph to get the context.
Web Highlights Extension
This extension works on most websites: news, social media, pdfs, research journals etc.
Similar to any Google Chrome extension, it runs in the background.
Step-1
Install and sign into the extension with your email id, it will save your highlights in an account.
I haven’t changed any default settings here. It is good enough for me.
Step-2
For this walkthrough, let’s test the extension on this article titled ‘Arthur Schopenhauer on the Dangers of Clickbait’.
Step-3
Highlight any text part, and add a tag. You wouldn’t have any tags in the suggestion, so just go ahead and add any tags. Make a quick note too.
Step-4
On your Chrome browser, you will see the green logo of the extension.
Click it to open the side panel.
Step-5
Explore the side panel.
Bonus features
As you start using the extension and making notes regularly, you will completely forget what you had highlighted.
This spaced repetition feature kind of uses flashcards made up from your collection and help you memorize what you have saved.
I haven’t used this that much, but it is so thoughtful of the developer.
So, that’s how I have been making the most out of my reading nowadays.
NOW YOU.
Do you use any similar extensions? Can you tell me how it compares with this extension’s features?
Hit Reply and tell me.
Reads of the week
- The Notecard System: The Key For Remembering, Organizing And Using Everything You Read: This system is simple and effective. You can use it while reading books. That’s the only struggle with using software. They can’t help you much while reading physical books.
- You’ll Never Be Famous — And That’s O.K.: “Today’s college students desperately want to change the world, but too many think that living a meaningful life requires doing something extraordinary and attention-grabbing like becoming an Instagram celebrity, starting a wildly successful company or ending a humanitarian crisis.” This is my favorite read since it got first published.
- Ignore sunk costs: Why it is so overwhelming for us to leave something that is not working out? And is abandoning it a good call, even if that means leaving a 5-year drudgery to reach there?
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