Michelle

Exporting Kindle Highlights: A Practical Guide

I love highlighting as I read, whether I am reading a print book or an ebook. I’ve detailed how I annotate as I read, but if I want to better engage with my Kindle notes and highlights, I need to export them to a friendlier format. I’ve become a bit of a Notion nerd of late, and most of my reading notes are managed there (check out how I use Notion for managing my reading notes), but notes can be copied or imported to any document format you choose.

Want your Kindle highlights where you actually use them? Here are three reliable ways to export your notes—no paid third‑party tools required—and simple ways to import them into either a document (Google Docs, Word, Pages) or Notion.

Option 1: From the Kindle App on PC

This is the most direct path if you use Kindle on Windows.

  1. Open your book in the Kindle app.
  2. Click Show Notebook at the top right to open the right‑hand notes pane.
  3. Click Export in the notebook pane.
  4. In the Save As section at the top, choose the format and save. Kindle will export an HTML file that opens in your browser.
  5. Import into your notes system:
    • Document route: Open the HTML file, copy the highlights and notes, and paste into a doc in Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or Apple Pages.
    • Notion route: Import the HTML file directly into your book page in Notion for cleaner structure and headings, or paste the text into an existing page.

Tip: Before exporting, skim the right‑hand list and delete stray highlights you don’t care about so your notes stay focused.

Option 2: From the Amazon “Your Notes & Highlights” page

Great for reviewing and pruning before you export.

  1. Go to Your Notes & Highlights: read.amazon.com/notebook.
  2. Your Kindle books appear on the left; choose a title to see all highlights and notes on the right.
  3. Use the Options menu on any highlight to add a note or delete it.
  4. Export paths:
    • Copy and paste selected highlights into a document or into Notion.
    • Use your browser’s Save Page As to save an HTML copy, then import that file into a doc editor or into Notion for tidier formatting (this option saves the entire page, including the side menu of Kindle Books, so Copy and Paste is preferred).

Why this route? It’s fast to curate what’s worth keeping before anything touches your notes system.

Option 3: From the Kindle App on iPhone or iPad

This mirrors the desktop flow but sends an email with your notebook attached as HTML.

  1. Open your book, then open the Notebook.
  2. Tap Export and choose a citation style (APA, Chicago, MLA) if prompted.
  3. Confirm the publisher export notice, then choose an email destination.
  4. When the email arrives, download the HTML attachment and either paste the contents into a document or Notion, or import the file directly.

Note: Delivery can be delayed, and some publishers impose export limits. If your email never arrives, go with the PC or web options above. This is my last resort as I have a terrible track record of receiving my notes in email.

Bringing Highlights into Your Notes

Whether you use a document editor or Notion, add a bit of structure so your exports become useful knowledge.

  • Create or open your book notes (a doc or a Notion page).
  • Paste or import the exported HTML.
  • Add structure:
    • A summary at the top in your own words
    • Key ideas grouped by theme
    • Actionable takeaways with checkboxes or a simple task list
  • Optional: Tag the file or link it to your reading tracker or notes database if using Notion.

Example outline to paste above your imports:

  • One‑sentence summary: …
  • Why this book matters now: …
  • Top 5 highlights: …
  • Questions to revisit: …
  • Next actions: …

Troubleshooting

  • Missing highlights? Some titles restrict exporting. Use the Amazon web notebook to manually copy the most important passages.
  • Formatting looks messy? Try importing the HTML file instead of copy‑pasting, then add headings and dividers.
  • Duplicates everywhere? Do a quick prune on the Amazon notebook page before export.

Final Thoughts

Start with the Amazon web notebook for fast cleanup, use the PC app for reliable HTML exports, and keep the iPhone route as a backup. Whether you keep notes in a document or in Notion, a little structure turns raw highlights into summaries, well-written notes, and action items you’ll actually use.

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