Kindle Notepad App is a simple notepad app for the Kindle that lets you create and edit notes. It lets you use your Kindle for any sort of note-taking.
Kindle Notepad’s main benefits
- It works with text files. That means you can easily transfer over notes written on Kindle Notepad to your PC or Mac and access them there.
- It has fast typing. Fast enough that taking notes is quick and easy.
- There are 6 font sizes and two font types (Serif, Sans Serif). You can pick the size and font that you like to write in.
- It has in-built Backup and Restore. You can also keep a backup on your PC.
- There’s comprehensive search. You can search from the main page itself.
- There are shortcuts for common functions and notes can be sorted alphabetically or by date/time.
- It’s simple to use.
You get all this for $1. We think it’s a $10 app – However, we want as many Kindle owners as possible to have it.
Getting Help with Kindle Notepad App
First, please take a look at these pages -
- Kindle Notepad Help Videos.
- Kindle Notepad Detailed Help. This and remaining pages coming soon – please refer to PDF/Word file below until then.
- Kindle Notepad Questions & Answers.
- Transferring files from Kindle Notepad App to your PC.
- Notepad for Kindle Backup and Restore.
If you prefer to access this information on your Kindle (PDF) or your PC (Word) then you can download these files -
- All Notepad Help Files in 1 File - Notepad All-in-One Help (Mobi Kindle format), Notepad – All Help Documents (PDF), Notepad – All Help Documents (Word). This includes all 4 of the documents below.
- Kindle Notepad Main Help - Kindle Notepad Main Help (Kindle format), Kindle Notepad Main Help (PDF), Kindle Notepad Main Help (Word). Discusses General Use.
- Kindle Notepad Q&A - Kindle Notepad Q&A (Kindle format), Kindle Notepad – Q&A, FAQ (PDF), Kindle Notepad FAQ, Q&A (Word). Common questions with answers.
- Kindle Notepad App Backup & Restore - Kindle Notepad Backup & Restore (Kindle format), Kindle Notepad Backup & Restore (PDF), Kindle Notepad Backup & Restore (Word). A guide on how to do backup and restore of your notes in Kindle Notepad App.
- Transferring Notes - Kindle Notepad Transferring Notes (Kindle format), Transferring Notes from Kindle Notepad App (PDF), Transferring Notes from Kindle Notepad App (Word). How to move files from your Kindle Notepad App to your PC. For Mac please see the following paragraph.
Please Note: When on Mac and transferring files you need to keep in mind:
When you get the Kindle show up on the Mac, the .active-content-folder doesn’t show. This is because on Mac it’s considered a hidden file. So you have to use a workaround to see that folder – http://www.mactricksandtips.com/2008/04/show-hidden-files.html.
People are finding that using Houdini is easiest.
After using Houdini the .active-content-data folder in the Kindle shows up and you can follow the remaining steps.
Thanks to Maurine for all these documents and to Roger Knights for suggestions including using Doc instead of Docx and providing a file that has all 4 help files in it.
Please let us know if you would like further help on any other aspect of how to use Kindle Notepad. Also, suggestions and features ideas are always welcome – though time and other constraints mean that we might not be able to do certain things.
You can leave a comment at this blog (response time usually less than a day) or email booksummit@ymail.com (response time around a day).
[...] Kindle Notepad [...]
Hi: I just purchased notepad and I was making a grocery list and I am unable to list one item and then go to the next line. I tried the 5 way controller on my kindle but when I pressed the down key, it went to save. Help!! How do you list one item and go to the next line. Thanks in advance, Patti
Patti, you press the Enter key to get to the next line.
The enter key looks something like: <-|
On Kindle 3 it is between SYM key and 5-way.
On Kindle 2 it is below DEL key.
This Amazon Kindle app. is amazing. I researched whether or not the kindle had such an app. before purchasing my Kindle 3G and discovered that there was no such offering. I am very happy that 7Draggons remedied this. Of course now that I have exactly what I wanted, I thirst for just a little more functionality. The most desired improvement would be for Kindle Notepad to allow you hit shift once then the next letter key you press to be capitalized. That would be awesome!!! I know, “Now I’m getting greedy.” While I am at though. Bigger file capability would be great. Not necessary by any means but great.
Thank You 7Dragons….. Keep up the great work. I think you guys are going to be rich. Buzz about your app is going viral :)
Stashhound – the Shift and then hit alphabet to get capitals feature is on our V1.1 hitlist. As soon as we can get V1.1 done and approved and shipped you’ll get it.
Bigger file capability is a challenge. We have to do some investigation around that so won’t promise anything on that front. We will investigate it.
Notepad is a killer app on the Kindle! Hopefully we’ll see a calendar app in the future (hint, hint) :-)
One question – how do we get version updates for Notepad?
Just wondered since I see you talk about a version update for how capital letters are handled.
Freddy, added Calendar to our Lists of App to Work on in the Future. ;)
Yes, there will be an update. There’s no ETA as we have to do the changes, test them, submit to Amazon who will test it, and then after a few other things it will go out.
1) There will probably be an email from Amazon informing there is an update for Notepad.
2) I will update on this blog and at Kindle Review blog. Subscribing to this blog might be a good idea.
It s great! It is just the thing I was looking for from beginning having my kindle. Now only find some way how to connect some external keyboard…. :-)
Thanks
If I may ask for some new feature, I would appreciate possibility how to enter foreing letters. As I am Czech I would appreaciate to be able to put following letters: ěščřžýáíéúů.
If they are in symbol “window” it would be nice.
Of cours somebody from other nationality would like to have different letters. So maybe some sollution when I select in settings “language” and based on it would show national letters…. or at least ad ˇ or ´ into symbols.
Thats all from my side. Thanks again for perfect application.
Milos
Milos, we will investigate this. No ETA and there are quite a few other things in queue before it. However, we will look at it and see if there’s a solution we can implement.
Great app. Just finished watching the videos and created my first note. Here’s a thought for an upgrade (or extension). How about creating templates for some common notepad uses, such as a grocery shopping list? That could be a big timesaver, instead of each person having to set up all the headings: ‘Dairy,’ ‘Produce,’ ‘Meat,’ “Dry Goods’ “Personal Care,’ etc. him or herself, and then editing the items. You could poll your users/subscribers for other templates they’d like to have.
That’s a good idea Kim.
Edit: We’ll have to think about how to fit in templates.
how do you change to correct time you post something?
Doris, the time changes when you edit a file.
If you want to change the timestamp (date/month) on a note you will have to make some change in it. And press Save. Then the time will get updated.
How do we correct the interal clock of the Notepad. My time stamp on the notepad is way off, I just wrote a new note, and it’s stamped “4:13 AM” the time is really 10:36 AM.
Also I updated a note yesterday,clicked “save and exit” and date that was assigned to it is 8/03.
Thanks..love this app!
Jo, the time that is assigned is based on your Kindle time.
So both the time and date strangeness you’re seeing can be eliminated by turning on 3G or WiFi and syncing.
If you have Kindle 3 or Kindle WiFi you can also press Menu on the Kindle Home Page, then choose settings, and in the Settings Page set the time manually.
Thank You!
It would be nice to be able to copy a clip into a notepad
Kindle Apps don’t get access to the Kindle clipboard. To the best of my knowledge. I’ll investigate more but don’t think it’s an option.
First of, thanks for a great app!
If clipboard is a problem maybe selecting and moving the selection would be possible at least using 5-way controller. The selecting itself would be quite useful to delete few lines fast.
And yet: Why does Amazon require US postal address to buy this app? I had to ask a friend for help. I’m sure you would double the market by making it available everywhere (if that’s up to you).
It’s not up to us. Once Kindle Apps expand to be available internationally we’ll make it available everywhere.
Yes, we’ve explored doing a cut-copy-paste delete but don’t really have a way to do it that’s very intuitive or works very well. So this will be in a later upgrade. In the first upgrade you’ll see things like persistent shift etc.
How come this app isn’t available outside the US? It’s not a book so doesn’t presumably have the same publisher copyright issues. What gives?
(I’m in the UK and would really like to get this app.)
Kindle Apps aren’t available outside the US. Whenever we are given the option by Amazon to make apps available worldwide we will.
It’s not our decision so stop getting upset at us.
notepad has great reviews and in most respects it deserves them, feature-wise it is a competent app.
However all the gushing about it is also coming from users who have been essentially starved by Amazon’s decision to not give the Kindle this basic function. Even Windows 95 had a decent notepad, it is merely an interface for the operating system’s basic functionality, and to not include it was a rather mean decision. So now all the parched souls are giving 5 star reviews. I would, too, but having used the app I am dismayed that it has a serious limitation on note length, so I suppose any serious writer is left out in the cold with this.
So much for the claim that it is a ten dollar app. It isn’t it. But if the limitation were removed it would be better.
1) I don’t understand your first point. We simply make apps we want to make and which we think Kindle owners will love. We don’t apply some filter of ‘If this app should have come with the Kindle but didn’t then we will not add it’. That would be a bit strange. We just try to maximize value.
You can’t get upset with us for making a fundamental app that we think makes a lot of sense to make.
2) The limitation on note length is a serious handicap for some users. Perhaps 1%. perhaps 5%. There’s not really anything we can do about it. If we make unbounded length then testing and other considerations become a huge issue and would probably mean the app never ships. We’d rather ship for 95% of users than not ship for anyone.
Example: With unbounded length some people would expect it to read a 500 kb text file just fine. Then they would expect it to handle 50 500 kb files just fine. So it just becomes impossible to test. We have to have some bound on what the app is. It’s a notes app. It is not a text format book reader or a text format book writer.
So 2) is a limitation and it might not be a solvable one. We don’t want to exclude any group and at the same time Notepad is just meant as a simple notes app. Not as Word for Kindle or a word processor. So I think you are looking for a different app – an app for serious writers and hopefully someone makes that for you.
********* Just to be absolutely clear
We want to accommodate requests that users have. It’s just not possible to do everything everyone wants.
Do we spend 1 month on that and then find out that it doesn’t pass testing and can never go out or do we make a completely different app like diary that people are asking for?
I’m super frustrated too that there is a note limit. If it was an easily solvable thing it would be in the app.
Excellent app … I would like to have some basic editing capability using standard Windows (WordStar?) shortcut keys.
For example: Ctrl-C for copy, Ctrl-V for paste … oops … there is no Ctrl key on the Kindle!
Alt-C copy
Alt-V paste
Alt-X cut (may need to change current Save & Exit shortcut)
Alt-U underline
Alt-B bold
Alt-I italics
Thank you!
No idea if/when we’ll add editing capability. The Notepad V1.1 update is submitted to Amazon for approval but it doesn’t have any CopyPaste functionality or underline etc.
All these things are on our list of things to consider but not sure if we’ll do them as have to figure out how to do them in a way that makes sense on Kindle and not mess with it being a simple, easy to use notepad.
Just bought K3 wanted to transfer notes from note pad on K2 Is there a way to do it other than retyping all? thanks
LaVon, sent you an email with details.
Basically, first you can read up on how to do Kindle to PC and PC to Kindle transfers here – http://kappreview.com/2011/03/17/kindle-notepad-app-file-transfers/
Then install Notepad on your new Kindle. Just go to Archived Items and download it.
Then you can do a transfer.
A) Move user folder and backups folder from Kindle 2 to a folder on your PC (let’s call it Notepad Transfer Folder). See the post linked to above for where to find ‘user’ and ‘backups’ folders on your Kindle.
B) Notepad is installed on your new Kindle so you should have Notepad related folders on Kindle 3 now (the new Kindle).
C) Plug in new Kindle into your PC and copy the ‘user’ and ‘backups’ folder from Notepad Transfer Folder on your PC to the folder on Kindle 3.
Now when you unplug Kindle 3 and run – your notes and backups should show up.
If you only have notes – then you only have to transfer all notes files in Kindle 2′s user folder within notepad folder TO
user folder on Kindle 3 for Notepad folder on Kindle 3.
Just send me a replay to my email or here if you have problems.
Will Notepad open on any PC to edit the .txt files? That way I could have a Kindle USB cable at home and another one at work and edit in either place. It’s much easier to type on a full keyboard. It’s also very easy to add notes and note content, cut and paste, change file names, etc. this way – as some posts have requested. Fantastic app. Thanks! :)
mcinae, yes.
You could do exactly what you mention – have a USB cable at work and one at home – use both work and home PCs.
you can change file names by pressing Alt+F or going into the Edit Page and changing the name there. Cut and Paste – perhaps we will add in a future version. However, using the PC keyboard is obviously easier.
I accidently deleted a title from my notes page. Is there anyway I can recover it and the information on it?
No, unless you did a backup and the backup had that note in it, there’s no way to recover a deleted note.
is it possible to have Catagories in Note pad.. ie…
Notepad
— Phone list
———{list of text files}
— other list
———(list of other titles}
would be easier to catorgories..
Myles, Notepad doesn’t have Folders or Categories. It’s a feature we have in mind for the future but quite frankly we don’t know how to add it without taking away from the simplicity.
I would assume it’s not going to be added any time soon.
useful app!.. but here’s some suggestions on improving the user interface to make it nicer + cooler to use :-D
– is it possible to have a borderless version without the notepad background? this will make the note view slightly larger and less cluttered
– on/off for text-antialiasing? it will make the text look nicer :) but not sure if this will impact the redraw / pageup/down performance for long notes..
pls keep any app updates coming, thanks again for the great work!
Keat, a great suggestion to turn off background. Perhaps in a future update.
Newer update has on/off on anti-aliasing on newer Kindles.
I love the app, but have run into a problem recently. I made some lists in notepad on my pc and copied them to the kindle. I have done this before and it worked fine.
This time I can only see the first part of the text (each file is half missing). When I attach my kindle to the pc and read the files on my pc they appear in full, so the information must be there, but does not appear on the kindle itself.
For example, one is a list of 30 books. Accessing from the kindle, it shows the first 15, then nothing. Reading from the pc, all 30 are there. Very puzzling.
June, I can think of two things
1) You are hitting the limit of 3100 characters. Are you getting a message saying Note is over the size limit and a truncated copy has been made?
2) There is some special character which the Kindle Notepad can’t read.
For the 2nd – just look at the character at the exact spot where note is getting cut off. Open your Note on your PC in Notepad and replace that character with a normal character i.e. if it’s a ‘-’ replace it with a ‘-’ typed from your keyboard.
Kindle Notepad only supports Ascii and doesn’t support Unicode. So if you are using accented characters or some special character not in Ascii the note will get cut off at that point.
I know this is a help blog, but I wanted to just share a thought.
I’ve had this idea for a kindle app– Perhaps you could include a table feature either within Notepad or in an new app.
I’ve come across the need to write something down in a table hundreds of times, but don’t really like the idea of making one in word, powerpoint, excel, etc. due to the lack of portability and edit-ability, which is where the kindle excels! Kind-of confused one doesn’t already exist, or does it?? :)
I’d like to see if the developers of Notepad could create one. I think it would be easy enough, their programing is by far the best I’ve seen for it’s ease of use and simplicity.
What I would like to see in the future is an app or feature in Notepad that will allow for a simple table template to be used to jot information down. ie. 4×4, 5×7, or even user defined tables that could pop up from a menu option. This would be perfect to market toward athletes in need of keeping track of their best times, max bench, estimated weekly goal… And for those of us that have the need to just keep a table for finances that can be readily accessible on the go, but don’t have a smart phone, or just don’t like to burn our corneas looking at an lcd display. This feature would be helpful from anything from making a family chore list to planning a camping trip.
Charts and tables are useful and awesome! Why can’t we make one that’s quick and easy for the kindle? Or better yet, why hasn’t anyone done so already? (Side note: Those hourly day planners out there really suck! Don’t take my word for it- see for yourself. Inspiration)
Thanks. and hope someone can honestly consider this,
Aaron
I printed the Kindle Notepad PDF, but it shows the Kindle 2 Screen and the Kindle 3 Screen. Can you show the Kindle Touch 3g Screen with instructions? Thanks so much for making it available for the Kindle Touch 3g! I purchased it, and now trying to figure it out.