The reMarkable Paper Pro turns handwriting into a primary workflow rather than a novelty, and daily productivity depends on knowing three systems well: the writing tools and color palette, the layer and template model that structures each page, and the folder-plus-tag scheme that keeps a growing library findable. The color e-ink Canvas display and the Shader tool distinguish the Paper Pro from the monochrome reMarkable 2, while MyScript-powered conversion and multi-format export connect handwritten notes to the rest of a digital toolchain.
Pens, Brushes, and Color
Tap the writing-tools icon in the toolbar to change tool, color, or stroke thickness. Each tool models a different physical instrument, so pick by the response you want rather than by name alone.
| Tool | Behavior | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ballpoint | Pressure-sensitive; no tilt response | Everyday writing |
| Fineliner | Even, rounded stroke at any angle | Consistent line weight |
| Marker | Texture varies with pressure and speed | Emphasis, bold notes |
| Pencil | Responds to pressure and tilt | Mechanical Pencil variant gives a precise, consistent line |
| Paintbrush | Expressive, textured strokes | Reacts to pressure and speed |
| Calligraphy | Direction-sensitive up/down strokes | Styled handwriting |
| Highlighter | Translucent emphasis over text | Non-destructive marking |
| Shader | Blends and layers colors when drawing | Paper Pro exclusive |
| Eraser | Erase-selection and erase-all modes | — |
Writing color is available in black, gray, white, blue, red, green, yellow, cyan, and magenta, with orange and pink offered on selected tools. This on-device color is a direct consequence of the color e-ink Canvas display and is unavailable on the monochrome reMarkable 2. The Shader tool, exclusive to the Paper Pro, is built for sketching and emphasis and can blend and layer colors as you draw.
The Toolbar and Layers
The toolbar surfaces two active writing tools for quick switching and lets you pin your most-used pens, highlighters, and thicknesses so common setups stay one tap away. The full palette for color and stroke thickness opens from the writing-tools icon.
Each notebook page supports a maximum of five layers. Layers can be shown, hidden, and reordered, which lets you isolate a template or background from handwritten annotation, or separate a diagram from labels so either can be revised without disturbing the other.
Figure 3.1: The five-layer page stack
Notebook Templates
A page starts blank but can switch to lined paper, grids, planners, and more. Built-in templates supply organizational structure such as ruled lines and grids. The reMarkable Methods library, available through a Connect subscription, adds planners and calendars, and users can import third-party PDF templates (for example, from Etsy) for specialized layouts. Because a template can occupy its own layer beneath handwriting, switching or hiding it does not affect the notes drawn on top.
Folders, Tags, and Favorites
Organization on the Paper Pro works best as a hybrid: folders provide broad, browsable structure while tags add flexible, cross-cutting context. Folders sort alphabetically, so prefixing names with numbers forces a deliberate order. A file lives in exactly one folder but can carry multiple tags that span the entire library.
| Dimension | Folders | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| Location | One per file | Many per file |
| Best for | Browsing, broad structure | Status and cross-cutting themes |
| Sorting | Alphabetical (number-prefix to reorder) | Filter-based |
| Typical use | Projects, Areas, Resources, Archive | To-Do, In-Progress, Follow-Up, Done |
Tags are well suited to actionable statuses (To-Do, In-Progress, Follow-Up, Done) and to themes such as Meeting-Notes or Ideas that recur across projects. Favorites give the fastest path to frequently used items: long-press a notebook and tap the star icon. A recommended top-level scheme is the PARA method — Projects (active work), Areas (ongoing responsibilities), Resources (reference material), and Archive (completed items) — kept shallow to avoid excessive nesting. A two-finger swipe down from the top opens the multitasking drawer for quick access to recent notebooks.
Figure 3.2: Hybrid organization model — PARA folders crossed by tags
Handwriting Conversion and Export
Handwriting-to-text conversion is powered by MyScript and runs from a single tap, or from the selection tool followed by the Convert icon to target a specific passage. Conversion requires an internet connection and typically takes about a minute. System and conversion languages include English, German, French, and Spanish, and MyScript recognizes many more (see the Supported-languages article for the current list). Accuracy is strong on neat, upright printing and reasonable on both block and cursive per reviewers, but it degrades on messy cursive and on hand-drawn formatting such as bullet points, underlines, and grids.
Notes export as PDF, PNG, or SVG; SVG preserves quality at any scale for display on larger screens. Documents and converted text can be sent by email directly from the device, and to Slack with a Connect subscription. The Type Folio keyboard cover and the Companion desktop/mobile app support editing and expanding converted text and syncing files across devices.