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Annotations using Apple Pencil in eBooks in the stock Book app

Drs247

Drs247

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 30, 2021
30
58
Hi all

I have been trying to figure out a way to annotate/take notes using an Apple Pencil inside an eBook in the stock Apple Books app. Is this seriously not possible in 2022 ? Basically I’d like to be able to scribble my thoughts, underline, annotate etc like I’d do in a physical paper book.

i found this thread on the same topic but it dates back to 2018, so wanted to make sure if there’s been any development on the topic.

Also, if its really not possible in 15 have some of you downloaded the beta versions of 16? if so, is it something that we will be able to do with the fall release ? Are there any other eBook apps that have these functionalities ?

Thanks for your answers !
 
you have to activate the mark up tools (see red arrow) from the menu bar after opening the book:

2E7F2B2C-E0F6-4748-8DDC-46E7A71B9BB4.jpeg
 
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this is probably an ePub book in your screen shot (?) - if a book is in that format you will not see the mark up tools in the menu bar -
but you should be able to mark a word/phrase/sentence with the pencil and then tip on the marked text to bring up a tool bar for color, comment bubbles, etc.

9A8E0958-9FF5-4C46-9CDB-559161AF4AD2.png


EDIT: yes, all screen shots are within Apple’s Books app, iPadOS 15.5 - but I think it works quite a while like that.
 
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Slartibart said:
this is probably an ePub book in your screen shot (?) - if a book is in that format you will not see the mark up tools in the menu bar -
but you should be able to mark a word/phrase/sentence with the pencil and then tip on the marked text to bring up a tool bar for color, comment bubbles, etc.

View attachment 2021128

EDIT: yes, all screen shots are within Apple’s Books app, iPadOS 15.5 - but I think it works quite a while like that.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks. it’s a n ebook that I downloaded from the book store within the books app. So I am guessing it’s in the ePub format.

The method you mentioned doesn’t need a pencil. I can do it without. And the notes are not handwritten. I am guessing what I am looking for still isn’t possible/available in the stock books app when using a boom in epub format. That’s sad.

Please do let me know if there are other ebook apps that allow me to annotate an epub book using Apple Pencil (handwritten notes etc..).

thanks.
 
if you activate drawing only with the pencil as well as Scribble in Settings > Apple Pencil, all editing works with the pencil for ePUBs. But you are right - there isn’t a way to freely doodle on a page canvas in an ePUB. Mainly because it’s a format which seems not support annotations within the ePUB file (AFAIK) - but where you can change e.g. the font on the fly etc..

If you have access to a laptop or desktop you can use Calibre to (batch) convert ePUBs to PDF (besides other things the program allows).
 
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