Does highlighting actually help you remember?

Quick answer

The claim: highlighting and annotating while reading is a waste of time. Others swear by it. Research leans toward the skeptics, with one big exception.

What 125x is: 125x is a web app at 125x.app. You connect your YouTube subscriptions, and it gives you a feed of the latest videos from the channels you follow, each with a summary: a verdict, the 5 key takeaways, and the spoiler, plus Actionable and Lessons tabs with more tips. You read that and decide what's actually worth opening.

Open 125x

What research says

A 2013 review of ten common study techniques rated highlighting and underlining as low utility. Practice testing and spaced practice came out on top (a 2013 review of study techniques).

Why highlights feel useful

Marking a line feels like doing something.
Highlighting too much makes everything look important.
Most highlights are never looked at again.

The exception: highlights you use

Highlight to find things later, then review them.
Export Kindle highlights and turn a few into notes. See export Kindle highlights.
Write a one-line note in your own words beside the best ones.

FAQ: questions people ask

Does highlighting help you learn?

A 2013 research review rated it low utility. Reviewing and testing yourself on what you marked works better.

Should I highlight fiction?

It's personal. Many readers find it distracting for novels read once for fun.

What should I do with Kindle highlights?

Export them, keep the best few, and rewrite them in your own words.