Readwise Reader Getting Started Guide
Based on Knowledge Work Nexus's video on YouTube. If you like this content, support the original creators by watching, liking and subscribing to their content.
Log into read.readwise.io and configure email imports so content can be captured by forwarding to read@readwise.io.
Briefing
Readwise Reader is built around fast triage and keyboard-driven reading: items land in an inbox, then users quickly decide whether to shortlist, read later, archive, or delete—while highlights and tags stay attached for future search. The workflow matters because it turns scattered saved content (newsletters, web pages, PDFs, and uploaded files) into a single system where “what to read next” becomes manageable, even when reading volume is high.
Getting started begins with logging into the Readwise web app at read.readwise.io. From there, the account can be configured to accept imports from multiple email addresses. In the dashboard under Import → Email Import, users can add additional forwarding addresses so anything sent to read@readwise.io from those accounts can be captured automatically. There’s also a dedicated Readwise email address for sending from non-associated sources, reducing the need to remember a more complex address. This setup is positioned as a one-time step that makes ongoing capture frictionless.
Once content is in the Reader inbox, the interface uses a long blue bar and a blue dot to signal reading status. The long blue bar indicates the currently selected item for keyboard shortcuts, while the blue dot marks items that haven’t been opened yet. Users can open items, apply shortcuts, and move content into different lists: “Shortlist” for items intended to be read quickly, “Later” for postponed reading, and “Archive” for keeping items searchable without immediate reading. Deletion is also part of the flow, but with an important constraint: highlighted items can’t be deleted and must be archived instead.
The guide then shows how to feed content into Readwise. One common method is saving a web page directly from the browser using a “Save page to Reader” option. After saving, the Reader import page supports auto-highlighting, tagging, and notes, and the article renders in a reading view designed for navigation with keyboard arrows. A blue progress bar doubles as a tagging aid: users can jump to sections and tag paragraphs quickly. Another method is email capture—forwarding emails from Gmail to read@readwise.io. To automate newsletter capture, users can create a Gmail filter that forwards matching messages to Readwise and then deletes them from the inbox, supporting an “inbox zero” style routine.
Additional intake options include subscribing to newsletters via Readwise’s apps/import area, using the Readwise highlighter (installed on the user’s device), and uploading files such as PDFs through drag-and-drop. Inside the library, items can be sorted by fields like author, category, last move, last published, date saved, length, progress, or title, and users can track reading progress with an on-screen progress indicator.
Finally, interacting with an article is shown through granular highlighting and tagging (including tagging images), plus the ability to archive items after making highlights. Search is treated as a core capability: users can search by names such as “Daniel Doylen” (including private beta updates) and quickly locate saved content. The overall message is that Readwise Reader turns capture + triage + retrieval into a single, keyboard-friendly loop.
Cornell Notes
Readwise Reader is organized for speed: saved items arrive in an inbox, then keyboard shortcuts help users triage them into Shortlist, Later, Archive, or delete. Reading status is visible through a long blue selection bar and a blue dot for unopened items. Capture is streamlined by configuring email imports (forwarding to read@readwise.io) and by saving web pages directly into Reader, where auto-highlighting, tagging, and notes can be applied. Once inside, articles support keyboard navigation, paragraph tagging, image tagging, and a reading progress bar. Search and sorting across the library make it easier to retrieve highlighted and tagged material later, even when reading volume is high.
How does Readwise Reader indicate which items are selected and which ones haven’t been opened yet?
What’s the practical difference between Shortlist, Later, and Archive in the Reader workflow?
What setup makes email capture work smoothly for newsletters and other messages?
How can web content be saved into Readwise for reading and tagging?
What interaction tools are available when reading an imported article?
How does the library help users find and manage large amounts of saved content?
Review Questions
- What visual indicators in the Reader inbox tell you which item will be affected by keyboard shortcuts and whether it has been opened?
- Why can’t highlighted items be deleted, and what action should replace deletion?
- Describe two different ways to get content into Readwise Reader (one web-based and one email-based) and how each supports tagging or organization.
Key Points
- 1
Log into read.readwise.io and configure email imports so content can be captured by forwarding to read@readwise.io.
- 2
Use the inbox’s blue selection bar and blue dot to triage items quickly before deciding Shortlist, Later, Archive, or delete.
- 3
Shortlist is for fast reading, Later is for postponed reading, and Archive keeps items searchable without immediate reading.
- 4
Highlighted items can’t be deleted; archive is the safe way to keep them while removing them from active reading.
- 5
Save web pages directly into Reader and use auto-highlighting, tagging, and notes during import for a smoother reading workflow.
- 6
Forward emails (including newsletters) to read@readwise.io using Gmail filters to automate capture and support inbox zero.
- 7
Inside the library, sort and search across saved content using fields like progress, date saved, and title, then retrieve items efficiently later.