Is That a Bug? 5 reMarkable Quirks That Confuse Almost Everyone
Share
You're using your reMarkable and something doesn't work the way you expected.
Is it broken? Is it a setting you missed? Or is it just... how it works?
Here are the five most common sources of confusion — and what's actually going on.
1. Your Hyperlinks Aren't Working
You uploaded a hyperlinked PDF and the links aren't doing anything when you tap them.
What's going on: Hyperlinks in PDFs work on reMarkable — but only if the PDF was built with proper internal hyperlinks, not just visual elements that look like buttons.
The most common reason links don't work: the PDF was exported from a design tool like Canva or PowerPoint without embedding actual hyperlink data. It looks right but the links aren't there.
The fix: Make sure your PDF has real embedded hyperlinks — not just coloured boxes. If you're using a PlanPro template, the links are already properly embedded and will work on any reMarkable device.
2. Your Notes Stopped Syncing to the Cloud
You open the app on your phone and your latest notes aren't there. There's a little cloud icon with a line through it on your device.
What's going on: Two possible causes.
First — you might be on the free plan with more than 50 documents in your cloud. Once you hit the limit, older files stop syncing until you either delete some or upgrade to Connect.
Second — it's a Wi-Fi issue. reMarkable syncs only over Wi-Fi, not mobile data. If your device lost connection mid-sync, it'll pick up again next time it connects.
The fix: Check your Wi-Fi connection first. If that's fine, check how many documents you have in the cloud. Neither is a bug — both are by design.
3. Convert to Text Isn't Working on Your Document
You wrote notes on a PDF and now you want to convert them to text. But the option isn't there — or it's greyed out.
What's going on: Convert to Text only works on handwritten notebook pages — not on annotations written on top of a PDF.
This is one of the most common points of confusion on Reddit and it's not a bug. It's a deliberate limitation. When you annotate a PDF, your handwriting sits on top of the document as a layer — and reMarkable's conversion tool can't isolate it cleanly.
The fix: If you need typed text from your handwritten notes, write them in a notebook page instead of directly on a PDF. Then Convert to Text works perfectly.
4. Your Screen Has Ghost Images or Shadows
You're on a new page but you can still faintly see what was on the previous one. It looks like a ghost of the old content.
What's going on: This is called ghosting — and it's a normal characteristic of E Ink displays, not a defect.
E Ink works by moving charged particles to create an image. When the screen refreshes quickly, some particles don't fully reset and leave a faint trace of the previous image.
The fix: Do a full screen refresh. On reMarkable, swipe down from the top of the screen and tap the refresh icon. This forces a full reset of all the pixels and clears the ghost.
If it keeps happening frequently, go to Settings → Device → Screen refresh and increase the refresh rate.
5. Your PDF Is Slow to Load or Navigate
You open a large PDF planner and it takes a moment to load each page. Navigating feels sluggish.
What's going on: Large PDF files — especially ones with many pages, high-resolution images, or complex layouts — take more processing power to render on an E Ink display.
This is partly a device limitation and partly a file size issue. The reMarkable Paper Pure and Paper Pro handle this significantly better than the reMarkable 2 thanks to a faster processor.
The fix: If you're on a reMarkable 2, make sure your PDF is optimised — compressed file size, not overly high resolution. If you're on a newer device and still experiencing lag, try closing other open documents to free up memory.
A well-optimised hyperlinked planner should load quickly on any current reMarkable device.
One Thing Worth Knowing
Most of these aren't bugs. They're the edges of a deliberately focused device.
reMarkable does fewer things than most tablets — and the things it does, it does very well. Understanding where the edges are makes the whole experience less frustrating and more useful.
👉 If you're using a PDF planner and want one that's already optimised for reMarkable — properly embedded hyperlinks, compressed file size, tested on every device — browse PlanPro Templates.
Disclaimer: This content is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by reMarkable AS. "reMarkable" is a trademark of reMarkable AS, used here solely to indicate compatibility. Templates only — reMarkable device not included.
