Build a Kindle Scribe template in seven steps.
Each step has a specific output you can tick off before moving to the next.
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Step 1, set the canvas size
Open Figma, Affinity Designer, or any vector tool that exports PDF. Create a new file at 1860 x 2480 pixels (the Scribe panel resolution). This is the size that survives Send-to-Kindle without rescaling.
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Step 2, design the grid
Vertical lines at 0.75pt minimum, horizontal lines at the same. Margins of 80px around the page edge. Tap targets (any tappable area) at 60 x 60px minimum, with 16px breathing room around them.
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Step 3, write the type
Headers in 24-32pt, body in 11-14pt. Use a serif for headers if you want; e-ink renders serifs cleanly. Stay above #444 grey for any visible text element; lighter and it disappears under indoor lighting.
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Step 4, lay out the structure
Decide what goes where. A daily planner needs a date header, a time block (only if your readers actually use timed schedules), a tasks area, a notes block, and a small reflection prompt. Skip anything that doesn’t earn its place.
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Step 5, add hyperlinks
If your template has multiple pages (week navigator, month index), add internal hyperlinks. The Scribe handles hyperlinks reliably; test by exporting to PDF and tapping each link in Adobe Reader before pushing to the device.
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Step 6, export PDF with tags
File, Export, PDF. Enable ‘tagged PDF’ (preserves accessibility metadata). Disable any compression that might rasterise the text. Keep file size under 5MB if you can; smaller files render faster on the device.
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Step 7, install via Send-to-Kindle
Open the Send-to-Kindle desktop app, drag the PDF in. Within seconds the file lands in your Documents folder on the Scribe. Tap to open, write on it; annotations save automatically.
What works, what fails on the Scribe.
Templates that work
- Native panel sizing. Templates built at 1860 x 2480 keep their line weights crisp and never get rescaled by the device.
- One template per use. A daily planner OR a meeting note, not both. Trying to be everything makes the design bloated.
- Hyperlinks tested before install. Test in Adobe Reader on desktop first; a broken link on the device is the most common abandonment reason.
Templates that fail
- A4 PDFs. A standard A4 page is 1240 x 1754 pixels at 150 DPI. The Scribe will rescale it on every page turn, the line weights drift, and tap targets shift.
- Light greys. Anything lighter than #444 disappears under typical indoor light. This includes calendar shading, footer chrome, and decorative borders.
- Tap targets under 60 pixels. Stylus tip is roughly 1mm; tap targets need to be visible AND hittable without precision aim.
Three vector tools that export Scribe-clean PDFs.
Figma
Free tier is enough. Set the frame to 1860 x 2480, design, then File, Export Frames, PDF. Hyperlinks need a plugin (Brevity Linker or similar) since native Figma PDF export skips them.
Affinity Designer
One-time $70. Native hyperlink support, exports tagged PDFs cleanly, runs on macOS/Windows. The recommended tool if your templates have multi-page navigation.
Inkscape
Open source. Steeper learning curve than Figma, but PDF export and hyperlinks are first-class. Good fit for technical users who prefer not to live in subscription tools.
Why we built our own Scribe template set.
After designing roughly forty Scribe templates and watching readers abandon most of them by week three, the pattern that survived was the small-set rule: four templates total, used daily, no rotation churn. The Templacity Kindle Scribe bundle is that small set, sized to the panel, with hyperlinks that survive Send-to-Kindle.
If you’d rather build your own from scratch, this guide is the methodology we use internally. Cross-reference with our Scribe vs reMarkable comparison if you’re still picking which device to design for; the panel sizes are different and a reMarkable template will not render cleanly on a Scribe.