reMarkable Notebook vs Quick Sheets: The Complete Guide (2026)

SHARE THIS POST

Sidebar Promo Card
Save 58%
reMarkable Bundle
5 Templates Included

UNLOCK YOUR REMARKABLE

Stop treating your device like a scratchpad. Get the Ultimate 2026 System designed for deep work.

Daily Weekly Daybook Infinite Notes
$116 $49
Get the Bundle
Paper Pro • Paper Pro Move • reMarkable 1 & 2

Table of Contents

reMarkable Notebook vs Quick Sheets: The Complete Guide (2026)

Guides & Tutorials

reMarkable Notebook vs Quick Sheets: The Complete Guide (2026)

You just unboxed your shiny new reMarkable Paper Pro. You turn it on, grab the stylus, and you are immediately faced with a choice: “New Notebook” or “Quick Sheet”? It seems like a trivial distinction, but understanding the difference between these two file types is the key to mastering digital organization. If you use them incorrectly, your device will quickly become a cluttered graveyard of lost ideas. But if you use them correctly, you can build a productivity system that rivals any computer.

In this guide, we will settle the **remarkable notebook vs quick sheets** debate once and for all. We will explain the technical differences, the intended workflows, and how to use the “Inbox Method” to keep your digital life organized in 2026.

remarkable notebook vs quick sheets workflow visualization
Think of Notebooks as your filing cabinet and Quick Sheets as the sticky notes on your desk.

The Core Difference: Structure vs Speed

To understand the **remarkable notebook vs quick sheets** distinction, you have to think about how you used paper in the real world.

  • Notebooks are like those spiral-bound journals you buy for school. You write “Math” or “History” on the cover. They have a specific purpose. You don’t write a grocery list in the middle of your history notes.
  • Quick Sheets are like the loose piece of scratch paper sitting next to your phone. When someone calls and gives you a number, you scribble it there. You don’t name the paper; you just write.

On the reMarkable, this translates to friction. Creating a Notebook requires multiple steps (Title > Template > Cover). Creating a Quick Sheet requires one tap.

What is a Quick Sheet? (The Scratchpad)

Technically, “Quick sheets” is just a standard notebook that the system creates automatically. However, it has unique behaviors that define the **remarkable notebook vs quick sheets** experience:

  • Instant Access: It usually sits at the very top of your file list or is accessible via a dedicated “+” button in the menu.
  • No Naming: You cannot rename the default Quick Sheets notebook easily, and you don’t need to.
  • Continuous Growth: Every time you tap the Quick Sheet button, it adds a new page to the end of the existing document. It does not create a new file.

Best Use Cases: Phone numbers, fleeting ideas, rough calculations, sketching while bored, or writing down a task you need to do immediately.

What is a Notebook? (The Project)

A Notebook is the primary file container on the device. When comparing **remarkable notebook vs quick sheets**, Notebooks are where 90% of your work should live.

  • Customizable: You choose the cover art and the internal template (Grid, Lined, Cornel, etc.) before you start writing.
  • Organized: Notebooks live inside Folders. You can have a “Work” folder containing “Q1 Strategy” and “Meeting Notes” notebooks.
  • Finite: Unlike the Quick Sheet which grows forever, a Notebook usually has a defined start and end topic.

Best Use Cases: Daily journaling, meeting minutes, project planning, long-form writing, and sketching masterpieces.

The “Inbox Zero” Workflow

The most powerful way to use your device is to combine both methods using the GTD (Getting Things Done) philosophy. Here is how the **remarkable notebook vs quick sheets** workflow operates in practice:

Step 1: Capture (Quick Sheets)

Throughout the day, whenever you have an idea or take a call, open Quick Sheets. Don’t think about where it belongs. Just write it down. This removes the friction of “filing” during your busy day.

Step 2: Process (Weekly Review)

At the end of the week, open your Quick Sheets notebook. Read through the new pages.
• If it’s a phone number, save it to your contacts and delete the page.
• If it’s a project idea, Move the page into your dedicated “Projects” notebook (see below).
• If it’s garbage, erase it.

This ensures your Quick Sheets never become a clutter monster, and your Notebooks remain pristine and focused. Productivity experts at Forte Labs call this “separating capture from organization.”

How to Move Pages (Technical Guide)

Many users don’t realize they can move pages between files. This feature is critical for the **remarkable notebook vs quick sheets** workflow.

  1. Open your Quick Sheets notebook.
  2. Tap the Page Overview button (the four squares icon).
  3. Long-press the page you want to move to select it.
  4. Tap Move in the top toolbar.
  5. Tap Move Out.
  6. Navigate to the destination Notebook (e.g., “Project Alpha”) and tap Move Here.

The page will disappear from Quick Sheets and appear in your Project notebook, keeping your history intact.

Which Should You Use?

The answer to the **remarkable notebook vs quick sheets** question is: Use Both.

  • Use Quick Sheets as your “Inbox.” It is for temporary, messy, unorganized thoughts.
  • Use Notebooks as your “Archive.” It is for permanent, structured, valuable knowledge.

If you try to use Notebooks for everything, you will waste time setting them up. If you use Quick Sheets for everything, you will never find anything again.

Structure Your Thoughts

A good workflow needs good templates. Download our pro-designed meeting and daily planning layouts.

Shop 2026 Template Bundle

SHARE THIS POST

Leave a Reply

Join the reMarkable Circle

Get exclusive reMarkable templates, productivity tips, and workflow guides designed to help you plan, write, and stay organized with your tablet.

Table of Contents

Sidebar Promo Card
Save 58%
reMarkable Bundle
5 Templates Included

UNLOCK YOUR REMARKABLE

Stop treating your device like a scratchpad. Get the Ultimate 2026 System designed for deep work.

Daily Weekly Daybook Infinite Notes
$116 $49
Get the Bundle
Paper Pro • Paper Pro Move • reMarkable 1 & 2