reMarkable Sync for Obsidian: Sync Your Handwritten Notes as High-Fidelity PDFs
If you use a reMarkable tablet and Obsidian for note-taking, you've probably wanted a way to bring your handwritten notes into your vault. reMarkable Sync is a free, open-source Obsidian plugin that does exactly that — syncing your reMarkable Paper Pro documents as high-fidelity PDFs with full support for all pen types, colors, text, and layers.
What it does
reMarkable Sync connects directly to the reMarkable Cloud API and downloads your documents, rendering them as pixel-perfect PDFs inside your Obsidian vault. Unlike simple screenshot exports, the plugin renders each pen stroke with calibrated colors, widths, and opacity — preserving the look and feel of your original handwriting.
Key highlights
- Direct Cloud Sync — connects to reMarkable Cloud API, no USB or third-party service needed
- High-fidelity PDF rendering — all 9 pen types with calibrated colors, widths, and opacity
- Full color support — 14 colors including shader and highlighter
- Text rendering — headings, bold, bullets, checkboxes, and numbered lists
- Layered drawing — preserves layer ordering from your reMarkable documents
- Incremental sync — only downloads changed documents
- Auto-sync — configurable interval for hands-free operation
- Annotated PDFs — merges annotations with the original PDF background
Supported pen types
The plugin faithfully renders all 9 reMarkable pen types:
Each pen is rendered with its specific characteristics — the ballpoint has slight pressure variation, the marker has wider strokes with lower opacity, and the highlighter uses a semi-transparent overlay. This means your synced PDFs look almost identical to what you see on the reMarkable screen.
Free and open source
reMarkable Sync is completely free under the GNU General Public License v3.0. There are no premium tiers, no subscriptions, and no hidden costs. The full source code is available on GitHub.
If you find the plugin useful, you can support its development by buying the developer a coffee. Contributions to the codebase are also welcome — check the GitHub repository for contribution guidelines.
How to install
- Download
remarkable-sync.zipfrom the latest GitHub release. - Extract it — you'll get a
remarkable-sync/folder. - Copy that folder into
<vault>/.obsidian/plugins/. - Open Obsidian Settings > Community Plugins > Enable "reMarkable Sync".
- Go to the plugin settings and authenticate with your reMarkable account.
Note: This is a desktop-only plugin (requires Obsidian desktop app on Windows, macOS, or Linux).
Authentication
- Go to my.remarkable.com/device/desktop/connect to get a one-time code.
- Enter the code in the plugin settings (Obsidian Settings > reMarkable Sync).
- Auth tokens are stored locally at
~/.remarkable-sync/token.json.
Usage
- Click the tablet icon in the Obsidian ribbon to sync.
- Or use the command palette: reMarkable Sync: Sync now.
- Documents are saved as PDFs in your configured vault subfolder (default:
reMarkable/). - Enable auto-sync in settings for hands-free operation (configurable interval, default 5 minutes).
Why reMarkable Sync?
There are a few ways to get reMarkable documents into Obsidian, but most involve manual exports or third-party services. Here's why reMarkable Sync stands out:
Compared to manual export
- No manual step — sync happens automatically or with one click
- Higher fidelity — renders all pen types with correct characteristics
- Incremental — only re-downloads changed documents
Compared to third-party services
- No middleman — connects directly to reMarkable Cloud
- No subscription fees — completely free and open source
- Your data stays local — auth tokens stored on your machine
- Full transparency — source code available for audit
Contributing
Contributions are welcome! The project is on GitHub. You can:
- Fork the repository and submit pull requests
- Report bugs with reproduction steps, your Obsidian version, and OS
- Suggest features via GitHub Issues
Get reMarkable Sync
Download the plugin for free from GitHub. Sync your reMarkable documents to Obsidian in minutes.
FAQ
Is reMarkable Sync free?
Yes! reMarkable Sync is completely free and open source under the GPL-3.0 license. There are no premium features, subscriptions, or hidden costs. You can optionally support development by buying the developer a coffee.
What reMarkable devices are supported?
The plugin works with all reMarkable devices that sync to the reMarkable Cloud, including the reMarkable Paper Pro. It connects to the reMarkable Cloud API to download your documents.
Does it work on Obsidian mobile?
No, reMarkable Sync is a desktop-only plugin. It requires the Obsidian desktop app on Windows, macOS, or Linux. This is because it needs local file system access and direct API communication.
How accurate is the PDF rendering?
The plugin renders all 9 pen types (Ballpoint, Fineliner, Marker, Pencil, Mechanical Pencil, Calligraphy Pen, Paintbrush, Highlighter, and Shader) with calibrated colors, widths, and opacity. It supports all 14 colors and preserves layer ordering, producing PDFs that closely match what you see on your reMarkable screen.