Craft (craft.do) is a modern document and note-taking app for Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Windows. It's known for its beautiful block-based editor, nested document structure, and first-class linking between documents. Craft is popular with writers, designers, product managers, and researchers who want a polished alternative to Notion or Bear. Documents can be exported as PDF, Markdown, Word, or shared as a live web link.

How do I add reading highlights to Craft?

The most common pipeline: convert PDF to EPUB → read and annotate in Readwise Reader or Apple Books → export highlights. From Readwise, export as Markdown and paste into a Craft document, or use Readwise's Craft integration (Readwise can export to Craft via its Markdown export + Craft's Markdown import). From Apple Books, highlights can be shared via the iOS/macOS Share sheet directly to Craft. Kobo highlights export as CSV and can be reformatted as Craft blocks.

Does Craft support PDF attachments?

Yes — Craft documents can include PDF attachments. You can drag a PDF into a Craft document, and it appears as an embedded file block that can be opened in Preview or PDF Expert for annotation. However, Craft doesn't have a built-in PDF annotation layer. The recommended workflow for heavy reading is to convert to EPUB, annotate in a dedicated reader, and bring highlights back to Craft as text blocks.

How is Craft different from Notion or Bear for reading workflows?

Craft is Apple-native with an emphasis on beautiful formatting and nested document structure. Notion is web-first and database-centric, better for structured workflows with tables and views. Bear is minimal and focused on quick note-taking with tags. For reading workflows, all three work well as the destination for highlights — the choice depends on where you already do your writing and project work. Readwise integrates with all three.

Can I use Craft for academic research and writing?

Yes — Craft is used by researchers, journalists, and non-fiction writers for long-form writing projects. Its nested document structure (documents inside documents) maps well to a thesis or book structure. The block-based editor makes it easy to move sections around. For academic citation, Craft doesn't have built-in reference management — use Zotero alongside Craft and paste citations manually, or use a Zotero-to-Craft copy workflow.

Craft Docs Workflow: Convert PDFs to EPUB for Annotated Reading Before Adding to Your Craft Space (2026)

Updated June 2026 · Research

Craft is a polished, block-based document app for Apple and Windows, popular with writers, designers, and researchers who want a beautiful alternative to Notion or Bear. Like other PKM tools, most source material arrives as PDF. Converting to EPUB first, annotating in Readwise Reader or Apple Books, and bringing highlights into Craft as linked note blocks gives you a clean reading-to-writing pipeline.

Craft reading and research pipeline

Step	Tool	Output
1. Find source PDF	Academia.edu, JSTOR, SSRN, web	PDF file
2. Convert to EPUB	toolkit.bot	EPUB file
3. Read and annotate	Apple Books / Readwise Reader	Highlights + tags
4. Export highlights	Readwise Markdown export / Apple Books share	Markdown or text
5. Add to Craft	Craft — paste as blocks or Markdown import	Linked source document
6. Write in Craft	Craft — nest under project document	Draft with linked source notes

Craft vs other Apple-first PKM tools for reading

Tool	Best for	Readwise integration	Platform
Craft	Beautiful structured documents, projects	Markdown export → import	Apple + Windows
Bear	Quick notes, minimal writing	Markdown export → paste	Apple only
Apple Notes	Inbox, quick capture	Share sheet	Apple only
Obsidian	Linked notes graph, researchers	Native plugin	All platforms
Notion	Databases, teams, structured data	Native integration	All platforms

Frequently asked questions

What is Craft Docs?: Craft (craft.do) is a modern document and note-taking app for Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Windows. It's known for its beautiful block-based editor, nested document structure, and first-class linking between documents. Craft is popular with writers, designers, product managers, and researchers who want a polished alternative to Notion or Bear. Documents can be exported as PDF, Markdown, Word, or shared as a live web link.
How do I add reading highlights to Craft?: The most common pipeline: convert PDF to EPUB → read and annotate in Readwise Reader or Apple Books → export highlights. From Readwise, export as Markdown and paste into a Craft document, or use Readwise's Craft integration (Readwise can export to Craft via its Markdown export + Craft's Markdown import). From Apple Books, highlights can be shared via the iOS/macOS Share sheet directly to Craft. Kobo highlights export as CSV and can be reformatted as Craft blocks.
Does Craft support PDF attachments?: Yes — Craft documents can include PDF attachments. You can drag a PDF into a Craft document, and it appears as an embedded file block that can be opened in Preview or PDF Expert for annotation. However, Craft doesn't have a built-in PDF annotation layer. The recommended workflow for heavy reading is to convert to EPUB, annotate in a dedicated reader, and bring highlights back to Craft as text blocks.
How is Craft different from Notion or Bear for reading workflows?: Craft is Apple-native with an emphasis on beautiful formatting and nested document structure. Notion is web-first and database-centric, better for structured workflows with tables and views. Bear is minimal and focused on quick note-taking with tags. For reading workflows, all three work well as the destination for highlights — the choice depends on where you already do your writing and project work. Readwise integrates with all three.
Can I use Craft for academic research and writing?: Yes — Craft is used by researchers, journalists, and non-fiction writers for long-form writing projects. Its nested document structure (documents inside documents) maps well to a thesis or book structure. The block-based editor makes it easy to move sections around. For academic citation, Craft doesn't have built-in reference management — use Zotero alongside Craft and paste citations manually, or use a Zotero-to-Craft copy workflow.