KMate(Kindle Mate) Help & Manual

Notes, highlights, vocabulary learning, and knowledge management for Kindle readers

Frequently asked questions

Why can’t KMate connect to my Kindle?

All classic models: Touch / Voyage / Oasis/Paperwhite, etc.

Use a data-supported USB cable; the original cable is highly recommended.
When connected correctly, your Kindle will appear as a mounted volume named Kindle on your Mac. (On Windows, it shows like regular removable disk starting with Kindle )
When you click Connect Kindle, macOS will ask for permission on first use.
Please select the Kindle volume in the pop-up dialog.
Future connections will import automatically.
If you selected the wrong location by mistake, KMate will prompt you to reselect.
As a sandboxed app from the Mac App Store, KMate cannot auto-detect connections or sync automatically like Kindle Mate for Windows..

All new models released after 2022: Paperwhite / Colorsoft / Scribe

Use a data-capable USB cable (some cables only support charging). The original cable is recommended.
After connecting your Kindle to your Mac, wait a few seconds.
Your device will show a connected (Disconnect) icon.
Note: Newer Kindles do not show a volume or icon in Finder on Mac ((On Windows, it shows like regular removable disk starting with Kindle ).
KMate reads notes and highlights directly from these new models.
If you see a permission dialog designed for classic Kindles, your device is not connected properly.
Check your cable and USB connection.
If you confirm the connection is normal but KMate still fails to connect:
Make sure no other MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) apps are running,
including but not limited to:
- USB File Manager (Amazon)
- Android File Transfer
  MTP devices cannot be used by multiple apps at the same time.
  Close those apps, reconnect your Kindle, and sync again.

Can KMate sync my highlights and notes if I don’t have a Kindle device, or if my Kindle isn’t nearby?

Yes! All highlights and notes from your purchased books are automatically saved to the Amazon Kindle Cloud and synced across Kindle apps.

KMate supports direct sync from your Amazon account (recommended) or importing HTML files exported from the Kindle app.

Go to the KMate File menu or click Sync in the top-left corner, select Sync from Amazon, and follow the prompts to log in and authorize your account.

Note:

Amazon Cloud only saves highlights and notes for books you purchased from Amazon.

Personal documents sideloaded or sent via Send to Kindle are not stored in the cloud.

However, you can still export highlights and notes for all books (including personal documents) from the Kindle app and import them into KMate:

Open the Kindle app (iOS/Android) and go to any book.
Tap the book icon in the top toolbar (may be labeled Highlights, Notes, or Annotations).
Select Export and choose your preferred citation style.
In KMate, select Import Notes from Kindle App to manage them.

What is KMate?

KMate (formerly Kindle Mate, the Windows tool I created 10 years ago) is a desktop companion app for Kindle users. It imports and manages highlights, notes, and vocabulary from Kindle devices, Kindle apps, and Amazon Kindle Cloud. You can enrich words with dictionary definitions, organize content using tags and colors, and export to multiple formats.

KMate 3 is a redesigned, modern version built on years of iteration from KMate 1.3x.

Local-first & Privacy Friendly

All imported data is stored locally on your computer.
When importing from Amazon Kindle Cloud, the app only syncs highlights and notes; it does not access unrelated personal information.

Getting Started (Recommended Flow)

Import notes, highlights, and vocabulary from your Kindle device, Amazon Kindle Cloud, or files.
Review content in the Notes and Vocabulary views to confirm grouping.
Enrich vocabulary with dictionary definitions (Mdict / StarDict / Mobi / plain-text).
Organize using tags, colors, and search filters.
Export selected items or all content in your preferred format.

Import Options

Import from a Kindle Device (Auto)

Connect your Kindle to your computer, then use the import/sync feature to automatically load highlights, notes, and vocabulary.

Supports newer Kindle models using MTP (Paperwhite / Colorsoft / Scribe).
Supports older Kindle models (Touch / Voyage / Paperwhite / Oasis).
Duplicates are automatically detected and skipped where possible.

Import from Amazon Kindle Cloud

Merge highlights and notes across all your Kindle devices and apps. Import speed depends on your network and Amazon account status.

Import from Files (Manual)

Manually select Kindle clippings or vocabulary files. Useful if your device is not detected or you have existing exports.

Import from KMate 1.3x (Legacy)

Import your legacy database/data file into KMate 3 and continue where you left off.

Notes & Highlights

View and browse notes and highlights organized by book and author.
Local storage enables fast browsing even with large libraries.
Full-text search across all books.
Use colors and tags to build your own knowledge structure.

Sync Back to Kindle

Some sync-back features may be under development. KMate is primarily an importer, manager, and exporter.

Vocabulary Management & Learning

Track learning status (Learning / Mastered).
View words in context from your lookups.
Add or edit definitions manually.
Bulk-add definitions from custom dictionaries.

Add Dictionary Definitions

KMate supports Mdict, StarDict, Mobi, and plain-text dictionaries:

Go to Settings → Dictionary.
Add your dictionary files.
Select words and run Get definitions to populate in bulk.

Note: Definitions are for the Vocabulary view. Switch to Vocabulary to fetch definitions.

Organization: Tags, Colors & Navigation

Tags: Add and rename tags for notes and words.
Colors: Mark items with colors and clear them as needed.
Views: Switch between Notes and Vocabulary for fast access.

Search & Filters

Full-text search in Notes and Vocabulary.
Search history for repeated queries.
Filter by color, import batch, and more.

Export

Export selected items or all content. Available formats vary by content type.

Export Notes / Highlights

Text (custom)
Markdown
PDF
DOCX
XLSX
CSV

Export Vocabulary

Text (custom)
Markdown
Anki cards (CSV with HTML formatting)
PDF
DOCX
XLSX
CSV

Anki Tip

Configure front/back content (word, context, definition, book, author, time) before exporting to Anki.

Key Settings

Interface: Language, UI preferences.
Notes: Export and copy preferences.
Vocabulary: Learning workflow and export fields.
Dictionaries: Add and manage dictionaries.
Database: Local storage path (advanced).
Appearance: Dark mode, fonts (platform-dependent).

Account & Pro

KMate offers Free and Pro tiers. The Free version supports basic import and management; Pro unlocks advanced features and removes limits.

Troubleshooting

Kindle Not Detected

Reconnect the USB cable and unlock your device.
Use a different data-capable cable/port (some cables only charge).
On Windows, ensure MTP drivers are installed.
Fall back to file import if auto-detect fails.

Amazon Kindle Cloud Import Failed

Retry later (Amazon may require verification).
Switch networks or disable VPN/proxy.
Import directly from your Kindle device instead.

Duplicate Entries

May appear when importing from multiple sources due to metadata differences.
Use search and filters to review and clean up duplicates.

Privacy

KMate is local-first. All notes and vocabulary are stored on your device. When using Amazon Kindle Cloud import, it only retrieves reading notes and highlights — no unrelated personal data is collected.

More Features

Color-based categorization for quick review
Tag-based knowledge organization
Full-text search for large libraries
Dark mode and UI customization (platform-dependent)