Symptoms
A note opens fine and the transcription is there, but the Live Highlights button doesn't appear in the toolbar (or pressing H does nothing). Or: highlight mode works, but some lines show one full-line box instead of individual word boxes.
Possible causes
Live Highlights needs a reliable map between the writing on your photo and the text. When that map can't be built confidently, the mode is hidden rather than shown wrong — we'd rather give you no highlights than misleading ones. That happens when:
- The page's layout couldn't be recognized clearly — faint writing, unusual layouts, text at many angles, or very little text on the page.
- The note was created before Live Highlights existed (mid-2026) — older notes don't have the map yet.
A line showing a single full-line box (instead of per-word boxes) is normal, not a bug: that line's words couldn't be mapped individually, so the whole line stays tappable — with Copy and Edit for the full line.
How to fix
- The transcription panel always works — the first toolbar button gives you the full text with word count, regardless of highlights.
- For a new page you're about to add: a brighter, flatter photo with the page filling the frame gives the line-mapper its best chance.
- There is currently no manual "regenerate highlights" button for an existing note — the map is built when the note is created.
When to contact support
If freshly created notes with clear, well-lit, text-rich pages consistently lack the highlights button, email support@sanddune.ai with the note's date and title. Older notes missing highlights is expected for now; if you have an archive you'd love highlighted, tell us — it helps us prioritize backfilling.