Highlight the web, together

Underline and annotate articles, papers, and docs right on the page. Private by default โ€” share only what you choose with your group.

Add Trace to Chrome
Free ยท works locally without an account ยท no remote code

Running a reading group?

If you lead a book club, study group, or journal club, Trace keeps it moving on "where people underlined" โ€” not just "who finished".

  1. Create a group and drop one invite link in your chat (valid 14 days, revocable anytime)
  2. Members read the same piece, highlight, and share only what they pick
  3. Open the same page and everyone's highlighters overlap โ€” the discussion points are ready before you meet
"In the end, what matters is compounding time" โ€” Jane ยท 3 days ago ยท 2 more on this paragraph

The basics

๐Ÿ– Highlight anywhere

Web pages, local HTML (file://), even localhost. 3 colors + notes + image attachments.

๐Ÿ“Œ Still there when you return

Highlights restore in place on revisit. Dynamic pages and SPAs re-anchor by context.

๐Ÿ”’ Private by default

Nothing is uploaded unless you sign in. Sync across devices, share per highlight.

๐Ÿ‘ฅ Group trail

See the pages your group recently highlighted, at a glance.

Frequently asked questions

What is Trace?

Trace is a Chrome extension โ€” a web highlighter with shared notes. You highlight and annotate any web page, and everything stays on your device by default. If you sign in, you can sync across devices and share selected highlights with a group.

How do I use Trace with my book club or study group?

Create a group in the extension and drop one invite link in your group chat. Members read the same article or paper, highlight as they go, and share only what they pick. When you open the same page, everyone's highlights overlap โ€” the discussion points are ready before you meet.

Is my data private?

Yes. By default nothing leaves your device โ€” no account needed. Data is uploaded only if you sign in (for cross-device sync), and shared with a group only for the highlights you explicitly choose. Nothing is sold or passed to third parties.

Does it work on local files?

Trace works on regular web pages, local HTML files (file://), and localhost. Chrome's built-in PDF viewer is not supported. For file:// pages, enable "Allow access to file URLs" for Trace in Chrome's extension settings.

How much does Trace cost?

Trace is free. It works locally without an account, and there is no remote code โ€” everything ships in the extension bundle.