Quick answer
Use reading progress when it is the shortest path to the place you want.
Progress shows how far you have moved through a book or document.
Do not use it when
Another tool already matches what you know better. Progress can mean different things in reflowable text and fixed pages.
Example
If you remember the word “photosynthesis,” search is faster than contents. If you remember “Chapter 6,” contents is faster than search.
Simple rule
Use words for search, structure for contents, chosen places for bookmarks, last place for progress, and recent books for history.
Detailed troubleshooting checklist
Work through the problem in this order: first check reading progress itself, then the app, then Android or the device. Keeping that order prevents you from changing many things when only one part is wrong.
- Change one setting at a time.
What to remember
The answer does not need to be complicated. The useful result is that you can choose the fastest navigation method for the task without repeating the same setup every time.
Practical reminder
Use the smallest fix that gives a clear result with reading progress. Then close the app or put the material away and repeat the same task later. If it still works without extra setup, you have a reliable solution.
Run one complete real-world test
For “When reading progress is the right tool”, finish the test by closing the reader and starting again. A good solution should still make sense when you return without remembering every setup step.
- For “When reading progress is the right tool”, remove duplicate or vague bookmarks that make the return path slower instead of faster.
- Save one bookmark or history point, close the book, and return to it from a fresh start.
- Use a distinctive phrase as well as a common word to see how the search behaves in both cases.
What a good result looks like
For “When reading progress is the right tool”, navigation is useful when you can find the right passage and come back later without remembering exactly where it was.
For this guide, stop adjusting once the workflow for “When reading progress is the right tool” is clear, repeatable, and easier than the problem you started with.