Open EPUB Files

To read an e-book that ends with the .EPUB file extension, install a free EPUB reader on your computer or mobile device. This popular open-source file type can also be converted to other formats, such as PDF (which can be read on almost any platform) and MOBI (Amazon Kindle). Learn how set up an EPUB reader, how to convert EPUB files to other formats, and how to get an EPUB onto your Kindle.

Steps

Using Google Play Books for Android

  1. Install Google Play Books from the Play Store. Play Books is a free e-book reader for Android that can read EPUB files.[1] Search the Play Store for “Play Books” and tap “Install” to get the app.
    • There are other options for EPUB readers available, but most have ads. Some popular alternatives are Aldiko Reader and FB Reader.[2]
  2. Email the EPUB file to your Android. If the EPUB file is on your computer, you’ll need to get it onto your Android. The most effective way to do this is to email yourself the file.
    • Open your email application (e.g., Gmail) and compose a new message. Enter your own email address into the “To” field.
    • Click the paperclip or “Attach” button and select the EPUB file. When you return to the new message, click “Send.”
    • Launch the email app on your Android and open the message you sent yourself.
    • Tap the attachment to download the file to your Android. Once downloaded, you’ll be able to access the file by tapping Downloads in the app tray.
  3. Open Google Play Books. Tap the Play Books icon on your app screen.
  4. Tap the ≡ at the top of the app. A menu will appear.
  5. Tap “Settings”. The Settings screen will appear, containing several options.
  6. Place a check next to “Enable PDF uploading.” This makes it possible to add both PDF and EPUB files.[3]
  7. Tap “Downloads” on your Apps screen. Now that you’ve made the necessary changes in Play Books, it’s time to get your EPUB into the app. A list of your downloads will appear.
  8. Tap the EPUB book in the Downloads folder. A menu that says “Complete action using” will appear.
  9. Select “Upload to Play Books.” If prompted, select “Always” to make Play Books your default EPUB reader.
  10. Read your e-book. When the book is finished uploading to Play Books, you’ll arrive at the “Uploads” folder in your library. Tap the book to start reading.
    • To see a list of your uploaded EPUB books next time you open Play Books, tap “My Library” and select “Uploads.”

Using iBooks for iOS and Mac

  1. Install iBooks from the App Store. iBooks is the official Apple e-book reader for Apple devices. Launch the App Store on your iPad, iPhone, or Mac and install iBooks.
    • There are many free EPUB readers available for iOS and Mac, but many are ad-supported. Use your best judgment when researching alternatives, and never install an app you haven’t researched.
  2. Launch iTunes on your computer. You’ll use iTunes to add your EPUB books to your iBooks library.
    • If the EPUB file is already on your iPhone or iPad, you can open it in iBooks
  3. Add the EPUB file to iTunes. Drag the EPUB file from its location on your computer to your iTunes library.[4]
    • Another way to do this is to click “File,” then select “Add file to library.” Select your EPUB file to add it to the library.
  4. View your books in iTunes. This varies depending on your version of iTunes. Click the icon that looks like a book at the top left area of iTunes (you may have to click the “…” button to see the icon), or select “Books” from the drop-down menu or sidebar (if active).
  5. Open your EPUB book in iBooks for Mac. If you want to read your e-book on your Mac, double-click the title in iTunes. The book will then appear in iBooks.
  6. Sync your iPhone or iPad with iTunes. To read the book in iBooks for iPhone or iPad, plug your device into the computer and sync with iTunes.
  7. Open the iBooks app on your iPhone or iPad. Now that your device is synced, you’ll be able to locate the EPUB book in the iBooks app.
  8. Tap the “My Books” icon at the bottom of the app. Now you should see all of the books included in your library, including the EPUB book you recently added.[5] Tap the name of the book to start reading!

Using Calibre on a Computer

  1. Download an EPUB reader app for your computer. There are many possible readers available for all computer platforms. Calibre is a widely-recommended free option for Windows, Mac, and Linux.[6] It’s also of the few free readers can also convert EPUB files to other formats.
  2. Double-click the Calibre installer. Follow the prompts to install Calibre on your computer.
  3. Click the “Add Books” icon. A menu will appear.
  4. Select “Add books from a single directory.” If your EPUB files are all in the same folder (or you only want to add one EPUB file), choose this option.[7]
    • If your EPUB files are organized into sub-folders, choose the “Add books from directories, including sub-directories” option that best fits your organizational structure. For example, if you have more than one e-book in various directories and each is a different e-book, choose “Multiple books per directory, assumes every ebook file is a different book.”
  5. Select the EPUB files to add them to your library. Click the file to select it, then click “Open” to add it to your library.
    • You can select more than one EPUB file at once by holding down ⌘ Cmd (Mac) or Ctrl (Windows) as you click.
  6. Double click on a book's title to read it in Calibre. The text will appear in the application.

Transferring an EPUB file to a Kindle

  1. Convert the EPUB to a MOBI file. Before an EPUB file can be read on a Kindle Fire or Paperwhite, you’ll need to convert the file to the MOBI format in a converter like Calibre. See Using Calibre on a Computer to learn how to install and add books to Calibre.
    • Other converters are available, and most work similarly to Calibre. Use caution if you decide to install an EPUB converter with which you are unfamiliar, as other free software downloads may contain adware.
  2. Select a book to convert to the Kindle format. Click to select the book(s) you want to convert.
  3. Click the “Convert Books” icon. An output screen will appear.
  4. Select “MOBI” from the “Output Format” menu.
  5. Click “OK.” The EPUB file is now available in both EPUB and MOBI formats. Converting the file will not affect the original EPUB file, but you’ll only see one entry in the library for both formats.
  6. Connect your Kindle to the computer via USB. Now you’ll prepare to copy the MOBI file to your Kindle.[8]
  7. Select the file in Calibre and click “Connect/Share”. A submenu will appear with several sharing options.
  8. Click “Connect to Folder.” A file browser will appear.
  9. Select the “Books” (Kindle Fire) or “Documents” (Paperwhite) folder on your Kindle. This is the folder where your Kindle books must be stored to be readable on your device.
  10. Click “OK.” The book will copy to your Kindle. It may take several moments to appear in your list of copied books on your Kindle.[9]

Using a Web Browser Add-On

  1. Visit your browser’s Add-On or Plugin Store. You can read EPUB files right in your web browser if you have the right browser plugin.
    • Chrome: Open Google Chrome and navigate to the Chrome Webstore.[10]
    • Firefox: Click the ≡ menu and select “Add-ons,” then select “Get Add-ons” in the left menu.[11]
  2. Search for “epub reader” in the search box. You will find several options to choose from, and most should be free. Be aware that most free browser add-ons and extensions are supported by advertisements.
    • A popular and reputable option for Firefox is “EPUBReader.”[12]
    • “Magicscroll” for Google Chrome is widely recommended and reputable.[12]
  3. Install the add-on or extension. Once you find a browser extension you want to install, click “Add to Firefox” or “Add to Chrome” to install it. After the installation, restart your web browser, if prompted.
  4. Click a link to an EPUB file to read it in your browser. Once the browser add-on is installed, clicking on an EPUB file on the web will immediately open the file as an e-book.

Converting an EPUB to PDF

  1. Save your EPUB file to a familiar folder. You can convert your EPUB file to several different file types, including PDF (which can be Open PDF Files). If you want the EPUB file to be readable on any device without having to install extra software (in most cases), convert it to a PDF.
    • If you have several EPUB files, you may want to move them all to the same folder to make it simple to convert multiple files.
    • See Reading an EPUB on a Kindle to learn how to convert an EPUB to the Kindle MOBI format with Calibre.
  2. Visit a free EPUB converter website. If you only need to convert one file, you can use a reputable EPUB conversion site like EPUB Converter. You can access a conversion site on both mobile and desktop devices.
  3. Click “EPUB to PDF Converter” in EPUB Converter. If you’re using Calibre, use Using Calibre on a Computer for the steps to add your EPUB to Calibre.
  4. Convert the file. The steps vary across converters:
    • EPUB Reader: Click “Add File” and select your EPUB file. Click “Start Upload.” The file will be converted automatically once the upload is complete.
    • Calibre: Click “Convert Books,” select “PDF” from the “Output Format” drop-down, then click “OK.”
  5. Click the download link on EPUB Reader. Skip this step if you’re using Calibre. The download link for your PDF file is listed beneath “Download Link,” right next to the name of the EPUB file.[13]
  6. Save the PDF to your desired location. If you download a PDF from EPUB Reader, save it to a location that you’ll remember so you can access it in your favorite PDF reader.
    • In Calibre, click the “PDF” link on the right panel next to “Formats” to open the PDF file in your default PDF reader.

Tips

  • Most readers do not support files protected by Digital Rights Management (DRM), such as books purchased from the Nook or Kindle store. To read DRM-protected EPUBs, you’ll have to remove DRM. While possible, this is not legal in most countries.
  • You can find free (non-DRM) EPUB books on sites like projectgutenberg.org and epubbooks.com.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/3097151?hl=en
  2. ↑ http://www.androidauthority.com/best-ebook-ereader-apps-for-android-170696/
  3. ↑ http://www.androidcentral.com/how-upload-your-own-file-google-play-books
  4. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201478
  5. ↑ http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-save-pdfs-ipad-iphone-ibooks/
  6. ↑ http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/five-apps/five-easy-to-use-desktop-ebook-readers/
  7. ↑ http://drsircus.com/how-to-add-and-read-a-book-on-calibre/
  8. ↑ https://askleo.com/how-do-i-get-a-mobi-ebook-onto-my-kindle/
  9. ↑ https://askleo.com/how-do-i-get-a-mobi-ebook-onto-my-kindle/
  10. ↑ https://support.google.com/chrome_webstore/answer/3060053?hl=en
  11. ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/find-and-install-add-ons-add-features-to-firefox
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/read-epub-ebooks-on-firefox-chrome/
  13. ↑ http://www.epubconverter.com/epub-to-pdf-converter/

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