How to Read EPUB Files in Apple Books (formerly iBooks) on iPhone, iPad, and Mac
Apple Books — called iBooks until the 2019 rename — is the built-in reading app on every iPhone, iPad, and Mac. It fully supports EPUB files — with adjustable font, night mode, colour themes, annotations, bookmarks, and iCloud sync across all your Apple devices. If you convert a PDF to EPUB using toolkit.bot, you can open it directly in Apple Books with no cables, no third-party app, and no account required.
This guide covers how to add EPUBs to Apple Books, how to make the most of its reading features, and why EPUB is better than PDF for long-form reading on Apple devices.
Apple Books vs Other EPUB Readers on Apple Devices
| App | Platform | EPUB support | Annotations | Offline | iCloud sync |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Books | iOS / iPadOS / macOS | Full (EPUB 2 & 3) | Yes (colour-coded) | Yes | Yes (native) |
| Readwise Reader | iOS / Android / Web | Yes | Yes (with AI) | Yes | Yes (Readwise cloud) |
| Kindle app | iOS / Android | No (Kindle format only) | Yes | Yes | Yes (Amazon) |
| Kobo app | iOS / Android | Yes | Yes | Yes | Via Kobo account |
| Moon+ Reader | Android only | Yes | Yes | Yes | Google Drive / Dropbox |
| Thorium Reader | macOS / Windows / Linux | Yes (EPUB 3) | Yes | Yes | No |
How to Add an EPUB to Apple Books on iPhone or iPad
- Convert your PDF to EPUB using toolkit.bot — download the EPUB file to your device (tap Download in Safari, or receive by email or AirDrop).
- In the Files app or Mail app, tap the EPUB file.
- A preview opens. Tap the Share button (box with arrow) in the top right.
- In the share sheet, tap Copy to Books (or Open in Books).
- Apple Books opens with the file added to your library instantly.
From Mail or another app: tap the EPUB attachment to download it, then tap Share → Copy to Books.
Via AirDrop: tap Accept and select Books as the destination app.
If Books is your default EPUB handler, tapping the file in Files opens it in Books directly; if another app claims it, use Share → Copy to Books instead.
How to Add an EPUB to Apple Books on Mac
- Download the EPUB file to your Mac from toolkit.bot (click Download in Safari or Firefox).
- In Finder, double-click the EPUB file — it opens in Apple Books automatically.
- Alternatively, open Apple Books, go to File → Add to Library, and select the EPUB.
- Or drag the EPUB from Finder directly into the Books window.
- The book syncs to your iPhone and iPad via iCloud within seconds.
Syncing EPUBs across all your Apple devices
Once an EPUB is in Apple Books on one device it syncs to the others automatically, as long as:
- You are signed in to the same Apple ID on every device
- iCloud Drive is enabled (Settings → your name → iCloud → iCloud Drive)
- Books sync is on (Settings → Books → iCloud)
Reading position, bookmarks and highlights sync as well. If a book is missing on one device, these three switches are the first thing to check.
Converting a PDF to EPUB for Apple Books
PDFs open in Apple Books too, but without font resizing or text reflow. Convert first: go to toolkit.bot/pdf2epub in Safari on your iPhone or iPad or in any Mac browser, upload the PDF (conversion takes 15–60 seconds), download the EPUB, then Copy to Books on iOS or double-click on the Mac. The EPUB opens in Books with full font control, dark mode, highlights and iCloud sync.
Apple Books Reading Features for Academic and Long-Form Reading
- Font and size: tap the Aa button to adjust font family, size, bold weight, and spacing — useful for academic PDFs converted to EPUB.
- Background colour: choose from white, sepia, grey, or night (true dark) — night mode applies cleanly to EPUB reflowable text.
- Highlights: press and hold any word, extend selection, tap Highlight. Choose from five colours: yellow, green, blue, pink, or purple. Useful for colour-coding by theme.
- Notes: tap a highlight and select Note to add a text annotation inline — appears as a sticky note icon on the page.
- Bookmarks: tap the ribbon icon at the top right to bookmark any page.
- Table of contents: tap the list icon to jump to any chapter or section — particularly useful for long converted documents like government reports or textbooks.
- iCloud sync: your reading position, highlights, and bookmarks sync across all Apple devices automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Apple Books support EPUB files?
Yes. Apple Books is a full-featured EPUB reader. It supports EPUB 2 and EPUB 3 files, reflowable text, custom fonts, adjustable font size and weight, background colour (white, sepia, grey, night), annotations and highlights with colour coding, bookmarks, and iCloud sync across all your Apple devices. Converting a PDF to EPUB and opening it in Apple Books gives you the full reading experience with all these features.
How do I open an EPUB file in Apple Books on iPhone?
Download the EPUB file to your iPhone (e.g., from the Files app, Safari, or an email attachment). Tap the file — iOS will show a share sheet. Tap 'Open in Books' or 'Copy to Books'. The EPUB appears immediately in your Apple Books library. Alternatively, tap the Share button on any EPUB file and select Books from the share sheet.
How do I open an EPUB file in Apple Books on Mac?
On Mac, double-click the EPUB file in Finder — it opens directly in Apple Books. Alternatively, drag the EPUB file into the Books window. You can also open Books, go to File → Add to Library, and select the EPUB file. The book then appears in your Books library and syncs to your iPhone and iPad via iCloud.
Does Apple Books sync EPUB files across iPhone, iPad, and Mac?
Yes, via iCloud. When you add an EPUB to Apple Books on any device, it syncs to your other Apple devices automatically (if iCloud Drive and iCloud Books are enabled in Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud). Your highlights, bookmarks, and reading position also sync across devices.
What is the difference between reading an EPUB in Apple Books vs leaving it as a PDF?
PDF files in Apple Books are rendered as fixed-layout pages — you zoom and pan rather than reflow. EPUB files reflow to any font size and adapt to the screen width, making text much more readable on a phone or iPad without zooming. Night mode applies cleanly to EPUB text; on PDFs it may only invert colour rather than rendering in a true dark theme. For long-form reading, EPUB is significantly more comfortable than PDF in Apple Books.
Related: Best EPUB reader apps for iPhone · Send EPUB to Apple Books · PDF to EPUB on iPad · Reading PDFs on Kindle