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How to Read EPUB Files in Apple Books on iPhone, iPad, and Mac (2026)

Apple Books 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.

Alternative: If you receive the EPUB via AirDrop, tap Accept and select Books as the destination app.

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.

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.