BOOX EPUB Guide: Every Model, Transfer Methods and PDF Conversion (2026)
BOOX devices run full Android, so every reading app works alongside the built-in NeoReader, and every model — from the phone-sized Palma to the 13.3-inch Tab X — reads EPUB natively. This is the single guide for the whole range: which model has what screen, colour and stylus, every way to get an EPUB onto the device, how to annotate, and why PDFs are better converted to EPUB before you read them on BOOX.
BOOX Models Compared
ONYX sells BOOX in four families. Palma and Go are pocket readers without a stylus; Page sits between them; Go 10.3 and the Note Air series are stylus note-takers; Tab models add tablet features such as a rear camera and faster processors. All of them run Android with the Google Play Store, and EPUB reading is identical across the range — text reflows to whatever screen you have.
| Model | Screen | Colour | Stylus | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOOX Palma / Palma 2 | 6.13 in, 300 ppi | No | No | Phone-sized pocket reader with physical page-turn buttons; Palma 2 adds a faster octa-core processor and a fingerprint sensor |
| BOOX Go 6 | 6 in, 300 ppi | No | No | Lightest entry-level reader |
| BOOX Go 7 | 7 in, 300 ppi | No | No | Entry-level everyday reading |
| BOOX Go Color 7 | 7 in, 300 ppi mono / 150 ppi colour | Yes (Kaleido 3) | No | Illustrated EPUBs and comics in a pocketable size |
| BOOX Page | 7 in, 300 ppi | No | No | Portable everyday reading |
| BOOX Go 10.3 | 10.3 in, 227 ppi | No | Yes | Large-screen reading and note-taking without the Tab extras |
| BOOX Note Air 2 / Air 2 Plus | 10.3 in, 227 ppi | No | Yes (Wacom EMR, 4096 levels) | Monochrome A4 PDFs and margin notes |
| BOOX Note Air 3 C | 10.3 in, 300 ppi mono / 150 ppi colour | Yes (Kaleido 3) | Yes (included) | Colour annotation, academics |
| BOOX Note Air 4 C | 10.3 in, 300 ppi mono / 150 ppi colour | Yes (Kaleido 3) | Yes (included) | Current colour note-taker |
| BOOX Tab Mini C | 7.8 in, 300 ppi mono / 150 ppi colour | Yes (Kaleido 3) | Yes | Compact colour tablet |
| BOOX Tab Ultra | 10.3 in, 227 ppi | No | Yes | Tablet-style multitasking; 16 MP rear camera for scanning documents |
| BOOX Tab Ultra C / Ultra C Pro | 10.3 in, 300 ppi mono / 150 ppi colour | Yes (Kaleido 3) | Yes (included) | Colour reading plus productivity apps; rear camera |
| BOOX Tab X | 13.3 in, 207 ppi | No | Yes (included) | A4-size documents at full size |
Kaleido 3 colour panels show black-and-white text at full resolution and colour at half that, so colours look muted next to a tablet but are far better than greyscale for charts, comics and highlighted textbooks. On the Palma, Go and Page, which have no stylus, annotation is touch-only: long-press to select text, then tap Highlight or Note. None of the BOOX models has a cellular radio — the Palma looks like a phone but is Wi-Fi only.
How to Transfer EPUBs to BOOX
Every method below works on every BOOX model. NeoReader indexes anything placed in the Books folder; other apps such as KOReader can open files from any folder.
Method 1: USB-C Cable
- Connect your BOOX to a computer with the supplied USB-C cable.
- On the BOOX, swipe down the notification bar and tap USB Charging → File Transfer (MTP).
- The BOOX appears as a drive. Drag your EPUB to the Books folder (or any subfolder you prefer).
- Open NeoReader — tap Library → Local Storage. Tap Scan if the file has not appeared yet.
Method 2: BOOX Push (Wi-Fi, from anywhere)
- Sign in to your BOOX account on the device (Settings → Account).
- Upload the EPUB at push.boox.com in a browser, or from the BOOX Assistant app on your phone.
- On the BOOX, open the Push app or pull down the notification shade and tap Sync. The file downloads over Wi-Fi.
Method 3: BOOXDrop (same Wi-Fi network, no account)
- Open the BOOXDrop app on the BOOX. It shows a local web address.
- Type that address into a browser on a computer or phone on the same Wi-Fi.
- Drag the EPUB into the browser page — it lands directly in the Books folder.
Method 4: Cloud Apps (Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive)
- Install the cloud app from the Play Store on your BOOX and sign in.
- Navigate to your EPUB and long-press it → Open with → NeoReader, or download it to local storage first.
Method 5: Calibre Wireless via KOReader
- In Calibre on your computer, start the content server (Preferences → Sharing over the net).
- Install KOReader on the BOOX (from koreader.rocks or the Play Store) and open Search → Calibre.
- Browse your Calibre library and download EPUBs straight to the device.
Choosing a Reader App
- NeoReader (built-in): fastest and best integrated with the E Ink refresh modes. Highlights, typed notes, custom fonts (drop TTF/OTF files in the Fonts folder), night mode, split screen and — on stylus models — freehand notes layered over the EPUB. On the Palma, the side buttons turn pages out of the box.
- KOReader: open-source and built for E Ink. Extensive typography control, dictionary lookup, OPDS catalogues, Calibre wireless sync, and the best PDF reflow available on BOOX. Install from koreader.rocks or the Play Store. On the Palma, map the side buttons once in its settings.
- Moon+ Reader Pro: a polished conventional Android reader with text-to-speech, themes and a large plugin ecosystem.
- Kindle, Kobo, Libby, Readwise Reader: install any of them from the Play Store for DRM libraries, library loans or highlight sync — no other e-reader brand lets you do this.
BOOX vs Other E-Ink Tablets for EPUB Reading
| Device | OS | EPUB support | Stylus | App store |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOOX Note Air 3 C | Android 12 | NeoReader + any app | Yes | Google Play |
| reMarkable 2 | reMarkable OS | Native (v3+) | Yes | No |
| Kobo Elipsa 2E | Kobo OS | Native | Yes | No |
| Kindle Scribe | Kindle OS | No (MOBI/AZW3) | Yes (PDF only) | No |
| Supernote A5X | Supernote OS | Yes | Yes | No |
Annotating and Display Tips
- Highlight text: tap and hold to select, choose a highlight colour. On colour BOOX models, five colours are available.
- Freehand notes (stylus models): switch to handwriting mode via the toolbar and write in the margin — notes layer over the EPUB and export as a PDF with your handwriting overlaid.
- Export highlights: in NeoReader, tap Menu → Export for a text or PDF summary. KOReader exports to a sidecar file for further processing.
- Readwise sync: install Readwise Reader from the Play Store on your BOOX — highlights sync to your Readwise account and appear alongside Kindle and Kobo highlights.
- Refresh modes: use HD or Regal for text (sharpest, least ghosting) and A2 or X mode when scrolling or reading colour-heavy comics.
- Colour models: raise Colour Enhancement (Settings → Display) for illustrated EPUBs; lower it for long text sessions.
- Split screen: on 10.3-inch and larger models, run NeoReader beside a dictionary or notes app from the BOOX sidebar.
PDFs on BOOX: Convert to EPUB First
Every BOOX opens PDFs, and NeoReader has a Reflow mode that tries to extract the text. It copes with simple single-column documents but stumbles on two-column journal papers, complex layouts and scans — and on a 6- or 7-inch Palma, Go or Page a fixed A4 page is unreadable without constant zooming. Converting the PDF to EPUB before you read gives you correct reading order, real font control and annotations that work in every app.
| Feature | PDF on BOOX | EPUB on BOOX |
|---|---|---|
| Font size | Zoom only (fixed layout) | Adjustable — any size |
| Line spacing and margins | Fixed | Adjustable |
| Two-column academic PDFs | Horizontal scrolling; built-in reflow often mis-orders columns | Linearised correctly by the converter |
| Scanned PDFs | Image zoom only | OCR text, fully reflowable |
| Annotations | Full PDF annotation tools | Highlight, note and stylus in NeoReader or KOReader |
Convert directly on the BOOX
- Open Chrome (or any browser) on your BOOX and go to toolkit.bot.
- Select the PDF from local storage and wait for the conversion.
- Download the EPUB and open it in NeoReader or KOReader.
Convert on a computer, then transfer
- Convert at toolkit.bot and download the EPUB.
- Send it to the BOOX with any method above — USB-C, BOOX Push, BOOXDrop or a cloud app.
Keep the original PDF for slide decks, forms and diagram-heavy documents — fixed layouts gain nothing from reflow, and a 10.3-inch Note Air or Tab shows an A4 page at close to full size. For everything text-heavy, EPUB wins. If you would rather stay in PDF, KOReader's reflow on a 10.3-inch model is the best built-in alternative.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does BOOX support EPUB files natively?
- Yes. All BOOX devices support EPUB natively through the built-in NeoReader app. NeoReader provides reflowable text rendering, adjustable font size and typeface, line spacing control, night mode, and highlighting. Because BOOX runs full Android, you can also install KOReader, Readwise Reader, Moon+ Reader, or any other reading app from the Play Store or APK for additional features.
- How do I transfer an EPUB to my BOOX device?
- Five methods: (1) USB-C — connect with the supplied cable, choose File Transfer (MTP) on the device, and drag the EPUB into the Books folder; (2) BOOX Push — upload at push.boox.com or from the BOOX Assistant app and tap Sync on the device; (3) BOOXDrop — open the BOOXDrop app, visit the address it shows from a browser on the same Wi-Fi, and drag the file in; (4) Cloud apps — install Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive from the Play Store and open the EPUB directly; (5) Calibre wireless — connect KOReader to your Calibre content server.
- Which BOOX model is best for academic reading and annotation?
- BOOX Note Air 3 C or Note Air 4 C (10.3 in colour, stylus included) for colour diagrams and highlighted text; BOOX Tab Ultra C Pro (10.3 in colour, rear camera) for multitasking and scanning alongside reading; BOOX Tab X (13.3 in) if you read A4 PDFs at full size; BOOX Page or Palma for portable everyday reading without annotation. KOReader on any 10.3-inch model gives excellent PDF reflow and column-stripping for two-column journal PDFs.
- Which BOOX models have a stylus?
- Go 10.3, the Note Air series (Air 2, Air 2 Plus, Air 3 C, Air 4 C), Tab Mini C, Tab Ultra, Tab Ultra C and Ultra C Pro, and Tab X all support a Wacom EMR stylus and freehand annotation over EPUB pages. Palma, Palma 2, Go 6, Go 7, Go Color 7 and Page are touch-only readers — you can still highlight and type notes, but not handwrite.
- Can I use KOReader on BOOX for better PDF reflow?
- Yes. KOReader is a highly recommended alternative to NeoReader for reading academic PDFs on BOOX. Install it via APK from koreader.rocks or from the Play Store — it provides aggressive PDF text reflow that strips two-column layouts and renders single-column text at whatever font size you choose. For academic journal PDFs that were originally designed for A4 print, KOReader reflow on a 10.3-inch BOOX often gives a better reading experience than the built-in NeoReader reflow.
- Why convert a PDF to EPUB instead of reading the PDF directly on BOOX?
- Reading PDFs directly on a 10.3-inch BOOX works for most papers, but EPUB has advantages on every model and is essential on the 6- and 7-inch Palma, Go and Page: cleaner text without reflow artefacts, correct column order for two-column papers, consistent chapter navigation, and better highlight sync if you use Readwise Reader. EPUB is also more portable across other devices (Kindle, Kobo, phone apps) if you read on multiple screens.
- What is the difference between the BOOX Palma and Palma 2?
- Both are 6.13-inch, 300 ppi phone-sized readers weighing about 170 g with physical page-turn buttons and no stylus. The Palma 2 upgrades to a faster octa-core processor and adds a fingerprint sensor; the form factor and reading experience are otherwise the same. Neither has a cellular radio or SIM slot — they are Wi-Fi reading devices, not phones.