How do I add an EPUB file to my Kobo e-reader?

Connect your Kobo via USB — it appears as a drive in Finder or Windows Explorer. Drag the .epub file into the My Kobo Files or Books folder on the device. Safely eject and the book appears in your library within seconds. No account or conversion needed — Kobo reads EPUB files natively.

Does Kobo support EPUB 3 files?

Yes. Kobo e-readers fully support EPUB 2 and EPUB 3, including HTML5 content, CSS3 styling, and navigation documents. Kobo's EPUB rendering engine is standards-compliant and generally considered more faithful to the EPUB spec than Kindle's. This makes Kobo the preferred choice for publishers and readers who care about EPUB formatting accuracy.

Can Kobo borrow EPUB books from the library?

Yes. Kobo integrates natively with OverDrive and Libby. Open the Kobo Store, tap the OverDrive section, and connect your library card. Borrowed books download directly to your Kobo as EPUB files. You can also borrow via the Libby app on your phone and send books to your Kobo from there.

How do I read a PDF on Kobo?

Kobo can open PDFs in a fixed viewer, but the experience is poor on a small screen. For comfortable reading, convert the PDF to EPUB first using toolkit.bot/pdf2epub (free, works in any browser), then transfer the EPUB via USB. Text reflows to your chosen font size — especially important for academic papers with two-column layouts.

Kobo EPUB Reader: Settings, Tips, and How to Add Your Own EPUBs (2026)

Kobo makes some of the best dedicated EPUB readers on the market. Unlike Kindle, Kobo is EPUB-native — no conversion needed, no proprietary format, and you can sideload any EPUB without an account. This guide covers sideloading, reading settings, library borrowing, and how to handle PDFs on a Kobo.

Kobo models and EPUB support

Every current Kobo device supports EPUB 3 natively: Kobo Clara Colour, Clara BW, Kobo Libra Colour, Libra 2, Kobo Sage, and Kobo Elipsa. All support sideloading, custom fonts, and OverDrive library borrowing. EPUB 2 books also work on all models.

How to add EPUBs to your Kobo

Method 1: USB (works offline, no account needed)

Connect your Kobo to your computer via USB cable
It mounts as a drive — open it in Finder or File Explorer
Copy your EPUB file into the root of the Kobo drive (or any folder)
Eject the Kobo safely and disconnect
The book appears in your library automatically after a brief scan

Method 2: Kobo desktop app (Windows/Mac)

Install the Kobo desktop app from kobo.com
Connect your Kobo via USB
Drag EPUB files into the app — they sync to the device

Method 3: Send to Kobo (WiFi, beta)

Newer Kobo firmware includes a "Send to Kobo" feature accessible via the share menu on iPhone and Android. Enable it under Settings → Beta Features on your Kobo. Once enabled, tap Share → Send to Kobo from any app on your phone.

Method 4: OverDrive / Libby (library books)

Kobo has built-in OverDrive integration. On your Kobo: go to More → Get Books → OverDrive. Sign in with your library card and borrow EPUB books directly. They download with Adobe Digital Editions DRM and appear in your library automatically. Full library borrowing guide →

Font and reading settings

Kobo's reading settings are more configurable than most e-readers. Access them by tapping the centre of the screen while reading → Aa button:

Font: 12 built-in fonts including Georgia, Avenir, and Kobo's custom Kobo Nickel. You can also install custom fonts by copying TTF/OTF files to fonts/ on the Kobo drive via USB
Font size: 10 steps from very small to very large
Line spacing: adjustable separately from font size
Margins: 3 levels
Brightness and colour temperature: on models with ComfortLight Pro
Publisher font override: toggle whether the book's embedded fonts take precedence or your system font does

Converting PDFs to EPUB for Kobo

Kobo can display PDFs, but the experience is poor — fixed-size pages that require pinch-zoom and horizontal scrolling. Converting to EPUB first gives you Kobo's full reading experience: adjustable font, Kobo's excellent typography controls, night mode, and OverDrive-style navigation.

Go to toolkit.bot/pdf2epub on any browser
Upload your PDF — conversion takes 15–60 seconds
Download the EPUB
Copy it to your Kobo via USB (Method 1 above)

The converter handles scanned PDFs (OCR), academic papers with two-column layouts, and PDFs with tables. Output is EPUB3, which Kobo handles natively without any conversion step.

Kobo Pocket integration

If you have a Pocket account, Kobo devices can sync your saved articles as EPUBs — reading-optimised versions appear in a dedicated Pocket section of your library. Go to More → Pocket → Sign in to activate it.

Kobo vs Kindle for EPUB reading

Kobo's key advantage over Kindle is native EPUB support. Kindle requires conversion to MOBI/AZW3 for sideloaded books. On Kobo, drag any .epub file onto the device and it opens immediately. Kobo also supports custom fonts (copy TTF/OTF files to the fonts/ folder on the drive), whereas Kindle font options are locked to built-in choices. For readers who care about typography and open formats, Kobo is the better choice.

Frequently asked questions

Does Kobo need an account to read sideloaded EPUBs?: No. You can copy EPUBs to a Kobo via USB without ever creating a Kobo account. The book appears in your library and opens normally. An account is only needed for purchasing books from the Kobo store or borrowing via OverDrive.
Can Kobo read EPUB files with DRM?: Kobo reads OverDrive/Libby EPUBs with Adobe Digital Editions DRM automatically. EPUBs with other DRM schemes (e.g. Readium LCP) may require the Kobo store or specific setup. DRM-free EPUBs from any source always work.
What file formats does Kobo support besides EPUB?: Kobo supports EPUB 2, EPUB 3, PDF, MOBI (sideloaded), and CBZ/CBR comics (on some models). It does not read AZW3/KFX (Kindle formats). For best results, use EPUB3 — Kobo's rendering engine is one of the most EPUB-compliant of any e-reader.
How do I install a custom font on Kobo?: Connect your Kobo via USB. In the root of the Kobo drive, create a folder named fonts if it doesn't exist. Copy your TTF or OTF font files into that folder. Eject and reconnect — the font appears in the reading font list under Aa settings.

Have PDFs you want to read on Kobo? Convert them to EPUB first.

Convert PDF to EPUB →