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 has always been EPUB-native — no conversion, no proprietary format, no account required to sideload books. Here's how to get the most out of reading EPUBs on any Kobo device.

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.

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

Convert PDF to EPUB →