eBook File Formats

EPUB

What is an EPUB file?

EPUB (short for electronic publication) is a free and open e-book standard by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF). Files have the extension .epub. This eBook format is a popular and freely available eBook standard.

In order to read an eBook that has been published in the EPUB file format, you must have a compatible eBook reader, like the B&N Nook, iPad, and Sony Reader.

How to open, read, and convert an EPUB file on the computer?

The easiest way to open an EPUB file on your PC/MAC is to double-click on it and let your computer decide which default application should open the file. If no program opens the file, then you probably don't have an application installed that can view EPUB files. You cannot change a file extension (like the .epub extension) to one that your computer recognizes and expect the newly renamed file to be usable.

If you don't have a default program, you can download and install free software. There are many popular viewers for EPUB, such as Adobe Digital Editions, Calibre, and the Firefox extension "EPUBReader", which lets you view files directly in Firefox. Plenty of iPhone and Android apps also exist that allow viewing of EPUB files.

EPUB files do not work on the Amazon Kindle: you'll need the MOBI file format. If you downloaded the EPUB file but need a Kindle compatible file you can download Calibre for free and use it to convert EPUB files to and from other formats compatible with the Amazon Kindle.

MOBI

What is a MOBI file?

A file with the .mobi file extension is a Mobipocket eBook file. MOBI files can be read by the Amazon Kindle, as well as Mobipocket Readers.

How to open, read, and convert a MOBI file on the computer?

The easiest way to open a MOBI file on your PC/MAC is to double-click on it and let your computer decide which default application should open the file. If no program opens the file, then you probably don't have an application installed that can view MOBI files. You cannot change a file extension (like the .mobi extension) to one that your computer recognizes and expect the newly renamed file to be usable.

If you don't have a default program, you can download and install free software. There are many popular viewers for MOBI such as Kindle Reading Apps, Calibre, and the Mobipocket Reader Desktop.

If you downloaded the MOBI file but need an EPUB file, you can download Calibre for free and use it to convert MOBI files to and from other eBook formats.

PDF

What is a PDF file?

Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format used to represent documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems. Most handheld devices, PCs, and MACs are able to open and view a PDF.

How to open and view a PDF file?

The easiest way to open a PDF file on your PC/MAC is to double-click on it and let your computer decide which default application should open the file. If no program opens the file, then you probably don't have an application installed that can view PDF files. You cannot change a file extension (like the .pdf extension) to one that your computer recognizes and expect the newly renamed file to be usable.

If you don't have a default program, you can download and install the free Adobe Reader software.

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