How to Transfer Ebooks to Your Kindle with Calibre

how to use calibre blog post image

Despite the thousands upon thousands of ebooks available in the Kindle store, you may not always find the particular title you’re looking for, so you turn to another retailer, like Barnes & Noble, for your ebook. Or, maybe you once used a Nook e-reader and now want to transfer your Nook ebooks to a Kindle device.

In either case, you might be able to get the ebooks you want, but Kindle is very particular about formats and it’s virtually impossible to read books from retailers other than Amazon.

Fortunately, there’s a solution. Calibre is a software that allows you to convert dozens of file types and easily transfer ebooks from your files to your Kindle device, regardless of where you got those ebooks. In this post, we’ll show you how to do just that so you can enjoy all your favorite ebooks in one place.

What Is Calibre?

Calibre is a free, open-source ebook management software that allows you to organize your ebook library, convert ebooks, and sync them with a variety of e-readers.

In 2006, Kovid Goyal began developing libprs500, soon after the SONY PRS-500 e-reader was released. The Sony device did not work with Linux, Goyal’s preferred operating system, so he reverse-engineered the USB protocol that it used to make it compatible.

As his e-book collection grew, it also became more difficult to manage, so he created an interface that made the management easier, which became Calibre as it is today.

How Do You Transfer Books from Calibre to Kindle?

Calibre makes it easy to access all of your ebooks on one device, regardless of whether you purchased them from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, or any other retailer.

Follow these steps to transfer virtually any ebook to your Kindle device.

1. Install and set up the Calibre app.

First, you’ll want to install the Calibre app, which is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Choose a language and file location for your books, then click Next to proceed.

calibre setup image

Then, you’ll be prompted to select your Kindle model. Choose the manufacturer and model from the menu and click Next.

calibre kindle model selection image

On the next screen, you can set up wireless email delivery for ebooks. This step is optional. If you have a Kindle email address set up, you can enter the details, then click Next.

kindle email delivery image

You’ve completed the Calibre setup! Simply click Finish to launch the app.

2. Add ebooks to your library.

Next, it’s time to add ebooks to your Calibre library.

To add your ebooks to your library, click on Add Books in the upper left corner.

add to calibre library image

Locate the ebook file wherever you have it on your computer, select it, and click Open. Alternatively, you could also drag and drop the file.

Calibre will import the ebook, and in a moment you’ll see the metadata, book details, and cover art.

3. Connect your Kindle.

Next, use a USB cable to connect your Kindle to your computer. Once Calibre recognizes your Kindle, a column labeled On Device will appear alongside the book title column. You can now transfer ebooks to your Kindle’s memory.

4. Transfer ebooks.

And now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for: Select the book(s) you wish to transfer from Calibre, then right-click the selection. Click Send to Device and then Send to Main Memory.

Note: If you’re transferring an EPUB ebook, Calibre will ask if you want to convert it to MOBI. Click Yes.

5. Disconnect your Kindle.

Once the transfer is complete, you can safely eject the device. From the Calibre toolbar, find the Device button and open the drop-down menu. Click Eject this device, then unplug your Kindle from your computer. You’re ready to start reading!

More Calibre Features

In addition to transferring your ebooks, Calibre has other cool features that allow you to read your favorite ebooks from anywhere, create your own ebook files, and more.

  • User-friendly interface: Calibre boasts that thanks to their carefully designed interface that keeps the user in mind, you’re “never more than three clicks away from your goal.”
  • Compatible with most devices: Calibre supports every major e-reader, and adds more devices to the list with every update.
  • Converts most formats: Amazon applies DRM (Digital Rights Management) to keep readers from sharing books between multiple devices, but Calibre allows you to remove the DRM so you can transfer ebooks between your computer and e-reader, and vice versa, and convert their format based on the device you choose.
  • Use it on the go: Even if you’re traveling without your computer or tablet, you can still take Calibre on a USB stick and use it wherever you go.
  • Comprehensive ebook viewer: Calibre’s built-in ebook viewer has full support for Table of Contents, highlighting, bookmarks, CSS, read-aloud, a reference mode, printing, searching, copying, multi-page view, embedded fonts, and more, so you can enjoy your books the way you want.
  • Create your own ebooks: Turn your documents into e-books or create them from scratch with style helpers and scripts that create a pre-formatted book structure. Here’s a video tutorial that will show you how to create your own ebook with Calibre.

More Ways to Read Ebooks

There are so many ebooks full of unforgettable stories and great information out there, so you shouldn’t let accessibility issues stop you from reading all you want.

Calibre is one tool that makes it easier to read more ebooks, but you can also borrow free ebooks form the library or check out one of these 29 sites to download free ebooks. Happy reading!


What do your kids or students love to read? Let us know in the comments below!

 

If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:

The post How to Transfer Ebooks to Your Kindle with Calibre appeared first on TCK Publishing.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Think Pieces: What They Are and How to Write One

Image
A think piece, also known as a thought piece, is an article or piece of writing intended to stir up the reader’s thoughts. It is usually speculative, with a lot of expository material, context, and the author’s analysis and opinion of existing ideas. Sometimes, think pieces can lean toward the controversial, especially when they seek to challenge majority opinions. Particularly provocative pieces are often the ones that get shared all over social media or the internet. Editors of magazines, blogs, and websites often pay for think pieces, but they are not that easy to write. This is perhaps why many writers aspire to be published in mainstream publications like The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The Economist, The Atlantic, and The Saturday Evening Post , but their submissions barely get a sideways glance.  The good news is that getting a think piece published does not depend on your name or reputation; instead, quality is king. The key is being able to think deeply about a t...
Read more

The Best Mobile Apps for Writers

Image
If you’re a writer looking for a better way to write on your smartphone or mobile device, this post will help. Using a text app or word processor just won’t cut it if you’re doing heavy duty writing on a mobile device. These tools can help whether you have an Android or Apple device. 1. IWriter iWriter is a writing tool that functions excellently on Android and iOS. It is the best app for writing articles, books, or taking detailed notes. iWriter is a simple and elegant text editor. You can download it via iTunes or Google Play . You can check out iWriter subscription pricing here. 2. JotterPad Jotterpad makes it possible to convert files from PDF to WORD and some other popular formats. The app supports Markdown. It includes text styling, a thesaurus, a built-in dictionary that’ll even help you rhyme. It has essential features such as snapshots, typewriter scrolling, undo/redo, night vision, universal dark theme, and phrase finder. JotterPad supports full Cloud integr...
Read more

Author Business Cards: Why You Need Them and How to Make Them

Image
The first rule for being a successful author is to write. The second rule for being a successful author is to write more. The third rule for being a successful author is to always be networking. You never know where your next fan will come from. It might be someone who finds your book on Goodreads, but it might also be the person in front of you at the grocery store or the guy you bump into when you’re out for pizza. You might get chatting with someone at the bowling alley. You might end up discussing your book at the DMV. Your next reader could be anyone, anywhere. So you need to be prepared! That’s why business cards still matter in the digital era. Although we all tote tiny computers in our pockets all day, it’s still a pain in the butt to exchange contact information on a phone—not everyone uses the same system, vCards work with contact and email programs but aren’t universal, and NFC transfers are kind of clunky. Besides, after you dump your information into someone else’...
Read more