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.

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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.

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