How to Read a Free EPUB
Downloaded one of my free stories and now you’re staring at an EPUB file wondering what on earth you’re supposed to do with it?
You’re in the right place.
An EPUB is simply an ebook file. You don’t need to buy anything to read it, and in most cases getting it onto your preferred device only takes a minute or two.
Choose your device below and jump straight to the instructions you need.
Kindle
The easiest way to get an EPUB onto a Kindle is to use Amazon’s Send to Kindle service.
- Download the EPUB from my website and save it somewhere you can find it.
- Open Amazon’s Send to Kindle service and sign in with the Amazon account connected to your Kindle.
- Select the EPUB you downloaded.
- Choose the option to add it to your Kindle library, then send it.
- Give Amazon a moment to process it, then open your Kindle library. The story should appear there ready to download.
If you use the Kindle app on an iPhone, iPad or Android device, you may also be able to share the downloaded EPUB directly to the Kindle app.
Worth knowing: you don’t need to convert my EPUB into a Kindle file yourself. Send to Kindle does that part for you.
iPhone or iPad
This one is pleasantly painless.
- Download the EPUB to your iPhone or iPad.
- Open the Files app or your browser’s Downloads list and find the EPUB.
- Tap the file. If it doesn’t open automatically in Books, use the Share menu and choose Books.
- The story should now appear in your Apple Books library.
If you use iCloud with Books, it may also become available on your other Apple devices.
Android phone or tablet
Android gives you plenty of choices. If you already use Google Play Books, that’s an easy option.
- Download the EPUB to your phone or tablet.
- Open Downloads or your Files app.
- Find the EPUB and choose Open with.
- Select Play Books or Upload to Play Books.
- Open Google Play Books and look in your library for the uploaded book.
If you already have another EPUB-reading app that you prefer, you can simply open the downloaded file with that instead.
Kobo eReader
Kobo supports ordinary non-protected EPUB files, so you can copy one of my free stories directly onto the reader.
- Download the EPUB to your computer.
- Connect your Kobo to the computer using its USB cable.
- Tap Connect on the Kobo if it asks.
- On your computer, open the drive called KOBOeReader.
- Drag the EPUB onto the Kobo drive.
- Safely eject the Kobo and disconnect the cable.
- Wait while the Kobo imports the book, then look under My Books.
Books added this way are stored on the eReader you copied them to rather than automatically appearing everywhere through your Kobo account.
Other e-readers
Most e-readers that support ordinary DRM-free EPUB files let you transfer them from a computer, usually by connecting the reader with a USB cable and copying the EPUB onto it.
The exact folder and menu names vary between manufacturers, so if yours isn’t covered here, check its instructions for adding personal EPUBs or sideloading ebooks.
And yes, “sideloading” sounds considerably more exciting than copying a book onto an e-reader actually is.
Windows, Mac or Linux computer
If you simply want to read the story on your computer, a free EPUB reader will do the job.
Calibre is a free ebook manager that includes its own ebook viewer and can also transfer ebooks to many e-readers.
- Install Calibre.
- Add the downloaded EPUB to your Calibre library.
- Select the story and open it in Calibre’s ebook viewer.
You can also use Calibre to manage a larger ebook collection if downloading free stories becomes a habit. I can think of worse problems to have.
Still stuck?
Don’t panic. Downloading the story hasn’t hurt anything, and the EPUB can simply sit in your Downloads folder until you decide what to do with it.
You can always read the complete story directly on my website instead. The EPUB is just there for readers who prefer their own device.
If these instructions stop matching what your device shows, manufacturers do occasionally move buttons around for the sheer joy of it. Checking the help pages for your particular device will usually reveal where they’ve hidden them this time.