Kepubify: convert epub to kepub for a better kobo experience

Kobo’s native EPUB reader is good, but KEPUB is much better. Kepubify converts your EPUBs to KEPUB in one click.

What is KEPUB?

KEPUB is Kobo’s optimized ebook format. Unlike standard EPUB, KEPUB offers:

Feature	EPUB	KEPUB
Page turn speed	Standard	Faster (pre-rendered)
Reading statistics	❌ Not tracked	✅ Fully tracked
Chapter progress	❌ No	✅ Yes — shows time left in chapter
Font customization	Good	Better kerning and ligatures
Footnotes	Standard	Pop-up footnotes
File size	Normal	Slightly larger

For Kobo users, KEPUB is the superior format.

What is Kepubify?

Kepubify is a free, open-source tool that converts standard EPUB files to KEPUB format. It’s:

• Fast — converts a book in under a second
• Lightweight — single executable file, no installation
• Cross-platform — Windows, macOS, Linux
• Batch processing — convert your entire library at once
• Safe — doesn’t modify your original EPUBs

Download

Platform	Download
Windows	GitHub Releases — download kepubify-windows-64bit.exe
macOS	GitHub Releases — download kepubify-macos-64bit
Linux	GitHub Releases — download kepubify-linux-64bit

Quick Start

Windows

1. Download kepubify-windows-64bit.exe
2. Rename to kepubify.exe
3. Drag and drop an EPUB onto the executable
4. A .kepub.epub file appears in the same folder

macOS / Linux (Command Line)

# Make executable
chmod +x kepubify-macos-64bit

# Convert a single file
./kepubify-macos-64bit book.epub

# Convert all EPUBs in a folder
./kepubify-macos-64bit *.epub

Batch Conversion

Convert your entire library at once:

# Convert all EPUBs in current directory
./kepubify *.epub

# Convert recursively (all subdirectories)
find . -name "*.epub" -exec ./kepubify {} \;

# Convert and save to a different folder
./kepubify -o /path/to/output/ *.epub

Using Kepubify with Calibre

For smooth integration, install the Kepubify Calibre plugin:

1. In Calibre, go to Preferences → Plugins → Get new plugins
2. Search for Kepubify
3. Install and restart Calibre
4. Now in Calibre, right-click any EPUB → Convert → Convert to KEPUB

How to Transfer KEPUB to Kobo

Via USB

1. Connect Kobo to computer
2. Copy the .kepub.epub files to your Kobo
3. Eject — Kobo imports them automatically

Via Calibre

1. Add KEPUB files to Calibre
2. Connect Kobo via USB
3. Send to device using Calibre’s Kobo driver

Via Dropbox (Kobo + Dropbox models)

1. Upload .kepub.epub to Dropbox
2. On Kobo, go to Dropbox
3. Download the file

Verifying KEPUB Conversion

After converting, open the book on your Kobo and check:

• ✅ Chapter progress — shows “x min left” (KEPUB only)
• ✅ Reading stats — time tracked (KEPUB only)
• ✅ Page turns — noticeably faster
• ✅ Font rendering — smoother kerning

Kepubify vs Other KEPUB Tools

Feature	Kepubify	Calibre (KoboTouch)	Kobo Desktop
Speed	★★★★★ Instant	★★★ Moderate	★★ Slow
Batch convert	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No
Preserves formatting	★★★★★	★★★	★★★★
No installation	✅ Portable exe	❌ Needs Calibre	❌ Needs install
Open source	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No

Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
”Permission denied” on macOS	Run chmod +x kepubify-macos-64bit
Kobo doesn’t recognize KEPUB	Make sure the file ends in .kepub.epub
Images broken in KEPUB	Re-convert from a clean EPUB source
Kepubify not found	Add it to your PATH, or use full path
Calibre plugin not showing	Install from Calibre’s plugin manager