AZW files do not show on iPad

[Moonraker]

I have the latest operating system on my iPad and installed the latest Kindle for iPad app.

But only .mobi files are showing on my iPad. The .azw/azw3 files do not show at all. The books I have are DRM free.

It's actually not for me because I prefer my Kindle for reading. However, I am trying to help a friend get awz books on her iPad. If I can't do it then I have no hope of showing her what to do.

Confused.

[susan_cassidy]

Are you downloading them direct from Amazon?

[Moonraker]

No. They are ebooks I have got from other sources and converted with Calibre to the AZW format. I have transferred some to the Kindle app on the iPad using iTunes and also tried transferring some to the iPad using iFunbox.

None of the transferred .azw or .azw3 files show on the ipad although the .mobi files do. iTunes and iFunbox both state that the files are there.

One book I specifically converted with Calibre for the iPad but that does not show either.

[Faterson]

The solution is easy, Moonraker. Just convert those books in Calibre not into the AZW format, but into the MOBI format instead. I guarantee that works every time!

[Moonraker]

I thought that the Kindle for iPad app would read .azw files. If I have to convert them all I will. I was trying to save time.

Thank you for your reply.

[Faterson]

Well, as I have just advised in another thread:

Originally Posted by Faterson

But Kindle is a truly bad software to read books in on the iPhone or iPad.

A better idea is first to convert the MOBI book into EPUB, so that your friends can then enjoy the book in superb e-reader software like Marvin or Stanza.

Converting any book from MOBI to EPUB only takes a few seconds in Calibre. There are also free online converters, like this one: www.2epub.com

[Moonraker]

Well, as I have just advised in another thread:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Faterson View Post
But Kindle is a truly bad software to read books in on the iPhone or iPad.

I've spent hours on this sideloading and discovered that .mobi is only accepted if its the old .mobi. So I have decided to convert all to ePub.

I am really surprised and feel it's a bit mean of Amazon to do this. Or perhaps it's mean of Apple. I can't find any way of purchasing books from Amazon using the iPad app.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Moonraker

I can't find any way of purchasing books from Amazon using the iPad app.

You can't, Apple charges a 30% cut on things bought through apps so the ability was removed. You have to buy using a web browser instead.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Moonraker

I've spent hours on this sideloading and discovered that .mobi is only accepted if its the old .mobi. So I have decided to convert all to ePub.

I am really surprised and feel it's a bit mean of Amazon to do this. Or perhaps it's mean of Apple. I can't find any way of purchasing books from Amazon using the iPad app.

There is no difference between a non-DRM AZW and a MOBI. If Amazon refuses to accept your AZW just change the extension on the file to .mobi and it should find it just fine. No conversion necessary.

Dale

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

You can't, Apple charges a 30% cut on things bought through apps so the ability was removed. You have to buy using a web browser instead.

<pedant>
You never could buy through the app, you always bought through a web browser.
What was removed was a button to open the browser to the Kindle store for you.
</pedant>

And I might add that it doesn't matter on which device the browser is located. You can purchase books from Amazon on any device then have them delivered wirelessly (Whispersynced) to any other device that supports the Kindle app. Good luck doing that with Marvin or any other 3rd party ePub reading app! And good luck getting Marvin to run on anything other than an iPad!

[Faterson]

Haha, what a thing to say, Jack. So Kindle imposes huge restrictions on readers so they need to use excruciating workarounds like WhisperSync, and that's supposed to be Kindle's advantage? Not to mention hassling Kindle users -- by classifying their non-bought books as "documents". Not to mention the utterly bad reading experience in Kindle, due to extremely limited functionality of the app.

In contrast, Marvin allows you to download any book directly, period. Also, don't compare an app born in December 2012 with Kindle that has been around for years. I'm sure you're aware Marvin for iPhone is already in the works, and will include iCloud syncing, and when Marvin for Android arrives, multi-platform syncing via Dropbox will also be possible.

[TomB3R]

Personally, to manage my files on iPad, I use the app Beesy. It's very useful for import/export files/PDF, make annotation, share it and keep it on Dropbox.

[Faterson]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

There is no difference between a non-DRM AZW and a MOBI. If Amazon refuses to accept your AZW just change the extension on the file to .mobi and it should find it just fine. No conversion necessary.

Revisiting this thread after over a year, I just wanted to point out that the above procedure does not work. Maybe it used to, but it doesn't today. If I simply change a non-DRM AZW3 file's extension to MOBI and try to load it in Kindle for iOS that way, the Kindle app will still refuse to open it. Really the only way I have found is truly to convert the AZW or AZW3 to MOBI (for example in Calibre), and load it in Kindle for iPad or iPhone that way. (Or, of course, using Amazon's own conversion utilities, such as sending the AZW file to your dedicated Amazon Kindle email address for conversion.)

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Faterson

Revisiting this thread after over a year, I just wanted to point out that the above procedure does not work. Maybe it used to, but it doesn't today. If I simply change a non-DRM AZW3 file's extension to MOBI and try to load it in Kindle for iOS that way, the Kindle app will still refuse to open it. Really the only way I have found is truly to convert the AZW or AZW3 to MOBI (for example in Calibre), and load it in Kindle for iPad or iPhone that way. (Or, of course, using Amazon's own conversion utilities, such as sending the AZW file to your dedicated Amazon Kindle email address for conversion.)

No, the previous posts were talking specifically about Mobi files, not KF8. KF8 doesn't work. Depending what app or device you get them from, A KF8 file may have either a ".AWZ" or a ".AZW3" extension.

Renaming a Mobi file works; renaming a KF8 file doesn't.