disabling "sign-in"

porcupine59 · 12-28-2025, 11:25 AM

I'm running in Kobo Clare HD with "SideloadedMode: true" enabled. I can still sync for instapaper and firmware updates, but I don't want to sign into the kobo account.

Yesterday I was syncing for an instapaper update, and after it was finished, the menu offered me a "sign in" option. I wasn't thinking, or I mistook it for another sync prompt... and I absent-mindedly clicked it, like a dummy.

That launched me into a protracted drama of signing off, then having to re-sign in to authorize the device, unintentionally wiping my content, then having to reload and get "SideloadedMode: true" re-enabled in my config file. Ugh.

I know it's my own stupidity, but is there any way to more completely disable "sign-in" or "sign-in" prompts from the device? Let's say I never want to sign in to the Kobo account from the device.

Can that be accomplished with a config file setting?

ALTERNATIVELY, when I do something dumb like that again, and the device maddeningly starts all over by offering me the option to set up via WIFI or connect to the Kobo desktop app, is there a way to jump past (or side-step) that option and establish a USB connection so that I can pre-emptively load in one of my pristine backups?

Aleron Ives · Yesterday, 02:59 AM

The implication of sideload mode is that you will not be using any online services, because you're sideloading everything. I'm honestly surprised that you can sync Instapaper content at all while sideload mode is active. I'm not really sure why you'd be OK with using an Instapaper account and not a Kobo account, but you probably can't suppress any prompts to sign in, since the device may be confused by your use of Instapaper without a Kobo account. Normally, a sync in sideload mode will retrieve dictionaries and firmware updates and nothing else.

If I'm not mistaken, you can just connect USB immediately when you get the set-up screen, and you should gain access to the filesystem to restore your configuration.

porcupine59 · Yesterday, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aleron Ives

The implication of sideload mode is that you will not be using any online services, because you're sideloading everything. I'm honestly surprised that you can sync Instapaper content at all while sideload mode is active. I'm not really sure why you'd be OK with using an Instapaper account and not a Kobo account, but you probably can't suppress any prompts to sign in, since the device may be confused by your use of Instapaper without a Kobo account. Normally, a sync in sideload mode will retrieve dictionaries and firmware updates and nothing else.

If I'm not mistaken, you can just connect USB immediately when you get the set-up screen, and you should gain access to the filesystem to restore your configuration.

I find the Kobo account just gets in my way and confuses things--it'll sometimes duplicate-load a book I'm also side-loading, for instance. Plus, I don't want the home-page sales pitches, etc. As it happens, once I've established the Instapaper link, both the Instapaper sync and syncing for firmware updates work fine without signing in to Kobo.

Thanks for the tip on the USB connection; next time I face the problem, I'll give that a shot.

Sirtel · Yesterday, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porcupine59

I find the Kobo account just gets in my way and confuses things--it'll sometimes duplicate-load a book I'm also side-loading, for instance. Plus, I don't want the home-page sales pitches, etc. As it happens, once I've established the Instapaper link, both the Instapaper sync and syncing for firmware updates work fine without signing in to Kobo.

Thanks for the tip on the USB connection; next time I face the problem, I'll give that a shot.

To avoid auto-downloading your Kobo purchases, you can archive them on the Kobo website. And there are patches to remove any recommendations from the homepage.

milady133 · Yesterday, 07:15 PM

You could also create an empty Kobo account, different from the one you use to purchase ebooks, to register your ereader.
Of course, the OP doesn't want the home page on the ereader, so this advice is moot, but I'm pitching in just in case someone else finds it useful.

JSWolf · Today, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milady133

You could also create an empty Kobo account, different from the one you use to purchase ebooks, to register your ereader.
Of course, the OP doesn't want the home page on the ereader, so this advice is moot, but I'm pitching in just in case someone else finds it useful.

There is no reason at all not to use your Kobo account to register your Kobo is you aren't using sideloadmode.

milady133 · Today, 03:55 PM

Yes, there's reason, if you want to sideload your books instead of synchronizing your purchases, having to remember to archive your purchases is a pain, especially if you start with a big library.
Also, in my case, I was having problems with synchronization, a big library of purchased books with a lot of collections, and some of the collections held a lot of books. From time to time my Kobos got stuck synchronizing, draining the battery, and I had to repair my account, log off and log on again to solve it. I've reported it, but it is a very specific bug, and not enough people are experiencing it, so I decided to start with a clean account and all my books sideloaded to get rid of the problem.

12-28-2025, 11:25 AM	#1
porcupine59 Member Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2023 Location: OHIO USA Device: Kobo Clara HD	disabling "sign-in" I'm running in Kobo Clare HD with "SideloadedMode: true" enabled. I can still sync for instapaper and firmware updates, but I don't want to sign into the kobo account. Yesterday I was syncing for an instapaper update, and after it was finished, the menu offered me a "sign in" option. I wasn't thinking, or I mistook it for another sync prompt... and I absent-mindedly clicked it, like a dummy. That launched me into a protracted drama of signing off, then having to re-sign in to authorize the device, unintentionally wiping my content, then having to reload and get "SideloadedMode: true" re-enabled in my config file. Ugh. I know it's my own stupidity, but is there any way to more completely disable "sign-in" or "sign-in" prompts from the device? Let's say I never want to sign in to the Kobo account from the device. Can that be accomplished with a config file setting? ALTERNATIVELY, when I do something dumb like that again, and the device maddeningly starts all over by offering me the option to set up via WIFI or connect to the Kobo desktop app, is there a way to jump past (or side-step) that option and establish a USB connection so that I can pre-emptively load in one of my pristine backups?

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Yesterday, 02:59 AM	#2
Aleron Ives Wizard Posts: 1,806 Karma: 16583878 Join Date: Sep 2022 Device: Kobo Libra 2	The implication of sideload mode is that you will not be using any online services, because you're sideloading everything. I'm honestly surprised that you can sync Instapaper content at all while sideload mode is active. I'm not really sure why you'd be OK with using an Instapaper account and not a Kobo account, but you probably can't suppress any prompts to sign in, since the device may be confused by your use of Instapaper without a Kobo account. Normally, a sync in sideload mode will retrieve dictionaries and firmware updates and nothing else. If I'm not mistaken, you can just connect USB immediately when you get the set-up screen, and you should gain access to the filesystem to restore your configuration.

Yesterday, 07:15 PM	#5
milady133 Groupie Posts: 193 Karma: 616200 Join Date: May 2014 Location: Spain Device: Kobo Forma, Hisense A5	You could also create an empty Kobo account, different from the one you use to purchase ebooks, to register your ereader. Of course, the OP doesn't want the home page on the ereader, so this advice is moot, but I'm pitching in just in case someone else finds it useful.

Today, 03:55 PM	#7
milady133 Groupie Posts: 193 Karma: 616200 Join Date: May 2014 Location: Spain Device: Kobo Forma, Hisense A5	Yes, there's reason, if you want to sideload your books instead of synchronizing your purchases, having to remember to archive your purchases is a pain, especially if you start with a big library. Also, in my case, I was having problems with synchronization, a big library of purchased books with a lot of collections, and some of the collections held a lot of books. From time to time my Kobos got stuck synchronizing, draining the battery, and I had to repair my account, log off and log on again to solve it. I've reported it, but it is a very specific bug, and not enough people are experiencing it, so I decided to start with a clean account and all my books sideloaded to get rid of the problem.