How do you add ebooks to the Kobo app on an android device?

[PONeil]

I have hundreds of ebooks that I've passed through Calibre and converted into either mobi or epub format. I'd like to add them to my Kobo library but am only finding instructions on how to do this with a dedicated Kobo e-reader and a PC with Calibre. I tried copying all my ebooks into the Kobo app folder where I have 2 Kobo books presently but when I start up the Kobo app only the first 4 books of hundreds actually show up in the Kobo app library. How does one do this properly from Calibre on a PC to a tablet running the Kobo android app?

[Sirtel]

Why do you want to read them with the Kobo app? There are much better reading apps for epubs.

[PeterT]

See info at https://github.com/kobolabs/epub-spe...sting-purposes

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by PONeil

I have hundreds of ebooks that I've passed through Calibre and converted into either mobi or epub format. I'd like to add them to my Kobo library but am only finding instructions on how to do this with a dedicated Kobo e-reader and a PC with Calibre. I tried copying all my ebooks into the Kobo app folder where I have 2 Kobo books presently but when I start up the Kobo app only the first 4 books of hundreds actually show up in the Kobo app library. How does one do this properly from Calibre on a PC to a tablet running the Kobo android app?

I don't know how you would use Calibre to do this, but I sometimes add the occasional book to my Kobo app on my Android phone. Usually just for testing purposes, not reading.

First, you need the files on your tablet/phone OR in Google Drive or Dropbox. Then, while in the Kobo app, click the little profile icon top right corner. Select import items and go where they are to select and import them. Done.

That said, why would you want to send hundreds? They will NOT sync with what is on your Kobo e-ink device. They are NOT sent to the Kobo cloud where your Kobo purchases are. There are far better apps to read with if you want to read your ebooks on your tablet/phone.

[salamanderjuice]

Originally Posted by graycyn

I don't know how you would use Calibre to do this, but I sometimes add the occasional book to my Kobo app on my Android phone. Usually just for testing purposes, not reading.

First, you need the files on your tablet/phone OR in Google Drive or Dropbox. Then, while in the Kobo app, click the little profile icon top right corner. Select import items and go where they are to select and import them. Done.

That said, why would you want to send hundreds? They will NOT sync with what is on your Kobo e-ink device. They are NOT sent to the Kobo cloud where your Kobo purchases are. There are far better apps to read with if you want to read your ebooks on your tablet/phone.

Familiarity? Have all your books in one place?

I know this is niche, but there are some things the Kobo app does better than most readers. Supporting vertical Japanese for example. Most of the Android ePub readers can't do it or do a bad job. There's probably some other things the Kobo app does better than others too.

[rantanplan]

Originally Posted by salamanderjuice

Familiarity? Have all your books in one place?

I know this is niche, but there are some things the Kobo app does better than most readers. Supporting vertical Japanese for example. Most of the Android ePub readers can't do it or do a bad job. There's probably some other things the Kobo app does better than others too.

You can sideload via the share menu, I think. However, sideloaded books on Kobo do not sync between devices like it would with Kindle.

[Hasdrubal_Lector]

Open your account page in the Kobo app and select 'import items' . Navigate to where the epubs are stored on your device and select all for import. I have no idea how many epubs you can import together. The Kobo app doesn't work with Calibre directly, AFAIK. You have to put the epubs on your device manually. You could set up the Calibre content server to access your library via browser, and download the books from that to your device then import them into the Kobo app. There are other apps that can do this directly with Calibre's OPDS.

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by salamanderjuice

Familiarity? Have all your books in one place?

I know this is niche, but there are some things the Kobo app does better than most readers. Supporting vertical Japanese for example. Most of the Android ePub readers can't do it or do a bad job. There's probably some other things the Kobo app does better than others too.

OK, that's a valid reason. I did not know that about the vertical Japanese. And familiarity is something that many like.

At any rate, it's easy enough to add ebooks to the Kobo app by the means I mentioned for those who want to do so. I felt it should be pointed out that importing books into the app wouldn't provide any sync benefits, because a lot of folks new to Kobo don't realize that Kobo has no personal document service like Amazon does.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by graycyn

I felt it should be pointed out that importing books into the app wouldn't provide any sync benefits, because a lot of folks new to Kobo don't realize that Kobo has no personal document service like Amazon does.

And even for Amazon, it only works if you use Send to Kindle. A simple USB transfer of a file does not work.