Clara BW Kobo Clara BW - Curious problem trying to bypass login

plowfield · 08-04-2026, 10:42 AM

Hello,

I recently got the Kobo Clara BW for myself and wanted to set it up without having to connect an account.
I followed various guides online and i got the understanding that the correct process goes like this:

1. After booting the Clara for the first time, I select the language and connect to an network.
2. The Kobo updates itself and i get to the login page with the qr-code (I press skip on the banner with the accessibility features
3. I connect the Kobo with the USB-C cable from the box and mount the Kobo on my Computer
4. I open the file located add .kobo/Kobo/Kobo eReader.conf
5. I add the line SideLoadedMode=true in the ApplicationPreferences section and save the file
6. I unmount the Kobo and press on the Powerbutton untill the white LED lights up and press again on the Powerbutton.
7. Now I click trough all the setup steps like in the beginning and end by the login page with the qr-code

Now the curious thing, after trying this a few times, I made a mistake or something Im not entirely sure on the details. (I grew a bit tired and frustrated) But what ever i did diffrent made the kobo get to the home page. I loaded a few books onto the Kobo and started reading a bit. After looking around in the settings a bit, i did the unwise thing and tried out what happens when i press on the logout button.

Well now Im in the same loop as described above, where I only get to the login screen.
Any help would be much appreciated.

Firmware Version: 4.42 (I saw this number in the Kobo eReader.conf file
PC: Fedora 44

JSWolf · 08-04-2026, 10:48 AM

Not all firmware versions allow you to screw with the login. And since you can't, just go and log-in properly.

And even if you could hack the login, there's nothing to say that a new firmware won't blow everything away. When you hack the firmware and that hack no longer works with a newer firmware, everything gets wiped out.

DJUNGELSKOG · 08-04-2026, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plowfield

Hello,

I recently got the Kobo Clara BW for myself and wanted to set it up without having to connect an account.
I followed various guides online and i got the understanding that the correct process goes like this:

1. After booting the Clara for the first time, I select the language and connect to an network.
2. The Kobo updates itself and i get to the login page with the qr-code (I press skip on the banner with the accessibility features
3. I connect the Kobo with the USB-C cable from the box and mount the Kobo on my Computer
4. I open the file located add .kobo/Kobo/Kobo eReader.conf
5. I add the line SideLoadedMode=true in the ApplicationPreferences section and save the file
6. I unmount the Kobo and press on the Powerbutton untill the white LED lights up and press again on the Powerbutton.
7. Now I click trough all the setup steps like in the beginning and end by the login page with the qr-code

Now the curious thing, after trying this a few times, I made a mistake or something Im not entirely sure on the details. (I grew a bit tired and frustrated) But what ever i did diffrent made the kobo get to the home page. I loaded a few books onto the Kobo and started reading a bit. After looking around in the settings a bit, i did the unwise thing and tried out what happens when i press on the logout button.

Well now Im in the same loop as described above, where I only get to the login screen.
Any help would be much appreciated.

Firmware Version: 4.42 (I saw this number in the Kobo eReader.conf file
PC: Fedora 44

That's pretty much what I did on my KL2 and my MIL's KLC but I remember it being SideloadedMode=true rather than SideLoadedMode=true and I remember restarting my MIL's KLC twice before the change took effect.

I'm also using Fedora.

plowfield · 08-04-2026, 11:20 AM

Thank you very much for your answer!
The problem was indeed with the misspelling of SideloadMode=true
Maybe the guide i was following made an mistake or it did change between firmware versions.

DNSB · 08-04-2026, 12:24 PM

I went back to the first mention I know of for Sideloaded Mode from when the late davidfor mentioned it. What he wrote was under [Application Preferences], add a line reading SideloadedMode=true (see https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4191419&postcount=9.

And yes, like pretty much everything else on a Linux system, it's case-sensitive.

08-04-2026, 10:42 AM	#1
plowfield Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2026 Device: KoboClaraBW	Kobo Clara BW - Curious problem trying to bypass login Hello, I recently got the Kobo Clara BW for myself and wanted to set it up without having to connect an account. I followed various guides online and i got the understanding that the correct process goes like this: 1. After booting the Clara for the first time, I select the language and connect to an network. 2. The Kobo updates itself and i get to the login page with the qr-code (I press skip on the banner with the accessibility features 3. I connect the Kobo with the USB-C cable from the box and mount the Kobo on my Computer 4. I open the file located add .kobo/Kobo/Kobo eReader.conf 5. I add the line SideLoadedMode=true in the ApplicationPreferences section and save the file 6. I unmount the Kobo and press on the Powerbutton untill the white LED lights up and press again on the Powerbutton. 7. Now I click trough all the setup steps like in the beginning and end by the login page with the qr-code Now the curious thing, after trying this a few times, I made a mistake or something Im not entirely sure on the details. (I grew a bit tired and frustrated) But what ever i did diffrent made the kobo get to the home page. I loaded a few books onto the Kobo and started reading a bit. After looking around in the settings a bit, i did the unwise thing and tried out what happens when i press on the logout button. Well now Im in the same loop as described above, where I only get to the login screen. Any help would be much appreciated. Firmware Version: 4.42 (I saw this number in the Kobo eReader.conf file PC: Fedora 44

08-04-2026, 10:48 AM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 84,407 Karma: 153744815 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Not all firmware versions allow you to screw with the login. And since you can't, just go and log-in properly. And even if you could hack the login, there's nothing to say that a new firmware won't blow everything away. When you hack the firmware and that hack no longer works with a newer firmware, everything gets wiped out. Last edited by JSWolf; 08-04-2026 at 11:05 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Any suggestions to bypass a Clara BW bootloop?	Kobotomised	Kobo Reader	0	06-20-2026 01:22 PM
Clara 2E Problem with the wishlist in Kobo Clara 2E	sekhemty	Kobo Reader	5	08-17-2024 02:14 PM
Clara 2E Problem with kobo clara 2E	yur	Kobo Reader	1	04-04-2023 03:33 PM
Clara HD Problem connecting Kobo Clara HD with Calibre	freud	Kobo Reader	11	02-19-2021 04:43 AM

08-04-2026, 11:20 AM	#4
plowfield Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2026 Device: KoboClaraBW	Thank you very much for your answer! The problem was indeed with the misspelling of SideloadMode=true Maybe the guide i was following made an mistake or it did change between firmware versions.

08-04-2026, 12:24 PM	#5
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 53,557 Karma: 181843001 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	I went back to the first mention I know of for Sideloaded Mode from when the late davidfor mentioned it. What he wrote was under [Application Preferences], add a line reading SideloadedMode=true (see https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4191419&postcount=9. And yes, like pretty much everything else on a Linux system, it's case-sensitive.

Advert

Advert