We explore, in this article, some free eBook readers that are available for the Mac. IBooks is Apple’s stock eBook reader app, and it is exactly what an eBook reader for a laptop should be. It has a clean UI, even in windowed mode. Kitabu 1.2 - ePub reader for your desktop. Download the latest versions of the best Mac apps at safe and trusted MacUpdate Download, install, or update Kitabu for Mac from MacUpdate. For those looking to read an ePub on a larger screen, we’ll look at the best Mac e-book reader apps available in 2018. Kitabu If you want to escape from all the mac e-book reader apps associated with bookstores and DRM, Kitabu will set you free.
The EPUB format is an open digital book (eBook) standard from the International Digital Publishing Forum. With Pages, you can export your documents in the EPUB format so they can be read using the Books app on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or with third-party EPUB readers. This article provides in-depth instructions for creating a book in Pages.
To quickly create a book without having to do any special formatting, you can also use predesigned book templates in Pages.
Choose your format
You can create a book using any Pages template, or you can use templates specifically designed for creating books. Portrait book templates are based on word-processing documents, and can be exported as Reflowable or Fixed layout EPUBs. Landscape book templates are based on page layout documents, and can be exported as Fixed layout EPUBs.
Choose Reflowable or Fixed layout depending on how you want your content to appear in the book.
- Reflowable: If you want your content to accommodate different devices and orientations, choose Reflowable. In a Reflowable EPUB, text size scales, and content repaginates according to the reader. Reflowable is best for documents that are mostly text.
- Fixed layout: If you want the layout of each page in your document to stay the same, regardless of the device or orientation, choose Fixed layout. In a Fixed layout EPUB, users can zoom in and out, but text and content positions are fixed and don't reflow. Fixed layout is best for image-heavy or multi-column documents.
Features not supported or changed when exported to EPUB
These features from your Pages document are removed or changed when you export to EPUB, regardless of the layout you've chosen:
- Smart fields
- Footnotes are converted to endnotes*
- Comments
- Some image effects (like shadows)
- Images greater than 4 megapixels are resized to 4 megapixels
* If you export a Fixed layout document to EPUB, footnotes aren't preserved.
Features available in Fixed Layout only
These features from your Pages document are exported to EPUB with Fixed Layout only. You can still export documents that include these features with Reflowable layout, but these features won't appear in the exported EPUB.
- Headers and footers
- Multiple columns
- Page size
- Page orientation
- Page number and page count fields
- Line spacing
- Hyphenation
- Selectable text inside shapes
- Overlapping text and objects (for example, overlapping text with an image or shape)
- Master objects
- Text wrap around objects
- Floating objects are exported as floating (instead of converting to inline like Reflowable EPUBs)
- Tab stops
- Shadows/Reflections
- Linked text boxes
- Gradient text fills, image text fills, or non-solid text outlines are converted to images.
Prepare a document
In Pages, you can export any page layout document to Fixed layout, and any word-processing document to Fixed layout or Reflowable layout. For best results when exporting as a Reflowable EPUB, use a word-processing document with inline images.
Text in Reflowable EPUBs
If you export your book as Reflowable, your text may look different when viewed in the Books app or other readers:
- Readers can select the text size they prefer while reading the book in the Books app.
- Text sizes you specify in your Pages document are converted to small, medium, or large in your book so text that is close in size within Pages may appear at the exact same size in the EPUB.
- Text colors in the book might not be identical to those in your Pages document.
- The pages in books using vertical text turn right-to-left.
- Gradient text fills, image text fills, or non-solid text outlines are converted to solid colors.
Create a table of contents
When you export to EPUB, a table of contents will automatically be created based on the entries that appear in the table of contents view in Pages. A Pages document with no entries in the table of contents view will be exported to EPUB without a table of contents.
To view this table of contents in the EPUB book in the Books app, choose View > Table of Contents on Mac, or tap on iPhone or iPad.
About chapters in Reflowable EPUBs
In a Reflowable EPUB book, chapter breaks are based on the hierarchy of styles in the table of contents of your Pages document. You can set your table contents up so that a chapter break is inserted before the title of a chapter in your EPUB book:
- In Pages, select the name of a chapter in your book.
- Apply a title or heading paragraph style such as Title, Heading, Heading 2, Heading 3, or Heading Red.
- Open the table of contents view, select the style you used, click or tap Edit, then remove any indentation.
Each time you use this style, the content that follows becomes a new chapter in the EPUB, and a page break is inserted between chapters in a Reflowable EPUB.
Use objects in Reflowable EPUBs
For best results with Reflowable EPUBs, reformat any images, shapes, or other objects in your document to make them inline objects.
- Select or insert an object.
- Click or tap the Format button .
- Click or tap Arrange.
- Select 'Move with Text.'
- Select 'Inline with Text' from the Text Wrap menu.
Add a book cover
When you export your book, you can choose the type of cover you want for your book. The cover appears in the Library in the Books app, or as the icon on their computer.
If you choose 'Choose an image', you can add a cover image from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or PC. Your cover image can be PDF, EPS, JPG, PSD, PNG, TIFF, or GIF format, but must be under 4 megapixels.
If you choose 'No book cover', your book uses the generic icon in the Library in the Books app.
Export to EPUB book
You can export your document in the EPUB format in Pages for Mac, Pages for iOS, or online at iCloud.com. If you've tracked changes in the document you want to export, accept or reject any changes and stop tracking changes before you export. Tracked changes are automatically accepted if no specific action is taken.
Export with Pages for Mac
- Open your document in Pages for Mac.
- Choose File > Export To > EPUB.
- Type in the Title and Author.
- Choose the type of cover for your EPUB book. Learn more about covers.
- Choose the layout style you want to use. Learn how to choose the best layout for your project. When exporting a Page Layout document, it's automatically exported with a Fixed layout.
- (Optional) Under Advanced Options, select a Primary Category and a Language for your book.
- To make sure the fonts you chose for your document appear in the EPUB, select Embed Fonts. If you deselect Embed Fonts, your chosen font defaults to the preferred font of the reader's application. Pages can embed OpenType (OTF) and TrueType (TTF) fonts.
- Click Next.
- Enter a name for your EPUB file, then click Export.
- To view your EPUB in the Books app when it's finished exporting, double-click the file.
Export with Pages for iOS
- Open your document in Pages for iOS.
- Tap the More button .
- Tap Export.
- Choose EPUB.
- Type in the Title and Author.
- Choose the type of cover for your EPUB book. Learn more about covers.
- Tap the layout style you want to use. Learn how to choose the best layout for your project. When exporting a Page Layout document, it's automatically exported with a Fixed layout.
- (Optional) Tap Advanced, then choose a Category and Language for your book.
- To make sure the fonts you chose for your document appear in the EPUB, select Embed Fonts. If you deselect Embed Fonts, your chosen font defaults to the preferred font of the reader's application. Pages can embed OpenType (OTF) and TrueType (TTF) fonts.
- If your document includes movies and you plan on offering your books in Apple Books, turn Apple Books Compatibility on to convert incompatible movies to images. Incompatible audio files are also removed.
- Tap Back.
- Tap Export to share your EPUB.
- To view your EPUB in the Books app when it's finished exporting, choose Copy to Books.
Export with Pages for iCloud
- Open your document in Pages for iCloud.
- Click the Tools button , then choose 'Download a Copy.'
- Click EPUB in the download window that appears.
- Type in the Title and Author.
- Choose the Cover style for your EPUB. Learn more about covers.
- Choose your layout style. Learn how to choose the best layout for your project. If you're using a Page Layout document, you must export with Fixed layout.
- (Optional) In Advanced, choose a Category and Language for your book.
- Click Download.
Publish your book
You can publish your book directly to Apple Books from Pages on your iPad, iPhone, Mac, or online at iCloud.com.
Kindle Reader App For Macbook Pro
Ebooks are a great way to enjoy literature – they’re cheaper than print books due to the lack of print and distribution costs (and completely free if the work is in the public domain), and you start reading seconds after buying one.
Epub Reader App For Mac
You don’t need a specialist device like a Kindle either thanks to the many free ebook readers available for your desktop. These are particularly good for students who want to reference texts in their work, add annotations, or refer to online resources.
So what makes a good ebook reader? For general use, a clear layout and the ability to sync your bookshelf across multiple devices are essential; for students, note-taking and bookmarks are essential; and for anyone who sometimes struggles with their eyesight, text-to-speech and one-click font customization are welcome additions.
- Thinking of buying a Kindle? Find the right one for you
1. Kindle for PC
The best free ebook reader, whether you use Amazon or not
Amazon’s official Kindle app for Windows (as well as Mac and mobile devices) is smart and stylish, and although it tempts you with reading suggestions from the Kindle store, the sales pitch isn’t too in-your-face.
Epub Reader App For Pc
There’s no setup necessary if you already have an Amazon account. Just log in with your usual username and password and your virtual shelves will be populated automatically (though you’ll have to click a book’s cover to download it, so bear this in mind if you’re planning some offline reading). Notes and bookmarks are synced across devices automatically, as are flashcards – an extremely useful addition for students using digital textbooks for revision.
Kindle for Windows also includes text-to-speech function, and changing font sizes and color schemes is as simple as clicking or tapping a button.
2. Freda
Premium features for free – Freda is a real rival to Amazon’s crown
Freda (from the delightfully-named Turnipsoft) is a superb ebook reader that integrates with Project Gutenberg, giving you access to thousands of free ebooks, and Smashwords, where you can find works from independent authors and publishers. Importing your own ebooks is a piece of cake too, with support for all the most popular formats. You can even connect Freda to your Dropbox account enabling you to access books from multiple devices.
Freda supports bookmarks, annotations and highlighting, making it a good choice for students. There’s also text-to-speech for anyone who has trouble with text on screens, as well as auto-scroll and speed-read – a tool that works much like Spritz, displaying words in quick succession so you can read without moving your eyes.
Freda is funded by ads, but these are discreet and are only visible on the bookshelf screen; they won’t interrupt your reading.
3. Calibre
An open source ebook reader that’s a great choice for students
Calibre is an open source ebook reader and manager that’s lightweight and lightning-fast. Unlike many free ebook readers, Calibre supports Amazon’s AWZ format (though it won’t open DRM-protected files) as well as all the other popular ebook file types, and if any metadata is missing (such as genre or cover art), you can add it yourself using the bookshelf’s options menu.
One of Calibre’s best features is Reference Mode, which displays the current chapter and paragraph number in the top left – ideal if you need to cite references in an essay. We also like Flow Mode, where text is shown as a continuous scrolling stream without page breaks; not as pleasant as simulated page-turning for recreational reading, but a handy time-saver to avoid flicking backwards and forwards through a textbook.
4. Sumatra PDF
A PDF, ebook and comic reader that's ideal for multiple PCs
Despite its name, Sumatra PDF is a great little ebook reader, capable of displaying books in EPUB and MOBI format, as well as comic books in CBZ and CBR comic books.
Sumatra PDF is a portable app, so you can save it to a USB stick or cloud storage service and use it on any PC. You can save your ebooks in the same place too, eliminating the need to sync your library.
It’s easy to adjust basic settings like font size, but Sumatra PDF’s advanced options can only be edited by opening a text file and typing in new values. If you want to change the page color, for example, you’ll need to find the hex code for your preferred shade and enter it on the appropriate line. It’s not difficult, but we’d prefer a graphical interface.
There’s no way to add notes or highlights, but the convenience of carrying your ebook library and reader anywhere might outweigh those drawbacks for you.
5. Icecream Ebook Reader
A stylish free ebook reader, but lacking advanced features
Icecream specializes in smart, no-frills software, and Icecream Ebook Reader is no exception. It supports EPUB, MOBI, PDF and FB2 ebook formats, and once you’ve imported your books they’re arranged in a neat bookshelf with a choice of viewing options. One particularly handy feature is the ability to archive and export your ebooks; ideal if you use more than one PC and don’t want the hassle of importing your books twice. There’s no cloud syncing though.
The reader itself is similar to the Kindle app in appearance, with one-click (or tap) buttons for changing font size, color theme (day, night, or sepia), and viewing the table of contents.
Unfortunately, some of the options you can see in the menus are only available if you hand over US$19.95 (about £15, AU$25) for the Pro version. Premium features include importing multiple ebooks simultaneously, adding notes, editing metadata, and copying text.
Best Free Epub Reader App For Ipad
The free version of Icecream Ebook Reader is quick and very easy to use, but only really suitable for recreational reading. Students will find the lack of note-taking and copying frustrating.
- Want to write your own ebook? Check out the best free software for writers