MOBI to EPUB: move an old Kindle file to another reader

Convert MOBI to EPUB for Apple Books, Kobo, and most phone readers. Why an old MOBI table of contents stays flat, and the online steps.

MOBI to EPUB moves an old Kindle file onto other readers. Apple Books, Kobo, and most Android apps open EPUB and do not open MOBI. This is a move between two reflowable formats, which is steadier than PDF to EPUB.

If the file is actually AZW3, use AZW3 to EPUB. If the extension is AZW rather than MOBI, use AZW to EPUB.

What does an old MOBI become?

MOBI never stored much styling. After conversion:

  • The text, images, and existing chapter titles usually remain.
  • The table of contents stays flat. A source that only has chapters does not grow subsections during conversion.
  • Fonts become the reader's fonts. That is the expected result.
  • Some very old MOBI files split the cover from the body. The cover may be its own page, or it may disappear. Check the first page.

Locked books from the Kindle store are out of scope. A personal document you received by email, or a MOBI you converted yourself, usually works.

How do you convert it here?

  1. Open EPUB converter. EPUB is already the output.
  2. Drop the MOBI. The limit is 50MB.
  3. Start conversion and leave the page open.
  4. Download the EPUB and put it in Apple Books, Kobo, or any app that reads EPUB.

Pick the device before you convert: EPUB vs MOBI vs AZW3. The reverse, MOBI for an old Kindle only, is EPUB to MOBI.

Which two things should you check?

Open the EPUB and tap chapter two in the contents. It should not land on the cover. Then check that an illustration is still next to its paragraph. If both are fine, keep this file as the general copy. EPUB is also the right master if you later need AZW3 or PDF.

Common questions

Does MOBI to EPUB destroy the layout?

Less often than PDF to EPUB. Both are reflowable, so the text and existing chapters come across. MOBI never had much styling, so the EPUB looks plain rather than like a complex book that broke.

Why won't a MOBI downloaded from Kindle convert?

Store files are often DRM-locked. Personal documents and unlocked older files can convert. This site cannot remove DRM.

Can I send the EPUB back to a Kindle?

Yes. Send that EPUB with Send to Kindle. Do not convert it back to MOBI unless the device is very old.

Keep reading

Convert online

EPUB, MOBI, AZW3, AZW, PDF, FB2, TXT, DOCX, HTML, and RTF. Up to 50MB per file. Nothing to install.

Open the ebook converter