With a wide range of eBook file formats out there, figuring out which device plays what can be a major hassle. Here's a list of some of the more popular eBooks out there and which files they are compatible with. This list focuses primarily on eBook formats and does not include music and video file information. This list was last updated on Jan. 3, 2010 and will be checked regularly to account for product upgrades and additional devices. Don't forget to check our eReader Hub as well.
With a wide range of eBook file formats out there, figuring out which device plays what can be a major hassle. Here's a list of some of the more popular eBooks out there and which files they are compatible with. This list will be updated regularly to account for product upgrades and additional devices. Don't forget to check out our eReader Hub as well.
| Kindle | Kindle 2 & 3 | Kindle 4 | Kindle DX | Sony Readers | Hanlin V3 | Hanlin V5 | IREX Iliads | IREX 1000 | Nook | Alex | Nook Color | Kobo | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARG | ||||||||||||||
| AZW |
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
||||||||||
| BMP |
Y***
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y | |||||
| CHM |
Y
|
Y
|
||||||||||||
| DJVU |
Y
|
Y
|
||||||||||||
| DNL | ||||||||||||||
| DOC |
Y***
|
Y
|
Y
|
|||||||||||
| EPUB |
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y | |||||||
| FB2 |
Y
|
Y
|
||||||||||||
| GIF |
Y***
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y | |||||||
| HTML |
Y***
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y | |||||||
| JPG |
Y***
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y | |||||
| LBR | ||||||||||||||
| LIT |
Y
|
Y
|
||||||||||||
| LRF |
Y
|
|||||||||||||
| MOBI |
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y | ||||||||
| OPF | ||||||||||||||
| PDB |
Y
|
|||||||||||||
|
Y*1
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y | |||
| PKG | ||||||||||||||
| PNG |
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y | |||||
| PPT |
Y
|
Y
|
||||||||||||
| PRC |
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
|||||||
| PS | ||||||||||||||
| RTF |
Y
|
Y | ||||||||||||
| TIF |
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y | |||||||||
| TR2 | ||||||||||||||
| TR3 | ||||||||||||||
| TXT |
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y | |||
| WOLF |
Y
|
Y
|
||||||||||||
| XML |
NOTE: The acronyms on the left refer to file extensions. A file called "War and Peace.txt" indicates that you have an electronic copy of the book War and Peace in "TXT" or "Plain text" format. Also, a "Y" in a box means that a device is compatible with the corresponding file format.
*The LRF extension is also sometimes known as BBeB or "Broad Band eBook."
*1-Available through Kindle firmware update 2.3.
**For Sony Reader owners: Sony's Readers indirectly support some files via conversion. Word (i.e. DOC) files are supported indirectly through Sony's eBook Library program, which will convert such files to RTF (your computer must have Microsoft Word installed).
***For Kindle owners: Unprotected versions of the following files can be sent to Amazon via your Kindle e-mail account ("name"@free.kindle.com) for conversion into the Kindle format: Microsoft Word (DOC), PDF, HTML, TXT, RTF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, PRC and MOBI.
****Some "compatible" files won't run if they have DRM or copy protection.
Photo © Amazon
Comments
Thank you so much for this chart!! This is going to help me tremendously!
You’re welcome, Leona. Looks like it might be time for me to add some of the new eReaders as well so thanks for the reminder =)
Jason, thanks for putting this chart together. It’s farily current but you mentioned an update. How’s that coming?
Hi Jeff,
Sorry about the delay. Right after I posted that comment, I got deluged by a flood of gadgets and games sent for review for About.com and my newspaper job for the holidays (which, I admit, is a nice problem to have). But I’ll make sure to add some new devices to the list once the holiday rush is over. Let me know if there’s a particular device you’re interested in and I’ll add it first.
what happened to KOBO readers?
Happy 2011, folks. Just added the KOBO Reader and the Nook Color as well. Feel free to recommend any other eBook readers you want added.
Do you know how to unlock a .DRM file? I’m unable to open an E book I downloaded from B&N. I’ve got it loaded to my wifes KOBO but I can’t open it. The vendors (KOBO and B&N) haven’t been much help.
I fa book is downloadable to Kindle, does that mean it will not work on a Nook?
@Jyn
If you download the e-book from Amazon’s store for Kindle, then it’s going to be in AZW format, which only works on the Kindle unfortunately.
hey, i was hoping you could give me a hand. i need to design an eBook with 2d animated (maybe interactive) illustrations. which platform is the most suitable?
thank you for your help.
Diane
I have been considering the Nook Color or Kindle Fire as gifts for my kids this Christmas. I have a Nook. I try to monitor what they read and we sometimes share books. They are 11 & 12. Price is of course a huge factor. They like the idea of Facebook capabilities on the Nook Color. What advice can you give me.
@Cynthia
My advice is to see if you can try both so you can better decide what fits your needs more. That, obviously, will be a challenge with the Kindle Fire since Amazon doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar store. But you should at least be able to try out the Nook Tablet at a B&N bookstore. Just at first glance, pros for the Fire are a lower price and greater access to media like music and movies. Pros for the Nook Tablet are bigger memory and more than twice the selection of books than Amazon. I’m sure more will come out as the devices get released and tested.
I just got a kindle as a birthday gift.Can i only download e-books for my kindle from amazon.com or is there any other store i can purchase or download from.I live in South Africa.
Hi Sonja,
The Kindle is primarily set up to work with Amazon.com although you can transfer compatible files via computer. Some files are also supported via conversion like HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG and BMP. You can check out Amazon’s FAQ page on how to transfer files.
Kobo is crap. Their files are not only in an odd format but they have no file extension. This makes it almost impossible to convert since most conversion programs do not recognize them. Better to avoid Kobo at all costs.
My brother has a Kobo and I have a Barnes & Noble Nook. is there a way we can share/lend eachother e-books?
Re the Nook Color. Isnt there legacy, that is can it handle the formats that the Nook did? except they would be B&W
You’ve completely missed one of the best e-book readers on the market. Your table shows the ‘Kobo’ completely blank.
You might try to update your thinking and look a little beyond the almighty Kindle (proprietary). The latest Kobo Touch is second to none and I’ve used them all. The price has just been reduced to $99.99 Canadian and they have a bookstore that covers just about everything.
The Sony PRS-300 and the 350 are discontinued. They have just one model now.
I’d think that having 7 fonts plus the ability to add your own fonts is big in the e-book world plus Wifi purchasing and more.
Look up http://kobo.com and then do an updated review!
@Beverley
I admit that this list hasn’t been updated in a while. But if you cared to do a search of the site, then you’ll see that we reviewed the Kobo eReader Touch Edition a while back: http://portables.about.com/od/ebookreasers/fr/Kobo-Touch-Review.htm
We even have a review of the first Kobo and a profile for the company, which we did not do for Amazon, B&N or Sony.
As for the blank spots above, it’s a coding issue that occurred the last time the list was updated and not some conspiracy to ignore Kobo.
@bsbs
You might be able to transfer files to or form both devices by using Adobe Digital Editions through your computer.
I have a Pan-digital Novel, It supports .pdf and .epub files, as well as .mp3. It is an eink touchscreen, with Barnes and Noble as it’s default bookstore/account. Surprised it’s not on your list…