What happens when you convert AZW3 to EPUB
- The AZW3 is converted by Calibre, the widely used open-source e-book manager, on our conversion server.
- Chapters, headings, images, the cover and the table of contents are carried over, and the text still reflows to fit any screen, because both formats are e-book formats.
- Books bought from Amazon usually carry DRM, which no honest converter removes. DRM-free books convert normally.
- This conversion runs on our server: the file is uploaded, converted, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result has been sent back to you. Nothing is kept. Files up to 25 MB are accepted.
How to convert AZW3 to EPUB online
- Press "Choose AZW3 files" and select one or more files, or drag them onto the box. Files up to 25 MB each can be converted.
- There are no settings to choose: the converter keeps everything the target format can hold.
- Press "Convert to EPUB". The file is uploaded to our conversion server, converted in a few seconds, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result is sent back.
- Save each EPUB with its download button. Our server has already deleted both your AZW3 and the EPUB by then.
Why convert AZW3 to EPUB?
AZW3 files usually come from Kindle e-readers and books loaded onto them over USB. People convert them to EPUB because EPUB reflows to fit any screen and opens in Apple Books, Google Play Books, Kobo and Send to Kindle.
In short, AZW3 is good at what it was made for, and EPUB is the more practical choice when the file has to open, upload or print somewhere else. AZW3 opens on Kindle e-readers and in the Kindle and Calibre apps, while EPUB opens in Apple Books, Google Play Books, Kobo and most e-reader apps; a Kindle needs it sent through Send to Kindle.
How to convert AZW3 to EPUB on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your AZW3 files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each EPUB is saved to your Downloads folder.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the AZW3 files from Finder onto the drop zone and the EPUB files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose AZW3 files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted EPUB appears in Files, in the Downloads folder.
On Android
Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose AZW3 files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The EPUB is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it.
Best settings for AZW3 to EPUB
There are no settings: Calibre keeps the book's own styling, cover and table of contents, and the reading app decides the font size.
DRM-protected books cannot be converted. Books from Project Gutenberg, Standard Ebooks, public libraries' free collections and most independent authors are DRM-free.
AZW3 vs EPUB: the differences
| AZW3 | EPUB | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kindle Format 8 e-book | Electronic publication |
| Type | e-book | document |
| Created by | Amazon | the International Digital Publishing Forum |
| First released | 2011 | 2007 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | a book's text, images, styling and table of contents | chapters as XHTML pages, with images and a table of contents |
| In a browser | opens on Kindle e-readers and in the Kindle and Calibre apps | opens in Apple Books, Google Play Books, Kobo and most e-reader apps; a Kindle needs it sent through Send to Kindle |
| Common uses | Kindle e-readers and books loaded onto them over USB | e-books from stores other than Amazon and free e-book libraries |
| MIME type | application/vnd.amazon.ebook | application/epub+zip |
About AZW3 and EPUB files
What is an AZW3 file?
AZW3, also called KF8, is the Kindle format that supports modern styling. Books bought from Amazon usually carry DRM, which no honest converter can remove; DRM-free AZW3 files convert normally.
What is an EPUB file?
An EPUB is a ZIP archive of web pages, one per chapter, plus a file that lists their order. That is why its text can be extracted with ordinary web tools.
AZW3 to EPUB not working? Common problems
- "Files up to 25 MB can be converted." Server conversions have a size limit. Compress the images in the document, or split it, and try again.
- "The conversion took too long and was stopped." Very long or complex documents can exceed the time limit. Split the document and convert the parts.
- The e-book will not convert. Books with DRM, usually those bought from Amazon or other stores, are encrypted and cannot be converted.
Convert AZW3 to EPUB from the command line
This page uses Calibre. Installed on your computer, its ebook-convert command does the same conversion:
ebook-convert input.azw3 output.epubConverting on your own computer keeps the file entirely local, which is worth it for very large or very sensitive documents. For everything else, the converter on this page does it without installing anything.
AZW3 to EPUB converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting AZW3 to EPUB?
The text, images and structure are kept, and the book still reflows to fit any screen, because both are e-book formats.
Why is the EPUB a different size from the AZW3?
The two formats store text and pictures differently, so the EPUB can be somewhat larger or smaller than the AZW3. Images are carried over as they are.
Are my AZW3 files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful AZW3 to EPUB conversion needs Calibre, the open-source e-book manager, which cannot run in a browser. The file travels over an encrypted connection, is converted in a private temporary folder, and is deleted together with the EPUB as soon as the result has been sent back to you. We do not keep, read or share it.
Can I convert several AZW3 files to EPUB at once?
Yes. Select or drop as many files as you like; they are converted one after another and each gets its own download button.
How do I open an EPUB file?
EPUB opens in Apple Books, Google Play Books, Kobo and most e-reader apps; a Kindle needs it sent through Send to Kindle. EPUB is common for e-books from stores other than Amazon and free e-book libraries.
Is this AZW3 to EPUB converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark. Because this conversion uses our server, there is a fair-use limit of 25 MB per file and a number of files per hour, which stops the service being overloaded.
Can I convert AZW3 to EPUB on my phone?
Yes. It works in Safari on iPhone and iPad and in Chrome on Android. The conversion happens on our server, so it is as fast on a phone as on a computer; the EPUB is saved to your Downloads folder.