What happens when you convert AZW3 to TXT
- The AZW3 is converted by Calibre, the widely used open-source e-book manager, on our conversion server.
- The book's text comes out as UTF-8 plain text, chapter after chapter, with every language and alphabet kept.
- Images, styling and the table of contents are left out; only the words remain.
- Books bought from a store usually carry DRM, which no honest converter removes. DRM-free AZW3 files 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 TXT 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 TXT". 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 TXT with its download button. Our server has already deleted both your AZW3 and the TXT by then.
Why convert AZW3 to TXT?
AZW3 files usually come from Kindle e-readers and books loaded onto them over USB. People convert them to TXT because plain text opens everywhere and is easy to search, copy, edit and paste into other tools.
In short, AZW3 is good at what it was made for, and TXT 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 TXT opens in every browser, text editor and phone.
How to convert AZW3 to TXT 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 TXT 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 TXT 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 TXT 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 TXT is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it.
Best settings for AZW3 to TXT
There are no settings: the text is written as UTF-8 with Unix line endings, which every editor reads.
DRM-protected books cannot be converted. Books from Project Gutenberg, Standard Ebooks and most independent authors are DRM-free.
AZW3 vs TXT: the differences
| AZW3 | TXT | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kindle Format 8 e-book | Plain text |
| Type | e-book | document |
| Created by | Amazon | no single author |
| First released | 2011 | 1963 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | a book's text, images, styling and table of contents | characters only, with no formatting |
| In a browser | opens on Kindle e-readers and in the Kindle and Calibre apps | opens in every browser, text editor and phone |
| Common uses | Kindle e-readers and books loaded onto them over USB | notes, logs, extracted text and anything that must open everywhere |
| MIME type | application/vnd.amazon.ebook | text/plain |
About AZW3 and TXT 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 a TXT file?
A TXT file holds nothing but characters: no fonts, images or layout. Modern text files are usually UTF-8, which covers every language.
AZW3 to TXT not working? Common problems
- "Files up to 25 MB can be converted." Server conversions have a size limit. Most of a large book is its pictures; a copy with smaller images will convert.
- "The conversion took too long and was stopped." Very long or complex files can pass the 90 second limit. Split the file and convert the parts.
- The book will not convert. Books bought from a store usually have DRM, which encrypts them; no legitimate converter removes it.
Convert AZW3 to TXT 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.txtConverting 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 TXT converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting AZW3 to TXT?
The words are kept exactly; images and formatting are not, because the target has no room for them.
Why is the TXT a different size from the AZW3?
Much smaller than the AZW3, because only the text is kept.
Are my AZW3 files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful AZW3 to TXT 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 TXT 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 TXT 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 a TXT file?
TXT opens in every browser, text editor and phone. TXT is common for notes, logs, extracted text and anything that must open everywhere.
Is this AZW3 to TXT 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 TXT 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 TXT is saved to your Downloads folder.