What happens when you convert FB2 to LRF
- The FB2 is converted by Calibre, the widely used open-source e-book manager, on our conversion server.
- Chapters, headings and the table of contents are laid out for the six-inch screen of Sony's early Reader models, which is what LRF was made for.
- 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 FB2 to LRF online
- Press "Choose FB2 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 LRF". 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 LRF with its download button. Our server has already deleted both your FB2 and the LRF by then.
Why convert FB2 to LRF?
FB2 files usually come from e-books from Russian and Eastern European libraries. People convert them to LRF because LRF is the only format the earliest Sony Reader models display natively.
In short, FB2 is good at what it was made for, and LRF is the more practical choice when the file has to open, upload or print somewhere else. FB2 opens in FBReader, Calibre and many Android reading apps, while LRF opens on early Sony Reader models and in Calibre.
How to convert FB2 to LRF on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your FB2 files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each LRF is saved to your Downloads folder.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the FB2 files from Finder onto the drop zone and the LRF files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose FB2 files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted LRF appears in Files, in the Downloads folder.
On Android
Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose FB2 files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The LRF is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it.
Best settings for FB2 to LRF
There are no settings: Calibre keeps the book's own styling, chapters and table of contents where the target can hold them.
Keep the original file; each conversion rebuilds the book, and converting back will not restore what the target could not hold.
FB2 vs LRF: the differences
| FB2 | LRF | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | FictionBook e-book | Sony BroadBand eBook |
| Type | e-book | e-book |
| Created by | Russian open-source developers | Sony |
| First released | 2004 | 2006 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | a book's text, structure and metadata as a single XML file | a book's text, images and table of contents, laid out for the Sony Reader |
| In a browser | opens in FBReader, Calibre and many Android reading apps | opens on early Sony Reader models and in Calibre |
| Common uses | e-books from Russian and Eastern European libraries | books bought for the first Sony Reader e-readers |
| MIME type | application/x-fictionbook+xml | application/x-sony-bbeb |
About FB2 and LRF files
What is an FB2 file?
FictionBook stores a whole book as one XML file describing its structure rather than its look, so every reader lays it out its own way.
What is an LRF file?
LRF is the format of Sony's first Reader e-readers from 2006. Sony switched its store to EPUB in 2008, so today LRF books open almost only in Calibre.
FB2 to LRF 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.
- "This file is not really in FB2 format." The converter checks every file before it runs anything, so a file of another format renamed to .fb2 is refused. Choose the page for its real format.
Convert FB2 to LRF from the command line
This page uses Calibre. Installed on your computer, its ebook-convert command does the same conversion:
ebook-convert input.fb2 output.lrfConverting 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.
FB2 to LRF converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting FB2 to LRF?
The text, images and structure are kept, laid out for the screen of the Sony Reader.
Why is the LRF a different size from the FB2?
E-book formats compress text and images differently, so the LRF may be somewhat larger or smaller than the FB2.
Are my FB2 files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful FB2 to LRF 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 LRF as soon as the result has been sent back to you. We do not keep, read or share it.
Can I convert several FB2 files to LRF 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 LRF file?
LRF opens on early Sony Reader models and in Calibre. LRF is common for books bought for the first Sony Reader e-readers.
Is this FB2 to LRF 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 FB2 to LRF 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 LRF is saved to your Downloads folder.