What happens when you convert HTML to EPUB
- The page is read by pandoc, the open-source document converter, on our conversion server: headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, links, bold and italic, and written as an EPUB e-book, with a new chapter at each top-level heading and a table of contents.
- The converter reads nothing but the file itself, so images linked from it are left out; only images embedded in the file as data URIs are kept. CSS styling, scripts and forms are ignored.
- The book title is taken from the HTML's own title if it has one, otherwise it is called Document.
- 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 HTML to EPUB online
- Press "Choose HTML 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 HTML and the EPUB by then.
Why convert HTML to EPUB?
HTML files usually come from web pages, emails and documents meant to be read in a browser. 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, HTML 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. HTML opens in every web browser, 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 HTML to EPUB on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your HTML 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 HTML 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 HTML 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 HTML 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 HTML to EPUB
There are no settings: pandoc's defaults give a clean, standard result that is easy to restyle.
If something is missing, check whether it depended on a file outside the HTML; the converter reads the file alone.
HTML vs EPUB: the differences
| HTML | EPUB | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | HyperText Markup Language | Electronic publication |
| Type | document | document |
| Created by | Tim Berners-Lee | the International Digital Publishing Forum |
| First released | 1993 | 2007 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | text with tags for headings, lists, links, tables and images | chapters as XHTML pages, with images and a table of contents |
| In a browser | opens in every web browser | opens in Apple Books, Google Play Books, Kobo and most e-reader apps; a Kindle needs it sent through Send to Kindle |
| Common uses | web pages, emails and documents meant to be read in a browser | e-books from stores other than Amazon and free e-book libraries |
| MIME type | text/html | application/epub+zip |
About HTML and EPUB files
What is an HTML file?
HTML is the language of web pages. A converted document saved as HTML keeps its headings, lists, tables and links and opens in any browser.
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.
HTML to EPUB not working? Common problems
- "Files up to 25 MB can be converted." Server conversions have a size limit. Compress the images inside the file, or split it, and try again.
- "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 HTML format." The converter checks every file before it runs anything, so a file of another format renamed to .html is refused. Choose the page for its real format.
Convert HTML to EPUB from the command line
pandoc does the same on your own computer:
pandoc input.html -o 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.
HTML to EPUB converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting HTML to EPUB?
The text and its structure are kept exactly. Layout and styling from the HTML are not, because pandoc converts the document's structure rather than its look.
Why is the EPUB a different size from the HTML?
Larger than the HTML, because EPUB wraps the text in styles and settings inside a compressed package, even when the text is short.
Are my HTML files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful HTML to EPUB conversion needs pandoc, the open-source document converter, 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 HTML 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 HTML 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 HTML 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.