What happens when you convert LIT to MOBI
- The LIT 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.
- MOBI is an older Kindle format: Send to Kindle no longer accepts it, but older Kindles and the Kindle apps still read it. For a current Kindle, AZW3 or EPUB is the better choice.
- 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 LIT to MOBI online
- Press "Choose LIT 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 MOBI". 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 MOBI with its download button. Our server has already deleted both your LIT and the MOBI by then.
Why convert LIT to MOBI?
LIT files usually come from e-books bought or downloaded for Microsoft Reader in the 2000s. People convert them to MOBI because MOBI is what older Kindles and the Kindle apps read.
In short, LIT is good at what it was made for, and MOBI is the more practical choice when the file has to open, upload or print somewhere else. No current app opens LIT; Microsoft Reader was discontinued in 2012, and Calibre can read it, while MOBI opens on older Kindles and in the Kindle and Calibre apps.
How to convert LIT to MOBI on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your LIT files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each MOBI is saved to your Downloads folder.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the LIT files from Finder onto the drop zone and the MOBI files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose LIT files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted MOBI appears in Files, in the Downloads folder.
On Android
Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose LIT files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The MOBI is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it.
Best settings for LIT to MOBI
There are no settings to choose: the LIT is opened and saved as a MOBI e-book, keeping as much of its formatting as the format allows.
Check the converted file before deleting the LIT. Simple documents convert exactly; unusual fonts, complex layouts and advanced features are where differences appear.
LIT vs MOBI: the differences
| LIT | MOBI | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Microsoft Reader e-book | Mobipocket e-book |
| Type | e-book | e-book |
| Created by | Microsoft | Mobipocket, later Amazon |
| First released | 2000 | 2000 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | a book's text, images and table of contents in a compressed container | a book's text, images and table of contents |
| In a browser | no current app opens it; Microsoft Reader was discontinued in 2012, and Calibre can read it | opens on older Kindles and in the Kindle and Calibre apps |
| Common uses | e-books bought or downloaded for Microsoft Reader in the 2000s | older Kindle e-readers and e-books from the 2000s |
| MIME type | application/x-ms-reader | application/x-mobipocket-ebook |
About LIT and MOBI files
What is a LIT file?
LIT was the format of Microsoft Reader, which Microsoft stopped supporting in 2012. Converting LIT books to EPUB or PDF is the only way to keep reading them on current devices. Books with Microsoft Reader DRM cannot be converted.
What is a MOBI file?
MOBI was the Kindle's original format. Amazon has since moved to AZW3 and KFX and no longer accepts MOBI through Send to Kindle, which now takes EPUB instead.
LIT to MOBI 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 LIT to MOBI from the command line
This page uses Calibre. Installed on your computer, its ebook-convert command does the same conversion:
ebook-convert input.lit output.mobiConverting 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.
LIT to MOBI converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting LIT to MOBI?
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 MOBI a different size from the LIT?
The two formats store text and pictures differently, so the MOBI can be somewhat larger or smaller than the LIT. Images are carried over as they are.
Are my LIT files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful LIT to MOBI 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 MOBI as soon as the result has been sent back to you. We do not keep, read or share it.
Can I convert several LIT files to MOBI 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 MOBI file?
MOBI opens on older Kindles and in the Kindle and Calibre apps. MOBI is common for older Kindle e-readers and e-books from the 2000s.
Is this LIT to MOBI 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 LIT to MOBI 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 MOBI is saved to your Downloads folder.