What happens when you convert TXT to MOBI
- The TXT is converted by Calibre, the widely used open-source e-book manager, on our conversion server.
- The text is read as plain UTF-8 text, with paragraphs taken from its line breaks, and the book is titled Document. Markdown symbols are not interpreted, so they appear as written.
- The result reflows to fit any screen, like any e-book.
- 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 TXT to MOBI online
- Press "Choose TXT 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 TXT and the MOBI by then.
Why convert TXT to MOBI?
TXT files usually come from notes, logs, extracted text and anything that must open everywhere. People convert them to MOBI because MOBI is what older Kindles and the Kindle apps read.
In short, TXT 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. TXT opens in every browser, text editor and phone, while MOBI opens on older Kindles and in the Kindle and Calibre apps.
How to convert TXT to MOBI on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your TXT 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 TXT 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 TXT 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 TXT 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 TXT to MOBI
There are no settings: the text is read as plain UTF-8 and the book is titled Document; rename it in your reading app or in Calibre.
Keep the original file; each conversion rebuilds the book, and converting back will not restore what the target could not hold.
TXT vs MOBI: the differences
| TXT | MOBI | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Plain text | Mobipocket e-book |
| Type | document | e-book |
| Created by | no single author | Mobipocket, later Amazon |
| First released | 1963 | 2000 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | characters only, with no formatting | a book's text, images and table of contents |
| In a browser | opens in every browser, text editor and phone | opens on older Kindles and in the Kindle and Calibre apps |
| Common uses | notes, logs, extracted text and anything that must open everywhere | older Kindle e-readers and e-books from the 2000s |
| MIME type | text/plain | application/x-mobipocket-ebook |
About TXT and MOBI files
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.
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.
TXT to MOBI 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 TXT format." The converter checks every file before it runs anything, so a file of another format renamed to .txt is refused. Choose the page for its real format.
Convert TXT 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.txt output.mobi --formatting-type plainConverting 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.
TXT to MOBI converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting TXT to MOBI?
No. Every word is kept exactly; the text simply gains an e-book around it.
Why is the MOBI a different size from the TXT?
Larger than the TXT, because a MOBI file wraps the words in a package with a table of contents, styles and book details, even when the text is short.
Are my TXT files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful TXT 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 TXT 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 TXT 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 TXT 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.