Do you need to create an EPUB file, or has someone sent you one? If this is your first time seeing this file extension, you may be asking, "What is EPUB?" How is it different from other document formats? Can you convert them to other formats, like PDF? You have come to the right place. This article explains everything about EPUB. Continue reading to learn more.

In this article
  1. What is EPUB?
  2. When To Use the EPUB File Format?
  3. Pros and Cons of EPUB Files
  4. How Do You Read an EPUB File?
  5. How To Convert EPUB to PDF or Other Formats Using PDFelement

Part 1. What is EPUB?

The meaning of 'EPUB' is "electronic publication." As you can tell from that, it is a file format used for digital books and other publications. These are files that are designed to be easily readable on various devices. Opening them with computers, smartphones, tablets, or e-readers. Let us list the key characteristics of EPUB to help you understand it better:

Reflowable Text

EPUB is designed with different screen sizes in mind. Thus, it features reflowable text. That means that the text adjusts depending on the screen size and resolution. As such, you do not need to zoom in or out and span to read the text. This leads to a smoother reading experience.

Multimedia Support

The EPUB format is crafted to elevate the reading experience. It supports multimedia content. You can embed images, music, and even videos into eBooks saved as EPUBs. Furthermore, EPUB supports interactive elements like hyperlinks, embedded fonts, and interactive tables of contents.

DRM

DRM and EPUB are two things that go hand in hand. DRM, short for Digital Rights Management, is a technology used to control how files are used, distributed, and accessed. It is extremely important for authors and publishers. They can use DRM to protect their intellectual property.

Part 2. When To Use the EPUB File Format?

You use the EPUB file format when you want the document to be as easy to read on a smartphone as on a PC. However, this only applies to multi-page documents. There is no need to save, for example, a letter as an EPUB file. That's because not everyone has an EPUB reader installed on their device.

Here are the documents that are usually saved as EPUB files:

  • Novels, textbooks, and non-fiction books
  • Digital magazines
  • Academic publications
  • Comics and visual graphics

The reason is that these files are usually created for sales. The author or illustrators want to earn from their works. You can apply DRM security to EPUB files, allowing you to restrict who downloads, views, and distributes your content. It prevents your work from being pirated.

Part 3. Pros and Cons of EPUB Files

There are always positive sides and negative sides to things. Looking at both will help you determine if the EPUB file format really is the one to use.

Pros
  • Reflowable Text: What is an EPUB file's best quality? It has reflowable text. As such, the reading experience will be the same, regardless if you are using a phone, tablet, or computer. Say goodbye to zooming in and out, spanning left and right, and pinching to read the words. They automatically adjust and realign to the size of your screen.
  • Digital Rights Management: You can protect your eBooks and ensure that you are the first to benefit from them by applying DRM. It allows you to control how the eBooks are distributed, downloaded, and viewed.
Cons
  • Difficult to create: Unlike Word files or PDFs, you don't just type text into the editor and save it to create the file. Creating an EPUB file from scratch requires coding knowledge. If you do not have any, creating one will be extremely difficult.
  • Restrictive: EPUB file format readers are easy to find, but they are not as common as PDF readers. So, you would be forcing the viewers to install a new app on their device. That is especially true if you apply DRM to the EPUB file. You have set the only app that people can use to view the EPUB. They can use DRM removal tools if they do not want to use that app. But for some, that's too much of a hassle.

Part 4. How Do You Read an EPUB File?

How to read EPUB books? As you may have guessed, you need EPUB file readers. Fortunately, you do not have to go out of your way to find one. There are many options available. In this section, we will discuss one program you can use to view EPUB files on Windows and one for Android.

Part 4.1. How To Open an EPUB File on Windows 10

How to open an epub file on Windows 11 and Windows 10? You can use Freda EPUB eBook Reader, which you can download from the Microsoft Store. You can download and use this program for free. However, you have to purchase access to the advanced features.

To use this tool, simply import your DRM-free EPUB file and open it. Alternatively, select one from the 50,000 public domain classic books from websites like Gutenberg.

freda epub ebook reader

Part 4.2. How To View EPUB Books on Android?

Nowadays, EPUb files are intended to be viewed using smartphones. The idea is to allow people to read books anywhere without actually bringing books. Android phones are perfect for that. Therefore, you can find many EPUB viewers on Google Play Store.

Some Android phones already have a built-in EPUB reader. That is Google Play Books. If it is not already on your device, you can download it for free from the Google Play Store.

To read EPUB ebooks or listen to their audiobook version, download the book from Google Play. Open Google Play Book, search for the EPUB file, and open it. That is how to view EPUB books on Android.

google book

Part 5. How To Convert EPUB to PDF or Other Formats Using PDFelement

As mentioned above, more people have PDF viewers rather than EPUB viewers installed on their devices. Additionally, editing an EPUB file is difficult, especially for people with no coding knowledge. For these reasons, you may want to convert your EPUB files to other formats, like PDF.

PDF is a great alternative since there are PDF viewers that offer a feature called "Liquid Mode." This feature reflows the text in the document to make it easier to read on smaller screens. So, it still feels like you are reading an EPUB file.

You can use Wondershare PDFelement Online to convert EPUB files to PDF. It is a free tool that everyone can use. Besides the converter, you will also find lots of other useful PDF editing features. Here is how to convert EPUB files to PDF using Wondershare PDFelement Online.

Step 1

Open a web browser and go to PDFelemenet Online. Click Word to PDF.

wondershare pdfelement online word to pdf
Step 2

Click Select A File. Select the EPUB file that you converted to Word. Alternatively, drag and drop the file into the input box.

uploading a file to pdfelement onilne
Step 3

Click the Convert button to convert the EPUB file to PDF.

converting the file to pdf
Step 4

Click Download.

downloading the converted file

Alternatively, you can use the desktop app. Follow these steps:

  1. Convert the EPUB file to Word using a free online converter.
  2. Launch Wondershare PDFelement.
  3. Click the + button > From File.
  4. Select the Word file you created by converting an EPUB file.
  5. Wondershare PDFelement will convert it to PDF and will open the output. Click Save.
pdfelement creating pdf using another file

Conclusion

What is EPUB? It is a file format that is usually used for eBooks. The notable characteristics of EPUB are you can apply DRM on them and they have reflowable text.

Suppose you do not have an EPUB viewer or editor. You can convert the file to PDF using Wondershare PDFelement or PDFelement Online. These converters ensure the formatting is still intact. Also, PDFs are just as readable as EPUB, so the experience will be similar.

People Also Ask

  • Can you use EPUB for professional documents?
    You can use EPUB for some professional documents, like digital user manuals. However, PDF is preferred over it because it is more accessible. If you have already saved your document as an EPUB, you can use Wondershare PDFelement Online to convert the file to PDF.
  • What is easier to edit, PDF or EPUB?
    PDF is the easier format to edit. PDF editors like Wondershare PDFelement allows you to edit PDFs like you're editing DOCX files on Word. On the other hand, you have to understand XML and XHTML syntax to create and edit EPUB files.
  • How is EPUB different from other eBook formats?
    The other common eBook formats are AZW, MOBI, and KF8. These are proprietary, so they have limited compatibility. You need to use specific eBook readers to view them. On the other hand, you can use any eBook viewer to open an EPUB file as long as the said file is not protected by DRM. For example, you can open the file with Wondershare PDFelement and even convert it to PDF.
Audrey Goodwin
Audrey Goodwin Sep 23, 24
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12 years of talent acquired in the software industry working with large publishers. Public speaker and author of several eBooks on technical writing and editing.