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Readest

Getting Started

Readest is an open-source ebook reader that runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and in the browser. All builds share the same reading engine and the same file formats — a book you import on one device works everywhere.

Download & install

Grab the latest build from the downloads page. Platform-specific notes:

  • Windows — installer (.exe) for x64 and ARM64. Double-click to install.
  • macOS — universal .dmg. Drag Readest into Applications, then open. Intel and Apple Silicon are both supported.
  • Linux — AppImage, .deb, and Flatpak. Flatpak is published on Flathub. If Chinese or Japanese text renders as boxes under Flatpak, see Flatpak CJK font fix.
  • iOS — install from the App Store.
  • Android — Google Play, or the APK from the downloads page.
  • Web — no install: open web.readest.com and sign in. Works offline after the first visit.

Once installed, open Readest. The first screen is an empty bookshelf.

Prefer building from source? The repository at github.com/readest/readest has full build instructions.

Open your first book

You can add books to Readest in several ways:

  1. File picker — click the + button on the bookshelf (or press Ctrl+O / Cmd+O) and pick one or more files.
  2. Drag & drop — drop files onto the Readest window.
  3. Share to Readest (mobile) — use the system share sheet from Files, Safari, or any other app.
  4. Open With — double-click a supported book if Readest is set as the default handler. See File associations.
  5. URL import — paste an HTTP(S) URL pointing to an EPUB.
  6. OPDS catalog — browse and download from any OPDS server. See OPDS catalogs.

Tap an imported book to start reading. Readest remembers your position automatically — next time you open the book, you pick up exactly where you left off.

Supported formats

FormatNotes
EPUBRecommended. Full support for annotations, TOC, typography, reflow.
MOBI / AZW / AZW3Amazon Kindle formats.
FB2Russian and Eastern European ebook format.
CBZ / ZIPComic Book Zip — image-based.
PDFPaginated PDFs. Text-based PDFs allow selection, highlighting, and lookup.
TXTPlain text, rendered with your chosen typography settings.
Markdown.md files, rendered as reflowable text with headings, lists, and links.

If your book comes as a different format (AZW4, KFX, EPUB3 with DRM), convert it first with Calibre and import the EPUB.

A quick tour

The main screens in Readest:

  • Library — your bookshelf, with search, grouping, and filters. See Library.
  • Main menu (library) — tap the menu icon in the top-right of the library. Quick access to sync, settings, help, and about.
  • Reader — the book view. Tap or click the center of the page to reveal toolbars.
  • View menu (reader) — tap the view icon in the top toolbar. Jump to theme, font, layout, and other appearance options.
  • Sidebar (reader) — tap the TOC icon in the bottom toolbar or press S to open it. Holds TOC, bookmarks, notes, and search.
  • Book menu (reader) — tap the menu icon in the sidebar. Book-specific actions: sync, export, proofread, and more.
  • Notebook — tap the Note icon in the top toolbar or press N in the reader to open. Lists every excerpt and note for the current book.
  • Command palette — Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P. Type to find any action or setting.

Ready to go deeper? Keep reading: