What this guide covers
A paperback never glows, but an e-book on a bright white page does. Reading a novel for an hour before bed on a white screen is a good way to feel wide awake and tired at the same time.
The EPUB Reader opens DRM-free books in a dark tone with the controls you would expect from a proper reading app: search across the whole book, bookmarks, adjustable type and a record of where you stopped. Everything happens in your browser tab, so the book stays on your device. Here is how to set it up.
Step by step
- 1
Add your book
Press Choose file or drag an EPUB onto the reader. EPUB 2 and EPUB 3 files that are free of DRM work. The book is unpacked in your browser tab.
- 2
Set the tone and type
Pick Classic, Warm, Blue or OLED black. Move the text size between 15 and 26 pixels and choose serif or sans-serif type. The choice applies to the whole book.
- 3
Move through the chapters
Use the chapter list in the side panel or the controls on the page. The reader keeps headings and paragraph spacing the way the book was made.
- 4
Search the whole book
Type a name or phrase to search every chapter at once. Each result shows its chapter and a line of context, and clicking one jumps to the match.
- 5
Bookmark where you stop
Press Bookmark before closing the book. A bookmark keeps the chapter and the scroll position, and you can return to it from the side panel.
- 6
Check length and time left
The side panel shows the word count, an estimated reading time and how long is left from your current chapter. Next time you open the book, it continues where you stopped.
Making long reading easier
Type matters more than most people expect. Serif letters carry the eye along a line, which suits fiction, while a clean sans-serif is better for textbooks, lists and reference material. Because light text on a dark background can look thinner than dark text on paper, setting the size one or two steps larger often feels more comfortable than the default.
The reading-time estimate is based on an average adult pace, so treat it as a rough guide. Dense non-fiction takes longer and dialogue-heavy fiction takes less. Still, the figure for the time left in your current chapter is a useful way to decide whether to start another one tonight.
You can find a few more habits for long reading sessions in our article on dark and light mode.
Tips
- Serif type suits long fiction. Sans-serif suits textbooks and reference books.
- Light text on a dark page can look thinner, so a size or two larger than on paper is often more comfortable.
- Set the type once and leave it alone for a few evenings before changing it again.
Good to know
- Books with DRM protection cannot be opened.
- Your place and bookmarks are stored in this browser. Clearing site data removes them.