Kobos handle EPUB beautifully and PDF poorly. The page-sized PDF on a Kobo's small screen is a strain. Convert to EPUB and the device does what it was designed to do.
Why EPUB is Kobo's home format
Kobo has always favoured EPUB — Amazon's MOBI was the proprietary alternative; Kobo went with the open standard. The reader's settings (font, size, margins, line spacing) only work properly on EPUB content. PDFs are displayed as fixed pages with no reflow.
Convert and side-load
Convert via Flint's convert hub, pick EPUB. Connect your Kobo via USB and drag the EPUB into the device's books folder. The next time you wake the device, the new book appears in your library.
Alternatively, Kobo's Adobe Digital Editions integration lets you transfer via that route. Side-load via USB is faster for direct conversions.
Quality of the converted EPUB
Text-based PDFs convert cleanly. Headings become EPUB chapter markers, body text reflows, lists render correctly.
Scanned PDFs are usable after OCR but the EPUB content is essentially OCR text — proofread important passages. For very design-heavy PDFs (magazines, illustrated books), expect mixed results; consider keeping the PDF for those and only converting linear text books.
Cover images
Kobo shows a cover thumbnail in your library. The converter sometimes generates a cover from the PDF's first page; sometimes the cover is missing and you see a generic placeholder. To set a cover manually, edit the EPUB metadata with Calibre before transferring.
FAQ
Will Kobo recognise the converted EPUB?
Yes — Kobo accepts standard EPUB. The converted file appears in your library after side-loading.
Do I need DRM?
No — your own converted EPUBs have no DRM. Kobo handles them like any other side-loaded book.
Can I sync via the cloud?
Kobo's cloud sync is for purchases. For side-loaded EPUBs, you can use Pocket or transfer via Calibre to your account.
What about footnotes?
Carry across as endnotes in the converted EPUB. Linked from the body text where the converter could detect the references.
Proper ebook reading on Kobo. Convert your PDF to EPUB and side-load.